THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 


:  :  fl^<>- 


CHAMPAIG™TJNTY,  ILL,, 


CONTAINING 


Full  Page  Portraits  and  Biographical  Sketches  of  Prominent 
and  Representative  Citizens  of  the  County, 

TOGETHER  WITH 

PORTRAITS   AND    BIOGRAPHIES   OF   ALL   THE   GOVERNORS    OF    ILLINOIS,  AND 
OF   THE    PRESIDENTS   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES. 


•fr- 


CHICAGO: 

CHAPMAN  BBOTHEES, 

1887. 


PE  HAVE  completed  our  labors  in  writing  and  compiling  the  PORTRAIT  AND  Bio- 
iGRAPHiCAL  ALBUM  of  this  county,  and  wish,  in  presenting  it  to  our  patrons,  to  speak 
briefly  of  the  importance  of  local  works  of  this  nature.  It  is  certainly  the  duty 
of  the  present  to  commemorate  the  past,  to  perpetuate  the  names  of  the  pioneers, 
to  furnish  a  record  of  their  early  settlement,  and  to  relate  the  story  of  their  progress. 
The  civilization  of  our  day,  the  enlightenment  of  the  age,  and  this  solemn  duty  which 
men  of  the  present  time  owe  to  their  ancestors,  to  themselves  and  to  their  posterity, 
demand  that  a  record  of  their  lives  and  deeds  should  be  made.  In  local  history  is  found  a  power 
to  instruct  man  by  precedent,  to  enliven  the  mental  faculties,  and  to  waft  down  the  river  of  time  a  safe 
vessel  in  which  the  names  and  actions  of  the  people  who  contributed  to  raise  this  region  from  its 
primitive  state  may  be  preserved.  Surely  and  rapidly  the  noble  men,  who  in  their  vigor  and  prime 
came  early  to  the  county  and  claimed  the  virgin  soil  as  their  heritage,  are  passing  to  their 
graves.  The  number  remaining  who  can  relate  the  history  of  the  first  days  of  settlement  is 
becoming  small  indeed,  so  that  an  actual  necessity  exists  for  the  collection  and  preservation  of  his- 
torical matter  without  delay,  before  the  settlers  of  the  wilderness  are  cut  down  by  time.  Not  only 
is  it  of  the  greatest  importance  to  render  history  of  pioneer  times  full  and  accurate,  but  it  is  also  essen- 
tial that  the  history  of  the  county,  from  its  settlement  to  the  present  day,  should  be  treated  through  its  various 
phases,  so  that  a  record,  complete  and  impartial,  may  be  handed  down  to  the  future.  The  present  the  age 
of  progress,  is  reviewed,  standing  out  in  bold  relief  over  the  quiet,  unostentatious  olden  times;  it  is  a  brilliant 
record,  which  is  destined  to  live  in  the  future;  the  good  works  of  men,  their  magnificent  enterprises,  theii 
lives,  whether  commercial  or  military,  do  not  sink  into  oblivion,  but,  on  the  contrary,  grow  brighter  with  age, 
and  contribute  to  build  up  a  record  which  carries  with  it  precedents  and  principles  that  will  l.e  advanced  and 
observed  when  the  acts  of  soulless  men  will  be  forgotten  and  their  very  names  hidden  in  obscurity. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  personal  sketches  contained  in  this  volume,  unusual  care  and  pains  were 
taken  to  have  them  accurate,  even  in  the  smallest  detail.  Indeed,  nothing  was  passed  lightly  over  or  treated 
indifferently ;  and  we  flatter  ourselves  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  accurate  works  of  its  nature  ever  published. 
As  one  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  this  work,  we  present  the  portraits  of  numerous  represent- 
ative citizens.  It  has  been  our  aim  to  have  the  prominent  men  of  to-day,  as  well  as  the  pioneers,  represented 
in  this  department;  and  we  congratulate  ourselves  on  the  uniformly  high  character  of  the  gentlemen  whose 
portraits  we  present.  They  are  in  the  strictest  sense  representative  men,  and  are  selected  from  all  the  call- 
ings and  professions  worthy  to  be  given.  There  are  others,  it  is  true,  who  claim  equal  prominence  with 
those  given ;  but  of  course  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  give  portraits  of  all  the  leading  men  and  pioneers 
of  the  county.  We  are  under  great  obligation  to  many  of  the  noble  and  generous  people  of  this  county 
for  kindly  and  material  assistance  in  the  preparation  of  this  ALBUM. 


CHICAGO,  October,  1887. 


CHAPMAN  BROTHERS. 


*r 


- 


OF  THE 


AND   OF  THE 


RY 

-     1     • ' 


FIRST  PRESIDENT. 


^.'  v .'  i1 :  i1 ;  i1 :  >' :  ,< :  i1.:.  i1 ;  ,< ;  ,' : ,' : ,< :  ,< ; ,. :,  •. ',  •,  -,  •.  >,  •. ',  •.  >,  •. ',  ;\  ;  >,  -.  •, ;  <,  •,_,  •.  ±' 

" 


HE  Father  of  our  Country  was 
Ixsrn  in  Westmorland  Co.,  Va., 
Feb.  22,  1732.  His  parents 
were  Augustine  and  Mary 
(Ball)  Washington.  The  family 
to  which  he  belonged  has  riot 
been  satisfactorily  traced  in 
England.  His  great-grand- 
father, John  Washington,  em- 
igrated to  Virginia  about  1657, 
and  became  a  prosperous 
planter.  He  had  two  sons, 
Lawrence  and  John.  The 
former  married  Mildred  Warner 
and  had  three  children,  John, 
Augustine  and  Mildred.  Augus- 
tine, the  father  of  George,  first 
married  Jane  Butler,  who  bore 
him  four  children,  two  of  whom, 
Lawrence  and  Augustine,  reached 
maturity.  Of  six  children  by  his 
second  marriage,  George  was  the 
eldest,  the  others  being  Betty, 
Samuel,  John  Augustine,  Charles 
and  Mildred. 
Augustine  Washington,  the  father  of  George,  died 
in  1743,  leaving  a  large  landed  property.  To  his 
eldest  son,  Lawrence,  he  bequeathed  an  estate  on 
the  Patomac,  afterwards  known  as  Mount  Vernon, 
and  to  George  he  left  the  parental  residence.  George 
received  only  such  education  as  the  neighborhood 
schools  afforded,  save  for  a  short  time  after  he  left 
school,  when  he  received  private  instruction  in 
mathematics,  His  spelling  was  rather  defective. 


I 


Remarkable  stories  are  told  of  his  great  physical 
strength  and  development  at  an  early  age.  He  was 
an  acknowledged  leader  among  his  companions,  and 
was  early  noted  for  that  nobleness  of  character,  fair- 
ness and  veracity  which  characterized  his  whole  life. 

When  George  was  1 4  years  old  he  had  a  desire  to  go  to 
sea,  and  a  midshipman's  warrant  was  secured  for  him, 
but  through  the  opposition  of  his  mother  the  idea  was 
abandoned.  Two  years  later  he  was  appointed 
surveyor  to  the  immense  estate  of  Lord  Fairfax.  In 
this  business  he  spent  three  years  in  a  rough  frontier 
life,  gaining  experience  which  afterwards  proved  very 
essential  to  him.  In  1751,  though  only  19  years  of 
age,  he  was  appointed  adjutant  with  the  rank  of 
major  in  the  Virginia  militia,  then  being  trained  for 
active  service  against  the  French  and  Indians.  Soon 
after  this  he  sailed  to  the  West  Indies  with  his  brother 
Lawrence,  who  went  there  to  restore  his  health.  They 
soon  returned,  and  in  the  summer  of  1752  Lawrence 
died,  leaving  a  large  fortune  to  an  infant  daughter 
who  did  not  long  survive  him.  On  her  demise  the 
estate  of  Mount  Vernon  was  given  to  George. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Robert  Dinwiddie,  as  Lieuten- 
ant-Governor  of  Virginia,  in  1752,  the  militia  was 
reorganized,  and  the  province  divided  into  four  mili- 
tary districts,  of  which  the  northern  was  assigned  to 
Washington  as  adjutant  general.  Shortly  after  this 
a  very  perilous  mission  was  assigned  him  and  ac- 
cepted, which  others  had  refused.  This  was  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  French  post  near  Lake  Erie  in  North- 
western Pennsylvania.  The  distance  to  be  traversed 
was  between  500  and  600  miles.  Winter  was  at  hand, 
and  the  journey  was  to  be  made  without  military 
escort,  through  a  territory  occupied  by  Indians.  The 


t 


20 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 


trip  was  a  perilpus  one,  and  several  limes  he  came  near 
losing  his  life,  yet  he  returned  in  safety  and  furnished 
a  full  and  useful  report  of  his  expedition.  A  regiment 
of  300  men  was  raised  in  Virginia  and  put  in  com- 
mand of  Col.  Joshua  Fry,  and  Major  Washington  was 
commissioned  lieutenant-colonel.  Active  war  was 
then  begun  against  the  French  and  Indians,  in  which 
Washington  took  a  most  important  part.  In  the 
memorable  event  of  July  9,  1755,  known  as  Brad- 
dock's  defeat,  Washington  was  almost  the  only  officer 
of  distinction  who  escaped  from  the  calamities  of  the 
day  with  life  and  honor.  The  other  aids  of  Braddock 
were  disabled  early  in  the  action,  and  Washington 
alone  was  left  in  that  capacity  on  the  field.  In  a  letter 
to  his  brother  he  says  :  "  I  had  four  bullets  through 
my  coat,  and  two  horses  shot  under  me,  yet  I  escaped 
unhurt,  though  death  was  leveling  my  companions 
on  every  side."  An  Indian  sharpshooter  said  he  was 
not  born  to  be  killed  by  a  bullet,  for  he  had  taken 
direct  aim  at  him  seventeen  times,  and  failed  to  hit 
him. 

After  having  been  five  years  in  the  military  service, 
and  vainly  sought  promotion  in  the  royal  army,  he 
look  advantage  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Duquesne  and  the 
expulsion  of  the  French  from  the  valley  of  the  Ohio, 
to  resign  his  commission.  Soon  after  he  entered  the 
Legislature,  where,  although  not  a  leader,  he  took  an 
active  and  important  part.  January  17,  1759,  he 
married  Mrs.  Martha  (Dandridge)  Custis,  the  wealthy 
widow  of  John  Parke  Custis. 

When  the  British  Parliament  had  closed  the  port 
of  Boston,  the  cry  went  up  throughout  the  provinces 
that  "The  cause  of  Boston  is  the  cause  of  us  all." 
It  was  then,  at  the  suggestion  of  Virginia,  that  a  Con- 
gress of  all  the  colonies  was  called  to  meet  at  Phila- 
delphia,Sept.  5,  1774,  to  secure  their  common  liberties, 
peaceably  if  possible.  To  this  Congress  Col.  Wash- 
ington was  sent  as  a  delegate.  On  May  10,  1775,  the 
Congress  re-assembled,  when  the  hostile  intentions  of 
England  were  plainly  apparent.  The  battles  of  Con- 
cord and  Lexington  had  been  fought.  Among  the 
first  acts  of  this  Congress  was  the  election  of  a  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  colonial  forces.  This  high  and 
responsible  office  was  conferred  upon  Washington, 
who  was  still  a  member  of  the  Congress.  He  accepted 
it  on  June  19,  but  upon  the  express  condition  that  he 
receive  no  salary.  He  would  keep  an  exact  account 
of  expenses  and  expect  Congress  lo  pay  them  and 
nothing  more.  It  is  not  the  object  of  this  sketch  to 
trace  the  military  acts  of  Washington,  to  whom  the 
fortunes  and  liberties  of  the  people  of  this  country 
were  so  long  confided.  The  war  was  conducted  by 
him  under  ever)'  possible  disadvantage,  and  while  his 
forces  often  met  with  reverses,  yet  he  overcame  every 
obstacle,  and  after  seven  years  of  heroic  devotion 
and  matchless  skill  he  gained  liberty  for  the  greatest 
nation  of  earth.  On  Dec.  23,  1783,  Washington,  in 
a  parting  address  of  surpassing  beauty,  resigned  his 


commission  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  army  to 
to  the  Continental  Congress  sitting  at  Annapolis.  He 
retired  immediately  to  Mount  Vernon  and  resumed 
his  occupation  as  a  farmer  and  planter,  shunning  all 
connection  with  public  life. 

In  February,  1 7 89,  Washington  was  unanimously 
elected  President.  In  his  presidential  career  ht  was 
subject  to  the  peculiar  trials  incidental  to  a  new 
government ;  trials  from  lack  of  confidence  on  the  part 
of  other  governments;  trials  from  want  of  harmony 
between  the  different  sections  of  our  own  country; 
trials  from  the  impoverished  condition  of  the  country, 
owing  to  the  war  and  want  of  credit;  trials  from  the 
beginnings  of  party  strife.  He  was  no  partisan.  His 
clear  judgment  could  discern  the  golden  mean;  and 
while  perhaps  this  alone  kept  our  government  from 
sinking  at  the  very  outset,  it  left  him  exposed  to 
attacks  from  both  sides,  which  were  often  bitter  and 
very  annoying. 

At  the  expiration  of  his  first  term  he  was  unani- 
mously re-elected.  At  the  end  of  this  term  many 
were  anxious  that  he  be  re-elected,  but  he  absolutely 
refused  a  third  nomination.  On  the  fourth  of  March, 
1797,  at  the  expiraton  of  his  second  term  as  Presi- 
dent, he  returned  to  his  home,  hoping  to  pass  there 
his  few  remaining  years  free  from  the  annoyances  of 
public  life.  Later  in  the  year,  however,  his  repose 
seemed  likely  to  be  interrupted  by  war  with  France. 
At  the  prospect  of  such  a  war  he  was  again  urged  to 
take  command  of  the  armies.  He  chose  his  sub- 
ordinate officers  and  left  to  them  the  charge  of  mat- 
ters in  the  field,  which  he  superintended  from  his 
home.  In  accepting  the  command  he  made  the 
reservation  that  he  was  not  to  be  in  the  field  until 
it  was  necessary.  In  the  midst  of  these  preparations 
his  life  was  suddenly  cut  off.  December  1 2,  he  took 
a  severe  cold  from  a  ride  in  the  rain,  which,  settling 
in  his  throat,  produced  inflammation,  and  terminated 
fatally  on  the  night  of  the  fourteenth.  On  the  eigh- 
teenth his  body  was  borne  wi'h  military  honors  to  its 
final  resting  place,  and  interred  in  the  family  vault  at 
Mount  Vernon. 

Of  the  character  of  Washington  it  is  impossible  to 
speak  but  in  terms  of  the  highest  respect  and  ad- 
miration. The  more  we  see  of  the  operations  of 
our  government,  and  the  more  deeply  we  feel  the 
difficulty  of  uniting  all  opinions  in  a  common  interest, 
the  more  highly  we  must  estimate  the  force  of  his  tal- 
ent and  character,  which  have  been  able  to  challenge 
the  reverence  of  all  parties,  and  principles,  and  na- 
tions, and  to  win  a  fame  as  extended  as  the  limits 
of  the  globe,  and  which  we  cannot  but  believe  will 
he  as  lasting  as  the  existence  of  man. 

The  person  of  Washington  was  unusally  tan,  erect 
and  well  proportioned.  His  muscular  strength  w;is 
great.  His  features  were  of  a  beautiful  symmetry. 
He  commanded  respect  without  any  appearance  of 
haughtiness,  and  ever  serious  without  being  dull. 


I 


SECOND  PRESIDENT. 


23 


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••««f<j 


OHN  ADAMS,  the  second 
President  and  the  first  Vice- 
President  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  Braintree  ( now 
Quincy),Mass.,  and  about  ten 
^  miles  from  Boston,  Oct.  19, 
1735.  His  great-grandfather,  Henry 
Adams,  emigrated  from  England 
about  1 640,  with  a  family  of  eight 
sons,  and  settled  at  Braintree.  The 
parents  of  John  were  John  and 
Susannah  (Boylston)  Adams.  His 
father  was  a  farmer  of  limited 
means,  to  which  he  added  the  bus- 
iness of  shoemaking.  He  gave  his 
eldest  son,  John,  a  classical  educa- 
tion at  Harvard  College.  John 
graduated  in  1755,  and  at  once  took  charge  of  the 
school  in  Worcester,  Mass.  This  he  found  but  a 
"school  of  affliction,"  from  which  he  endeavored  to 
gain  relief  by  devoting  himself,  in  addition,  to  the 
study  of  law.  For  this  purpose  he  placed  himself 
under  the  tuition  of  the  only  lawyer  in  the  town.  He 
had  thought  seriously  of  the  clerical  profession 
but  seems  to  have  been  turned  from  this  by  what  he 
termed  "  the  frightful  engines  of  ecclesiastical  coun- 
cils, of  diabolical  malice,  and  Calvanistic  good  nature," 
of  the  operations  of  which  he  had  been  a  witness  in 
his  native  town.  He  was  well  fitted  for  the  legal 
profession,  possessing  a  clear,  sonorous  voice,  being 
ready  and  fluent  of  speech,  and  having  quick  percep- 
tive powers.  He  gradually  gained  practice,  and  in 
1764  married  Abigail  Smith,  a  daughter  of  a  minister, 
and  a  lady  of  superior  intelligence.  Shortly  after  his 
marriage,  (1765),  the  attempt  of  Parliamentary  taxa- 
tion turned  him  from  law  to  politics.  He  took  initial 
steps  toward  holding  a  town  meeting,  and  the  resolu- 


tions  he  offered  on  the  subject  became  very  popular 
throughout  the  Province,  and  were  adopted  word  for 
word  by  over  forty  different  towns.  He  moved  to  Bos- 
ton in  1768,  and  became  one  of  the  most  courageous 
and  prominent  advocatesof  the  popular  cause,  and 
was  chosen  a  member  of  the  General  Court  (the  Leg- 
lislature)  in  1770. 

Mr.  Adams  was  chosen  one  of  the  first  delegates 
from  Massachusetts  to  the  first  Continental  Congress, 
which  met  in  1774.  Here  he  distinguished  himself 
by  his  capacity  for  business  and  for  debate,  and  ad- 
vocated the  movement  for  independence  against  the 
majority  of  the  members.  In  May,  1776,  he  moved 
and  carried  a  resolution  in  Congress  that  the  Colonies 
should  assume  the  duties  of  self-government.  He 
was  a  prominent  member  of  the  committee  of  five 
appointed  June  n,  to  prepare  a  declaration  of  inde- 
pendence. This  article  was  drawn  by  Jefferson,  but 
on  Adams  devolved  the  task  of  battling  it  through 
Congress  in  a  three  days  debate. 

On  the  day  after  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
was  passed,  while  his  soul  was  yet  warm  with  the 
glow  of  excited  feeling,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  his  wife, 
which,  as  we  read  it  now,  seems  to  have  been  dictated 
by  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  "Yesterday,"  he  says,"the 
greatest  question  was  decided  that  ever  was  debated 
in  America;  and  greater,  perhaps,  never  was  or  will 
be  decided  among  men.  A  resolution  was  passed 
without  one  dissenting  colony,  -'  that  these  United 
States  are,  and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and  inde- 
pendent states.'  The  day  is  passed.  The  fourth  of 
July,  1776,  will  be  a  memorable  epoch  in  the  history 
of  America.  I  am  apt  to  believe  it  will  be  celebrated 
by  succeeding  generations,  as  the  great  anniversary 
festival.  It  ought  to  be  commemorated  as  the  day  of 
deliverance  by  solemn  acts  of  devotion  to  Almighty 
God.  It  ought  to  be  solemnized  with  pomp,  shows, 


t 


24 


JOHN  ADAMS. 


games,  sports,  guns,  bells,  bonfires,  and  illuminations 
from  one  end  of  the  continent  to  the  other,  from  this 
time  forward  for  ever.  You  will  think  me  transported 
with  enthusiasm,  but  I  am  not.  I  am  well  aware  of 
the  toil,  and  blood  and  treasure,  that  it  will  cost  to 
maintain  this  declaration,  and  support  and  defend 
these  States;  yet,  through  all  the  gloom,  I  can  see  the 
rays  of  light  and  glory.  I  can  see  that  the  end  is 
wurth  more  than  all  the  means;  and  that  posterity 
will  triumph,  although  you  and  I  may  rue,  which  I 
hope  we  shall  not." 

In  November,  1777,  Mr.  Adams  was  appointed  a 
delegate  to  France  and  to  co-operate  with  Bemjamin 
Franklin  and  Arthur  Lee,  who  were  then  in  Paris,  in 
the  endeavor  to  obtain  assistance  in  arms  and  money 
from  the  French  Government.  This  was  a  severe  trial 
to  his  patriotism,  as  it  separated  him  from  his  home, 
compelled  him  to  cross  the  ocean  in  winter,  and  ex- 
posed him  to  great  peril  of  capture  by  the  British  cruis- 
ers, who  were  seeking  him.  He  left  France  June  17, 
1779.  In  September  of  the  same  year  he  was  again 
chosen  to  go  to  Paris,  and  there  hold  himself  in  readi- 
ness to  negotiate  a  treaty  of  peace  and  of  commerce 
with  Great  Britian,  as  soon  as  the  British  Cabinet 
might  be  found  willing  to  listen  to  such  pvoposels.  He 
sailed  for  France  in  November,  from  there  he  went  to 
Holland,  where  he  negotiated  important  loans  and 
formed  important  commercial  treaties. 

Finally  a  treaty  of  peace  with  England  was  signed 
Jan.  21,  1783.  The  re-action  from  the  excitement, 
toil  and  anxiety  through  which  Mr.  Adams  had  passed 
threw  him  into  a  fever.  After  suffering  from  a  con- 
tinued fever  and  becoming  feeble  and  emaciated  he 
was  advised  to  goto  England  to  drink  the  waters  of 
Bath.  While  in  England,  still  drooping anddespond- 
ing,  he  received  dispatches  from  his  own  government 
urging  the  necessity  of  his  going  to  Amsterdam  to 
negotiate  another  loan.  It  was  winter,  his  health  was 
delicate,  yet  he  immediately  set  out,  and  through 
storm,  on  sea,  on  horseback  and  foot,he  made  the  trip. 

February  24,  1785;  Congress  appointed  Mr.  Adams 
envoy  to  the  Court  of  St.  James.  Here  he  met  face 
to  face  the  King  of  England,  who  had  so  long  re- 
garded him  as  a  traitor.  As  England  did  not 
condescend  to  appoint  a  minister  to  the  United 
States,  and  as  Mr.  Adams  felt  that  he  was  accom- 
plishing but  little,  he  sought  permission  to  return  to 
his  own  country,  where  he  arrived  in  June,  1788. 

When  Washington  was  first  chosen  President,  John 
Adams,  rendered  illustiious  by  his  signal  services  at 
home  and  abroad,  was  chosen  Vice  President.  Again 
at  the  second  election  of  Washington  as  President, 
Adams  was  chosen  Vice  President.  In  1796,  Wash- 
ington retired  from  public  life,  and  Mr.  Adams  was 
elected  President,though  not  without  much  opposition. 
Serving  in  this  office  four  years,he  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  Jefferson,  his  opponent  in  politics. 

While   Mr.  Adams  was  Vice  President  the   great 


French  Revolution  shook  the  continent  of  Europe, 
and  it  was  upon  this  point  which  he  was  atissuewnh 
the  majority  of  his  countrymen  led  by  Mr.  Jefferson. 
Mr.  Adams  felt  no  sympathy  with  the  French  people 
in  their  struggle,  for  he  had  no  confidence  in  their 
power  of  self-government,  and  he  utterly  abhored  the 
classof  atheist  philosophers  who  he  claimed  caused  it. 
On  the  other  hand  Jefferson's  sympathies  were  strongly 
enlisted  in  behalf  of  the  French  people.  Hence  or- 
iginated the  alienation  between  these  distinguished 
men,  and  two  powerful  parties  were  thus  soon  organ- 
ized, Adams  at  the  head  of  the  one  whose  sympathies 
were  with  England  and  Jefferson  led  the  other  in 
sympathy  with  France. 

The  world  has  seldom  seen  a  spectacle  of  more 
moral  beauty  and  grandeur,  than  was  presented  by  the 
old  age  of  Mr.  Adams.  The  violence  of  party  feeling 
had  died  away,  and  he  had  begun  to  receive  that  just 
appreciation  which,  to  most  men,  is  not  accorded  till 
after  death.  No  one  could  look  upon  his  venerable 
form,  and  think  of  what  he  had  done  and  suffered, 
and  how  he  had  given  up  all  the  prime  and  strength 
of  his  life  to  the  public  good,  without  the  deepest 
emotion  of  gratitude  and  respect.  It  was  his  peculiar 
good  fortune  to  witness  the  complete  success  of  the 
institution  which  he  had  been  so  active  in  creating  and 
supporting.  In  r824,  his  cup  of  happiness  was  filled 
to  the  brim,  by  seeing  his  son  elevated  to  the  highest 
station  in  the  gift  of  the  people. 

The  fourth  of  July,  1826,  which  completed  the  half 
century  since  the  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, arrived,  and  there  were  but  three  of  the 
signers  of  that  immortal  instrument  left  upon  the 
earth  to  hail  its  morning  light.  And,  as  it  is 
well  known,  on  that  day  two  of  these  finished  their 
earthly  pilgrimage,  a  coincidence  so  remarkable  as 
to  seem  miraculous.  For  a  few  days  before  Mr. 
Adams  had  been  rapidly  failing,  and  on  the  morning 
of  the  fourth  he  found  himself  too  weak  to  rise  from 
his  bed.  On  being  requested  to  name  a  toast  for  the 
customary  celebration  of  the  day,  he  exclaimed  "  IN- 
DEPENDENCE FOREVER."  When  the  day  was  ushered 
in,  by  the  ringing  of  bells  and  the  firing  of  cannons, 
he  was  asked  by  one  of  his  attendants  if  he  knew 
what  day  it  was?  He  replied,  "O  yes;  it  is  the  glor- 
ious fourth  of  July — God  bless  it — God  bless  you  all." 
In  the  course  of  the  day  he  said,  "It  is  a  great  and 
glorious  day."  The  last  words  he  uttered  were, 
"Jefferson  survives."  But  he  had,  at  ore  o'clock,  re- 
signed his  spirit  into  the  hands  of  his  God. 

The  personal  appearance  and  manners  of  Mr. 
Adams  were  not  particularly  prepossessing.  His  face, 
as  his  portrait  manifests.was  intellectual  ard  expres- 
sive, but  his  figure  was  low  and  ungraceful,  and  his 
manners  were  frequently  abrupt  and  unconrteous. 
He  had  neither  the  lofty  dignity  of  Washington,  nor 
the  engaging  elegance  and  gracefulness  which  marked 
the  manners  and  address  of  Jefferson, 


I    • 

4" 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UHlVERSiTY  Or  ILLINOIS 


•  -..  W 


r 


THIRD  PRESIDENT. 


HOMAS  JEFFERSON  was 
born  April  2,  1743,  at  Shad- 
'well,  Albermarle  county,  Va. 

His  parents  were  Peter  and 
Jane  (  Randolph)  Jefferson, 
the  former  a  native  of  Wales, 
and  the  latter  born  in  Lon- 
don. To  them  were  born  six 
daughters  and  two  sons,  of 
whom  Thomas  was  the  elder. 
When  14  years  of  age  his 
father  died.  He  received  a 
most  liberal  education,  hav- 
ing been  kept  diligently  at  school 
from  the  time  he  was  five  years  of 
age.  In  1760  he  entered  William 
and  Mary  College.  Williamsburg  was  then  the  seat 
of  the  Colonial  Court,  and  it  was  the  obodeof  fashion 
a.id  splendor.  Young  Jefferson,  who  was  then  17 
years  old,  lived  somewhat  expensively,  keeping  fine 
horses,  and  much  caressed  by  gay  society,  yet  he 
was  earnestly  devoted  to  his  studies,  and  irreproacha- 
able  in  his  morals.  It  is  strange,  however,  under 
such  influences,that  he  was  not  ruined.  In  the  sec- 
ond year  of  his  college  course,  moved  by  some  un- 
explained inward  impulse,  he  discarded  his  horses, 
society,  and  even  his  favorite  violin,  to  which  he  had 
previously  given  much  time.  He  often  devoted  fifteen 
hours  a  day  to  hard  study,  allowing  himself  for  ex- 
ercise only  a  run  in  the  evening  twilight  of  a  mile  out 
of  the  city  and  back  again.  He  thus  attained  very 
high  intellectual  culture,  alike  excellence  in  philoso- 
phy and  the  languages.  The  most  difficult  Latin  and 
Greek  authors  he  read  with  facility.  A  more  finished 
scholar  has  seldom  gone  forth  from  college  halls;  and 


there  was  not  to  be  found,  perhaps,  in  all  Virginia,  a 
more  pureminded,  upright,  gentlemanly  young  man. 

Immediately  upon  leaving  college  he  began  the 
study  of  law.  For  the  short  time  he  continued  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  he  rose  rapidly  and  distin- 
guished himself  by  his  energy  and  accuteness  as  a 
lawyer.  But  the  times  called  for  greater  action. 
The  policy  of  England  had  awakened  the  spirit  of 
resistance  of  the  American  Colonies,  and  the  enlarged 
views  which  Jefferson  had  ever  entertained,  soon  led 
him  into  active  political  life.  In  1769  he  was  chosen 
a  member  of  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses.  In 
1772  he  married  Mrs.  Martha  Skelton,  a  very  beauti- 
ful, wealthy  and  highly  accomplished  young  widow. 

Upon  Mr.  Jefferson's  large  estate  at  Shad  well,  there 
was  a  majestic  swell  of  land,  called  Monticello,  which 
commanded  a  prospect  of  wonderful  extent  and 
beauty.  This  spot  Mr.  Jefferson  selected  for  his  new 
home;  and  here  he  reared  a  mansion  of  modest  yet 
elegant  architecture,  which,  next  to  Mount  Vernon, 
became  the  most  distinguished  resort  in  our  land. 

In  1775  he  was  sent  to  the  Colonial  Congress, 
where,  though  a  silent  member,  his  abilities  as  a 
writer  and  a  reasoner  soon  become  known,  and  he 
was  placed  upon  a  number  of  important  committees, 
and  was  chairman  of  the  one  appointed  for  the  draw- 
ing up  of  a  declaration  of  independence.  This  com- 
mittee consisted  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  John  Adams, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  Roger  Sherman  and  Robert  R. 
Livingston.  Jefferson,  as  chairman,  was  appointed 
to  draw  up  the  paper.  Franklin  and  Adams  suggested 
a  few  verbal  changes  before  it  was  submitted  to  Con- 
gress. On  June  28,  a  few  slight  changes  were  made 
in  it  by  Congress,  and  it  was  passed  and  signed  July 
4,  1776.  What  must  have  been  the  feelings  of  that 


28 


THOMAS  JEFFERSON. 


man — what  the  emotions  that  swelled  his  breast — 
who  was  charged  with  the  preparation  of  that  Dec- 
laration, which,  while  it  made  known  the  wrongs  of 
America,  was  also  to  publish  her  to  the  world,  free, 
soverign  and  independent.  It  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable papers  ever  written  ;  and  did  no  other  effort 
of  the  mind  of  its  author  exist,  that  alone  would  be 
sufficient  to  stamp  his  name  with  immortality. 

In  1779  Mr.  Jefferson  was  elected  successor  to 
Patrick  Henry,  as  Governor  of  Virginia.  At  one  time 
the  British  officer,  Tarleton,  sent  a  secret  expedition  to 
Monticello,  to  capture  the  Governor.  Scarcely  five 
minutes  elapsed  after  the  hurried  escape  of  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson and  his  family,  ere  his  mansion  was  in  posses- 
sion of  the  British  troops.  His  wife's  health,  never 
very  good,  was  much  injured  by  this  excitement,  and 
in  the  summer  of  1782  she  died. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  elected  to  Congress  in  1783. 
Two  years  later  he  was  appointed  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary to  France.  Returning  to  the  United  States 
in  September,  1789,  he  became  Secretary  of  State 
in  Washington's  cabinet.  This  position  he  resigned 
Jan.  i,  1794.  In  17 97,  he  was  chosen  Vice  Presi- 
dent, and  four  years  later  was  elected  President  over 
Mr.  Adams,  with  Aaron  Burr  as  Vice  President.  In 
1804  he  was  re-elected  with  wonderful  unanimity, 
and  George  Clinton,  Vice  President. 

The  early  part  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  second  adminstra- 
tion  was  disturbed  by  an  event  which  threatened  the 
tranquility  and  peace  of  the  Union;  this  was  the  con- 
spiracy of  Aaron  Burr.  Defeated  in  the  late  election 
to  the  Vice  Presidency,  and  led  on  by  an  unprincipled 
ambition,  this  extraordinary  man  formed  the  plan  of  a 
military  expedition  into  the  Spanish  territories  on  our 
southwestern  frontier,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  there 
a  new  republic.  This  has  been  generally  supposed 
was  a  mere  pretext ;  and  although  it  has  not  been 
generally  known  what  his  real  plans  were,  there  is  no 
doubt  that  they  were  of  a  far  more  dangerous 
character. 

In  1809,  at  the  expiration  of  the  second  term  for 
which  Mr.  Jefferson  had  been  elected,  he  determined 
to  retire  from  political  life.  For  a  period  of  nearly 
forty  years,  he  had  been  continually  before  the  pub- 
lic, and  all  that  time  had  been  employed  in  offices  of 
the  greatest  trust  and  responsibility.  Having  thus  de- 
voted the  best  part  of  his  life  to  the  service  of  his 
country,  he  now  felt  desirous  of  that  rest  which  his 
declining  years  required,  and  upon  the  organization  of 
the  new  administration,  in  March,  1809,  he  bid  fare- 
well forever  to  public  life,  and  retired  to  Monticello. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  profuse  in  his  hospitality.  Whole 
families  came  in  their  coaches  with  their  horses, — 
fathers  and  mothers,  boys  and  girls,  babies  and 
nurses, — and  remained  three  and  even  six  months. 
Life  at  Monticello,  for  years,  resembled  that  at  a 
fashionable  watering-place. 

The  fourth  of  July,  1826,  being  the  fiftieth  anniver- 


sary  of  the  Declaration  of  American  Independence, 
great  preparations  were  made  in  every  part  of  the 
Union  for  its  celebration,  as  the  nation's  jubilee,  and 
the  citizens  of  Washington,  to  add  to  the  solemnity 
of  the  occasion,  invited  Mr.  Jefferson,  as  the  framer, 
and  one  of  the  few  surviving  signers  of  the  Declara- 
tion, to  participate  in  their  iestivities.  But  an  ill- 
ness, which  had  been  of  several  weeks  duration,  and 
had  been  continually  increasing,  compelled  him  to 
decline  the  invitation. 

On  the  second  of  July,  the  disease  under  whic  h 
he  was  laboring  left  him,  but  in  such  a  reduced 
state  that  his  medical  attendants,  entertained  no 
hope  of  his  recovery.  From  this  time  he  was  perfectly 
sensible  that  his  last  hour  was  at  hand.  On  the  next 
day,  which  was  Monday,  he  asked  of  those  around 
him,  the  day  of  the  month,  and  on  being  told  it  was 
the  third  of  July,  he  expressed  the  earnest  wish  that 
he  might  be  permitted  to  breathe  the  airof  the  fiftieth 
anniversary.  His  prayer  was  heard — that  day,  whose 
dawn  was  hailed  with  such  rapture  through  our  land, 
burst  upon  his  eyes,  and  then  they  were  closed  for- 
ever. And  what  a  noble  consummation  of  a  noLle 
life!  To  die  on  that  day, — the  birthday  of  a  nation,- - 
the  day  which  his  own  name  and  his  own  act  had 
rendered  glorious;  to  die  amidst  the  rejoicings  and 
festivities  of  a  whole  nation,  who  looked  up  to  him, 
as  the  author,  under  God,  of  their  greatest  blessings, 
was  all  that  was  wanting  to  fill  up  the  record  his  life. 

Almost  at  the  same  hour  of  his  death,  the  kin- 
dred spirit  of  the  venerable  Adams,  as  if  to  bear 
him  company,  left  the  scene  of  his  earthly  honors. 
Hand  in  hand  they  had  stood  forth,  the  champions  of 
freedom  ;  hand  in  hand,  during  the  dark  and  desper- 
ate struggle  of  the  Revolution,  they  had  cheered  and 
animated  their  desponding  countrymen;  for  half  a 
century  they  had  labored  together  for  the  good  of 
the  country;  and  now  hand  in  hand  they  depart. 
In  their  lives  they  had  been  united  in  the  same  great 
cause  of  liberty,  and  in  their  deaths  they  were  not 
divided. 

In  person  Mr.  Jefferson  was  tall  and  thin,  rather 
above  six  feet  in  height,  but  well  formed;  his  eyes 
were  light,  his  hair  originally  red,  in  after  life  became 
white  and  silvery;  his  complexion  was  fair,  his  fore 
head  broad,  and  his  whole  countenance  intelligent  and 
thoughtful.  He  possessed  great  fortitude  of  mind  ns 
well  as  personal  courage ;  and  his  command  of  tem- 
per was  such  that  his  oldest  and  most  intimate  friends 
never  recollected  to  have  seen  him  in  a  passion. 
His  manners,  though  dignified,  were  simple  and  un- 
affected, and  his  hospitality  was  so  unbounded  that 
all  found  at  his  house  a  ready  welcome.  In  conver- 
sation he  was  fluent,  eloquent  and  enthusiastic  ;  and 
his  language  was  remarkably  pure  and  correct.  "  He 
was  a  finished  classical  scholar,  and  in  his  writings  is 
discernable  the  care  with  which  he  formed  his  style 
upon  the  best  models  of  antiquity. 


r 


FOURTH  PRESIDENT. 


AMES    MADISON,    "Father 
of  the  Constitution,"  and  fourth 
President  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  March  16,  1757,  and 
died  at  his  home  in  Virginia, 
June  28,  1836.     The  name  of 
James  Madison  is  inseparably  con- 
nected with  most  of  the  important 
events  in  that  heroic  period  of  our 
country  during  which  the  founda- 
tions of  this  great   republic  were 
laid.  He  was  the  last  of  the  founders 
of  the   Constitution   of  the    United 
States  to   be   called    to   his   eternal 
reward. 

The  Madison  family  were  among 
the  early  emigrants  to  the  New  World, 
landing  upon  the  shores  of  the  Chesa- 
peake but  15  years  after  the  settle- 
ment of  Jamestown.  The  father  of 
James  Madison  was  an  opulent 
planter,  residing  upon  a  very  fine  es- 
tate called  "Montpelier,"  Orange  Co., 
Va.  The  mansion  was  situated  in 
the  midst  of  scenery  highly  pictur- 
esque and  romantic,  on  the  west  side 
of  South-west  Mountain,  at  the  foot  of 
It  was  but  25  miles  from  the  home  of 
Jefferson  at  Monticello.  The  closest  personal  and 
political  attachment  existed  between  these  illustrious 
men,  from  their  early  youth  until  death. 

The  early  education  of  Mr.  Madison  was  conducted 
mostly  at  home  under  a  private  tutor.  At  the  age  of 
1 8  he  was  sent  to  Princeton  College,  in  New  Jersey. 
Here  he  applied  himself  to  study  with  the  most  im- 


Blue  Ridge. 


prudent  zeal;  allowing  himself,  for  months,  but  three 
hours'  sleep  out  of  the  24.  His  health  thus  became  so 
seriously  impaired  that  he  never  recovered  any  vigor 
of  constitution.  He  graduated  in  1771,  with  a  feeble 
body,  with  a  character  of  utmost  purity,  and  with  a 
mind  highly  disciplined  and  richly  stored  with  learning 
which  embellished  and  gave  proficiency  to  his  subsf  ~ 
quent  career. 

Returning  to  Virginia,  he  commenced  the  study  of 
law  and  a  course  of  extensive  and  systematic  reading. 
This  educational  course,  the  spirit  of  the  times  in 
which  he  lived,  and  the  society  with  which  he  asso- 
ciated, all  combined  to  inspire  him  with  a  strong 
love  of  liberty,  and  to  train  him  for  his  life-work  of 
a  statesman.  Being  naturally  of  a  religious  turn  of 
mind,  and  his  frail  health  leading  him  to  think  that 
his  life  was  not  to  be  long,  he  directed  especial  atten- 
tion to  theological  studies.  Endowed  with  a  mind 
singularly  free  from  passion  and  prejudice,  and  with 
almost  unequalled  powers  of  reasoning,  he  weighed 
all  the  arguments  for  and  against  revealed  religion, 
until  his  faith  became  so  established  as  never  to 
be  shaken. 

In  the  spring  of  1776,  when  26  years  of  age,  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Convention,  to 
frame  the  constitution  of  the  State.  The  next  year 
(1777),  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  General  Assembly. 
He  refused  to  treat  the  whisky-loving  voters,  and 
consequently  lost  his  election ;  but  those  who  had 
witnessed  the  talent,  energy  and  public  spirit  of  the 
modest  young  man,  enlisted  themselves  in  his  behalf, 
and  he  was  appointed  to  the  Executive  Council. 

Both  Patrick  Henry  and  Thomas  Jefferson  were 
Governors  of  Virginia  while  Mr.  Madison  remained 
member  of  the  Council ;  and  their  appreciation  of  his 


I 


It 


32 


JAMES  MADISON. 


intellectual,  social  and  moral  worth,  contributed  not 
a  little  to  his  subsequent  eminence.  In  the  year 
1780,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Continental 
Congress.  Here  he  met  the  most  illustrious  men  in 
our  land,  and  he  was  immediately  assigned  to  one  of 
the  most  conspicuous  positions  among  them. 

For  three  years  Mr.  Madison  continued  in  Con- 
gress, one  of  its  most  active  and  influential  members. 
In  the  year  1784,  his  term  having  expired,  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Legislature. 

No  man  felt  more  deeply  than  Mr.  Madison  the 
utter  inefficiency  of  the  old  confederacy,  with  no  na- 
tional government,  with  no  power  to  form  treaties 
which  would  be  binding,  or  to  enforce  law.  There 
was  not  any  State  more  prominent  than  Virginia  in 
the  declaration,  that  an  efficient  national  government 
must  be  formed.  In  January,  1786,  Mr.  Madison 
carried  a  resolution  through  the  General  Assembly  of 
Virginia,  inviting  the  other  States  to  appoint  commis- 
sioners to  meet  in  convention  at  Annapolis  to  discuss 
this  subject.  Five  States  only  were  represented.  The 
convention,  however,  issued  another  call,  drawn  up 
by  Mr.  Madison,  urging  all  the  States  to  send  their 
delegates  to  Philadelphia,  in  May,  1787,  to  draft 
a  Constitution  for  the  United  States,  to  take  the  place 
of  that  Confederate  League.  The  delegates  met  at 
the  time  appointed.  Every  State  but  Rhode  Island 
was  represented.  George  Washington  was  chosen 
president  of  the  convention  ;  and  the  present  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  was  then  and  there  formed. 
There  was,  perhaps,  no  mind  and  no  pen  more  ac- 
tive in  framing  this  immortal  document  than  the  mind 
and  the  pen  of  James  Madison. 

The  Constitution,  adopted  by  a  vote  81  to  79,  was 
to  be  presented  to  the  several  States  for  acceptance. 
But  grave  solicitude  was  felt.  Should  it  be  rejected 
we  should  be  left  but  a  conglomeration  of  independent 
States,  with  but  little  power  at  home  and  little  respect 
abroad.  Mr.  Madison  was  selected  by  tne  conven- 
tion to  draw  up  an  address  to  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  expounding  the  principles  of  the  Constitution, 
and  urging  its  adoption.  There  was  great  opposition 
to  it  at  first,  but  it  at  length  triumphed  over  all,  and 
went  into  effect  in  1789. 

Mr.  Madison  was  elected  to  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  the  first  Congress,  and  soon  became  the 
avowed  leader  of  the  Republican  party.  While  in 
New  York  attending  Congress,  he  met  Mrs  Todd,  a 
young  widow  of  remarkable  power  of  fascination, 
whom  he  married.  She  was  in  person  and  character 
queenly,  and  probably  no  lady  has  thus  far  occupied 
so  prominent  a  position  in  the  very  peculiar  society 
which  has  constituted  our  republican  court  as  Mrs. 
Madison. 

Mr.  Madison  served  as  Secretary  of  State  under 
Jefferson,  and  at  the  close  of  his  administration 
was  chosen  President.  At  this  time  the  encroach- 
ments of  England  had  brought  us  to  the  verge  of  war. 


British  orders  in  council  destroyed  our  commerce,  and 
our  flag  was  exposed  to  constant  insult.  Mr.  Madison 
was  a  man  of  peace.  Scholarly  in  his  taste,  retiring 
in  his  disposition,  war  had  no  charms  for  him.  But  the 
meekest  spirit  can  be  roused.  It  makes  one's  blood 
boil,  even  now,  to  think  of  an  American  ship  brought 
to,  upon  the  ocean,  by  the  guns  of  an  English  cruiser. 
A  young  lieutenant  steps  on  board  and  orders  the 
crew  to  be  paraded  before  him.  With  great  nonchal- 
ance he  selects  any  number  whom  he  may  please  to 
designate  as  British  subjects ;  orders  them  down  the 
ship's  side  into  his  boat;  and  places  them  on  thegini- 
deck  of  his  man-of-war,  to  fight,  by  compulsion,  the 
battles  of  England.  This  right  of  search  and  im- 
pressment, no  efforts  of  our  Government  could  induce 
the  British  cabinet  to  relinquish. 

On  the  1 8th  of  June,  1812,  President  Madison  gave 
his  approval  to  an  act  of  Congress  declaring  war 
against  Great  Britain.  Notwithstanding  the  bitter 
hostility  of  the  Federal  party  to  the  war,  the  country 
in  general  approved;  and  Mr.  Madison,  on  the  4111 
of  March,  1313,  was  re-elected  by  a  large  majority, 
and  entered  upon  his  second  term  of  office.  This  is 
not  the  place  to  describe  the  various  adventures  of 
this  war  on  the  land  and  on  the  water.  Our  infant 
navy  then  laid  the  foundations  of  its  renown  in  grap- 
pling with  the  most  formidable  power  which  ever 
swept  the  seas.  The  contest  commenced  in  earnest 
by  the  appearance  of  a  British  fleet,  early  in  Februaty, 
1813,  in  Chesapeake  Bay,  declaring  nearly  the  whole 
coast  of  the  United  States  under  blockade. 

The  Emperor  of  Russia  offered  his  services  as  me 
ditator.  America  accepted ;  England  refused.  A  Brit- 
ish force  of  five  thousand  men  landed  on  the  banks 
of  the  Patuxet  River,  near  its  entrance  into  Chesa- 
peake Bay,  and  marched  rapidly,  by  way  of  Bladens- 
burg,  upon  Washington. 

The  straggling  little  city  of  Washington  was  thrown 
into  consternation.  The  cannon  of  the  brief  conflict 
at  Bladensburg  echoed  through  the  streets  of  the 
metropolis.  The  whole  population  fled  from  the  city. 
The  President,  leaving  Mrs.  Madison  in  the  \Vliite 
House,  with  her  carriage  drawn  up  at  the  door  to 
await  his  speedy  return,  hurried  to  meet  the  officers 
in  a  council  of  war.  He  met  our  troops  utterly  routed, 
and  he  could  not  go  back  without  danger  of  bei'  g 
captured.  But  few  hours  elapsed  ere  the  Presidential 
Mansion,  the  Capitol,  and  all  the  public  buildings  in 
Washington  were  in  flames. 

The  war  closed  after  two  years  of  fighting,  and  on 
Feb.  13,  i8r5,the  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at  Ghent. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1817,  his  second  term  of 
office  expired,  and  he  resigned  the  Presidential  chair 
to  his  friend,  James  Monroe.  He  retired  to  his  I.eau- 
tiful  home  at  Montpelier,  and  there  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days.  On  June  28,  1836,  then  at  the 
age  of  85  years,  he  fell  asleep  in  death.  Mrs.  Madi- 
son died  July  12,  1849. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


FIFTH  PRESIDENT. 


35 


EQOIftOE. 


AMES  MONROE,  the  fifth 
Presidentof  The  United  States, 
was  born  in  Westmoreland  Co., 
Va.,  April  28,  1758.  His  early 
life  was  passed  at  the  place  of 
nativity.  His  ancestors  had  for 
many  years  resided  in  the  prov- 
ince in  which  he  was  born.  When, 
at  17  years  of  age,  in  the  pr6cess 
of  completing  his  education  at 
William  and  Mary  College,  the  Co- 
lonial Congress  assembled  at  Phila- 
delphia lo  deliberate  upon  the  un- 
just and  manifold  oppressions  of 
Great  Britian,  declared  the  separa- 
tion of  the  Colonies,  and  promul- 
gated the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence. Had  he  been  born  ten  years  before  it  is  highly 
probable  that  he  would  have  been  one  of  the  signers 
of  that  celebrated  instrument.  At  this  time  he  left 
school  and  enlisted  among  the  patriots. 

HL-  joined  the  army  when  everything  looked  hope- 
less and  gloomy.  The  number  of  deserters  increased 
from  day  to  day.  The  invading  armies  came  pouring 
in  ;  and  the  tories  not  only  favored  the  cause  of  the 
mother  country,  but  disheartened  the  new  recruits, 
who  were  sufficiently  terrified  at  the  prospect  of  con- 
tending with  an  enemy  whcm  they  had  been  taught 
to  deem  invincible.  To  such  brave  spirits  as  James 
Monroe,  who  went  right  onward,  undismayed  through 
difficulty  and  danger,  the  United  States  owe  their 
political  emancipation.  The  young  cadet  joined  the 
ranks,  and  espoused  the  cause  of  his  injured  country, 
with  a  firm  determination  to  live  or  die  with  her  strife 


for  liberty.  Firmly  yet  sadly  he  shared  in  the  mel- 
ancholy retreat  from  Harleam  Heights  and  White 
Plains,  and  accompanied  the  dispirited  army  as  it  fled 
before  its  foes  through  New  Jersey.  In  four  months 
after  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  patriots 
had  been  beaten  in  seven  battles.  At  the  buttle  of 
Trenton  he  led  the  vanguard,  and,  in  the  act  of  charg- 
ing upon  the  enemy  he  received  a  wound  in  the  left 
shoulder. 

As  a  reward  for  his  bravery,  Mr.  Monroe  was  pro- 
moted a  captain  of  infantry;  and,  having  recovered 
from  his  wound,  he  rejoined  the  army.  He,  however, 
receded  from  the  line  of  promotion,  by  becoming  an 
officer  in  the  staff  of  Lord  Sterling.  During  the  cam- 
paigns of  1777  and  1778,  in  the  actions  of  Brandy- 
wine,  Germantown  and  Monmouth,  he  continued 
aid-de-camp ;  but  becoming  desirous  to  regain  his 
position  in  the  army,  he  exerted  himself  to  collect  a 
regiment  for  the  Virginia  line.  This  scheme  failed 
owing  to  the  exhausted  condition  of  the  State.  Upon 
this  failure  he  entered  the  office  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  at 
that  period  Governor,  and  pursued,  with  considerable 
ardor,  the  study  of  common  law.  He  did  not,  however, 
entirely  lay  aside  the  knapsack  for  the  green  bag; 
but  on  the  invasions  of  the  enemy,  served  as  a  volun- 
teer, during  the  two  years  of  his  legal  pursuits. 

In  1782,  he  was  elected  from  King  George  county, 
a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  Virginia,  and  by  that 
body  he  was  elevated  to  a  seat  in  the  Executive 
Council.  He  was  thus  honored  with  the  confidence 
of  his  fellow  citizens  at  23  years  of  age  ;  and  having 
at  this  early  period  displayed  some  of  that  ability 
and  aptitude  for  legislation,  which  were  afterwards 
employed  wifh  unremitting  energy  for  the  public  good, 


f 


JAMES  M02VROE. 


-i- 


he  was  in  the  succeeding  year  chosen    a   member  of 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

Deeply  as  Mr.  Monroe  felt  the  imperfections  of  the  old 
Confederacy,  he  was  opposed  to  the  new  Constitution, 
thinking,  with  many  others  of  the  Republican  parly, 
that  it  gave  too  much  power  to  the  Central  Government, 
and  not  enough  to  the  individual  States.  Still  he  re- 
tained the  esteem  of  his  friends  who  were  its  warm 
supporters,  and  who,  notwithstanding  his  opposition 
secured  its  adoption.  In  1789,  he  became  a  member 
of  the  United  States  Senate ;  which  office  he  held  for 
four  years.  Every  month  the  line  of  distinction  be- 
tween the  two  great  parties  which  divided  the  nation, 
the  Federal  and  the  Republican,  was  growing  more 
distinct.  The  two  prominent  ideas  which  now  sep- 
arated them  were,  that  the  Republican  party  was  in 
sympathy  with  France,  and  also  in  favor  of  such  a 
strict  construction  of  the  Constitution  as  to  give  the 
Central  Government  as  little  power,  and  the  State 
Governments  as  much  power,  as  the  Constitution  would 
warrant.  The  Federalists  sympathized  with  England, 
and  were  in  favor  of  a  liberal  construction  of  the  Con- 
stitution, which  would  give  as  much  power  to  the 
Central  Government  as  that  document  could  possibly 
authorize. 

The  leading  Federalists  and  Republicans  were 
alike  noble  men,  consecrating  all  their  energies  to  the 
good  of  the  nation.  Two  more  honest  men  or  more 
pure  patriots  than  John  Adams  the  Federalist,  and 
James  Monroe  the  Republican,  never  breathed.  In 
building  up  this  majestic  nation,  which  is  destined 
to  eclipse  all  Grecian  and  Assyrian  greatness,  the  com- 
bination of  their  antagonism  was  needed  to  create  the 
light  equilibrium.  And  yet  each  in  his  day  was  de- 
nounced as  almost  a  demon. 

Washington  was  then  President.  England  had  es- 
poused the  cause  of  the  Bourbons  against  the  princi- 
ples of  the  French  Revolution.  All  Europe  was  drawn 
into  the  conflict.  We  were  feeble  and  far  away. 
Washington  issued  a  proclamation  of  neutrality  be- 
tween these  contending  powers.  France  had  helped 
us  in  the  struggle  for  our  liberties.  All  the  despotisms 
of  Europe  were  now  combined  to  prevent  the  French 
from  escaping  from  a  tyranny  a  thousand-fold  worse 
than  that  which  we  had  endured.  Col.  Monroe,  more 
magnanimous  than  prudent,  was  anxious  that,  at 
whatever  hazard,  we  should  help  our  old  allies  in 
their  extremity.  It  was  the  impulse  of  a  generous 
and  noble  nature.  He  violently  opposed  the  Pres- 
ident's proclamation  as  ungrateful  and  wanting  in 
magnanimity. 

Washington,  who  could  appreciate  such  a  character, 
developed  his  calm,  serene,  almost  divine  greatness, 
by  appointing  that  very  James  Monroe,  who  was  de- 
nouncing the  policy  of  the  Government,  as  the  minister 
of  that  Government  to  the  Republic  of  France.  Mr. 
Monroe  was  welcomed  by  the  National  Convention 
in  France  with  the  most  enthusiastic  demonstrations. 


Shortly  after  his  return  to  this  country,  Mr.  Mon- 
roe was  elected  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  held  the 
office  for  three  yeais.  He  was  again  sent  to  France  to 
co-operate  with  Chancellor  Livingston  in  obtaining 
the  vast  territory  then  known  as  the  Province  of 
Louisiana,  which  France  had  but  shortly  before  ob- 
tained from  Spain.  Their  united  efforts  were  suc- 
cessful. For  the  comparatively  small  sum  of  fifteen 
millions  of  dollars,  the  entire  territory  of  Orleans  and 
district  of  Louisiana  were  added  to  the  United  States. 
This  was  probably  the  largest  transfer  of  real  estate 
which  was  ever  made  in  all  the  history  of  the  world. 

From  France  Mr.  Monroe  went  to  England  to  ob- 
tain from  that  country  some  recognition  of  our 
rights  as  neutrals,  and  to  remonstrate  against  those 
odious  impressments  of  our  seamen.  but  Eng- 
land was  unrelenting.  He  again  returned  to  Eng- 
land on  the  same  mission,  but  could  receive  no 
redress.  He  returned  to  his  home  and  was  again 
chosen  Governor  of  Virginia.  This  he  soon  resigned 
to  accept  the  position  of  Secretary  of  State  under 
Madison.  While  in  this  office  war  with  England  was 
declared,  the  Secretary  of  War  resigned,  and  during 
these  trying  times,  the  duties  of  the  War  Department 
were  also  put  upon  him.  He  was  truly  the  armor- 
bearer  of  President  Madison,  and  the  most  efficient 
business  man  in  his  cabinet.  Upon  the  return  of 
peace  he  resigned  the  Department  of  War,  but  con- 
tinued in  the  office  of  Secretary  of  State  until  the  ex- 
piration of  Mr.  Madison's  admiustration.  At  the  elec- 
tion held  the  previous  autumn  Mr.  Monroe  himself  had 
been  chosen  President  with  but  little  opposition,  and 
upon  March  4,  1817,  was  inaugurated.  Four  years 
later  he  was  elected  for  a  second  term. 

Among  the  important  measures  of  his  Presidency 
were  the  cession  of  Florida  to  the  United  States;  the 
Missouri  Compromise,  and  the  "  Monroe  doctrine.'' 

This  famous  doctrine,  since  known  as  the  "  Monroe 
doctrine,"  was  enunciated  by  him  in  1823.  At  that 
time  the  United  States  had  recognized  the  independ- 
ence of  the  South  American  states,  and  did  not  \\ish 
to  have  European  powers  longer  attempting  to  sub- 
due portions  of  the  American  Continent.  The  doctrine 
is  as  follows:  "That  we  should  consider  any  attempt 
on  the  part  of  European  powers  to  extend  their  sys- 
tem to  any  portion  of  this  hemisphere  as  dangerous 
to  our  peace  and  safety,"  and  "that  we  could  not 
view  any  interposition  for  the  purpose  of  oppressing 
or  controlling  American  governments  or  provinces  in 
any  other  light  than  as  a  manifestation  by  European 
powers  of  an  unfriendly  disposition  toward  the  United 
States."  This  doctrine  immediately  affected  the  course 
of  foreign  governments,  and  has  become  the  approved 
sentiment  of  the  United  States. 

At  the  end  of  his  fecond  term  Mr.  Monroe  retired 
to  his  home  in  Virginia,  where  he  lived  until  1830, 
when  he  went  to  New  York  to  live  with  his  son-in- 
law.  In  that  city  he  died(on  the  4th  of  July,  1831. 


J,  a , 


SIXTH  PRESIDENT. 


:joi)i)  QUINSY 


IiH?3W^ 


OHN  QUINCY  ADAMS,  the 
sixth  President  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  in  the  rural 
home  of  his   honored   father, 
John  Adams,  in  Quincy,  Mass., 
on  the  i  ith  of  July,  1767.  His 
mother,  a  woman  of  exalted 
worth,  watched  over  his  childhood 
during   the  almost   constant   ab- 
sence of  his  father.      When    but 
eight  years  of  age,  he  stood  with 
his  mother  on  an  eminence,  listen- 
ing to  the  booming  of  the  great  bat- 
tle on  Bunker's  Hill,  and  gazing  on 
upon  the  smoke  and  flames  billow- 
ing up  from    the   conflagration   of 
Charlestown. 

When  but  eleven  years  old  he 
took  a  tearful  adieu  of  his  mother, 
to  sail  with  his  father  for  Europe, 
through  a  fleet  of  hostile  British  cruisers.  The  bright, 
animated  boy  spent  a  year  and  a  half  in  Paris,  where 
his  father  was  associated  with  Franklin  and  Lee  as 
minister  plenipotentiary.  His  intelligence  attracted 
ihe  notice  of  these  distinguished  men,  and  he  received 
from  them  flattering  m;irks  of  attention. 

Mr.  John  Adams  had  scarcely  returned  to  this 
country,  in  1779,  ere  he  was  again  sent  abroad.  Again 
John  Quincy  accompanied  his  father.  At  Paris  he 
applied  himself  with  great  diligence,  for  six  months, 
to  study;  then  accompnined  his  father  to  Holland, 
where  he  entered,  first  a  school  in  Amsterdam,  then 
the  University  at  Leyden.  About  a  year  from  this 
time,  in  1781,  when  the  manly  boy  was  but  fourteen 
years  of  age,  he  was  selected  by  Mr.  Dana,  our  min- 
ister to  the  Russian  court,  as  his  private  secretary. 

In  this  school  of  incessant  labor  and  of  enobling 
culture  he  spent  fourteen  months,  and  then  returned 
to  Holland  through  Sweden,  Denmark,  Hamburg  and 
Bremen.  This  long  journey  he  took  alone,  in  the 
winter,  when  in  his  sixteenth  year.  Again  he  resumed 
his  studies,  under  a  private  tutor,  at  Hague.  Thence, 


in  the  spring  of  1782,  he  accompanied  his  father  to 
Paris,  traveling  leisurely,  and  forming  acquaintance 
with  the  most  distinguished  men  on  the  Continent; 
examining  architectural  remains,  galleries  of  paintings, 
and  all  renowned  works  of  art.  At  Paris  he  again 
became  associated  with  the  most  illustrious  men  of 
all  lands  in  the  contemplations  of  the  loftiest  temporal 
themes  which  can  engross  the  human  mind.  After 
a  short  visit  to  England  he  returned  to  Paris,  and 
consecrated  all  his  energies  to  study  until  May,  1785, 
when  he  returned  to  America.  To  a  brilliant  young 
man  of  eighteen,  who  had  seen  much  of  the  world, 
and  who  was  familiar  with  the  etiquette  of  courts,  a 
residence  with  his  father  in  London,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, must  have  been  extremely  attractive; 
but  with  judgment  very  rare  in  one  of  his  age,  he  pre- 
ferred to  return  to  America  to  com  plete  his  education 
in  an  American  college.  He  wished  then  to  study 
law,  that  with  an  honorable  profession,  he  might  be 
able  to  obtain  an  independent  support. 

Upon  leaving  Harvard  College,  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
he  studied  law  for  three  years.  In  June,  1794,  be- 
ing then  but  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Washington,  resident  minister  at  the 
Netherlands.  Sailing  from  Boston  in  July,  he  reached 
London  in  October,  where  he  was  immediately  admit- 
ted to  the  deliberations  of  Messrs.  Jay  and  Pinckney, 
assisting  them  in  negotiating  acommercial  treaty  with 
Great  Brilian.  After  thus  spending  a  fortnight  in 
London,  he  proceeded  to  the  Hague. 

In  July,  1797,  he  left  the  Hague  to  go  to  Portugal  as 
minister  plenipotentiary.  On  his  way  to  Portugal, 
upon  arriving  in  London,  he  met  with  despatches 
directing  him  to  the  court  of  Berlin,  but  requesting 
him  to  remain  in  London  until  he  should  receive  his 
instructions.  While  waiting  he  was  married  to  an 
American  lady  to  whom  he  had  been  previously  en- 
gaged,— Miss  Louisa  Catherine  Johnson,  daughter 
of  Mr.  Joshua  Johnson,  American  consul  in  London; 
a  lady  endownd  with  that  beauty  and  those  accom- 
plishment which  eminently  fitted  her  to  move  in  the 
elevated  sphere  for  which  she  was  destined. 


f 


JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS. 


He  reached  Berlin  with  his  wife  in  November,  1797  ; 
where  he  remained  until  July,  1799,  when,  having  ful- 
filled all  the  purposes  of  his  mission,  lie  solicited  his 
recall. 

Soon  after  his  return,  in  1802,  he  was  chosen  to 
the  Senate  of  Massachusetts,  from  Boston,  and  then 
was  elected  Senator  of  the  United  States  for  six  years, 
from  the  4th  of  March,  1804.  His  reputation,  his 
ability  and  his  experience,  placed  him  immediately 
among  the  most  prominent  and  influential  members 
of  that  body.  Especially  did  he  sustain  the  Govern- 
ment in  its  measures  of  resistance  to  the  encroach- 
ments of  England,  destroying  our  commerce  and  in- 
sulting our  flag.  There  was  no  man  in  America  more 
familiar  with  the  arrogance  of  the  British  court  upon 
these  points,  and  no  one  more  resolved  to  present 
a  firm  resistance. 

In  1809,  Madison  succeeded  Jefferson  in  the  Pres- 
idential chair,  and  he  immediately  nominated  John 
Quincy  Adams  minister  to  St.  Petersburg.  Resign- 
ing his  professorship  in  Harvard  College,  he  embarked 
at  Boston,  in  August,  1809. 

While  in  Russia,  Mr.  Adams  was  an  intense  stu- 
dent. He  devoted  his  attention  to  the  language  and 
history  of  Russia;  to  the  Chinese  trade;  to  the 
European  system  of  weights,  measures,  and  coins  ;  to 
the  climate  and  astronomical  observations  ;  while  he 
kept  up  a  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  Greek  and 
Latin  classics.  In  all  the  universities  of  Europe,  a 
more  accomplished  scholar  could  scarcely  be  found. 
All  through  life  the  Bible  constituted  an  important 
part  of  his  studies.  It  was  his  rule  to  read  five 
chapters  every  day. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1817,  Mr.  Monroe  took  the 
Presidential  chair,  and  immediately  appointed  Mr. 
Adams  Secretary  of  State.  Taking  leave  of  his  num- 
erous friends  in  public  and  private  life  in  Europe,  he 
sailed  in  June,  i8rg,  for  the  United  States.  On  the 
i8th  of  August,  he  again  crossed  the  threshold  of  his 
home  in  Quincy.  During  the  eight  years  of  Mr.  Mon- 
roe's administration,  Mr,  Adams  continued  Secretary 
of  State. 

Some  time  before  the  close  of  Mr.  Monroe's  second 
term  of  office,  new  candidates  began  to  be  presented 
for  the  Presidency.  The  friends  of  Mr.  Adams  brought 
forward  his  name.  It  was  an  exciting  campaign. 
Party  spirit  was  never  more  bitter.  Two  hundred  and 
sixty  electoral  votes  were  cast.  Andrew  Jackson  re- 
ceived ninety-nine;  John  Quincy  Adams,  eighty-four; 
William  H.  Crawford,  forty-one;  Henry  Clay,  thirty- 
seven.  As  there  was  no  choice  by  the  people,  the 
question  wer.t  to  the  House  of  Representatives.  Mr. 
Clay  gave  the  vote  of  Kentucky  to  Mr.  Adams,  and 
he  was  elected. 

The  friends  of  all  the  disappointed  candidates  now 
combined  in  a  venomous  and  persistent  assault  upon 
Mr.  Adams.  There  is  nothing  more  disgraceful  in 
the  past  history  of  our  country  than  the  abuse  which 


was  poured  in  one  uninterrupted  stream,  upon  this 
high-minded,  upright,  patriotic  man.  There  never  was 
an  administration  more  pure  in  principles,  more  con- 
scientiously devoted  to  the  best  interests  of  the  coun- 
try, than  that  of  John  Quincy  Adams ;  and  never,  per- 
haps, was  there  an  administration  more  unscrupu- 
lously and  outrageously  assailed. 

Mr.  Adams  was,  to  a  very  remarkable  degree,  ab- 
stemious and  temperate  in  his  habits;  always  rising 
early,  and  taking  much  exercise.  When  at  his  home  in 
Quincy,  he  has  been  known  to  walk,  before  breakfast, 
seven  miles  to  Boston.  In  Washington,  it  was  said 
that  he  was  the  first  man  up  in  the  city,  lighting  his 
own  fire  and  applying  himself  to  work  in  his  library 
often  long  before  dawn. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1829,  Mr.  Adams  retired 
from  the  Presidency,  and  was  succeeded  by  Andrew 
Jackson.  John  C.  Caliioun  was  elected  Vice  Presi- 
dent. The  slavery  question  now  began  to  assume 
portentous  magnitude.  Mr.  Adams  returned  to 
Quincy  and  to  his  studies,  which  he  pursued  with  un- 
abated zeal.  But  he  was  not  long  permitted  to  re- 
main in  retirement.  In  November,  1830,  lie  was 
elected  representative  to  Congress.  For  seventeen 
years,  until  his  death,  he  occupied  the  post  as  repre- 
sentative, towering  above  all  his  peers,  ever  ready  to 
do  brave  battle' for  freedom,  and  winning  the  title  of 
"the  old  man  eloquent."  Upon  taking  his  seat  in 
the  House,  he  announced  that  he  should  hold  him- 
self bound  to  no  party.  Probably  there  never  was  a 
member  more  devoted  to  his  duties.  He  was  usually 
the  first  in  his  place  in  the  morning,  and  the  last  to 
leave  his  seat  in  the  evening.  Not  a  measure  could 
be  brought  forward  and  escape  his  scrutiny.  'I  he 
battle  which  Mr.  Adams  fought,  almost  singly,  against 
I  he  proslavery  party  in  the  Government,  was  sublime 
in  its  moral  daring  and  heroism.  For  persisting  in 
presenting  petitions  for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  he 
was  threatened  with  indictment  by  the  grand  jury, 
with  expulsion  from  the  House,  with  assassination  : 
but  no  threats  could  intimidate  him,  and  his  final 
triumph  was  complete. 

It  has  been  said  of  President  Adams,  that  when  his 
body  was  bent  and  his  hair  silvered  by  the  lapse  of 
fourscore  years,  yielding  to  the  simple  faith  of  a  little 
child,  he  was  accustomed  to  repeat  every  night,  before 
he  slept,  the  prajer  which  his  mother  taught  him  in 
his  infant  years. 

On  the  zistof  February,  1848,  he  rose  on  the  floor 
of  Congress,  with  a  paper  in  his  hand,  to  address  the 
speaker.  Suddenly  he  fell,  again  stricken  by  paraly- 
sis, and  was  caught  in  the  arms  of  those  around  him. 
For  a  time  he  was  senseless,  as  he  was  conveyed  to 
the  sofa  in  the  rotunda.  With  reviving  conscious- 
ness, he  opened  his  eyes,  looked  calmly  around  and 
said  "  This  is  the  end  of  earth  /'then  after  a  moment's 
pause  he  added,  " '/  am  content"  These  were  the 
last  words  of  the  grand  "Old  Man  Eloquent." 
.» 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
V  or  ILLIM01S 


SEVENTH  PRESIDENT. 


NDREVV  JACKSON,  the 
seventh  President  of  the 
United  States,  was  born  in 
\Vaxha\v  settlement,  N.  C., 
March  15,  1767,  a  few  days 
after  his  father's  death.  His 
parents  were  poor  emigrants 
from  Ireland,  and  took  up 
their  abode  in  Waxhaw  set- 
tlement, where  they  lived  in 
deepest  poverty. 
Andrew,  or  Andy,  as  he  was 
universally  called,  grew  up  a  very 
rough,  rude,  turbulent  boy.  His 
features  were  coarse,  his  form  un- 
gainly; and  there  was  but  very 
little  in  his  character,  made  visible,  which  was  at- 
tractive. 

When  only  thirteen  years  old  he  joined  the  volun- 
teers of  Carolina  against  the  British  invasion.  In 
1781,  he  and  his  brother  Robert  were  captured  and 
imprisoned  for  a  time  at  Camden.  A  British  officer 
ordered  him  to  brush  his  mud-spattered  boots.  "  I  am 
a  prisoner  of  war,  not  your  servant,"  was  the  reply  of 
the  dauntless  boy. 

•  The  brute  drew  his  sword,  and  aimed  a  desperate 
blow  at  the  head  of  the  helpless  young  prisoner. 
Andrew  raised  his  hand,  and  thus  received  two  fear- 
ful gashes, — one  on  the  hand  and  the  other  upon  the 
head.  The  officer  then  turned  to  his  brother  Robert 
with  the  same  demand.  He  also  refused,  and  re- 
ceived a  blow  from  the  keen-edged  sabre,  which  quite 
disabled  him,  and  which  probably  soon  after  caused 
his  death.  They  suffered  much  other  ill-treatment,  and 
were  finally  stricken  with  the  small-pox.  Their 
mother  was  successful  in  obtaining  their  exchange, 


and  took  her  sick  boys  home.  After  a  long  illness 
Andrew  recovered,  and  the  death  of  his  mother  soon 
left  him  entirely  friendless. 

Andrew  supported  himself  in  various  ways,  such  as 
working  at  the  saddler's  trade,  teaching  school  and 
clerking  in  a  general  store,  until  1784,  when  he 
entered  a  law  office  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.  He,  however, 
gave  more  attention  to  the  wild  amusements  of  the 
times  than  to  his  studies.  In  1788,  he  was  appointed 
solicitor  for  the  western  district  of  North  Carolina,  of 
which  Tennessee  was  then  a  part.  This  involved 
many  long  and  tedious  journeys  amid  dangers  of 
every  Igind,  but  Andrew  Jackson  never  knew  fear, 
and  the  Indians  had  no  desire  to  repeat  a  skirmish 
witn  the  Sharp  Knife. 

In  1791,  Mr.  Jackson  was  married  to  a  woman  who 
supposed  herself  divorced  from  her  former  husband. 
Great  was  the  surprise  of  both  parties,  two  years  later, 
to  find  that  the  conditions  of  the  divorce  had  just  been 
definitely  settled  by  the  first  husband.  The  marriage 
ceremony  was  performed  a  second  time,  but  the  occur- 
rence was  often  used  by  his  enemies  to  bring  Mr. 
Jackson  into  disfavor. 

During  these  years  he  worked  hard  at  his  profes- 
sion, and  frequently  had  one  or  more  duels  on  hand, 
one  of  which,  when  he  killed  Dickenson,  was  espec- 
ially disgraceful. 

In  January,  1796,  the  Territory  of  Tennessee  then 
containing  nearly  eighty  thousand  inhabitants,  the 
people  met  in  convention  at  Knoxville  to  frame  a  con- 
stitution. Five  were  sent  from  each  of  the  eleven 
counties.  Andrew  Jackson  was  one  of  the  delegates. 
The  new  State  was  entitled  to  but  one  member  in 
the  National  House  of  Representatives.  Andrew  Jack- 
son was  chosen  that  member.  Mounting  his  horse  he 
rode  to  Philedelphia,  where  Congress  then  held  its 


1 


M 


44 


ANDREW  JACKSON. 


,r    d: 

¥ 


sessions, — a  distance  of  about  eight  hundred    miles. 

Jackson  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  Demo- 
cratic purty.  Jefferson  was  his  idol.  He  admired 
Bonaparte,  loved  France  and  hated  England.  As  Mr. 
Jackson  took  his  seat,  Gen.  Washington,  whose 
second'term  of  office  was  then  expiring,  delivered  his 
lust  speech  to  Congress.  A  committee  drew  up  a 
complimentary  address  in  reply.  Andrew  Jackson 
did  not  approve  of  the  address,  and  was  one  of  the 
twelve  who  voted  against  it.  He  was  not  willing  to 
say  that  Gen.  Washington's  adminstration  had  been 
"  wise,  firm  and  patriotic." 

Mr.  Jackson  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
Senate  in  1797,  but  soon  resigned  and  returned  home. 
Soon  after  he  was  chosen  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  his  State,  which  position  he  held  for  six  years. 

When  the  war  of  1812  with  Great  Britian  com- 
menced, Madison  occupied  the  Presidential  chair. 
Aaron  Burr  sent  word  to  the  President  that  there  was 
an  unknown  man  in  the  West,  Andrew  Jackson,  who 
would  do  credit  to  a  commission  if  one  were  con- 
ferred upon  him.  Just  at  that  time  Gen.  Jackson 
offered  his  services  and  those  of  twenty-five  hundred 
volunteers.  His  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  troops 
were  assembled  at  Nashville. 

As  the  British  were  hourly  expected  to  make  an  at- 
tack r.pon  New  Orleans,  where  Gen.  Wilkinson  was 
in  command,  he  was  ordered  to  descend  the  river 
with  fifteen  hundred  troops  to  aid  Wilkinson.  The 
expedition  reached  Natchez;  and  after  a  delay  of  sev- 
eral weeks  there,  without  accomplishing  anything, 
the  men  were  ordered  back  to  their  homes.  But  the 
energy  Gen.  Jackson  had  displayed,  and  his  entire 
devotion  to  the  comrfort  of  his  soldiers,  won  him 
golden  opinions;  and  he  became  the  most  popular 
man  in  the  State.  It  was  in  this  expedition  that  his 
toughness  gave  him  the  nickname  of  "  Old  Hickory." 

Soon  after  this,  while  attempting  to  horsewhip  Col. 
Thomas  H.  Benton,  for  a  remark  that  gentleman 
made  about  his  taking  a  part  as  second  in  a  duel,  in 
which  a  younger  brother  of  Benton's  was  engaged, 
he  received  two  severe  pistol  wounds.  While  he  was 
"lingering  u[«n  a  bed  of  suffering  news  came  that  the 
Indians,  who  had  combined  under  Tecumseh  from 
Florida  to  the  Lakes,  to  exterminate  the  white  set- 
tlers, were  committing  the  most  awful  ravages.  De- 
cisive action  became  necessary.  Gen.  Jackson,  with 
his  fractured  bone  just  beginning  to  heal,  his  arm  in 
a  sling,  and  unable  to  mount  his  horse  without  assis- 
tance, gave  his  amazing  energies  to  the  raising  of  an 
army  to  rendezvous  at  Fayettesville,  Alabama. 

The  Creek  Indians  had  established  a  strong  fort  on 
one  of  the  bends  of  theTallapoosa  River,  near  the  cen- 
ter of  Alabama,  about  fifty  miles  below  Fort  Strother. 
With  an  army  of  two  thousand  men,  Gen.  Jackson 
traversed  the  pathless  wilderness  in  a  march  of  eleven 
days.  He  readied  their  fort,  called  Tohopeka  or 
Horse-shoe,  on  the  27111  of  March.  1814.  The  bend 


of  the  river  enclosed  nearly  one  hundred  acres  of 
tangled  forest  and  wild  ravine.  Across  the  narrow 
neck  the  Indians  had  constructed  a  formidable  brea:U- 
work  of  logs  and  brush.  Here  nine  hundred  warriors, 
with  an  ample  suplyof  arms  were  assembled. 

The  fort  was  stormed.  The  fight  was  utterly  des- 
perate. Not  an  Indian  would  accept  of  quarter.  When 
bleeding  and  dying,  they  would  fight  those  who  en- 
deavored to  spare  their  lives.  From  ten  in  the  morn- 
ing until  dark,  the  battle  raged.  The  carnage  was 
awful  and  revolting.  Some  threw  themselves  into  the 
river;  but  the  unerring  bullet  struck  their  heads  as 
they  swam.  Nearly  everyone  of  the  nine  hundred  war- 
rios  were  killed  A  few  probably,  in  the  night,  swam 
the  river  and  escaped.  This  ended  the  war.  The 
power  of  the  Creeks  was  broken  forever.  This  bold 
plunge  into  the  wilderness,  with  its  terriffic  slaughter, 
so  appalled  the  savages,  that  the  haggard  remnants 
of  the  bands  came  to  the  camp,  begging  for  peace. 

This  closing  of  the  Creek  war  enabled  us  to  con- 
centrate all  our  militia  upon  the  British,  who  were  th.e 
allies  of  the  Indians  No  man  of  less  resolute  will 
than  Gen.  Jackson  could  have  conducted  this  Indian 
campaign  to  so  successful  an  issue  Immediately  he- 
was  appointed  major-general. 

Late  in  August,  with  an  army  of  two  thousand 
men,  on  a  rushing  march,  Gen.  Jackson  came  to 
Mobile.  A  British  fleet  came  from  Pensacola,  landed 
a  force  upon  the  beach,  anchored  near  the  little  fort, 
and  from  both  ship  and  shore  commenced  a  furious 
assault.  The  battle  was  long  and  doubtful.  At  length 
one  of  the  ships  was  blown  up  and  the  rest  retired. 

Garrisoning  Mobile,  where  he  had  taken  his  little 
army,  he  moved  his  troops  to  New  Orleans, 
And  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  which  soon  ensued, 
was  in  reality  a  very  arduous  campaign.  This  won 
for  Gen.  Jackson  an  imperishable  name.  Here  his 
troops,  which  numbered  about  four  thousand  men, 
won  a  signal  victory  over  the  British  army  of  about 
nine  thousand.  His  loss  was  but  thirteen,  while  the  l 
loss  of  the  British  was  two  thousand  six  hundred. 

The  name  of  Gen.  Jackson  soon  began  to  be  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  the  Presidency,  but,  in  1824, 
he  was  defeated  by  Mr.  Adams.  He  was,  however, 
successful  in  the  election  of  1828,  and  was  re-elected 
for  a  second  term  in  1832.  In  1829,  just  before  he 
assumed  the  reins  of  the  government,  he  met  with 
the  most  terrible  affliction  of  his  life  in  the  death  of 
his  wife,  whom  he  had  loved  with  a  devotion  which  has 
perhaps  never  been  surpassed.  From  the  shock  of 
her  death  he  never  recovered. 

His  administration  was  one  of  the  most  memorable 
in  the  annals  of  our  country;  applauded  by  one  party, 
condemned  by  the  other.  No  man  had  more  bitter 
enemies  or  warmer  friends.  At  the  expiration  of  his 
two  terms  of  office  he  retired  to  the  Hermitage,  where 
he  died  June  8,  1845.  The  last  years  of  Mr.  Jack- 
son's life  were  that  of  a  devoted  Christian  man. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

*•'  V  or  fLLIHOIS 


*-*-* 


EIGHTH  PRESIDENT. 


ARTIN  VAN  BUREN,  the 
eighth      President     of     the 
United  States,  was  born  at 
Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  5, 
1782.     He  died  at  the  same 
place,  July   24,    1862.      His 
body  rests  in   the  cemetery 
at  Kinderhook.     Above  it  is 
a  plain  granite    shaft  fifteen  feet 
high,  bearing  a  simple  inscription 
about  half  way  up   on   one    face. 
The  lot  is  unfenced,  unbordered 
or  unbounded  by  shrub  or  flower. 

There  is  but  little  in  the  life  of  Martin  Van  Buren 
of  romantic  interest.  He  fought  no  battles,  engaged 
in  no  wild  adventures.  Though  his  life  was  stormy  in 
political  and  intellectual  conflicts,  and  he  gained  many 
signal  victories,  his  days  passed  uneventful  in  those 
incidents  which  give  zest  to  biography.  His  an- 
cestors, as  his  name  indicates,  were  of  Dutch  origin, 
and  were  among  the  earliest  emigrants  from  Holland 
to  the  banks  of  the  Hudson.  His  father  was  a  farmer, 
residing  in  the  old  town  of  Kinderhook.  His  mother, 
also  of  Dutch  lineage,  was  a  woman  of  superior  intel- 
ligence and  exemplary  piety. 

He  was  decidedly  a  precocious  boy,  developing  un- 
usual activity,  vigor  and  strength  of  mind.  At  the 
age  of  fourteen,  he  had  finished  his  academic  studies 
in  his  native  village,  and  commenced  the  study  of 
law.  As  he  had  not  a  collegiate  education,  seven 
years  of  study  in  a  law-office  were  required  of  him 
before  he  could  be  admitted  to  the  bar.  Inspired  with 
a  lofty  ambition,  and  conscious  of  his  powers,  he  pur- 
sued his  studies  with  indefatigable  industry.  After 
spending  six  years  in  an  office  in  his  native  village, 


he  went  to  the  city  of  New  York,  and  prosecuted  his 
studies  for  the  seventh  year. 

In  1803,  Mr.  Van  Buren,  then  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  his  native  vil- 
lage. The  great  conflict  between  the  Federal  and 
Republican  party  was  then  at  its  height.  Mr.  Van 
Buren  was  from  the  beginning  a  politician.  He  had, 
perhaps,  imbibed  that  spirit  while  listening  to  the 
many  discussions  which  had  been  carried  on  in  his 
father's  hotel.  He  was  in  cordial  sympathy  with 
Jefferson,  and  earnestly  and  eloquently  espoused  the 
cause  of  State  Rights ;  though  at  that  time  the  Fed- 
eral party  held  the  supremacy  both  in  his  town 
and  State. 

His  success  and  increasing  ruputation  led  htm 
after  six  years  of  practice,  to  remove  to  Hudson,  th,; 
county  seat  of  his  county.  Here  he  spent  seven  years,  • 
constantly  gaining  strength  by  contending  in  the 
courts  with  some  of  the  ablest  men  who  have  adorned 
the  bar  of  his  State. 

Just  before  leaving  Kinderhook  for  Hudson,  Mi. 
Van  Buren  married  a  lady  alike  distinguished  for 
beauty  and  accomplishments.  After  twelve  short 
years  she  sank  into  the  grave,  the  victim  of  consump- 
tion, leaving  her  husband  and  four  sons  to  weep  over 
her  loss.  For  twenty-five  years,  Mr.  Van  Buren  was 
an  earnest,  successful,  assiduous  lawyer.  The  record 
of  those  years  is  barren  in  items  of  public  interest. 
In  1812,  when  thirty  years  of  age,  he  was  chosen  to 
the  State  Senate,  and  gave  his  strenuous  support  to 
Mr.  Madison's  adminstration.  In  1815,  he  was  ap- 
pointed Attorney-General,  and  the  next  year  moved 
to  Albany,  the  capital  of  the  State. 

While  he  was  acknowledged  as  one  of  the  most 
prominent  leaders  of  the  Democratic  party,  he  had 


MARTIN  VAN  BUR  EN. 


ir 


the  moral  courage  to  avow  that  true  democracy  did 
not  require  that  "  universal  suffrage"  which  admits 
the  vile,  the  degraded,  the  ignorant,  to  the  right  of 
governing  the  State.  In  true  consistency  with  his 
democratic  principles,  he  contended  that,  while  the 
path  leading  lo  the  privilege  of  voting  should  be  open 
to  every  man  without  distinction,  no  one  should  be 
invested  with  lint  sacred  prerogative,  unless  he  were 
in  some  degree  qualified  for  it  by  intelligence,  virtue 
and  some  propert)  interests  in  the  welfare  of  the 
State. 

In  1821  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  United 
States  Senate;  and  in  the  same  year,  he  took  a  seat 
in  the  convention  to  revise  the  constitution  of  his 
native  State.  His  course  in  this  convention  secured 
the  approval  of  men  of  all  parties.  No  one  could 
doubt  the  singleness  of  his  endeavors  to  promote  the 
interests  of  all  classes  in  the  community.  In  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States,  he  rose  at  once  to  a 
conspicuous  ixjsition  as  an  active  and  useful  legislator. 

In  1827,  John  Quincy  Adams  being  then  in  the 
Presidential  chair,  Mr.  Van  Buren  was  re-elected  to 
the  Senate.  He  had  been  from  the  beginning  a  de- 
termined opposer  of  the  Administration,  adopting  the 
"State  Rights"  view  in  opposition  to  what  was 
deemed  the  Federal  proclivities  of  Mr.  Adams. 

Soon  after  this,  in  1828,  he  was  chosen  Governorof 
the  State  of  New  York,  and  accordingly  resigned  his 
seat  in  the  Senate.  Probably  no  one  in  the  United 
States  contributed  so  much  towards  ejecting  John  Q. 
Adams  from  the  Presidential  chair,  and  placing  in  it 
Andrew  Jackson,  as  did  Martin  Van  Buren.  Whether 
entitled  to  the  reputation  or  not,  he  certainly  was  re- 
garded throughout  the  United  States  as  one  of  the 
most  skillful,  sagacious  and  cunning  of  politicians. 
It  was  sup|X)sed  that  no  one  knew  so  well  as  he  how 
to  touch  the  secret  springs  of  action;  how  to  pull  all 
the  wires  to  put  his  machinery  in  motion ;  and  how  to 
organize  a  political  army  which  would,  secretly  and 
stealthily  accomplish  the  most  gigantic  results.  By 
these  powers  it  is  said  that  he  outwitted  Mr.  Adams, 
Mr.  Clay,  Mr.  Webster,  and  secured  results  which 
few  thought  then  could  be  accomplished. 

Whj.i  Andrew  Jackson  was  elected  President  he 
ap|>ointed  Mr.  Van  Buren  Secretary  of  State.  This 
position  he  resigned  in  1831,  and  was  immediately 
appoirted  Minister  to  England,  where  he  went  the 
same  autumn.  The  Senate,  however,  when  it  met, 
refused  to  ratify  the  nomination,  and  he  returned 


home,  apparently  untroubled;  was  nominated  Vice 
President  in  the  place  of  Calhoun,  at  the  re-election 
of  President  Jackson ;  and  with  smiles  for  all  and 
fiowns  for  none,  he  took  his  place  at  the  head  of  that 
Senate  which  had  refused  to  confirm  his  nomination 
as  ambassador. 

His  rejection  by  the  Senate  roused  all  the  zeal  of 
President  Jackson  in  behalf  of  his  repudiated  favor- 
ite ;  and  this,  probably  mure  than  any  other  cause, 
secured  his  elevation  to  the  chair  of  the  Chief  Execu- 
tive. On  the  2oth  of  May,  1836,  Mr.  Van  Buren  re- 
ceived the  Democratic  nomination  to  succeed  Gen. 
Jackson  as  President  of  the  United  States  He  was 
elected  by  a  handsome  majority,  to  the  delight  of  the 
retiring  President.  "  Leaving  New  York  out  of  the 
canvass,"  says  Mr.  Parton,  "the  election  of  Mr.  Van 
Buren  to  the  Presidency  was  as  much  the  act  of  Gen. 
Jackson  as  though  the  Constitution  had  conferred 
upon  him  the  power  to'appoint  a  successor." 

His  administration  was  filled  with  exciting  events. 
The  insurrection  in  Canada,  which  threatened  to  in 
volve  this  country  in  war  with  England,  the  agitation 
of  the  slavery  question,  and  finally  the  great  commer- 
cial panic  which  spread  over  the  country,  all  were 
trials  to  his  wisdom.  The  financial  distress  was  at- 
tributed to  the  management  of  the  Democratic  party, 
and  brought  the  President  into  such  disfavor  that  he 
failed  of  re-election. 

With  the  exception  of  being  nominated  for  the 
Presidency  by  the  "Free  Soil"  Democrats,  in  1848, 
Mr.  Van  Buren  lived  quietly  upon  his  estate  until 
his  death. 

He  had  ever  been  a  prudent  man,  of  frugal  habits, 
and  living  within  his  income,  had  now  fortunately  a 
competence  for  his  declining  years.  His  unblemished 
character,  his  commanding  abilities,  his  unquestioned 
patriotism,  and  the  distinguished  positions  which  he 
had  occupied  in  the  government  of  our  country,  se- 
cured to  him  not  only  the  homage  of  his  party,  but 
the  respect  ot  the  whole  community.  It  was  on  the 
4th  of  March,  1841,  that  Mr.  Van  Buren  retired  from 
the  presidency.  From  his  fine  estate  at  Lindenwald, 
he  still  exerted  a  powerful  influence  upon  the  politics 
of  the  country.  From  this  time  until  his  death,  on 
the  24th  of  July,  1862,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  he 
resided  at  Lindenwald,  a  gentleman  of  leisure,  of 
culture  and  of  wealth;  enjoying  in  a  healthy  old 
age,  probably  far  more  happiness  than  he  had  before 
experienced  amid  the  stormy  scenes  of  his  active  life, 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
..YY  or  iLLINOIS 


•*-*r-«* 


PRESIDENT. 


ILLIAM  HENRY  HARRI- 
SON, the  ninth   President  of 
the   United  States,  was  born 
at  Berkeley,  Va.,  Feb.  9,  1773. 
His  father,   Benjamin   Harri- 
son, was  in  comparatively  op- 
ulent circumstances,  and  was 
one  of  the  most  distinguished 
men  of  his  day.      He  was  an 
intimate    friend    of     George 
Washington,  was  early  elected 
a  member  of  the  Continental 
Congress,    and  was    conspicuous 
among  the  patriots  of  Virginia  in 
resisting  the  encroachments  of  the 
British  crown.     In  the  celebrated 
Congress  of  1775,  Benjamin  Har- 
rison   and   John    Hancock   were 
both  candidates  for  the  office  of 
speaker. 

Mr  Harrison  was  subsequently 
chosen  Governor  of  Virginia,  and 
was  twice  re-elected.  His  son, 
William  Henry,  of  course  enjoyed 
in  childhood  all  the  advantages  which  wealth  and 
intellectual  and  cultivated  society  could  give.  Hav- 
ing received  a  thorough  common-school  education,  he 
entered  Hampden  Sidney  College,  where  he  graduated 
with  honor  soon  after  the  death  of  his  father.  He 
then  repaired  to  Philadelphia  to  study  medicine  under 
the  instructions  of  Dr.  Rush  and  the  guardianship  of 
Robert  Morris,  both  of  whom  were,  with  his  father, 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  Indian  troubles,  and  not- 
withstanding the  remonstrances  of  his  friends,  he 
abandoned  his  medical  studies  and  entered  the  army, 
having  obtained  a  commission  of  Ensign  from  Presi- 


dent  Washington.  He  was  then  but  19  years  old. 
From  that  time  he  passed  gradually  upward  in  rank 
until  he  became  aid  to  General  Wayne,  after  whose 
death  he  resigned  his  commission.  He  was  then  ap- 
pointed Secretary  of  the  North-western  Territory.  This 
Territory  was  then  entitled  to  but  one  member  in 
Congress  and  Capt.  Harrison  was  chosen  to  fill  that 
position. 

In  the  spring  of  1800  the  North-western  Territory 
was  divided  by  Congress  into  two  portions.  The 
eastern  portion,  comprising  the  region  now  embraced 
in  the  State  of  Ohio,  was  called  ''  The  Territory 
north-west  of  the  Ohio."  The  western  portion,  which 
included  what  is  now  called  Indiana,  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin,  was  called  the  "Indiana  Territory."  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison,  then  27  years  of  age,  was  ap- 
pointed by  John  Adams,  Governor  of  the  Indiana 
Territory,  and  immediately  after,  also  Governor  of 
Upper  Louisiana.  He  was  thus  ruler  over  almost  as 
extensive  a  realm  as  any  sovereign  upon  the  globe.  He 
was  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  and  was  in- 
vested with  powers  nearly  dictatorial  over  the  now 
rapidly  increasing  white  population.  The  ability  and 
fidelity  with  which  he  discharged  these  responsible 
duties  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  he  was  four 
times  appointed  to  this  office — first  by  John  Adams, 
twice  by  Thomas  Jefferson  and  afterwards  by  Presi- 
dent Madison. 

WThenhe  began  his  adminstration  there  were  but 
three  white  settlements  in  that  almost  boundless  region, 
now  crowded  with  cities  and  resounding  with  all  the 
tumult  of  wealth  and  traffic.  One  of  these  settlements 
was  on  the  Ohio,  nearly  opposite  Louisville;  one  at 
Vincennes,  on  the  Wabash,  and  the  third  a  French 
settlement. 

The  vast  wilderness  over  which  Gov.  Harrison 
reigned  was  filled  with  many  tribes  of  Indians.  About 


Km 
ml    T 

yjf4 


WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON. 


I 


the  year  1806,  two  extraordinary  men,  twin  brothers, 
of  the  Shawnese  tribe,  rose  among  them.  One  of 
these  was  called  Tecumseh,  or  "  The  Crouching 
Panther;"  the  other,  Olliwacheca,  or  "  The  Prophet." 
Tecumseh  was  not  only  an  Indian  warrior,  but  a  man 
of  great  sagacity,  far-reaching  foresight  and  indomit- 
able perseverance  in  any  enterprise  in  which  he  might 
engage.  He  was  inspired  with  the  highest  enthusiasm, 
and  had  long  regarded  with  dread  and  with  hatred 
the  encroachment  of  the  whites  upon  the  hunting- 
grounds  of  his  fathers.  His  brother,  the  Prophet,  was 
anorator,  who  could  sway  the  feelings  of  the  untutored 
Indian  as  the  gale  tossed  the  tree-tops  beneath  which 
they  dwelt. 

But  the  Prophet  was  not  merely  an  orator :  he  was, 
in  the  superstitious  minds  of  the  Indians,  invested 
with  the  superhuman  dignity  of  a  medicine-man  or  a 
magician.  With  an  enthusiasm  unsurpassed  by  Peter 
the  Hermit  rousing  Europe  to  the  crusades,  he  went 
from  tribe  to  tribe,  assuming  that  he  was  specially  sent 
by  the  Great  Spirit. 

Gov.  Harrison  made  many  attempts  to  conciliate 
the  Indians,  but  at  last  the  war  came,  and  at  Tippe- 
canoe  the  Indians  were  routed  with  great  slaughter. 
October  28,  1812,  his  army  began  its  march.  When 
near  the  Prophet's  town  three  Indians  of  rank  made 
their  appearance  and  inquired  why  Gov.  Harrison  was 
approaching  them  in  so  hostile  an  attitude.  After  a 
short  conference,  arrangements  were  made  for  a  meet- 
ing the  next  day,  to  agree  upon  terms  of  peace. 

But  Gov.  Harrison  was  too  well  acquainted  with 
the  Indian  character  to  be  deceived  by  such  protes- 
tations. Selecting  a  favorable  spot  for  his  night's  en- 
campment, he  took  every  precaution  against  surprise. 
His  troops  were  posted  in  a  hollow  square,  and  slept 
upon  their  arms. 

The  troops  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground  for 
rest;  but  every  man  had  his  accourtrements  on,  his 
loaded  musket  by  his  side,  and  his  bayonet  fixed.  The 
wakeful  Governor,  between  three  and  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  had  risen,  and  was  sitting  in  conversa- 
tion with  his  aids  by  the  embers  of  a  waning  fire.  It 
was  a  chill,  cloudy  morning  with  a  drizzling  rain.  In 
the  darkness,  the  Indians  had  crept  as  near  as  possi- 
ble, and  just  then,  with  a  savage  y<ell,  rushed,  with  all 
the  desperation  which  superstition  and  passion  most 
highly  inflamed  could  give,  upon  the  left  flank  of  the 
little  army.  The  savages  had  been  amply  provided 
with  guns  and  ammunition  by  the  English.  Their 
war-whoop  was  accompained  by  a  shower  of  bullets. 

The  camp-fires  were  instantly  extinguished,  as  the 
light  aided  the  Indians  in  their  aim.  With  hide- 
DUS  yells,  the  Indian  bands  rushed  on,  not  doubting  a 
speedy  and  an  entire  victory.  But  Gen.  Harrison's 
troops  stood  as  immovable  as  the  rocks  around  them 
until  day  dawned  :  they  then  made  a  simultaneous 
charge  with  the  bayonet,  and  swept  every  thing  be- 
fore them,  and  completely  routing  the  foe. 


Gov.  Harrison  now  had  all  his  energies  tasked 
to  the  utmost.  The  British  descending  from  the  Can  - 
adas,  were  of  themselves  a  very  formidable  force  ;  but 
with  their  savage  allies,  rushing  like  wolves  from  the 
forest,  searching  out  every  remote  farm-house,  burn- 
ing, plundering,  scalping,  torturing,  the  wide  frontier 
was  plunged  into  a  state  of  consternation  which  even 
the  most  vivid  imagination  can  but  faintly  conceive, 
The  war-whoop  was  resounding  everywhere  in  the 
forest.  The  horizon  was  illuminated  with  the  conflagra- 
tion of  the  cabins  of  the  settlers.  Gen  Hull  had  made 
the  ignominious  surrender  of  his  forces  at  Detroit. 
Under  these  despairing  circumstances,  Gov.  Harrison 
was  appointed  by  President  Madison  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  North-western  army,  with  orders  to  retake 
Detroit,  and  to  protect  the  frontiers. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  place  a  man  in  a  situation 
demanding  more  energy,  sagacity  and  courage;  but 
General  Harrison  was  found  equal  to  the  position, 
and  nobly  and  triumphantly  did  he  meet  all  the  re- 
sponsibilities. 

He  won  the  love  of  his  soldiers  by  always  sharing 
with  them  their  fatigue.  His  whole  baggage,  while 
pursuing  the  foe  up  the  Thames,  was  carried  in  a 
valise;  and  his  bedding  consisted  of  a  single  blanket 
lashed  over  his  saddle.  Thirty-five  British  officers, 
his  prisoners  of  war,  supped  with  him  after  the  battle. 
The  only  fare  he  could  give  them  was  beef  roasted 
before  the  fire,  without  bread  or  salt. 

In  1816,  Gen.  Harrison  was  chosen  a  member  of 
the  National  House  of  Representatives,  to  represent 
the  District  of  Ohio..  In  Congress  he  proved  an 
active  member;  and  whenever  he  spoke,  it  was  with 
force  of  reason  and  power  of  eloquence,  which  arrested 
the  attention  of  all  the  members. 

In  1819,  Harrison  was  elected  to  the  Senate  of 
Ohio;  and  in  1824,  as  one  of  the  presidential  electors 
of  that  State,  he  gave  his  vote  for  Henry  Clay.  The 
same  year  he  was  chosen  to  the  United  States  Senate. 

In  1836,  the  friends  of  Gen.  Harrison  brought  him 
forward  as  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency  against 
Van  Buren,  but  he  was  defeated.  At  the  close  of 
Mr.  Van  Buren 's  term,  he  was  re-nominated  by  his 
party,  and  Mr.  Harrison  was  unanimously  nominated 
by  the  Whigs,  with  John  Tyler  for  the  Vice  Presidency. 
The  contest  was  very  animated.  Gen.  Jackson  gave 
all  his  influence  to  prevent  Harrison's  election  ;  but 
his  triumph  was  signal. 

The  cabinet  which  he  formed,  with  Daniel  Webster 
at  its  head  as  Secretary  of  State,  was  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  with  which  any  President  had  ever  been 
surrounded.  Never  were  the  prospects  of  an  admin- 
istration more  flattering,  or  the  hopes  of  the  country 
more  sanguine.  In  the  midst  of  these  bright  and 
joyous  prospects,  Gen.  Harrison  was,  seized  by,  a 
pleurisy-fever  and  after  a  few  days  of  violent  sick- 
ness, died  on  the  4th  of  April ;  just  one  month  after 
his  inauguration  as  President  of  the  United  States, 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
V  or  JLLIMOIS 


TENTH  PRESIDENT. 


$5 


OHN    TYLER,     the    tenth 
Presidentof  the  United  States. 
He  was  born  in  Charles-city 
Co.,  Va.,  March  29, 1790.  He 
was  the  favored  child   of  af- 
fluence and  high   social    po- 
sition.    At  the   early  age   of 
twelve,  John  entered  William 
and   Mary  College  and  grad- 
uated with  much  honor  when 
but  seventeen  years  old.  After 
graduating,  he  devoted  him- 
self with    great   assiduity  to   the 
study    of    law,    partly  with    his 
father   and   partly  with   Edmund 
Randolph,  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished lawyers  of  Virginia. 

At  nineteen  years  of  age,  ne 
commenced  the  practice  of  law. 
His  success  was  rapid  and  aston- 
ishing. It  is  said  that  three 
months  had  not  elapsed  ere  there 
was  scarcely  a  case  on  the  dock- 
I  et  of  the  court  in  which  he  was 
not  retained.  When  but  twenty-one  years  of  age,  he 
was  almost  unanimously  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  State 
Legislature.  He  connected  himself  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  and  warmly  advocated  the  measures  of 
Jefferson  and  Madison.  For  five  successive  years  he 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  receiving  nearly  the 
unanimous  vote  or  his  county. 

rVVhen  but  twenty-six  years  of  age,  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  Congress.  Here  he  acted  earnestly  and 
ably  with  the  Democratic  party,  opposing  a  national 
bank,  internal  improvements  by  the  General  Govern- 


ment,  a  protective  tariff,  and  advocating  a  strict  con" 
struction  of  the  Constitution,  and  the  most  careful 
vigilance  over  State  rights.  His  labors  in  Congress 
were  so  arduous  that  before  the  close  of  his  second 
term  he  found  it  necessary  to  resign  and  retire  to  his 
estate  in  Charles-city  Co.,  to  recruit  his  health.  He, 
however,  soon  after  consented  to  take  his  seat  in  the 
State  Legislature,  where  his  influence  was  powerful 
in  promoting  public  works  of  great  utility.  With  a 
reputation  thus  canstantly  increasing,  he  was  chosen 
by  a  very  large  majority  of  votes,  Governor  of  his 
native  State.  His  administration  was  signally  a  suc- 
cessful one.  His  popularity  secured  his  re-election. 

John  Randolph,  a  brilliant,  erratic,  half-crazed 
man,  then  represented  Virginia  in  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States.  A  portion,  of  the  Democratic  party 
was  displeased  with  Mr.  Randolph's  wayward  course, 
and  brought  forward  John  Tyler  as  his  opponent, 
considering  him  the  only  man  in  Virginia  of  sufficient 
popularity  to  succeed  against  the  renowned  orator  of 
Roanoke.  Mr.  Tyler  was  the  victor. 

In  accordance  with  his  professions,  upon  taking  his 
seat  in  the  Senate,  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  opposi- 
tion. He  opposed  the  tariff;  he  spoke  against  and 
voted  against  the  bank  as  unconstitutional ;  he  stren- 
uously opposed  all  restrictions  upon  slavery,  resist- 
ing all  projects  of  internal  improvements  by  the  Gen- 
eral Government,  and  avowed  his  sympathy  with  Mr. 
Calhoun's  view  of  nullification  ;  he  declared  that  Gen. 
Jackson,  by  his  opposition  to  the  nullifiers,  had 
abandoned  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party. 
Such  was  Mr.  Tyler's  record  in  Congress, — a  record 
in  perfect  accordance  with  the  principles  which  he 
had  always  avowed. 

Returning  to  Virginia,  he  resumed  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  There  was  a  split  in  the  Democratic 


I 


JOHN  TYLER. 


party.  His  friends  still  regarded  him  as  a  true  Jef- 
fersonian,  gave  him  a  dinner,  and  showered  compli- 
ments upon  him.  He  had  now  attained  the  age  of 
forty-six.  His  career  had  been  very  brilliant.  In  con- 
sequence of  his  devotion  to  public  business,  his  pri- 
vate affairs  had  fallen  into  some  disorder;  audit  was 
not  without  satisfaction  that  he  resumed  the  practice 
of  law,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  culture  of  his  plan- 
tation. Soon  after  this  he  removed  to  Williamsburg, 
for  the  better  education  of  his  children ;  and  he  again 
took  his  seat  in  the  Legislature  of  Virginia. 

By  the  Southern  Whigs,  he  was  sent  to  the  national 
convention  at  Harrisburg  to  nominate  a  President  in 
1839.  The  majority  of  votes  were  given  to  Gen.  Har- 
rison, a  genuine  Whig,  much  to  the  disappointment  of 
the  South,  who  wished  for  Henry  Clay.  To  concili- 
ate the  Southern  Whigs  and  to  secure  their  vote,  the 
convention  then  nominated  John  Tyler  for  Vice  Pres- 
ident. It  was  well  known  that  he  was  not  in  sympa- 
thy with  the  Whig  party  in  the  North  :  but  the  Vice 
President  has  but  very  little  power  in  the  Govern- 
ment, his  main  and  almost  only  duty  being  to  pre- 
side over  the  meetings  of  the  Senate.  Thus  it  hap- 
pened that  a  Whig  President,  and,  in  reality,  a 
Democratic  Vice  President  were  chosen. 

In  1841,  Mr.  Tyler  was  inaugurated  Vice  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  In  one  short  month  from 
that  time,  President  Harrison  died,  and  Mr.  Tyler 
thus  found  himself,  to  his  own  surprise  and  that  of 
the  whole  Nation,  an  occupant  of  the  Presidential 
chair.  This  was  a  new  test  of  the  stability  of  our 
institutions,  as  it  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  our 
country  that  such  an  event  had  occured.  Mr.  Tyler 
was  at  home  in  Williamsburg  when  he  received  the 
unexpected  tidings  of  the  death  of  President  Harri- 
son. He  hastened  to  Washington,  and  on  the  6th  of 
April  was  inaugurated  to  the  high  and  responsible 
office.  He  was  placed  in  a  position  of  exceeding 
delicacy  and  difficulty.  All  his  long  life  he  had  been 
opposed  to  the  main  principles  of  the  party  which  had 
brought  him  into  power.  He  had  ever  been  a  con- 
sistent, honest  man,  with  an  unblemished  record. 
Gen.  Harrison  had  selected  a  Whig  cabinet.  Should 
he  retain  them,  and  thus  surround  himself  with  coun- 
sellors whose  views  were  antagonistic  to  his  own?  or, 
on  the  other  hand,  should  he  turn  against  the  party 
which  had  elected  him  and  select  a  cabinet  in  har- 
mony with  himself,  and  which  would  oppose  all  those 
views  which  the  Whigs  deemed  essential  to  the  pub- 
lic welfare  ?  This  was  his  fearful  dilemma.  He  in- 
vited the  cabinet  which  President  Harrison  had 
selected  to  retain  their  seats.  He  reccommended  a 
day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  that  God  would  guide  and 
bless  us. 

The  Whigs  carried  through  Congress  a  bill  for  the 
incorporation  of  a  fiscal  bank  of  the  United  States. 
The  President,  after  ten  days'  delay,  returned  it  with 
his  veto.  He  suggested,  however,  that  he  would 


approve  of  a  bill  drawn  up  upon  such  a  plan  as  he 
proposed.  Such  a  bill  was  accordingly  prepared,  and 
privately  submitted  to  him.  He  gave  it  his  approval. 
It  was  passed  without  alteration,  and  he  sent  it  back 
with  his  veto.  Here  commenced  the  open  rupture. 
It  is  said  that  Mr.  Tyler  was  provoked  to  this  meas- 
ure by  a  published  letter  from  the  Hon.  John  M. 
Botts,  a  distinguished  Virginia  Whig,  who  severely 
touched  the  pride  of  the  President. 

The  opposition  now  exultingly  received  the  Presi- 
dent into  their  arms.  The  party  which  elected  him 
denounced  him  bitterly.  All  the  members  of  his 
cabinet,  excepting  Mr.  Webster,  resigned.  The  Whigs 
of  Congress,  both  the  Senate  and  the  House,  held  a 
meeting  and  issued  an  address  to  the  people  of  the 
United  States,  proclaiming  that  all  political  alliance 
between  the  Whigs  and  President  Tyler  were  at 
an  end. 

Still  the  President  attempted  to  conciliate.  He 
appointed  a  new  cabinet  of  distinguished  Whigs  and 
Conservatives,  carefully  leaving  out  all  strong  party 
men.  Mr.  Webster  soon  found  it  necessary  to  resign, 
forced  out  by  the  pressure  of  his  Whig  friends.  Thus 
the  four  years  of  Mr.  Tyler's  unfortunate  administra- 
tion passed  sadly  away.  No  one  was  satisfied.  The 
.land  was  filled  with  murmurs  and  vituperation.  Whigs 
and  Democrats  alike  assailed  him.  More  and  more, 
however,  he  brought  himself  into  sympathy  with  his 
old  friends,  the  Democrats,  until  atthe  close  of  his  term, 
he  gave  his  whole  influence  to  the  support  of  Mr. 
Polk,  the  Democratic  candidate  for  his  successor. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1845,  he  retired  from  the 
harassments  of  office,  to  the  regret  of  neither  party,  and 
probably  to  his  own  unspeakable  relief.  His  first  wife, 
Miss  Letitia  Christian,  died  in  Washington,  in  1842; 
and  in  June,  r  844,  President  Tyler  was  again  married, 
at  New  York,  to  Miss  Julia  Gardiner,  a  young  lady  of 
many  personal  and  intellectual  accomplishments. 

The  remainder  of  his  days  Mr.  Tyler  passed  mainly 
in  retirement  at  his  beautiful  home, — Sherwood  For- 
est, Charles-city  Co.,  Va.  A  polished  gentleman  in 
his  manners,  richly  furnished  with  information  from 
books  and  experience  in  the  world,  and  possessing 
brilliant  powers  of  conversation,  his  family  circle  was 
the  scene  of  unusual  attractions.  With  sufficient 
moans  for  the  exercise  of  a  generous  hospitality,  he 
might  have  enjoyed  a  serene  old  age  with  the  few 
friends  who  gathered  around  him,  were  it  not  for  the 
storms  of  civil  war  which  his  own  principles  and 
policy  had  helped  to  introduce. 

When  the  great  Rebellion  rose,  which  the  State- 
rights  and  nullifying  doctrines  of  Mr.  John  C.  Cal- 
houn  had  inaugurated,  President  Tyler  renounced  his 
allegiance  to  the  United  States,  and  joined  the  Confed- 
erates. He  was  chosen  a  member  of  their  Congress; 
and  while  engaged  in  active  measures  to  deslroy,  by 
force  of  arms,  the  Government  over  which  he  had 
once  presided,  he  was  taken  sick  and  soon  died. 


ilBRARY 
OF  THE 
"y  W  fLLIMOIS 


f 


ELEVENTH  PRESIDENT. 


59 


AMES  K.  POLK,  the  eleventh 
^President  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  Mecklenburg  Co., 
N.  C.,Nov.  2,  1795.     His  par- 
ents  were   Samuel   and    Jane 
(Knox)  Polk,  the  former  a  son 
of  Col.  Thomas  Polk,  who  located 
at  the  above  place,  as  one  of  the 
first  pioneers,  in  1735. 

In  the  year  1006,  with  his  wife 
and  children,  and  soon  after  fol- 
lowed by  most  of  the  members  of 
the  Polk  farnly,  Samuel  Polk  emi- 
grated some  two  or  three  hundred 
miles  farther  west,  to  the  rich  valley 
of  the  Duck  River.  Here  in  the 
midst  of  the  wilderness,  in  a  region 
which  was  subsequently  called  Mau- 
ry  Co.,  they  reared  their  log  huls, 
and  established  their  homes.  In  the 
hard  toil  of  a  new  farm  in  the  wil- 
derness, James  K.  Polk  spent  the 
early  years  of  his  childhood  and 
youth.  His  father,  adding  the  pur- 
suit of  a  surveyor  to  that  of  a  farmer, 
gradually  increased  in  wealth  until 
he  became  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  region.  His 
mother  was  a  superior  woman,  of  strong  common 
sense  and  earnest  piety. 

Very  early  in  life,  James  developed  a  taste  for 
reading  and  expressed  the  strongest  desire  to  obtain 
a  liberal  education.  His  mother's  training  had  made 
him  methodical  in  his  habits,  had  taught  him  punct- 
uality and  industry,  and  had  inspired  him  with  lofty 
principles  of  morality.  His  health  was  frail ;  and  his 
father,  fearing  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  endure  a 


sedentary  life,  got  a  situation  for  him  behind  the 
counter,  hoping  to  fit  him  for  commercial  pursuits. 

This  was  to  James  a  bitter  disappointment.  He 
had  no  taste  for  these  duties,  and  his  daily  tasks 
were  irksome  in  the  extreme.  He  remained  in  this 
uncongenial  occupation  but  a  few  weeks,  when  at  his 
earnest  solicitation  his  father  removed  him,  and  made 
arrangements  for  him  to  prosecute  his  studies.  Soon 
after  he  sent  him  to  Murfreesboro  Academy.  With 
ardor  which  could  scarcely  be  surpassed,  he  pressed 
forward  in  -his  studies,  and  in  less  than  two  and  a  half 
years,  in  the  autumn  of  1815,  entered  the  sophomore 
class  in  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  at  Chapel 
Hill.  Here  he  was  one  of  the  most  exemplary  of 
scholars,  punctual  in  every  exercise,  never  allowing 
himself  to  be  absent  from  a  recitation  or  a  religious 
service. 

He  graduated  in  1818,  with  the  highest  honors,  be- 
ing deemed  the  best  scholar  of  his  class,  both  in 
mathematics  and  the  classics.  He  was  then  twenty- 
three  years  of  age.  Mr.  Folk's  health  was  at  this 
time  much  impaired  by  the  assiduity  with  which  he 
had  prosecuted  his  studies.  After  a  short  season  of 
relaxation  he  -went  to  Nashville,  and  entered  the 
office  of  Felix  Grundy,  to  study  law.  Here  Mr.  Polk 
renewed  his  acquaintance  with  Andrew  Jackson,  who 
resided  on  his  plantation,  the  Hermitage,  but  a  few 
miles  from  Nashville.  They  had  probably  been 
slightly  acquainted  before. 

Mr.  Folk's  father  was  a  Jeffersonian  Republican, 
and  James  K.  Polk  ever  adhered  to  the  same  politi- 
cal faith.  He  was  a  popular  public  speaker,  and  was 
constantly  called  upon  to  address  the  meetings  of  his 
party  friends.  His  skill  as  a  speaker  was  such  that 
he  was  popularly  called  the  Napoleon  of  the  stump. 
He  was  a  ma.n  of  unblemished  morals,  genial  and 


JAMES  K.  POLK. 


courteous  in  his  bearing,  and  with  that  sympathetic 
nature  in  the  joys  and  griefs  of  others  which  ever  gave 
him  troops  of  friends.  In  1823,  Mr.  Polk  was  elected 
to  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee.  Here  he  gave  his 
strong  influence  towards  the  election  of  his  friend, 
Mr.  Jackson,  to  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States. 

In  January,  1824,  Mr.  Polk  married  Miss  Sarah 
Childress,  of  Rutherford  Co.,  Tenn.  His  bride  was 
altogether  worthy  of  him, — a  lady  of  beauty  and  cul- 
ture. In  the  fall  of  1825,  Mr.  Polk  was  chosen  a 
member  of  Congress.  The  satisfaction  which  he  gave 
to  his  constituents  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact,  that 
for  fourteen  successive  years,  until  1839,  he  was  con- 
tinued in  that  office.  He  then  voluntarily  withdrew, 
only  that  he  might  accept  the  Gubernatorial  chair 
of  Tennessee.  In  Congress  he  was  a  laborious 
member,  a  frequent  and  a  popular  speaker.  He  was 
always  in  his  seat,  always  courteous ;  and  whenever 
he  spoke  it  was  always  to  the  point,  and  without  any 
ambitious  rhetorical  display. 

During  five  sessions  of  Congress,  Mr.  Polk  was 
Speaker  of  the  House  Strong  passions  were  roused, 
and  stormy  scenes  were  witnessed  ;  but  Mr.  Polk  per- 
formed his  arduous  duties  to  a  very  general  satisfac- 
tion, and  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  to  him  was 
passed  by  the  House  as  he  withdrew  on  the  4th  of 
March,  1839. 

In  accordance  with  Southern  usage,  Mr.  Polk,  as  a 
candidate  for  Governor,  canvassed  the  State.  He  was 
elected  by  a  large  majority,  and  on  the  1 4th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1839,  took  the  oath  of  office  at  Nashville.  In  1841, 
his  term  of  office  expired,  and  he  was  again  the  can- 
didate of  the  Democratic  party,  but  was  defeated. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1845,  Mr.  Polk  was  inaugur- 
ated President  of  the  United  States.  The  verdict  of 
the  country  in  favor  of  the  annexation  of  Texas,  exerted 
its  influence  upon  Congress  ;  and  the  last  act  of  the 
administration  of  President  Tyler  was  to  affix  his  sig- 
nature to  a  joint  resolution  of  Congress,  passed  on  the 
3d  of  March,  approving  of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to 
the  American  Union.  As  Mexico  still  claimed  Texas 
as  one  of  her  provinces,  the  Mexican  minister, 
Almonte,  immediately  demanded  his  passports  and 
left  the  country,  declaring  the  act  of  the  annexation 
to  be  an  act  hostile  to  Mexico. 

In  his  first  message,  President  Polk  urged  that 
Texas  should  immediately,  by  act  of  Congress,  be  re- 
ceived into  the  Union  on  the  same  footing  with  the 
other  States.  In  the  meantime,  Gen.  Taylor  was  sent 


with  an  army  into  Texas  to  hold  the  country.  He  was 
sent  first  to  Nueces,  which  the  Mexicans  said  was  the 
western  boundary  of  Texas.  Then  he  was  sent  nearly 
two  hundred  miles  further  west,  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
where  he  erected  batteries  which  commanded  the 
Mexican  city  of  Matamoras,  which  was  situated  on 
the  western  banks. 

The  anticipated  collision  soon  took  place,  and  war 
was  declared  against  Mexico  by  President  Polk.  The 
war  was  pushed  forward  by  Mr.  Polk's  administration 
with  great  vigor.  Gen.  Taylor,  whose  army  was  first 
called  one  of  " observation,"  then  of  "occupation," 
then  of  "  invasion, "was  sent  forward  to  Monterey.  The 
feeble  Mexicans,  in  every  encounter,  were  hopelessly 
and  awfully  slaughtered.  The  day  of  judgement 
alone  can  reveal  the  misery  which  this  war  caused. 
It  was  by  the  ingenuity  of  Mr.  Polk's  administration 
that  the  war  was  brought  on. 

'To  the  victors  belong  the  spoils."  Mexico  was 
prostrate  before  us.  Her  capital  was  in  our  hands. 
We  now  consented  to  peace  upon  the  condition  that 
Mexico  should  surrender  to  us,  in  addition  to  Texas, 
all  of  New  Mexico,  and  all  of  Upper  and  Lower  Cal- 
ifornia. This  new  demand  embraced,  exclusive  of 
Texas,  eight  hundred  thousand  square  miles.  This 
was  an  extent  of  territory  equal  to  nine  States  of  the 
size  of  New  York.  Thus  slavery  was  securing  eighteen 
majestic  States  to  be  added  to  the  Union.  There  were 
some  Americans  who  thought  it  all  right :  there  were 
others  who  thought  it  all  wrong.  In  the  prosecution 
of  this  war,  we  expended  twenty  thousand  lives  and 
more  than  a  hundred  million  of  dollars.  '  Of  this 
money  fifteen  millions  were  paid  to  Mexico. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1849,  Mr.  Polk  retired  from 
office,  having  served  one  term.  The  next  day  was 
Sunday.  On  the  5th,  Gen.  Taylor  was  inaugurated 
as  his  successor.  Mr.  Polk  rode  to  the  Capitol  in  the 
same  carriage  with  Gen.  Taylor;  and  the  same  even- 
ing, with  Mrs.  Polk,  he  commenced  his  return  to 
Tennessee.  He  was  then  but  fifty-four  years  of  age. 
He  had  ever  been  strictly  temperate  in  all  his  habits, 
and  his  health  was  good.  With  an  ample  fortune, 
a  choice  library,  a  cultivated  mind,  and  domestic  ties 
of  the  dearest  nature,  it  seemed  as  though  long"  years 
of  tranquility  and  happiness  were  before  him.  But  the 
cholera — that  fearful  scourge — was  then  sweeping  up 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi.  This  he  contracted, 
and  died  on  the  151)1  of  June,  1849,111  the  fifty-fourth 
year  of  his  age,  greatly  mourned  by  his  countrymen,  ^ 


t 


LIBRARY 

I.-          °vTHE 

'GF  ILLINOIS 


TWELFTH  PRESIDENT. 


1 


ACHARY  TAYLOR,  twelfth 
President  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  on  the  24th  of  Nov., 
1784,  in  Orange  Co.,  Va.  His 
father,  Colonel  Taylor,  was 
a  Virginian  of  note,  and  a  dis- 
tinguished patriot  and  soldier  of 
the  Revolution.  When  Zachary 
was  an  infant,  his  father  with  his 
wife  and  two  children,  emigrated 
to  Kentucky,  where  he  settled  in 
the  pathless  wilderness,  a  few 
miles  from  Louisville.  In  this  front- 
ier home,  away  from  civilization  and 
all  its  refinements,  young  Zachary 
could  enjoy  but  few  social  and  educational  advan- 
tages. When  six  years  of  age  he  attended  a  common 
school,  and  was  then  regarded  as  a  bright,  active  boy, 
rather  remarkable  for  bluntness  and  decision  of  char- 
acter He  was  strong,  feailess  and  self-reliant,  and 
manifested  a  strong  desire  to  enter  the  army  to  fight 
the  Indians  who  were  ravaging  the  frontiers.  There 
is  little  to  be  recorded  of  the  uneventful  years  of  his 
childhood  ua  his  father's  large  but  lonely  plantation. 
In  1808,  his  father  succeeded  in  obtaining  for  him 
the  commission  of  lieutenant  in  the  United  States 
army  ;  and  lie  joined  the  troops  which  were  stationed 
at  New  Orleans  under  Gen.  Wilkinson.  Soon  after 
this  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Smith,  a  young  lady 
from  one  of  the  first  families  of  Maryland. 

Immediately  after  the  declaration  of  war  with  Eng- 
land, in  1812,  Capt.  Taylor  (for  he  had  then  been 
promoted  to  that  rank)  was  put  in  command  of  Fort 
Harrison,  on  the  Wabash,  about  fifty  miles  above 
Vincennes.  This  fort  had  been  built  in  the  wilder- 
ness by  Gen.  Harrison.on  his  march  to  Tippecanoe. 
It  was  one  of  the  first  points  of  attack  by  the  Indians, 
led  by  Tecumseh.  Its  garrison  consisted  of  a  broken 


company  of  infantry  numbering   fifty  men,    many  of 
whom  were  sick. 

Early  in  the  autumn  of  1812,  the  Indians,  stealthily, 
and  in  large  numbers,  moved  upon  the  fort.  Their 
approach  was  first  indicated  by  the  murder  of  two 
soldiers  just  outside  of  the  stockade.  Capt.  Taylor 
made  every  possible  preparation  to  meet  the  antici- 
pated assault.  On  the  4th  of  September,  a  band  of 
forty  painted  and  plumed  savages  came  to  the  fort, 
waving  a  white  flag,  and  informed  Capt.  Taylor  that 
in  the  morning  their  chief  would  come  to  have  a  talk 
with  him.  It  was  evident  that  their  object  was  merely 
to  ascertain  the  state  of  things  at  the  fort,  and  Capt. 
Taylor,  well  versed  in  the  wiles  of  the  savages,  kept 
them  at  a  distance. 

The  sun  went  down;  the  savages  disappeared,  the 
garrison  slept  upon  their  arms.  One  hour  before 
midnight  the  war-whoop  burst  from  a  thousand  lips 
in  the  forest  around,  followed  by  the  discharge  of 
musketry,  and  the  rush  of  the  foe.  Every  man,  sick 
and  well,  sprang  to  his  post.  Every  man  knew  that 
defeat  was  not  merely  death,  but  in  the  case  of  cap- 
ture, death  by  the  most  agonizing  and  prolonged  tor- 
ture. No  pen  can  describe,  no  immagination  can 
conceive  the  scenes  which  ensued.  The  savages  suc- 
ceeded in  setting  fire  to  one  of  the  block-houses- 
Until  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  this  awful  conflict 
continued.  The  savages  then,  baffled  at  every  point, 
and  gnashing  their  teeth  with  rage,  retired.  Capt. 
Taylor,  for  this  gallant  defence,  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  major  by  brevet. 

Until  the  close  of  the  war,  Major  Taylor  was  placed 
in  such  situations  that  he  saw  but  little  more  of  active 
service.  He  was  sent  far  away  into  the  depths  of  the 
wilderness,  to  Fort  Crawford,  on  Fox  River,  which 
empties  into  Green  Bay.  Here  there  was  but  little 
to  be  done  but  to  wear  away  the  tedious  hours  as  one 
best  could.  There  were  no  books,  no  society,  no  in- 


64 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR. 


tellectual  stimulus.  Thus  with  him  the  uneventful 
years  rolled  on  Gradually  lie  rose  to  the  rank  of 
colonel.  In  the  Black-Hawk  war,  which  resulted  in 
the  capture  of  that  renowned  chieftain,  Col  Taylor 
took  a  subordinate  but  a  brave  and  efficient  part. 

For  twenty-four  years  Col.  Taylor  was  engaged  in 
the  defence  of  the  frontiers,  in  scenes  so  remote,  and  in 
employments  so  obscure,  that  his  name  was  unknown 
beyond  the  limits  of  his  own  immediate  acquaintance. 
In  the  year  1836,  he  was  sent  to  Florida  to  compel 
the  Seminole  Indians  to  vacate  that  region  and  re- 
tire beyond  the  Mississippi,  as  their  chiefs  by  treaty, 
had  promised  they  should  do.  The  services  rendered 
here  secured  for  Col.  Taylor  the  high  appreciation  of 
the  Government;  and  as  a  reward,  he  was  elevated 
to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  by  brevet ;  and  soon 
after,  in  May,  1838,  was  appointed  to  the  chief  com- 
mand of  the  United  States  troops  in  Florida. 

After  two  years  of  such  wearisome  employment 
amidst  the  everglades  of  the  peninsula,  Gen.  Taylor 
obtained,  at  his  own  request,  a  change  of  command, 
and  was  stationed  over  the  Department  of  the  South- 
west. This  field  embraced  Louisiana,  Mississippi, 
Alabama  and  Georgia.  Establishing  his  headquarters 
at  Fort  Jessup,  in  Louisiana,  he  removed  his  family 
to  a  plantation  which  he  purchased,  near  Baton  Rogue. 
Here  he  remained  for  five  years,  buried,  as  it  were, 
from  the  world,  but  faithfully  discharging  every  duty 
imposed  upon  him. 

In  1846,  Gen.  Taylor  was  sent  to  guard  the  land 
between  the  Nueces  and  Rio  Grande,  the  latter  river 
being  the  boundary  of  Texas,  which  was  then  claimed 
by  the  United  States.  Soon  the  war  with  Mexico 
was  brought  on,  and  at  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  Gen.  Taylor  won  brilliant  victories  over  the 
Mexicans.  The  rank  of  major-general  by  brevet 
was  then  conferred  upon  Gen.  Taylor,  and  his  name 
was  received  with  enthusiasm  almost  everywhere  in 
the  Nation.  Then  came  the  battles  of  Monterey  and 
Buena  Vista  in  which  he  won  signal  victories  over 
forces  much  larger  than  he  commanded. 

His  careless  habits  of  dress  and  his  unaffected 
simplicity,  secured  for  Gen.  Taylor  among  his  troops, 
the  sobriquet  of  "Old  Rough  and  Ready.' 

The  tidings  of  the  brilliant  victory  of  Buena  Vista 
spread  the  wildest  enthusiasm  over  the  country.  The 
name  of  Gen.  Taylor  was  on  every  one's  lips.  The 
Whig  party  decided  to  take  advantage  of  this  wonder- 
ful popularity  in  bringing  forward  the  unpolished,  un- 
lettered, honest  soldier  as  their  candidate  for  the 
Presidency.  Gen.  Taylor  was  astonished  at  the  an- 
nouncement, and  for  a  time  would  not  listen  toil;  de- 
claring that  he  was  not  at  all  qualified  for  such  an 
office.  So  little  interest  had  he  taken  in  politics  that, 
for  forty  years,  he  had  not  cast  a  vote.  It  was  not 
without  chagrin  that  several  distinguished  statesmen 
who  had  been  long  years  in  the  public  service  found 
their  claims  set  aside  in  behalf  of  one  whose  name 


had  never  been  heard  of,  save  in  connection  with  Palo 
Alto,  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  Monterey  and  Buena 
Vista.  It  is  said  that  Daniel  Webster,  in  his  haste  re- 
marked, "  It  is  a  nomination  not  fit  to  be  made." 

Gen.  Taylor  was  not  an  eloquent  speaker  nor  a  fine 
writer  His  friends  took  possession  of  him,  and  pre- 
pared such  few  communications  as  it  was  needful 
should  be  presented  to  the  public.  The  popularity  of 
the  successful  warrior  swept  the  land.  He  was  tri- 
umphantly elected  over  two  opposing  candidates, — 
Gen.  Cass  and  Ex-President  Martin  Van  Buren. 
Though  he  selected  an  excellent  cabinet;  the  good 
old  man  found  himself  in  a  very  uncongenial  position, 
and  was,  at  times,  sorely  perplexed  and  harassed. 
His  mental  sufferings  were  very  severe,  and  probably 
tended  to  hasten  his  death.  The  pro-slavery  party 
was  pushing  its  claims  with  tireless  energy ,  expedi- 
tions were  fitting  out  to  capture  Cuba  ;  California  wns 
pleading  for  admission  to  the  Union,  while  slavery 
stood  at  the  door  to  bar  her  out.  Gen.  Taylor  found 
the  political  conflicts  in  Washington  to  be  far  more 
trying  to  the  nerves  than  battles  with  Mexicans  or 
Indians. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  troubles,  Gen.  Taylor, 
after  he  had  occupied  the  Presidential  chair  but  little 
over  a  year,  took  cold,  and  after  a  brief  sickness  of 
but  little  over  five  days,  died  on  the  gth  of  July,  1850. 
His  last  woids  were,  "I  am  not  afraid  to  die.  I  am 
ready.  I  have  endeavored  to  do  my  duty."  He  died 
universally  respected  and  beloved.  An  honest,  un- 
pretending man,  he  had  been  steadily  growing  in  the 
affections  of  the  people ;  and  the  Nation  bitterly  la- 
mented his  death. 

Gen.  Scott,  who  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
Gen.  Taylor,  gave  the  following  graphic  and  truthful 
description  of  his  character: — "  With  a  good  store  of 
common  sense,  Gen.  Taylor's  mind  had  not  been  en- 
larged and  refreshed  by  reading,  or  much  converse 
with  the  world.  Rigidity  of  ideas  was  the  conse- 
quence. The  frontiers  and  small  military  posts  had 
been  his  home.  Hence  he  was  quite  ignorant  for  his 
rank,  and  quite  bigoted  in  his  ignorance.  His  sim- 
plicity was  child-like,  and  with  innumerable  preju- 
dices, amusing  and  incorrigible,  well  suited  to  the 
tender  age.  Thus,  if  a  man,  however  respectable, 
chanced  to  wear  a  coat  of  an  unusual  color,  or  his  hat 
a  little  on  one  side  of  his  head ;  or  an  officer  to  leave 
a  corner  of  his  handkerchief  dangling  from  an  out- 
side pocket, — in  any  such  case,  this  critic  held  the 
offender  to  be  a  coxcomb  (perhaps  something  worse), 
whom  he  would  not,  to  use  his  oft  repeated  phrase, 
'  touch  with  a  pair  of  tongs.' 

"Any  allusion  to  literature  beyond  good  old  Dil- 
worth's  spelling-book,  on  the  part  of  one  wearing  a 
sword,  was  evidence,  with  the  same  judge,  of  utter 
unfitness  for  heavy  marchings  and  combats.  In  short, 
few  men  have  ever  had  a  more  comfortable,  labor- 
saving  contempt  for  learning  of  every  kind," 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
't:;L 


THIRTEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


ff 

67    ,  k 


^MILLAHH  FILLMIIHE 


ILLARD  FILLMORE,  thir- 
teenth President  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  at  Summer 
Hill,  Cayuga  Co.,  N.  Y  .,  on 

the  7th  of  January,  1800.  His 
father  was  a  farmer,  and  ow- 


ing to  misfortune,  in  humble  cir- 
cumstances.    Of  his  mother,  the 
daughter  of  Dr.  AbiatharMillard, 
of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  it   has  been 
said  that  she  possessed  an  intellect 
of  very  high  order,  united  with  much 
personal  loveliness,  sweetness  of  dis- 
]x>sit:on,  graceful  manners  and  ex- 
quisite sensibilities.      She   died   in 
1831 ;  having  lived  to  see  her  son  a 
young  man  of  distinguished    prom- 
ise, though  she  was  not  permitted  to  witness  the  high 
dignity  which  he  finally  attained. 

In  consequence  of  the  secluded  home  and  limited 
means  of  his  father,  Millard  enjoyed  but  slender  ad- 
vantages for  education  in  his  early  years.  The  com- 
mon schools,  which  he  occasionally  attended  were 
very  imperfect  institutions;  and  books  were  scarce 
and  expensive.  There  was  nothing  then  in  his  char- 
acter to  indicate  the  brilliant  career  upon  which  he 
was  about  to  enter.  He  was  a  plain  farmer's  boy ; 
intelligent,  good-looking,  kind-hearted.  The  sacred 
influences  of  home  had  taught  him  to  revere  the  Bible, 
and  had  laid  the  foundations  of  an  upright  character. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age,  his  father  sent  him 
some  hundred  miles  from  home,  to  the  then  wilds  of 
Livingston  County,  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  clothier. 
Near  the  mill  there  was  a  small  villiage,  where  some 


enterprising  man  had  commenced  the  collection  of  a 
village  library.  This  proved  an  inestimable  blessing 
to  young  Fillmore.  His  evenings  were  spent  in  read- 
ing. Soon  every  leisure  moment  was  occupied  with 
books.  His  thirst  for  knowledge  became  insatiate ; 
and  the  selections  which  he  made  were  continually 
more  elevating  and  instructive.  He  read  history, 
biography,  oratory,  and  thus  gradually  there  was  en- 
kindled in  his  heart  a  desire  to  be  something  more 
than  a  mere  worker  with  his  hands;  and  he  was  be- 
coming, almost  unknown  to  himself,  a  well-informed, 
educated  man. 

The  young  clothier  had  now  attained  the  age  of 
nineteen  years,  and  was  of  fine  personal  appearance 
and  of  gentlemanly  demeanor.  It  so  happened  that 
there  was  a  gentleman  in  the  neighborhood  of  ample 
pecuniary  means  and  of  benevolence, — Judge  Walter 
Wood, — who  was  struck  with  the  prepossessing  ap- 
pearance of  young  Fillmore.  He  made  his  acquaint- 
ance, and  was  so  much  impressed  with  his  ability  and 
attainments  that  he  advised  him  to  abandon  his 
trade  and  devote  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law.  The 
young  man  replied,  that  he  had  no  means  of  his  own, 
r.o  friends  to  help  him  and  that  his  previous  educa- 
tion had  been  very  imperfect.  But  Judge  Wood  had 
so  much  confidence  in  him  that  he  kindly  offered  to 
take  him  into  his  own  office,  and  to  loan  him  such 
money  as  he  needed.  Most  gratefully  the  generous 
offer  was  accepted. 

There  is  in  many  minds  a  strange  delusion  about 
a  collegiate  education.  A  young  man  is  supposed  to 
be  liberally  educated  if  he  has  graduated  at  some  col- 
lege. But  many  a  boy  loiters  through  university  halls 
and  then  enters  a  law  office,  who  is  by  no  means  as 


t 


68 


MILLARD  FILLMORR. 


\ 


well  prepared  to  prosecute  his  legal  studies  as  was 
Millard  Fillmore  when  he  graduated  at  the  clothing- 
mill  at  the  end  of  four  years  of  manual  labor,  during 
which  every  leisure  moment  had  been  devoted  to  in- 
tense mental  culture. 

In  1823,  when  twenty-three  years  of  age,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  He  then 
went  to  the  village  of  Aurora,  and  commenced  the 
practice  of  law.  In  this  secluded,  peaceful  region, 
his  practice  of  course  was  limited,  and  there  was  no 
opportunity  for  a  sudden  rise  in  foitune  or  in  fame. 
Here,  in  the  year  1826,  he  married  a  lady  of  great 
moral  worth,  and  one  capable  of  adorning  any  station 
she  might  be  called  to  fill,— Miss  ^Abigail  Powers. 

His  elevation  of  character,  his  untiring  industry, 
his  legal  acquirements,  and  his  skill  as  an  advocate, 
gradually  attracted  attention  ;  and  he  was  invited  to 
enter  into  partnership  under  highly  advantageous 
circumstances,  with  an  elder  member  of  the  bar  in 
Buffalo.  Just  before  removing  to  Buffalo,  in  1829, 
he  took  his  seat  in  the  House  of  Assembly,  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  as  a  representative  from  Erie 
County.  Though  he  had  never  taken  a  very  active 
part  in  politics,  his  vote  and  his  sympathies  were  with 
the  Whig  party.  The  State  was  then  Democratic, 
and  he  found  himself  in  a  helpless  minority  in  the 
Legislature ,  still  the  testimony  comes  from  all  parties, 
that  his  courtesy,  ability  and  integrity,  won,  to  a  very 
unusual  degree  the  respect  of  his  associates. 

In  the  autumn  of  1832,  he  was  elected  to  a  seat  in 
the  United  -States  Congress.  He  entered  that  troubled 
arena  in  some  of  the  most  tumultuous  hours  of  our 
national  history.  The  great  conflict  respecting  the 
national  bank  and  the  removal  of  the  deposits,  was 
then  raging. 

His  term  of  two  years  closed ;  and  he  returned  to 
his  profession,  which  he  pursued  with  increasing  rep- 
utation and  success.  After  a  lapse  of  two  years 
he  again  became  a  candidate  for  Congress ;  was  re- 
elected,  and  took  his  seat  in  1837.  His  past  expe- 
rience as  a  representative  gave  him  strength  and 
confidence.  The  first  term  of  service  in  Congress  to 
any  man  can  be  but  little  more  than  an  introduction. 
"He  was  now  prepared  for  active  duty.  All  his  ener- 
gies were  brought  to  bear  upon  the  public  good.  Every 
measure  received  his  impress. 

Mr.  Fillmore  was  now  a  man  of  wide  repute,  and 
his  popularity  filled  the  State,  and  in  the  year  1847, 
he  was  elected  Comptroller  of  the  State. 


Mr.  Fillmore  had  attained  the  age  of  forty-seven 
years.  His  labors  at  the  bar,  in  the  Legislature,  in 
Congress  and  as  Comptroller,  had  given  him  very  con- 
siderable fame.  The  Whigs  were  casting  about  to 
find  suitable  candidates  for  President  and  Vice-Presi- 
dent at  the  approaching  election.  Far  away,  on  the 
waters  of  the  Rio  Grande,  there  was  a  rough  old 
soldier,  who  had  fought  one  or  two  successful  battles 
with  the  Mexicans,  which  had  caused  his  name  to  be 
proclaimed  in  tiumpet-tones  all  over  the  land.  But 
it  was  necessary  to  associate  with  him  on  the  same 
ticket  some  man  of  reputation  as  a  statesman. 

Under  the  influence  of  these  considerations,  the 
names  of  Zachary  Taylor  and  Millard  Fillmore  became 
the  rallying-cry  of  the  Whigs,  as  their  candidates  for 
President  and  Vice-Peesident.  The  Whig  ticket  was 
signally  triumphant.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1849, 
Gen.  Taylor  was  inaugurated  President,  and  Millard 
Fillmore  Vice-President,  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  gth  of  July,  1850,  President  Taylor,  but 
about  one  year  and  four  months  after  his  inaugura- 
tion, was  suddenly  taken  sick  and  died.  By  the  Con- 
stitution, Vice-President  Fillmore  thus  became  Presi- 
dent. He  appointed  a  very  able  cabinet,  of  which 
the  illustrious  Daniel  Webster  was  Secretary  of  State. 

Mr.  Fillniore  had  very  serious  difficulties  to  contend 
with,  since  the  opposition  had  a  majority  in  both 
Houses.  He  did  everything  in  his  power  to  conciliate 
the  South ;  but  the  pro-slavery  party  in  the  South  felt 
the  inadequacy  of  all  measuresof  transient  conciliation. 
The  population  of  the  free  States  was  so  rapidly  in- 
creasing over  that  of  the  slave  States  that  it  was  in- 
evitable that  the  power  of  the  Government  should 
soon  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  free  States.  The 
famous  compromise  measures  were  adopted  under  Mr. 
Fillmcre's  adminstration,  and  the  Japan  Expedition 
was  sent  out.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1853,  Mr.  Fill- 
more,  having  served  one  term,  retired. 

In  1856,  Mr.  Fillmore  was  nominated  for  the  Pres- 
idency by  the  "  Know  Nothing  "  party,  but  was  beaten 
by  Mr.  Buchanan.  After  that  Mr.  Fillmore  lived  in 
retirement.  During  the  terrible  conflict  of  civil  war, 
he  was  mostly  silent.  It  was  generally  supposed  that 
his  sympathies  were  rather  with  those  who  were  en- 
deavoring to  overthrow  our  institutions.  President 
Fillmore  kept  aloof  from  the  conflict,  without  any 
cordial  words  of  cheer  to  the  one  party  or  the  other. 
He  was  thus  forgotten  by  both.  He  lived  to  a  ripe 
old  age,  and  died  in  Buffalo.  N.  Y.,  March  8,  1874. 


' 


^  * 


FOURTEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


tf- 


*•  FRANKLIN  PIERCED 

***** 


RANKLIN     PIERCE,   the 
fourteenth   President  of  the 
;  United  States,  was  born  in 
Hillsborough,   N.    H.,    Nov. 
23,  1804.     His  father  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,   who, 
with   his   own    strong    arm, 
hewed   out  a   home   in   the 
wilderness.     He  was  a  man 
of    inflexible    integrity;     of 
strong,  though   uncultivated 
mind,  and  an  uncompromis- 
ing Democrat.      The   mother  of 
Franklin  Pierce  was  all  that  a  son 
could  desire, — an  intelligent,  pru- 
dent, affectionate,  Christian  wom- 
an.    Franklin  was  the  sixth  of  eight  children. 

Franklin  was  a  very  bright  and  handsome  boy,  gen- 
erous, warm-hearted  and  brave.  He  won  alike  the 
love  of  old  and  young.  The  boys  on  the  play  ground 
loved  him.  His  teachers  loved  him.  The  neighbors 
looked  upon  him  with  pride  and  affection.  He  was 
by  instinct  a  gentleman;  always  speakingkind  words, 
doing  kind  deeds,  with  a  peculiar  unstudied  tact 
which  taught  him  what  was  agreeable.  Without  de- 
veloping any  precocity  of  genius,  or  any  unnatural 
devotion  to  books,  he  was  a  good  scholar ;  in  body, 
in  mind,  in  affections,  a  finely-developed  boy. 

When  sixteen  years  of  age,  in  the  year  1820,  he 
entered  Bowdoin  College,  at  Brunswick,  Me.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  popular  young  men  in  the  college. 
The  purity  of  his  moral  character,  the  unvarying 
courtesy  of  his  demeanor,  his  rank  as  a  scholar,  and 


genial  nature,  rendered  him  a  universal  favorite. 
There  was  something  very  peculiarly  winning  in  his 
address,  and  it  was  evidently  not  in  the  slightest  de- 
gree studied :  it  was  the  simple  outgushing  of  his 
own  magnanimous  and  loving  nature. 

Upon  graduating,  in  the  year  1824,  Franklin  Pierce 
commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge 
Woodbury,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  lawyers  of 
the  State,  and  a  man  of  great  private  worth.  The 
eminent  social  qualities  of  the  young  lawyer,  his 
father's  prominence  as  a  public  man,  and  the  brilliant 
political  career  into  which  Judge  Woodbury  was  en- 
tering, all  tended  to  entice  Mr.  Pierce  into  the  faci- 
nating  yet  perilous  path  of  political  life.  With  all 
the  ardor  of  his  nature  he  espoused  the  cause  of  Gen. 
Jackson  for  the  Presidency.  He  commenced  the 
practice  of  law  in  Hillsborough,  and  was  soon  elected 
to  represent  the  town  in  the  State  Legislature.  Here 
he  served  for  four  years.  The  last  two  years  he  was 
chosen  speaker  of  the  house  by  a  very  large  vote. 

In  1833,  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine,  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  Congress.  Without  taking  an  active 
part  in  debates,  he  was  faithful  and  laborious  in  duty, 
and  ever  rising  in  the  estimation  of  those  with  whom 
he  was  associatad. 

In  1837,  being  then  but  thirty-three  years  of  age, 
he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States; 
taking  his  seat  just  as  Mr.  Van  Buren  commenced 
his  administration.  He  was  the  youngest  member  in 
the  Senate.  In  the  year  1834,  he  married  Miss  Jane 
Means  Appleton,  a  lady  of  rare  beauty  and  accom- 
plishments, and  one  admirably  fitted  to  adorn  every 
station  with  which  her  husband  was  honoied.  Of  the 


FRANKLIN  PIERCE. 


> 
I 


three  sons  who  were  born  to  them,  all  now  sleep  with 
their  parents  in  the  grave. 

In  the  year  1838,  Mr.  Pierce,  with  growing  fame 
and  increasing  business  as  a  lawyer,  took  up  his 
residence  in  Concord,  the  capital  of  New  Hampshire. 
President  Polk,  upon  his  accession  to  office,  appointed 
Mr.  Pierce  attorney-general  of  the  United  States;  but 
the  offer  was  declined,  in  consequence  of  numerous 
professional  engagements  at  home,  and  the  precariuos 
state  of  Mrs.  Pierce's  health.  He  also,  about  the 
same  time  declined  the  nomination  for  governor  by  the 
Democratic  party.  The  war  with  Mexico  called  Mr. 
Pierce  in  the  army.  Receiving  the  appointment  of 
brigadier-general,  he  embarked,  with  a  portion  of  his 
troops,  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  on  the  2jih  of  May,  1847. 
He  took  an  imi>ortant  part  in  this  war,  proving  him- 
self a  brave  and  true  soldier. 

When  Gen.  Pierce  reached  his  home  in  his  native 
State,  he  was  received  enthusiastically  by  the  advo- 
cates of  the  Mexican  war,  and  coldly  by  his  oppo- 
nents. He  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
very  frequently  taking  an  active  part  in  political  ques- 
tions, giving  his  cordial  support  to  the  pro-slavery 
wing  of  the  Democratic  party.  The  compromise 
measures  met  cordially  with  his  approval ;  and  he 
strenuously  advocated  the  enforcement  of  the  infa- 
mous fugitive-slave  law,  which  so  shocked  the  religious 
sensibilities  of  the  North.  He  thus  became  distin- 
guished as  a  "  Northern  man  with  Southern  principles.1' 
The  strong  partisans  of  slavery  in  the  South  conse- 
quently regarded  him  as  a  man  whom  they  could 
safely  trust  in  office  to  carry  out  their  plans. 

On  the  1 2th  of  June,  1852,  the  Democratic  conven- 
tion met  in  Baltimore  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  the 
Presidency.  For  four  days  they  continued  in  session, 
and  in  thirty-five  ballotings  no  one  had  obtained  a 
two-thirds  vote.  Not  a  vote  thus  far  had  been  thrown 
for  Gen.  Pierce.  Then  the  Virginia  delegation 
brought  forward  his  name.  There  were  fourteen 
more  ballotings,  during  which  Gen.  Pierce  constantly 
gained  strength,  until,  at  the  forty-ninth  ballot,  he 
received  two  hundred  and  eighty-two  votes,  and  all 
other  candidates  eleven.  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  was 
the  Whig  candidate.  Gen.  Pierce  was  chosen  with 
great  unanimity.  Only  four  States — Vermont,  Mas- 
sachusetts, Kentucky  and  Tennessee — -cast  their 
electoral  votes  against  him  Gen.  Franklin  Pierce 
was  therefore  inaugurated  President  of  the  United 
States  on  the  4th  of  March,  1853. 


His  administration  proved  one  of  the  most  stormy  our 
country  had  ever  experienced.  The  controversy  be- 
tween slavery  and  freedom  was  then  approaching  its 
culminating  point.  It  became  evident  that  there  was 
an  "  irrepressible  conflict  "  between  them,  and  that 
this  Nation  could  not  long  exist  "  half  slave  and  half 
free."  President  Pierce,  during  the  whole  of  his  ad- 
ministration, did  every  thing  he  could  to  conciliate 
the  South  ;  but  it  was  all  in  vain.  The  conflict  every 
year  grew  more  violent,  and  threats  of  the  dissolution 
of  the  Union  were  borne  to  the  North  on  every  South- 
ern breeze. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when  President 
Pierce  approached  the  close  of  his  four-years'  term 
of  office.  The  North  had  become  thoroughly  alien- 
ated from  him.  The  anti-slavery  sentiment,  goaded 
by  great  outrages,  had  been  rapidly  increasing;  all 
the  intellectual  ability  and  social  worth  of  President 
Pierce  were  forgotten  in  deep  reprehension  of  his  ad- 
ministrative acts.  The  slaveholders  of  the  South,  also, 
unmindful  of  the  fidelity  with  which  he  had  advo- 
cated those  measures  of  Government  which  they  ap- 
proved, and  perhaps,  also,  feeling  that  he  had 
rendered  himself  so  unpopular  as  no  longer  to  be 
able  acceptably  to  serve  them,  ungratefully  dropped 
him,  and  nominated  James  Buchanan  to  succeed  him. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1857,  President  Pierce  re- 
tired to  his  home  in  Concord.  Of  three  children,  two 
had  died,  and  his  only  surviving  child  had  been 
killed  before  his  eyes  by  a  railroad  accident ;  and  his 
wife,  one  of  the  most  estimable  and  accomplished  of 
ladies,  was  rapidly  sinking  in  consumption.  The 
hour  of  dreadful  gloom  soon  came,  and  he  was  left 
alone  in  the  world,  without  wife  or  child. 

When  the  terrible  Rebellion  burst  forth,  which  di- 
vided our  country  into  two  parties,  and  two  only,  Mr. 
Pierce  remained  steadfast  in  the  principles  which  he 
had  always  cherished,  and  gave  his  sympathies  to 
that  pro-slavery  party  with  which  he  had  ever  been 
allied.  He  declined  to  do  anything,  either  by  voice 
or  pen,  to  strengthen  the  hand  of  the  National  Gov- 
ernment. He  continued  to  reside  in  Concord  until 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  October, 
1869.  He  was  one  of  the  most  genial  and  social  of 
men,  an  honored  communicant  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  one  of  the  kindest  of  neighbors.  Gen- 
erous to  a  fault,  he  contributed  liberally  for  the  al- 
leviation of  suffering  and  want,  and  many  of  his  towns- 
people were  often  gladened  by  his  material  bounty. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
—/  OF  riLINOIS 


fiFTEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


•  ;  v  / 1'.;  i> ; ,' : ,' :  ,r ; ,' ; .' ;  i'..i-i'-.''i'..-ir.J,''i'.. 


AMES  BUCHANAN,  the  fif- 
teenth President  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  in  a  small 
frontier  town,  at  the  foot  of  the 
eastern  ridge  of  the  Allegha- 
nies,  in  Franklin  Co. ,  Penn. ,011 
the  23d  of  April,  1791.  The  place 
where  the  humble  cabin  of  his 
father  stood  was  called  Stony 
Batter.  It  was  a  wild  and  ro- 
mantic spot  in  a  gorge  of  the  moun- 
tains, with  towering  summits  rising 
grandly  all  around.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  the  north  of  Ireland ; 
a  poor  man,  who  had  emigrated  in 
1783,  with  little  property  save  his. 
own  strong  arms.  Five  years  afterwards  he  married 
Elizabeth  Spear,  the  daughter  of  a  respectable  farmer, 
and,  with  his  young  bride,  plunged  into  the  wilder- 
ness, staked  his  claim,  reared  his  log-hut,  opened  a 
clearing  with  his  axe,  and  settled  down  there  to  per- 
form his  obscure  part  in  the  drama  of  life.  In  this  se- 
cluded home,  where  James  was  born,  he  remained 
lor  eight  years,  enjoying  but  few  social  or  intellectual 
advantages.  When  James  was  eight  years  of  age,  his 
father  removed  to  the  village  of  Mercersburg,  where 
his  son  was  placed  at  school,  and  commenced  a 
course  of  study  in  English,  Latin  and  Greek.  His 
progress  was  rapid,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  he 
entered  Dickinson  College,  at  Carlisle.  Here  he  de- 
veloped remarkable  talent,  and  took  his  stand  among 
the  first  scholars  in  the  institution.  His  application 
to  study  was  intense,  and  yet  his  native  powers  en- 


abled him  to  master  the  most  abstruse  subjects  with 
facility. 

In  the  year  1809,  he  graduated  with  the  highest 
honors  of  his  class.  He  was  then  eighteen  years  of 
age;  tall  and  graceful,  vigorous  in  health,  fond  of 
athletic  sport,  an  unerring  shot,  and  enlivened  with 
an  exuberant  flow  of  animal  spirits.  He  immediately 
commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  city  of  Lancaster, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  .1812,  when  he  was 
but  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Very  rapidly  he  rose 
in  his  profession,  and  at  once  took  undisputed  stand 
with  the  ablest  lawyers  of  the  State.  When  but 
twenty-six  years  of  age,  unaided  by  counsel,  he  suc- 
cessfully defended  before  the  State  Senate  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  State,  who  was  tried  upon  articles  of 
impeachment.  At  the  age  of  thirty  it  was  generally 
admitted  that  he  stood  at  the  head  of  the  bar;  and 
there  was  no  lawyer  in  the  State  who  had  a  more  lu- 
crative practice. 

In  1820,  he  reluctantly  consented  to  run  as  a 
candidate  for  Congress.  He  was  elected,  and  for 
ten  years  he  remained  a  member  of  the  Lower  House. 
During  the  vacations  of  Congress,  he  occasionally 
tried  some  important  case.  In  1831,  he  retired 
altogether  from  the  toils  of  his  profession,  having  ao. 
quired  an  ample  fortune. 

Gen.  Jackson,  upon  his  elevation  to  the  Presidency, 
appointed  Mr.  Buchanan  minister  to  Russia.  The 
duties  of  his  mission  he  performed  with  ability,  which 
gave  satisfaction  to  all  parties.  Upon  his  return,  in 
1833,  he  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  United  States 
Senate.  He  there  met,  as  his  associates,  Webster, 
Clay,  Wright  and  Calhoun.  He  advocated  the  meas- 
ures proposed  by  President  Jackson,  of  making  repri- 


f 


JAMES  BUCHAtfAti. 


I 


sals  against  France,  to  enforce  the  payment  of  our 
claims  against  that  country ;  and  defended  the  course 
of  the  President  in  his  unprecedented  and  wholesale 
removal  from  office  of  those  who  were  not  the  sup- 
porters of  his  administration.  Upon  this  question  he 
was  brought  into  direct  collision  with  Henry  Clay. 
He  also,  with  voice  and  vote,  advocated  expunging 
from  the  journal  of  the  Senate  the  vote  of  censure 
against  Gen.  Jackson  for  removing  the  deposits. 
Earnestly  lie  opposed  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the 
District  of  Columbia,  and  urged  the  prohibition  of  the 
circulation  of  anti-slavery  documents  by  the  United 
States  mails. 

As  to  petitions  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  he  advo- 
cated that  they  should  be  respectfully  received ;  and 
that  the  reply  should  be  returned,  that  Congress  had 
no  power  to  legislate  upon  the  subject.  "  Congress," 
said  he,  "  might  as  well  undertake  to  interfere  with 
slavery  under  a  foreign  government  as  in  any  of  the 
States  where  it  now  exists." 

Upon  Mr.  Folk's  accession  to  the  Presidency,  Mr. 
Buchanan  became  Secretary  of  State,  and  as  such, 
took  his  share  of  the  responsibility  in  the  conduct  of 
the  Mexican  War.  Mr.  Polk  assumed  that  crossing 
the  Nueces  by  the  American  troops  into  the  disputed 
territory  was  not  wrong,  but  for  the  Mexicans  to  cross 
the  Rio  Grande  into  that  territory  was  a  declaration 
of  war.  No  candid  man  can  read  with  pleasure  the 
account  of  the  course  our  Government  pursued  in  that 
movement. 

Mr.  Buchanan  identified  himself  thoroughly  with 
the  party  devoted  to  the  perpetuation  and  extension 
of  slavery,  and  brought  all  the  energies  of  his  mind 
to  bear  against  the  Wilmot  Proviso.  He  gave  his 
cordial  approval  to  the  compromise  measures  of  1050, 
which  included  the  fugitive-slave  law.  Mr.  Pierce, 
upon  his  election  to  the  Presidency,  honored  Mr. 
Buchanan  with  the  mission  to  England. 

In  the  year  1856,  a  national  Democratic  conven- 
tion nominated  Mr.  Buchanan  for  the  Presidency.  The 
political  conflict  was  one  of  the  most  severe  in  which 
our  country  has  ever  engaged.  All  the  friends  of 
slavery  were  on  one  side ;  all  the  advocates  of  its  re- 
striction and  final  abolition,  on  the  other.  Mr.  Fre- 
mont, the  candidate  of  the  enemies  of  slavery,  re- 
ceived 1 14  electoral  votes.  Mr.  Buchanan  received 
174,  and  was  elected.  The  popular  vote  stood 
1,340,618,  for  Fremont,  1,224,750  for  Buchanan.  On 
March  4th,  1857,  Mr.  Buchanan  was  inaugurated. 

Mr.  Buchanan  was  far  advanced  in  life.  Only  four 
years  were  wanting  to  fill  up  his  threescore  years  and 
ten.  His  own  friends,  those  with  whom  he  had  been 
allied  in  political  principles  and  action  for  years,  were 
seeking  the  destruction  ol  the  Government,  that  they 
might  rear  upon  the  ruins  of  our  free  institutions  a 
nation  whose  corner-stone  should  be  human  slavery. 
In  this  emergency,  Mr.  Buchanan  was  hopelessly  be- 
wildered He  could  not,  with  his  long-avowed  prin- 


ciples, consistently  oppose  the  State-rights  party  in 
their  assumptions.  As  President  of  the  United  States, 
bound  by  his  oath  faithfully  to  administer  the  laws, 
he  could  not,  without  perjury  of  the  grossest  kind, 
unite  with  those  endeavoring  to  overthrow  the  repub- 
lic. He  therefore  did  nothing. 

The  opponents  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration 
nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  as  their  standard  bearer 
in  the  next  Presidential  canvass.  The  pro-slavery 
party  declared,  that  if  he  were  elected,  and  the  con- 
trol of  the  Government  were  thus  taken  from  their 
hands,  they  would  secede  from  the  Union,  taking 
with  them,  as  they  retired,  the  National  Capitol  at 
Washington,  and  the  lion's  share  of  the  territory  of 
the  United  States. 

Mr.  Buchanan's  sympathy  with  the  pro-slavery 
party  was  such,  that  he  had  been  willing  to  offerthem 
far  more  than  they  had  ventured  to  claim.  All  the 
South  had  professed  to  ask  of  the  North  was  non- 
intervention upon  the  subject  of  slavery.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan had  been  ready  to  offer  them  the  active  co- 
operation of  the  Government  to  defend  and  extend 
the  institution. 

As  the  storm  increased  in  violence,  the  slaveholders 
claiming  the  right  to  secede,  and  Mr.  Buchanan  avow- 
ing that  Congress  had  no  power  to  prevent  it,  one  of 
the  most  pitiable  exhibitions  of  governmental  im- 
becility was  exhibited  the  world  has  ever  seen.  He 
declared  that  Congress  had  no  power  to  enforce  its 
laws  in  any  State  which  had  withdrawn,  or  which 
was  attempting  to  withdraw  from  the  Union.  This 
was  not  the  doctrine  of  Andrew  Jackson,  when,  with 
his  hand  upon  his  sword  hilt,  he  exclaimed,  "  The 
Union  must  and  shall  be  preserved!" 

South  Carolina  seceded  in  December,  1860;  nearly 
three  months  before  the  inauguration  of  President 
Lincoln.  Mr.  Buchanan  looked  on  in  listless  despair. 
The  rebel  flag  was  raised  in  Charleston :  Fort  Sumpter 
was  besieged;  our  forts,  navy-yards  and  arsenals 
were  seized;  our  depots  of  military  stores  were  plun- 
dered ;  and  our  custom-houses  and  post-offices  were 
appropriated  by  the  rebels. 

The  energy  of  the  rebels,  and  the  imbecility  of  our 
Executive,  were  alike  marvelous.  The  Nation  looked 
on  in  agony,  waiting  for  the  slow  weeks  to  glide  away, 
and  close  the  administration,  so  terrible  in  its  weak- 
ness At  length  the  long-looked-for  hour  of  deliver- 
ance came,  when  Abraham  Lincoln  was  to  receive  the 
scepter. 

The  administration  of  President  Buchanan  was 
certainly  the  most  calamitous  our  country  has  ex- 
perienced. His  best  friends  cannot  recall  it  with 
pleasure.  And  still  more  deplorable  it  is  for  his  fame, 
that  in  that  dreadful  conflict  which  rolled  its  billows 
of  flame  and  blood  over  our  whole  land,  no  word  came 
from  his  lips  to  indicate  his  wish  that  our  country's 
banner  should  triumph  over  the  flag  of  the  rebellion. 
He  died  at  his  Wheatland  retreat,  June  i,  1868. 


*  VT 


SIXTEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


4- 

7$    ,  i 


ABRAHAMS 


BRAHAM  LINCOLN,  the 
sixteenth  President  of  the 
Jnited  States,  was  born  in 
Hardin  Co.,  Ky.,  Feb.  12, 
1809.  About  the  year  1780,  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  left  Virginia  with  his 
family  and  moved  into  the  then 
wilds  of  Kentucky.  Only  two  years 
after  this  emigration,  still  a  young 
man,  while  working  one  day  in  a 
field,  was  stealthily  approached  by 
an  Indian  and  shot  dead.  His  widow 
was  left  in  extreme  poverty  witlvfive 
little  children,  three  boys  and  two1 
girls.  Thomas,  the  youngest  of  the 
boys,  was  four  years  of  age  at  his 
father's  death.  This  Thomas  was 
the  father  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the 
President  of  the  United  States 
whose  name  must  henceforth  forever  be  enrolled 
with  the  most  prominent  in  the  annals  of  our  world. 
Of  course  no  record  has  been  kept  of  the  life 
of  one  so  lowly  as  Thomas  Lincoln.  He  was  among 
the  poorest  of  the  poor.  His  home  was  a  wretched 
log-cabin;  his  food  the  coarsest  and  the  meanest. 
Education  he  had  none;  he  could  never  either  read 
or  write.  As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  do  anything  for 
himself,  he  was  compelled  to  leave  the  cabin  of  his 
starving  mother,  and  push  out  into  the  world,  a  friend- 
less, wandering  boy,  seeking  work.  He  hired  him- 
self out,  and  thus  spent  the  whole  of  his  youth  as  a 
laborer  in  the  fields  of  others. 

When  twenty-eight  years  of  age  he  built  a  log- 
r.nbin  of  his  own,  and  married  Nancy  Hanks,  the 
daughter  of  another  family  of  poor  Kentucky  emi- 
grants, who  had  also  come  from  Virginia.  Their 
sei ond  child  was  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  The  mother  of  Abraham  was  a  noble 
woman,  gentle,  loving,  pensive,  created  to  adorn 
a  palace,  doomed  to  toil  and  pine,  and  die  in  a  hovel. 
"All  that  I  am,  or  hope  to  be,"  exclaims  the  grate- 
ful son  "  I  owe  to  my  angel-mother. 

When  he  was  eight  years  of  age,  his  father  sold  his 


cabin  and  small  farm,  and  moved  to  Indiana.  Where 
two  years  later  his  mother  died. 

Abraham  soon  became  the  scribe  of  the  uneducated 
community  around  him.  He  could  not  have  had  a 
better  school  than  this  to  teach  him  to  put  thoughts 
into  words.  He  also  became  an  eager  reader.  The 
books  he  could  obtain  were  few ;  but  these  he  read 
and  re-read  until  they  were  almost  committed  to 
memory. 

As  the  years  rolled  on,  the  lot  of  this  lowly  family 
was  the  usual  lot  of  humanity.  There  were  joys  and 
griefs,  weddings  and  funerals.  Abraham's  sister 
Sarah,  to  whom  he  was  tenderly  attached,  was  mar- 
ried when  a  child  of  but  fourteen  years  of  age,  and 
soon  died.  The  family  was  gradually  scattered.  Mr. 
Thomas  Lincoln  sold  out  his  squatter's  claim  in  1830, 
and  emigrated  to  Macon  Co.,  111. 

Abraham  Lincoln  was  then  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
With  vigorous  hands  he  aided  his  father  in  rearing 
another  log-cabin.  Abraham  worked  diligently  at  this 
until  he  saw  the  family  comfortably  settled,  and  their 
small  lot  of  enclosed  prairie  planted  with  corn,  when 
he  announced  to  his  father  his  intention  to  leave 
home,  and  to  go  out  into  the  world  and  seek  his  for- 
tune. Little  did  he  or  his  friends  imagine  how  bril- 
liant that  fortune  was  to  be.  He  saw  the  value  of 
education,  and  was  intensely  earnest  to  improve  his 
mind  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  He  saw  the  ruin 
which  ardent  spirits  were  causing,  and  became 
strictly  temperate;  refusing  to  allow  a  drop  of  intoxi- 
cating liquor  to  pass  his  lips.  And  he  had  read  in 
God's  word,  "Thou  shall  not  take  the  name  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  in  vain;"  and  a  profane  expression  he 
was  never  heard  to  utter.  Religion  he  revered.  His 
morals  were  pure,  and  he  was  uncontaminated  by  a 
single  vice. 

Young  Abraham  worked  for  a  time  as  a  hired  laborer 
among  the  farmers.  Then  he  went  to  Springfield, 
where  he  was  employed  in  building  a  large  flat-boat. 
In  this  he  took  a  herd  of  swine,  floated  them  down 
the  Sangamon  to  the  Illinois,  and  thence  by  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  New  Orleans.  Whatever  Abraham  Lin- 
coln undertook,  he  performed  so  faithfully  as  to  give 
great  satisfaction  to  his  employers.  In  this  adven- 


i  ' 

I 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 


t 


ture  his  employers  were  so   well  pleased,  that    upon 
his  return  they  placed  a  store  and  mill  under  his  care. 

In  1832,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  he 
enlisted  and  was  chosen  captain  of  a  company.  He 
returned  to  Sangamon  County,  and  although  only  23 
years  of  age,  was  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature,  but 
was  defeated.  He  soon  after  received  from  Andrew 
Jackson  the  appointment  of  Postmaster  of  New  Salem, 
His  only  post-office  was  his  hat.  All  the  letters  he 
received  he  carried  there  ready  to  deliver  to  those 
he  chanced  to  meet.  He  studied  surveying,  and  soon 
made  this  his  business.  In  1834  he  again  became  a 
candidate  for  the  Legislature,  and  was  elected.  Mr. 
Stuart,  of  Springfield,  advised  him  to  study  law.  He 
walked  from  New  Salem  to  Springfield,  borrowed  of 
Mr.  Stuart  a  load  of  books,  carried  them  back  and 
began  his  legal  studies.  When  the  Legislature  as- 
sembled he  trudged  on  foot  with  his  pack  on  his  back 
one  hundred  miles  to  Vandalia,  then  the  capital.  In 
1836  he  was  re-elected  to  the  Legislature.  Here  it 
was  he  first  met  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  In  1839  he  re- 
moved to  Springfield  and  began  the  practice  of  law. 
His  success  with  the  jury  was  so  great  that  he  was 
soon  engaged  in  almost  every  noted  case  in  the  circuit. 

In  1854  the  great  discussion  began  between  Mr. 
Lincoln  and  Mr.  Douglas,  on  the  slavery  question. 
In  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  in  Illinois, 
in  1856,  he  took  an  active  part,  and  at  once  became 
one  of  the  leaders  in  that  party.  Mr.  Lincoln's 
speeches  in  opposition  to  Senator  Douglas  in  the  con- 
test in  1858  for  a  seat  in  the  Senate,  form  a  most 
notable  part  of  his  history.  The  issue  was  on  the 
slavery  question,  and  he  took  the  broad  ground  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  that  all  men  are 
created  equal.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  defeated  in  this  con- 
test, but  won  a  far  higher  prize. 

The  great  Republican  Convention  met  at  Chicago 
on  the  i6th  of  June,  1860.  The  delegates  and 
strangers  who  crowded  the  city  amounted  to  twenty- 
five  thousand.  An  immense  building  called  "The 
Wigwam,"  was  reared  to  accommodate  the  Conven- 
tion. There  were  eleven  candidates  for  whom  votes 
were  thrown.  William  H.  Seward,  a  man  whose  fame 
as  a  statesman  had  long  filled  the  land,  was  the  most 
prominent.  It  was  generally  supposed  he  would  be 
the  nominee.  Abraham  Lincoln,  however,  received 
the  nomination  on  the  third  ballot.  Little  did  he  then 
dream  of  the  weary  years  of  toil  and  care,  and  the 
bloody  death,  to  which  that  nomination  doomed  him : 
and  as  little  did  he  dream  that  he  was  to  render  services 
to  his  country,  which  would  fix  upon  him  the  eyes  of 
the  whole  civilized  world,  and  which  would  give  him 
a  place  in  the  affections  of  his  countrymen,  second 
only,  if  second,  to  that  of  Washington. 

Election  day  came  and  Mr.  Lincoln  received  180 
electoral  votes  out  of  203  cast,  and  was,  therefore, 
constitutionally  elected  President  of  the  United  States. 
The  tirade  of  abuse  that  vas  poured  upon  this  good 


and  merciful  man,  especially  by  the  slaveholders,  was 
greater  than  upon  any  other  man  ever  elected  to  this 
high  position.  In  February,  1861,  Mr.  Lincoln  started 
for  Washington,  stopping  in  all  the  large  cities  on  his 
way  making  speeches.  The  whole  journey  was  frought 
with  much  danger.  Many  of  the  Southern  States  had 
already  seceded,  and  several  attempts  at  assassination 
were  afterwards  brought  to  light.  A  gang  in  Balti- 
more had  arranged,  upon  his  arrival  to  "get  up  a  row," 
and  in  the  confusion  to  make  sure  of  his  death  with 
revolvers  and  hand-grenades.  A  detective  unravelled 
the  plot.  A  secret  and  special  train  was  provided  to 
take  him  from  HarrisL-urg,  through  Baltimore,  at  an 
unexpected  hour  of  the  night.  The  train  started  at 
half-past  ten  ;  and  to  prevent  any  possible  communi- 
cation on  the  part  ot  the  Secessionists  with  their  Con- 
federate gang  in  Baltimore,  as  soon  as  the  train  had 
started  the  telegraph-wires  were  cut.  Mr.  Lincoln 
reached  Washington  in  safety  and  was  inaugurated, 
although  great  anxiety  was  felt  by  all  loyal  people. 
In  the  selection  of  his  cabinet  Mr.  Lincoln  gave 
to  Mr.  Seward  the  Department  of  State,  and  to  other 
prominent  opponents  before  the  convention  he  gave 
important  positions. 

During  no  other  administration  have  the  duties 
devolving  upon  the  President  been  so  manifold,  and 
the  responsibilities  so  great,  as  those  which  fell  to 
the  lot  of  President  Lincoln.  Knowing  this,  and 
feeling  his  own  weakness  and  inability  to  meet,  and  in 
his  own  strength  to  cope  with,  the  difficulties,  he 
learned  early  to  seek  Divine  wisdom  and  guidance  in 
determining  his  plans,  and  Divine  comfort  in  all  his 
trials,  bof.h  personal  and  national  Contrary  to  his 
own  estimate  of  himself,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  one  of  the 
most  courageous  of  men.  He  went  directly  into  the 
rebel  capital  just  as  the  retreating  foe  was  leaving, 
with  no  guard  but  a  few  sailors.  From  the  time  he 
had  left  Springfield,  in  1861,  however,  plans  had  been 
made  for  his  assassination, and  he  at  last  fell  a  victim 
to  one  of  them.  April  14,  1865,  he,  with  Gen.  Grant, 
was  urgently  invited  to  attend  Fords'  Theater.  It 
was  announced  that  they  would  Le  present.  Gen. 
Grant,  however,  left  the  city.  President  Lincoln,  feel- 
ing, witn  his  characteristic  kindliness  of  heart,  that 
it  would  be  a  disappointment  if  he  should  fail  them, 
very  reluctantly  consented  to  go.  While  listening  to 
the  play  an  actor  by  the  name  of  John  Wilkes  Booth 
entered  the  box  where  the  President  and  family  were 
seated,  and  fired  a  bullet  into  his  brains.  He  died  the 
next  morning  at  seven  o'clock. 

Never  before,  in  the  history  of  the  world  was  a  nation 
plunged  into  such  deep  grief  by  the  death  of  its  ruler. 
Strong  men  met  in  the  streets  and  wept  in  speechless 
anguish.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  a  nation  was 
in  tears.  His  was  a  life  which  will  fitly  become  a 
model.  His  name  as  the  savior  of  his  country  will 
live  with  that  of  Washington's,  its  father;  hiscountry- 
men  being  unable  to  decide  which  is  the  greater. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
ft;         •""'  t~   LUHOIS 


SE  VENTEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


NDREW  JOHNSON,  seven- 
teenth President  of  the  United 
States.  The  early  life  of 
Andrew  Johnson  contains  but 
the  record  of  poverty,  destitu- 
tion and  friendlessness.  He 
was  born  December  29,  1808, 
in  Raleigh,  N.  C.,  His  parents, 
belonging  to  the  class  of  the 
"poor  whites  "  of  the  South,  were 
in  such  circumstances,  that  they 
could  not  confer  even  the  slight- 
est advantages  of  education  upon 
their  child.  When  Andrew  was  five 
years  of  age,  his  father  accidentally 
lost  his  life  while  herorically  endeavoring  to  save  a 
friend  from  drowning.  Until  ten  years  of  age,  Andrew 
was  a  ragged  boy  about  the  streets,  supported  by  the 
labor  of  his  mother,  who  obtained  her  living  with 
her  own  hands. 

He  then,  having  never  attended  a  school  one  day, 
and  being  unable  either  to  read  or  write,  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a  tailor  in  his  native  town.  A  gentleman 
was  in  the  habit  of  going  to  the  tailor's  shop  occasion- 
ally, and  reading  to  the  boys  at  work  there.  He  often 
read  from  the  speeches  of  distinguished  British  states- 
men. Andrew,  who  was  endowed  with  a  mind  of  more 
than  ordinary  native  ability,  became  much  interested 
in  these  speeches ;  his  ambition  was  roused,  and  he 
was  inspired  with  a  strong  desire  to  learn  to  read. 

He  accordingly  applied  himself  to  the  alphabet,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  some  of  his  fellow- workmen, 
learned  his  letters.  He  then  called  upon  the  gentle- 
man to  borrow  the  book  of  speeches.  The  owner, 


pleased  with  his  zeal,  not  only  gave  him  the  book, 
but  assisted  him  in  learning  to  combine  the  letters 
into  words.  Under  such  difficulties  he  pressed  on- 
ward laboriously,  spending  usually  ten  or  twelve  hours 
at  work  in  the  shop,  and  then  robbing  himself  of  rest 
and  recreation  to  devote  such  time  as  he  could  to 
reading. 

He  went  to  Tennessee  in  1826,  and  located  at 
Greenville,  where  he  married  a  young  lady  who  pos- 
sessed some  education.  Under  her  instructions  he 
learned  to  write  and  cipher.  He  became  prominent 
in  the  village  debating  society,  and  a  favorite  with 
the  students  of  Greenville  College.  In  1828,  he  or- 
ganized a  working  man's  party,  which  elected  him 
alderman,  and  in  1830  elected  him  mayor,  which 
position  he  held  three  years. 

He  now  began  to  take  a  lively  interest  in  political 
affairs ;  identifying  himself  with  the  working-classes, 
to  which  he  belonged.  In  1835,  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  Tennes- 
see. He  was  then  just  twenty-seven  years  of  age. 
He  became  a  very  active  member  of  the  legislature, 
gave  his  adhesion  to  the  Democratic  party,  and  in 
1840  "stumped  the  State,"  advocating  Martin  Van 
Buren's  claims  to  the  Presidency,  in  opposition  to  those 
of  Gen.  Harrison.  In  this  campaign  he  acquired  much 
readiness  as  a  speaker,  and  extended  and  increased 
his  reputation. 

In  1841,  he  was  elected  State  Senator;  in  1843,116 
was  elected  a  member  of  Congress,  and  by  successive 
elections,  held  that  important  post  for  ten  years.  In 
1853,  he  was  elected  Governor  of  Tennessee,  and 
was  re-elected  in  1855.  In  all  these  res)>onsible  posi- 
tions, he  discharged  his  duties  with  distinguished  abiu 


84 


ANDREW  JOHNSON. 


ity,  and  proved  himself  the  warm  friend  of  the  work- 
ing classes.  In  1857,  Mr.  Johnson  was  elected 
United  States  Senator. 

Years  before,  in  1845,  he  had  warmly  advocated 
the  annexation  of  Texas,  stating  however,  as  his 
reason,  that  he  thought  this  annexation  would  prob- 
ably prove  "  to  be  the  gateway  out  of  which  the  sable 
sons  of  Africa  are  to  pass  from  bondage  to  freedom, 
and  become  merged  in  a  population  congenial  to 
themselves."  In  1850,  he  also  supported  the  com- 
promise measures,  the  two  essential  features  of  which 
were,  that  the  white  people  of  the  Territories  should 
be  permitted  to  decide  for  themselves  whether  they 
would  enslave  the  colored  people  or  not,  and  that 
the  free  States  of  the  North  should  return  to  the 
South  persons  who  attempted  to  escape  from  slavery. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  never  ashamed  of  his  lowly  origin: 
on  the  contrary,  he  often  took  pride  in  avowing  that 
he  owed  his  distinction  to  his  own  exertions.  "Sir,"' 
said  he  0:1  the  floor  of  the  Senate,  "  I  do  not  forget 
that  I  am  a  mechanic  ;  neither  do  I  forget  that  Adam 
was  a  tailor  and  sewed  fig  leaves,  and  that  our  Sav- 
ior was  the  son  of  a  carpenter." 

In  the  Charleston- Baltimore  convention  of  1860,  he 
was  the  choice  of  the  Tennessee  Democrats  for  the 
Presidency.  In  1861,  when  the  purpose  of  the  South- 
ern Democracy  became  apparent,  he  took  a  decided 
Stand  in  favor  of  the  Union,  and  held  that  "  slavery 
must  be  held  subordinate  to  the  Union  at  whatever 
cost."  He  retuined  to  Tennessee,  and  repeatedly 
imperiled  his  own  life  to  protect  the  Unionists  of 
Tennesee.  Tennessee  having  seceded  from  the 
Union,  President  Lincoln,  on  March  4th,  1862,  ap- 
pointed him  Military  Governor  of  the  State,  and  he 
established  the  most  stringent  military  rule.  His 
numerous  proclamations  attracted  wide  attention.  In 

1864,  he  was  elected  Vice-President   of  the    United 
States,  and  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  April   15, 

1865,  became  President.     In  a  speech  two  days  later 
he  said,  "  The  American  people  must   be   taught,   if 
they  do  not  already  feel,  that  treason  is  a  crime  and 
must  be  punished ;  that   the     Government  will    not 
always  bear  with  its  enemies ;  that  it   is   strong   not 
only  to  protect,  but   to    punish.     *     *     The  people 
must  understand  that  it  (treason)  is  the   blackest   of 
crimes,  and  will  surely  be  punished."     Yet  his  whole 
administration,  the  history  of  which  is  so  well  known, 
was  in  utter  inconsistency  with,  and  the  most  violent 


opposition  to,  the  principles  laid  down  in  that  speech. 

In  his  loose  policy  of  reconstruction  and  general 
amnesty,  he  was  opposed  by  Congress ;  and  he  char  • 
acterized  Congress  as  a  new  rebellion,  and  lawlessly 
defied  it,  in  everything  possible,  to  the  utmost.  In 
the  beginning  of  1868,  on  account  of  "high  crimes 
and  misdemeanors,"  the  principal  of  which  was  the 
removal  of  Secretary  Stanton,  in  violation  of  the  Ten- 
ure of  Office  Act,  articles  of  impeachment  were  pre- 
ferred against  him,  and  the  trial  began  March  23. 

It  was  very  tedious,  continuing  for  nearly  three 
months.  A  test  article  of  the  impeachment  was  at 
length  submitted  to  the  court  for  its  action.  Il  was 
certain  that  as  the  court  voted  upon  that  article  so 
would  it  vote  upon  all.  Thirty-four  voices  pronounced 
the  President  guilty.  As  a  two-thirds  vote  was  neces- 
sary to  his  condemnation,  he  was  pronounced  ac- 
quitted, notwithstanding  the  great  majority  against 
him.  The  change  of  one  vote  from  the  not  guilty 
side  would  have  sustained  the  impeachment. 

The  President,  for  the  remainder  of  his  term,  was 
but  little  regarded.  He  continued,  though  impotently, 
his  conflict  with  Congress.  His  own  party  did  not 
think  it  expedient  to  renominate  him  for  the  Presi- 
dency. The  Nation  rallied,  with  enthusiasm  unpar- 
alleled since  the  days  of  Washington,  around  the  name 
of  Gen.  Grant.  Andrew  Johnson  was  forgotten. 
The  bullet  of  the  assassin  introduced  him  to  the 
President's  chair.  Notwithstanding  this,  never  was 
there  presented  to  a  man  a  better  opportunity  to  im- 
mortalize his  name,  and  to  win  the  gratitude  of  a 
nation.  He  failed  utterly.  He  retired  to  his  home 
in  Greenville,  Tenn.,  taking  no  very  active  part  in 
politics  until  1875.  On  Jan.  26,  after  an  exciting 
struggle,  he  was  chosen  by  the  Legislature  of  Ten- 
nessee, United  States  Senator  in  the  forty-fourth  Con- 
gress, and  took  his  seat  in  that  body,  at  the  special 
session  convened  by  President  Grant,  on  the  5th  of 
March.  On  the  27th  of  July,  1875,  the  ex-President 
made  a  visit  to  his  daughter's  home,  near  Carter 
Station,  Tenn.  When  he  started  on  his  journey,  he  was 
apparently  in  his  usual  vigorous  health,  but  on  reach- 
ing the  residence  of  his  child  the  following  day,  was 
stricken  with  paralysis,  rendering  him  unconscious. 
He  rallied  occasionally,  but  finally  passed  away  at 
2  A.M.,  July  31,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  His  fun- 
eral was  attended  at  Geenville,  on  the  3d  of  August, 
with  every  demonstration  of  respect. 


-  -     • 

GF  THE 


--LINOJS 


EIGHTEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


I 


LYSSES  S.  GRANT,  the 
eighteenth  President  of  the 
United  States,  was  born  on 
the  291)1  of  April,  1822,  of 
Christian  parents,  in  a  humble 
home,  at  Point  Pleasant,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ohio.  Shortly  after 
his  father  moved  to  George- 
town, Brown  Co.,  O.  In  this  re- 
mote frontier  hamlet,  Ulysses 
received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen, in  the  year  1839,  he  entered 
the  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point.  Here  he  was  regarded  as  a 
solid,  sensible  young  man  of  fair  abilities,  and  of 
sturdy,  honest  character.  He  took  respectable  rank 
as  a  scholar.  In  June,  1843,  he  graduated,  about  the 
middle  in  his  class,  and  was  sent  as  lieutenant  of  in- 
fantry to  one  of  the  distant  military  posts  in  the  Mis- 
souri Territory.  Two  years  he  past  in  these  dreary 
solitudes,  watching  the  vagabond  and  exasperating 
Indians. 

The  war  with  Mexico  came.  Lieut.  Grant  was 
sent  with  his  regiment  to  Corpus  Christi.  His  first 
battle  was  at  Palo  Alto.  There  was  no  chance  here 
for  the  exhibition  of  either  skill  or  heroism,  nor  at 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  his  second  battle.  At  the  battle 
of  Monterey,  his  third  engagement,  it  is  said  that 
he  performed  a  signal  service  of  daring  and  skillful 
horsemanship.  His  brigade  had  exhausted  its  am- 
munition. A  messenger  must  be  sent  for  more,  along 
a  route  exposed  to  the  bullets  of  the  foe.  Lieut. 
Grant,  adopting  an  expedient  learned  of  the  Indians, 
grasped  the  mane  of  his  horse,  and  hanging  upon  one 
side  of  the  aniro.il,  ran  the  gauntlet  in  entire  safety. 


From  Monterey  he  was  sent,  with  the  fourth  infantry, 
to  aid  Gen.  Scott,  at  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz.  In 
preparation  for  the  march  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  he 
was  appointed  quartermaster  of  his  regiment.  At  the 
battle  of  Molino  del  .Rey,  he  was  promoted  to  a 
first  lieutenancy,  and  was  brevetted  captain  at  Cha- 
pultepec. 

At  the  close  of  the  Mexican  War,  Capt.  Grant  re- 
turned with  his  regiment  to  New  York,  and  was  again 
sent  to  one  of  the  military  posts  on  the  frontier.  The 
discovery  of  gold  in  California  causing  an  immense 
tide  of  emigration  to  flow  to  the  Pacific  shores,  Capt. 
Grant  was  sent  with  a  battalion  to  Fort  Dallas,  in 
Oregon,  for  the  protection  of  the  interests  of  the  im- 
migrants. Life  was  wearisome  in  those  wilds.  Capt. 
Grant  resigned  his  commission  and  returned  to  the 
States;  and  having  married,  entered  upon  the  cultiva- 
tion of  a  small  farm  near  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  had  but 
little  skill  as  a  farmer.  Finding  his  toil  not  re- 
munerative, he  turned  to  mercantile  life,  entering  into 
the  leather  business,  with  a  younger  brother,  at  Ga- 
lena, 111.  This  was  in  the  year  1860.  As  the  tidings 
of  the  rebels  firing  on  Fort  Sumpter  reached  the  ears 
of  Capt.  Grant  in  his  counting-room,  he  said, — 
"Uncle  Sam  has  educated  me  for  the  army;  though 
I  have  served  him  through  one  war,  I  do  not  feel  that 
I  have  yet  repaid  the  debt.  I  am  still  ready  to  discharge 
my  obligations.  I  shall  therefore  buckle  on  my  sword 
and  see  Uncle  Sam  through  this  war  too." 

He  went  into  the  streets,  raised  a  company  of  vol- 
unteers, and  led  them  as  their  captain  to  Springfield, 
the  capital  of  the  State,  where  their  services  were 
offered  to  Gov.  Yates.  The  Governor,  impressed  by 
the  zeal  and  straightforward  executive  ability  of  Capt. 
Grant,  gave  him  a  desk  in  his  office,  to  assist  in  the 
volunteer  organization  that  was  being  formed  in  the 
State  in  behalf  of  the  Government.  On  the  i5th  of 


88 


UL  YSSES  S.  GRA  NT. 


4 


Tune,  1 86 1,  Capt.  Grant  received  a  commission  as 
Colonel  of  the  Twenty-first  Regiment  of  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers. His  merits  as  a  West  Point  graduate,  who 
had  served  for  15  years  in  the  regular  army,  were  such 
that  he  was  soon  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier- 
General  and  was  placed  in  command  at  Cairo.  The 
rebels  raised  their  banner  at  Paducah,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Tennessee  River.  Scarcely  had  its  folds  ap- 
peared in  the  breeze  ere  Gen.  Grant  was  there.  The 
rebels  fled.  Their  banner  fell,  and  the  star  and 
stripes  were  unfurled  in  its  stead. 

He  entered  the  service  with  great  determination 
and  immediately  began  active  duty.  This  was  the  be- 
ginning, and  until  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Richmond 
he  was  ever  pushing  the  enemy  with  great  vigor  and 
effectiveness.  At  Belmont,  a  few  days  later,  he  sur- 
prised and  routed  the  rebels,  then  at  Fort  Henry 
won  another  victory.  Then  came  the  brilliant  fight 
at  Fort  Donelson.  The  nation  was  electrified  by  the 
victory,  and  the  brave  leader  of  the  boys  in  blue  was 
immediately  made  a  Major-General,  and  the  military 
District  of  Tennessee  was  assigned  to  him. 

Like  all  great  captains,  Gen.  Grant  knew  well  how 
to  secure  the  results  of  victory.  He  immediately 
pushed  on  to  the  enemies'  lines.  Then  came  the 
terrible  battles  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  Corinth,  and  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  where  Gen.  Pemberton  made  an 
unconditional  surrender  of  the  city  with  over  thirty 
thousand  men  and  one-hundred  and  seventy-two  can- 
non. The  fall  of  Vicksburg  was  by  far  the  most 
severe  blow  which  the  rebels  had  thus  far  encountered, 
and  opened  up  the  Mississippi  from  Cairo  to  the  Gulf. 

Gen.  Grant  was  next  ordered  to  co-operate  with 
Gen.  Banks  in  a  movement  upon  Texas,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  New  Orleans,  where  he  was  thrown  from 
his  horse,  and  received  severe  injuries,  from  which  he 
was  laid  up  for  months.  He  then  rushed  to  the  aid 
of  Gens.  Rosecrans  and  Thomas  at  Chattanooga,  and 
by  a  wonderful  series  of  strategic  and  technical  meas- 
ures put  the  Union  Army  in  fighting  condition.  Then 
followed  the  bloody  battles  at  Chattanooga,  Lookout 
Mountain  and  Missionary  Ridge,  in  which  the  rebels 
were  routed  with  great  loss.  This  won  for  him  un- 
bounded praise  in  the  North.  On  the  4th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1864,  Congress  revived  the  grade  of  lieutenant- 
general,  and  the  rank  was  conferred  on  Gen.  Grant. 
He  repaired  to  Washington  to  receive  his  credentials 
and  enter  upon  the  duties  of  his  new  office. 


Gen.  Grant  decided  as  soon  as  he  took  charge  of 
the  army  to  concentrate  the  widely-dispersed  National 
troops  for  an  attack  upon  Richmond,  the  nominal 
capital  of  the  Rebellion,  and  endeavor  there  to  de- 
stroy the  rebel  armies  which  would  be  promptly  as- 
sembled from  all  quarters  for  its  defence.  The  whole 
continent  seemed  to  tremble  under  the  tramp  of  these 
majestic  armies,  rushing  to  the  decisive  battle  field. 
Steamers  were  crowded  with  troops.  Railway  trains 
were  burdened  with  closely  packed  thousands.  His 
plans  were  comprehensive  and  involved  a  series  cf 
campaigns,  which  were  executed  with  remarkable  en- 
ergy and  ability,  and  were  consummated  at  the  sur- 
render of  Lee,  April  9,  1865. 

The  war  was  ended.  The  Union  was  saved.  The 
almost  unanimous  voice  of  the  Nation  declared  Gen. 
Grant  to  be  the  most  prominent  instrument  in  it.;  sal- 
vation. The  eminent  services  he  had  thus  rendered 
the  country  brought  him  conspicuously  forward  as  the 
Republican  candidate  for  the  Presidential  chair. 

At  the  Republican  Convention  held  at  Chicago, 
May  21,  1868,  he  was  unanimously  nominated  for  the 
Presidency,  and  at  the  autumn  election  received  a 
majority  of  the  popular  vote,  and  214  out  cf  294 
electoral  votes. 

The  National  Convention  of  the  Republican  party 
which  met  at  Philadelphia  on  the  5th  of  June,  1872, 
placed  Gen.  Grant  in  nomination  for  a  second  term 
by  a  unanimous  vote.  The  selection  was  emphati- 
cally indorsed  by  the  people  five  months  later,  292 
electoral  votes  being  cast  for  him. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  his  second  term,  Gen.  Grant 
started  upon  his  famous  trip  around  the  world.  He 
visited  almost  every  country  of  the  civilized  world, 
and  was  everywhere  received  with  such  ovations 
and  demonstrations  of  respect  and  honor,  private 
as  well  as  public  and  official,  as  were  never  before 
bestowed  upon  any  citizen  of  the  United  States. 

He  was  the  most  prominent  candidate  before  the 
Republican  National  Convention  in  1880  for  a  re- 
nomination  for  President.  He  went  to  New  York  and 
embarked  in  the  brokerage  business  under  the  firm 
nameof  Grant  &  Ward.  The  latter  proved  a  villain, 
wrecked  Grant's  fortune,  and  for  larceny  was  sent  to 
the  penitentiary.  The  General  was  attacked  with 
cancer  in  the  throat,  but  suffered  in  his  stoic-like 
manner,  never  complaining.  He  was  re-instated  as 
General  of  the  Army  and  retired  by  Congress.  The 
cancer  soon  finished  its  deadly  work,  and  July  23, 
1885,  the  nation  went  in  mourning  over  the  death  of 
the  illustrious  General. 


NINETEENTH  PRESIDENT. 


.lv..v..v..v..'r'..'.". v..'i •••.,'! '. .v. .'x> .; v : ,' ;  ,' ;  ,'.•-,'  ,",'..• ,' : 


UTHERFORD  B.  HAYES, 
the  nineteenth  President  of 
the  United  States,  was  born  in 
Delaware,  O.,  Oct.  4,  1822,  al- 
most three  months  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  Rutherford 
Hayes.  His  ancestry  on  both 
the  paternal  and  maternal  sides, 
was  of  the  most  honorable  char- 
acter. It  can  be  traced,  it  is  said, 
as  far  back  as  1280,  when  Hayes  and 
Rutherford  were  two  Scottish  chief- 
tains, fighting  side  by  side  with 
Baliol,  William  Wallace  and  Robert 
Bruce.  Both  families  belonged  to  the 
nobility,  owned  extensive  estates, 
and  had  a  large  following.  Misfor- 
tune overtaking  the  family,  George  Hayes  left  Scot- 
land in  1680,  and  settled  in  Windsor,  Conn.  His  son 
George  was  born  in  Windsor,  and  remained  there 
during  his  life.  Daniel  Hayes,  son  of  the  latter,  mar- 
ried Sarah  Lee,  and  lived  from  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage until  his  death  in  Simsbury,  Conn.  Ezekiel, 
son  of  Daniel,  was  born  in  1724,  and  was  a  manufac- 
turer of  scythes  at  Bradford,  Conn.  Rutherford  Hayes, 
son  of  Ezekiel  and  grandfather  of  President  Hayes,  was 
born  in  New  Haven,  in  August,  1756.  He  was  a  farmer, 
blacksmith  and  tavern-keeper.  He  emigrated  to 
Vermont  at  an  unknown  date,  settling  in  Brattleboro, 
where  he  established  a  hotel.  Here,  his  son  Ruth- 
erford Hayes  the  father  of  President  Hayes,  was 


born.  He  was  married,  in  September,  1813,  to  Sophia 
Birchard,  of  Wilmington,  Vt.,  whose  ancestors  emi- 
grated thither  from  Connecticut,  they  having  been 
among  the  wealthiest  and  best  famlies  of  Norwich. 
Her  ancestry  on  the  male  side  are  traced  back  to 
1635,  to  John  Birchard,  one  of  the  principal  founders 
of  Norwich.  Both  of  her  grandfathers  were  soldiers 
in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  father  of  President  Hayes  was  an  industrious, 
frugal  and  opened-hearted  man.  He  was  of  a  me- 
chanical turn,  and  could  mend  a  plow,  knit  a  stock, 
ing,  or  do  almost  anything  else  that  he  choose  to 
undertake.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Church,  active 
in  all  the  benevolent  enterprises  of  the  town,  and  con- 
ducted his  business  on  Christian  principles.  After 
the  close  of  the  war  of  1812,  for  reasons  inexplicable 
to  his  neighbors,  he  resolved  to  emigrate  to  Ohio. 

The  journey  from  Vermont  to  Ohio  in  that  day, 
when  there  were  no  canals,  steamers,  nor  railways, 
was  a  very  serious  affair.  A  tour  of  inspection  was 
first  made,  occupying  four  months.  Mr.  Hayes  deter- 
mined to  move  to  Delaware,  where  the  family  arrived 
in  i8r7-  He  died  July  22,  1822,  a  victim  of  malarial 
fever,  less  than  three  months  before  the  birth  of  the 
son,  of  whom  we  now  write.  Mrs.  Hayes,  in  her  sore  be- 
reavement, found  the  support  she  so  much  needed  in 
her  brother  Sardis,  who  had  been  a  member  of  the 
household  from  the  day  of  its  departure  from  Ver- 
mont, and  in  an  orphan  girl  whom  she  had  adopted 
some  time  before  as  an  act  of  charity. 

Mrs.  Hayes  at  this  period  was  very  weak,  and  the  i 


RUTHERFORD  J3.  HAYES. 


subject  of  this  sketch  was  so  feeble  at  birth  that  he 
was  not  expected  to  live  beyond  a  month  or  two  at 
most.  As  the  months  went  by  he  grew  weaker  and 
weaker,  so  that  the  neighbors  were  in  the  habit  of  in- 
quiring from  time  to  time  "  if  Mrs.  Haves'  baby  died 
last  night."  On  one  occasion  a  neighbor,  who  was  on 
familiar  terms  with  the  family,  after  alluding  to  the 
boy's  big  head,  and  the  mother's  assiduous  care  of 
him,  said  in  a  bantering  way,  "  That's  right!  Stick  to 
him.  You  have  got.  him  along  so  far,  and  I  shouldn't 
wonder  if  he  would  really  come  to  something  yet." 

"  You  need  not  laugh,"  said  Mrs.  Hayes.  "  You 
wait  and  see.  You  can't  tell  but  I  shall  make  him 
President  of  the  United  States  yet."  The  boy  lived, 
in  spite  of  the  universal  predictions  of  his  speedy 
death;  and  when,  in  1825,  his  older  brother  was 
drowned,  he  became,  if  possible,  still  dearer  to  his 
mother. 

The  boy  was  seven  years  old  before  he  went  to 
school.  His  education,  however,  was  not  neglected. 
He  probably  learned  as  much  from  his  mother  and 
sister  as  he  would  have  done  at  school.  His  sports 
were  almost  wholly  within  doors,  his  playmates  being 
his  sister  and  her  associates.  These  circumstances 
tended,  no  doubt,  to  foster  that  gentleness  of  dispo- 
sition, and  that  delicate  consideration  for  the  feelings 
of  others,  which  are  marked  traits  of  his  character. 

His  uncle  Sardis  Birchard  took  the  deepest  interest 
in  his  education ;  and  as  the  boy's  health  had  im- 
proved, and  he  was  making  good  progress  in  his 
studies,  he  proposed  to  send  him  to  college.  His  pre- 
paration commenced  with  a  tutor  at  home;  but  he 
was  afterwards  sent  for  one  year  to  a  professor  in  the 
Wesleyan  University,  in  Middletown,  Conn.  He  en- 
tered Kenyon  College  in  1838,  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 
and  was  graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class  in  1842. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation  he  began  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Thomas  Sparrow,  Esq., 
in  Columbus.  Finding  his  opportunities  for  study  in 
Columbus  somewhat  limited,  he  determined  to  enter 
the  Law  School  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  he  re- 
mained two  years. 

In  1845,  after  graduating  at  the  Law  School,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  and  shortly 
afterward  went  into  practice  as  an  attorn ey-at-law 
with  Ralph  P.  Buckland,  of  Fremont.  Here  he  re- 
mained three  years,  acquiring  but  a  limited  practice, 
and  apparently  unambitious  of  distinction  in  his  pro- 
fession. 

In  1849  he  moved  to  Cincinnati,  where  his  ambi- 
tion found  a  new  stimulus.  For  several  years,  how- 
ever, his  progress  was  slow.  Two  events,  occurring  at 
this  period,  had  a  powerful  influence  upon  his  subse- 
quent life.  One  of  these  was  his  marrage  with  Miss 
Lucy  Ware  Webb,  daughter  of  Dr.  James  Webb,  of 
Chilicothe;  the  other  was  his  introduction  to  the  Cin- 
cinnati Literary  Club,  a  body  embracing  among  its 
members  such  men  rs  Chief  Justice  Salmon  P.  Chase, 


Gen.  John  Pope,  Gov.  Edward  F.  Noyes,  and  many 
others  hardly  less  distinguished  in  after  life.  The 
marriage  was  a  fortunate  one  in  every  respect,  as 
everybody  knows.  Not  one  of  all  the  wives  of  our 
Presidents  was  more  universally  admired,  reverenced 
and  beloved  than  was  Mrs.  Hayes,  and  no  one  did 
more  than  she  to  reflect  honor  upon  American  woman- 
hood. The  Literary  Cluu  brought  Mr.  Hayes  into 
constant  association  with  young  men  of  high  char- 
acter and  nob)e  aims,  and  lured  him  to  display  the 
qualities  so  long  hidden  by  his  bashfulness  and 
modesty. 

In  1856  he  was  nominated  to  the  office  of  Judge  of 
the  Court  of  Common  Pleas;  but  he  declined  to  ac- 
cept the  nomination.  Two  years  later,  the  office  of 
city  solicitor  becoming  vacant,  the  City  Council 
elected  him  for  the  unexpired  term. 

In  1861,  when  the  Rebellion  broke  out,  he  was  at 
the  zenith  of  his  professional  life.  His  rank  at  the 
bar  was  among  the  the  first.  But  the  news  of  the 
attack  on  Fort  Sumpter  found  him  eager  to  take  up 
arms  for  the  defense  of  his  country. 

His  military  record  was  bright  ard  illustrious.  In 
October,  1861,  he  was  made  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and 
in  August,  1862,  promoted  Colonel  of  the  7gth  Ohio 
regiment,  but  he  refused  to  leave  his  old  comrades 
and  go  among  strangers.  Subsequently,  however,  he 
was  made  Colonel  of  his  old  regiment.  At  the  battle 
of  South  Mountain  he  received  a  wound,  and  while 
faint  and  bleeding  displayed  courage  and  fortitude 
that  won  admiration  from  all. 

Col.  Hayes  was  detached  from  his  regiment,  after 
his  recovery,  to  act  as  Brigadier-General,  and  placed 
in  command  of  the  celebrated  Kanawha  division, 
and  for  gallant  and  meritorious  sei  vices  in  the  battles 
of  Winchester,  Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek,  he  was 
promoted  Brigadier-General.  He  was  also  brevetted 
Major-General, "for gallant  and  distinguished  ftrvices 
during  the  campaigns  of  1864,  in  West  Virginia."  In 
the  course  of  his  arduous  services,  four  horses  were 
shot  from  under  him,  and  he  was  wounded  four  times. 

In  1864,  Gen.  Hayes  was  elected  to  Congress,  from 
the  Second  Ohio  District,  which  had  long  been  Dem- 
ocratic. He  was  not  present  during  the  campaign, 
and  after  his  election  was  importuned  to  resign  his 
commission  in  the  army  ;  but  he  finally  declared,  "I 
shall  never  corne  to  Washington  until  I  can  come  by 
the  way  of  Richmond."  He  was  re-elected  in  1866. 

In  1867,  Gen  Hayes  was  elected  Governor  of  Ohio, 
over  Hon.  Allen  G.  Thurman,  a  popular  Democrat. 
In  i86g  was  re-elected  over  George  H.  Pendleton. 
He  was  elected  Governor  for  the  third  term  in  1875. 

In  1876  he  was  the  standard  bearer  of  the  Repub- 
lican Party  in  the  Presidential  contest,  and  after  a 
hard  long  contest  was  chosen  President,  and  was  in 
augurated  Monday,  March  5,  1875.  He  served  his 
full  term,  not,  hcwever,  with  satisfaction  to  his  party, 
but  his  ad  mi  nitration  was  an  average  ona 


''-LINOIS 


f 


TWENTIETH  PRESIDENT. 


95 


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T  "yiv-^^^iv**  ™  •»**•  ™  *^JW  ™  -•>.,•»  *™  ^y  .  ^-»  ^T    «v,t>  *5T'  <^iV>  "    >V.i>-  "'  *?!<?•  **'>>,*•>.  1*  *?lf*  *W  x> iv^  ••'  *VlO-  V  *V,i--  *V  ^>i»^  T 

14  \FF;S-    A      «»AM?-KTP:.Ti 

1  S3h 


AMES  A.  GARl'IELD,  twen- 
tieth President  of  the  United 
States,    was    born    Nov.    19, 
1831,  in  the  woods  of  Orange, 
Cuyahoga  Co.,  O      His   par- 
ents were  Abram  and    Eliza 
3  (Ballou)   Garfield,   both   of  New 
England  ancestry  and  from  fami- 
lies well  known  in  the  early  his- 
\l,  tory  of  that  section  of  our  coun- 
try, but  had  moved  to  the  Western 
Reserve,  in  Ohio,  early  in  its  settle- 
ment. 

The  house  in  which  James  A.  was 
born  was  not  unlike  the  houses  of 
poor  Ohio  farmers  of  that  day.  It 
was  about  20x30  feet,  built  of  logs,  with  the  spaces  be- 
tween the  logs  filled  with  clay.  His  father  was  a 
hard  working  farmer,  and  he  soon  had  his  fields 
cleared,  an  orchard  planted,  and  a  log  barn  built. 
The  household  comprised  the  father  and  mother  and 
their  four  children — Mehetabel,  Thomas,  Mary  and 
James.  In  May,  1823,  the  father,  from  a  cold  con- 
tracted in  helping  to  put  out  a  forest  fire,  died.  At 
this  time  James  was  about  eighteen  months  old,  and 
Thomas  about  ten  years  old.  No  one,  perhaps,  can 
tell  how  much  James  was  indebted  to  his  biother's 
toil  and  self-sacrifice  during  the  twenty  years  suc- 
ceeding his  father's  death,  but  undoubtedly  very 
much.  He  now  lives  in  Michigan,  and  the  two  sis- 
ters live  in  Solon,  O.,  near  their  birthplace. 

The  early  educational  advantages  young  Garfield 
enjoyed  were  very  limited,  yet  he  made  the  most  of 
them.  He  labored  at  farm  work  for  others,  did  car- 
penter work,  chopped  wood,  or  did  anything  that 
would  bring  in  a  few  dollars  to  aid  his  widowed 
mother  in  he'  struggles  to  keep  the  little  family  to- 


gether. Nor  was  Gen.  Garfield  ever  ashamed  of  his 
origin,  and  he  never  forgot  the  friends  of  his  strug- 
gling childhood,  youth  and  manhood,  neither  did  they 
ever  forget  him.  When  in  the  highest  seats  of  honor, 
the  humblest  friend  of  his  boyhood  was  as  kindly 
greeted  as  ever.  The  poorest  laborer  was  sure  of  the 
sympathy  of  one  who  had  known  all  the  bitterness 
of  want  and  the  sweetness  of  bread  earned  by  the 
sweat  of  the  brow.  He  was  ever  the  simple,  plain, 
modest  gentleman. 

The  highest  ambition  of  young  Garfield  until  he 
was  about  sixteen  years  old  was  to  be  a  captain  of 
a  vessel  on  Lake  Erie.  He  was  anxious  to  go  aboard 
a  vessel,  which  his  mother  strongly  opposed.  She 
finally  consented  to  his  going  to  Cleveland,  with  the 
understanding,  however,  that  he  should  try  to  obtain 
some  other  kind  of  employment.  He  walked  all  the 
way  to  Cleveland.  This  was  his  first  visit  to  the  city. 
After  making  many  applications  for  work,  and  trying 
to  get  aboard  a  lake  vessel,  and  not  meeting  with 
success,  he  engaged  as  a  driver  for  his  cousin,  Amos 
Letcher,  on  the  Ohio  &  Pennsylvania  Canal.  He  re- 
mained at  this  work  but  a  short  time  when  he  went 
home,  and  attended  the  seminary  at  Chester  for 
about  three  years,  when  he  entered  Hiram  and  the 
Eclectic  Institute,  teaching  a  few  terms  of  school  in 
the  meantime,  and  doing  other  work.  This  school 
was  started  by  the  Disciples  of  Christ  in  1850,  of 
which  church  he  was  then  a  member.  He  became 
janitor  and  bell-ringer  in  order  to  help  pay  his  way. 
He  then  became  both  teacher  and  pupil.  He  soon 
"  exhausted  Hiram  "  and  needed  more  ;  hence,  in  the 
fall  of  1854,  he  entered  Williams  College,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1856,  taking  one  of  the  highest  hon- 
ors of  his  class.  He  afterwards  returned  to  Hiram 
College  as  its  President.  As  above  stated,  he  early 
united  with  the  Christian  or  Diciples  Church  at 
Hiram,  and  was  ever  after  a  devoted,  zealous  mem- 
ber, often  preaching  in  its  pulpit  and  places  where 
he  happened  to  be.  Dr.  Noah  Porter,  President  of 
Yale  College,  says  of  him  in  reference  to  his  religion : 


t 


I 


96 


JAMES  A.  GARFIELD. 


"  President  Garfield  was  more  than  a  man  of 
strong  moral  and  religious  convictions.  His  whole 
history,  from  boyhood  to  the  last,  shows  that  duty  to 
man  and  to  God,  and  devotion  to  Christ  and  life  and 
faith  and  spiritual  commission  were  controlling  springs 
of  his  being,  and  to  a  more  than  usual  degree.  In 
my  judgment  there  is  no  more  interesting  feature  of 
his  character  than  his  loyal  allegiance  to  the  body  of 
Christians  in  which  he  was  trained,  and  the  fervent 
sympathy  which  he  ever  showed  in  their  Christian 
communion.  Not  many  of  the  few  'wise  and  mighty 
and  noble  who  are  called"  show  a  similar  loyalty  to 
the  less  stately  and  cultured  Christian  communions 
in  which  they  have  been  reared.  Too  often  it  is  true 
that  as  they  step  upward  in  social  and  political  sig- 
nificance they  step  upward  from  one  degree  to 
another  in  some  of  the  many  types  of  fashionable 
Christianity.  President  Garfield  adhered  to  the 
church  of  his  mother,  the  church  in  which  he  was 
trained,  and  in  which  he  served  as  a  pillar  and  an 
evangelist,  and  yet  with  the  largest  and  most  unsec- 
larian  charity  for  all  'who  loveour  Lord  in  sincerity.'" 

Mr.  Garfield  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lucretia  Rudolph,  Nov.  n,  1858,  who  proved  herself 
worthy  as  the  wife  of  one  whom  all  the  world  loved  and 
mourned.  To  them  were  born  seven  children,  five  of 
whom  are  still  living,  four  boys  and  one  girl. 

Mr.  Garfield  made  his  first  political  speeches  in  1856, 
in  Hiram  and  the  neighboring  villages,  and  three 
years  later  he  began  to  speak  at  county  mass-meet- 
ings, and  became  the  favorite  speaker  wherever  he 
was.  During  this  year  he  was  elected  to  the  Ohio 
Senate.  He  also  began  to  study  law  at  Cleveland, 
and  in  1861  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  The  great 
Rebellion  broke  out  in  the  early  part  of  this  year, 
and  Mr.  Garfield  at  once  resolved  to  fight  as  he  had 
talked,  and  enlisted  to  defend  the  old  flag.  He  re- 
ceived his  commission  as  Lieut. -Colonel  of  the  Forty- 
second  Regiment  of  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  Aug. 
14,  i86r.  He  was  immediately  put  into  active  ser- 
vice, and  before  he  had  ever  seen  a  gun  fired  in  action, 
was  placed  in  command  of  four  regiments  of  infantry 
and  eight  companies  of  cavalry,  charged  with  the 
work  of  driving  out  of  his  native  State  the  officer 
(Humphrey  Marshall)  reputed  to  be  the  ablest  of 
those,  not  educated  to  war  whom  Kentucky  had  given 
to  the  Rebellion.  This  work  was  bravely  and  speed- 
ily accomplished,  although  against  great  odds.  Pres- 
ident Lincoln,  on  his  success  commissioned  him 
Brigadier-General,  Jan.  10,  1862;  and  as  "he  had 
been  the  youngest  man  in  the  Ohio  Senate  two  years 
before,  so  now  he  was  the  youngest  General  in  the 
army."  He  was  with  Gen.  Buell's  army  at  Shiloh, 
in  its  operations  around  Corinth  and  its  march  through 
Alabama.  He  was  then  detailed  as  a  member  of  the 
General  Court-Martial  for  the  trial  of  Gen,  Fitz-John 
Porter.  He  was  then  ordered  to  report  to  Gen.  Rose- 
crans,  and  was  assigned  to  the  "Chief  of  Staff. " 

The  military  history  of  Gen.  Garfield  closed  with 


his  brilliant  services  at  Chickamauga,  where  he  won 
the  stars  of  the  Major-General. 

Without  an  effort  on  his  part  Gen.  Garfield  was 
elected  to  Congress  in  the  fall  of  1862  from  the 
Nineteenth  District  of  Ohio.  This  section  of  Ohio 
had  been  represented  in  Congress  for  sixty  years 
mainly  by  two  men — Elisha  Whittlesey  and  Joshua 
R.  Giddings.  It  was  not  without  a  struggle  that  he 
resigned  his  place  in  the  army.  At  the  time  he  en- 
tered Congress  he  was  the  youngest  member  in  that 
body.  There  he  remained  by  successive  re- 
elections  until  he  was  elected  President  in  1 880. 
Of  his  labors  in  Congress  Senator  Hoar  says  :  "  Since 
the  year  1864  you  cannot  think  of  a  question  which  • 
has  been  debated  in  Congress,  or  discussed  before  a 
tribunel  of  the  American  people,  in  regard  to  which 
you  will  not  find,  if  you  wish  instruction,  the  argu- 
ment on  one  side  stated,  in  almost  every  instance 
better  than  by  anybody  else,  in  some  speech  made  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  or  on  the  hustings  by 
Mr.  Garfield." 

Upon  Jan.  r4,  r88o,  Gen.  Garfield  was  elected  to 
the  U.  S.  Senate,  and  on  the  eighth  of  June,  of  the 
same  year,  was  nominated  as  the  candidate  of  his 
party  for  President  at  the  great  Chicago  Convention. 
He  was  elected  in  the  following  November,  and  on 
March  4,  iSSr,  was  inaugurated.  Probably  no  ad- 
ministration ever  opened  its  existence  under  brighter 
auspices  than  that  of  President  Gaifield,  and  every 
day  it  grew  in  favo.'  with  the  people,  and  by  the  first 
of  July  he  had  completed  all  the  initiatory  and  pre- 
liminary work  of  his  administration  and  was  prepar- 
ing to  leave  the  city  to  meet  his  friends  at  Williams 
College.  While  on  his  way  and  at  the  depot,  in  com- 
pany with  Secretary  Elaine,  a  man  stepped  behind 
him,  drew  a  revolver,  and  fired  directly  at  his  back. 
The  President  tottered  and  fell,  and  as  he  did  so  the 
assassin  fired  a  second  shot,  the  bullet  cutting  the 
left  coat  sleeve  of  his  victim,  but  inflicting  no  further 
injury.  It  has  been  very  truthfully  said  that  this  was 
"  the  shot  that  was  heard  round  the  world  "  Never 
before  in  the  history  of  the  Nation  had  anything  oc- 
curred which  so  nearly  froze  the  blood  of  the  people 
for  the  moment,  as  this  awful  deed.  He  was  smit- 
ten on  the  brightest,  gladdest  day  of  all  his  life,  and 
was  at  the  summit  of  his  power  and  hope.  For  eighty 
days,  all  during  the  hot  months  of  July  and  August, 
he  lingered  and  suffered.  He,  however,  remained 
master  of  himself  till  the  last,  and  by  his  magnificent 
bearing  was  teaching  the  country  and  the  world  the 
noblest  of  human  lessons — how  to  live  grar.dly  in  the 
very  clutch  of  death.  Great  in  life,  he  was  surpass- 
ingly great  in  death.  He  passed  serenely  away  Sept. 
19,  1883,  at  Elberon,  N.  J  ,  on  the  very  bank  cf  the 
ocean,  where  he  had  been  taken  shortly  previous.  The 
world  wept  at  his  death,  as  it  never  had  done  on  the 
death  of  any  other  man  who  had  ever  lived  upon  it. 
The  murderer  was  duly  tried,  found  guilty  and  exe- 
cuted, in  one  year  after  he  committed  the  foul  deed. 


TWENTY-FIRST  PRESIDENT. 


HESTER      A.      ARTHUR, 

twenty-first    Pres:':.-m   of  the 
United   States    was    born    in 
F  ranklin  Cour  ty,  Vermont,  on 
thefifthofOc'ober,  1830,  and  is 
the  oldest   of  a   family    of  two 
sons  and    five   daughters.     His 
father  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  William 
Arthur,  a  Baptist d'.rgyman,  who 
emigrated  to  tb'.s  country'  from 
the  county  Antrim,   Ireland,   in 
his  1 8th  year,  and  died  in  1875,  in 
Newtonville,   neai    Albany,   after  a 
long  and  successful  ministry. 

Young  Arthur  was  educated  at 
Union  College,  S<  henectady,  where 
he  excelled  in  all  his  studies.  Af- 
ter his  graduation  he  taught  school 
in  Vermont  for  two  years,  and  at 
the  expiration  cf  that  time  came  to 
New  York,  with  $500  in  his  pocket, 
and  entered  the  office  of  ex-Judge 
E.  D.  Culver  as  student.  After 
being  admitted  to  the  bar  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  his  intimate  friend  and  room-mate, 
Henry  I).  Gardiner,  with  the  intention  of  practicing 
in  the  West,  and  for  three  months  they  roamed  about 
in  the  Western  States  in  search  of  an  eligible  site, 
but  in  the  end  returned  to  New  York,  where  they 
hung  out  their  shingle,  and  entered  upon  a  success- 
ful career  almost  from  the  start.  General  Arthur 
soon  afterward  iTv.rr'pd  the  daughter  of  Lieutenant 


Herndon,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  who  was  "lost  at. 
sea.  Congress  voted  a  gold  medal  to  his  widow  in 
recognition  of  the  bravery  he  displayed  on  that  occa- 
sion. Mrs.  Arthur  died  shortly  before  Mr.  Arthur's 
nomination  to  the  Vice  Presidency,  leaving  two 
children. 

Gen.  Arthur  obtained  considerable  legal  celebrity 
in  his  first  great  case,  the  famous  Lemmon  suit, 
brought  to  recover  possession  of  eight  slaves  who  had 
been  declared  free  by  Judge  Paine,  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  New  York  City.  It  was  in  1852  that  Jon, 
athan  Lemmon,  of  Virginia,  went  to  New  York  with 
his  slaves,  intending  to  ship  them  to  Texas,  when 
they  were  discovered  and  freed.  The  Judge  decided 
that  they  could  not  be  held  by  the  owner  under  the 
Fugitive  Slave  Law.  A  howl  of  rage  went  up  from 
the  South,  and  the  Virginia  Legislature  authorized  the 
Attorney  General  of  that  State  to  assist  in  an  appeal. 
Wm.  M.  Evarts  and  Chester  A.  Arthur  were  employed 
to  represent  the  People,  and  they  won  their  case, 
which  then  went  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States.  Charles  O'Conor  here  espoused  the  cause 
of  the  slave-holders,  but  he  too  was  beaten  by  Messrs. 
Evarts  and  Arthur,  and  a  long  step  was  taken  toward 
the  emancipation  of  the  black  race. 

Another  great  service  was  rendered  by  General 
Arthur  in  the  same  cause  in  1856.  Lizzie  Jennings, 
a  respectable  colored  woman,  was  put  off  a  Fourth 
Avenue  car  with  violence  after  she  had  paid  her  fare. 
General  Arthur  sued  on  her  behalf,  and  secured  a 
verdict  of  $500  damages.  The  next  day  the  compa- 
ny issued  an  order  to  admit  colored  persons  to  ride 
on  their  cars,  and  the  other  car  companies  quickly 


if 


100 


CHESTER  A.  ARTHUR. 


followed  their  example.  Before  that  the  Sixth  Ave- 
nue Company  ran  a  few  special  cars  for  colored  per- 
sons and  the  other  lines  refused  to  let  them  ride  at  all. 

General  Arthur  was  a  delegate  to  the  Convention 
at  Saratoga  that  founded  the  Republican  party. 
Previous  to  the  war  he  was  Judge-Advocate  of  the 
Second  Brigade  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  Gov- 
ernor Morgan,  of  that  State,  appointed  him  Engineer- 
in-Chief  of  his  staff.  In  1861,  he  was  made  Inspec- 
tor General,  and  soon  afterward  became  Quartermas- 
ter-General. In  each  of  these  offices  he  rendered 
great  service  to  the  Government  during  the  war.  At 
the  end  of  Governor  Morgan's  term  he  resumed  the 
practice  of  the  law,  forming  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
Ransom,  and  then  Mr.  Phelps,  the  District  Attorney 
of  New  York,  was  added  to  the  firm.  The  legal  prac- 
tice of  this  well-known  firm  was  very  large  and  lucra- 
tive, each  of  the  gentlemen  composing  it  were  able 
lawyers,  and  possessed  a  splendid  local  reputation,  if 
not  indeed  one  of  national  extent. 

He  always  took  a  leading  part  in  State  and  city 
jxjlitics.  He  was  appointed  Collector  of  the  Port  of 
New  York  by  President  Grant,  Nov.  21  1872,  to  suc- 
ceed Thomas  Murphy,  and  held  the  office  until  July, 
20,  1878,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Collector  Merritt. 

Mr.  Arthur  was  nominated  on  the  Presidential 
ticket,  with  Gen.  James  A.  Garfield,  at  the  famous 
National  Republican  Convention  held  at  Chicago  in 
June,  1880.  This  was  perhaps  the  greatest  political 
convention  that  ever  assembled  on  the  continent.  It 
was  composed  of  the  leading  politicians  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  all  able  men,  and  each  stood  firm  and 
fought  vigorously  and  with  signal  tenacity  for  their 
respective  candidates  that  were  before  the  conven- 
tion for  the  nomination.  Finally  Gen.  Garfield  re- 
ceived the  nomination  for  President  and  Gen.  Arthur 
for  Vice-President.  The  campaign  which  followed 
was  one  of  the  most  animated  known  in  the  history  of 
our  country.  Gen.  Hancock,  the  standard-bearer  of 
the  Democratic  party,  was  a  popular  man,  and  his 
party  made  a  valiant  fight  for  his  election. 

Finally  the  election  came  and  the  country's  choice 
was  Garfield  and  Arthur.  They  were  inaugurated 
March  4,  1881,  as  President  and  Vice-President. 
A  few  months  only  had  passed  ere  the  newly  chosen 
President  was  the  victim  of  the  assassin's  bullet.  Then 
came  terrible  weeks  of  suffering, — those  moments  of 
anxious  suspense,  when,  the  hearts  of  all  civilized  na- 


tions were  throbbing  in  unison,  longing  for  the  re- 
covery of  the  noble,  the  good  President.  The  remark- 
able patience  that  he  manifested  during  those  hours 
and  weeks,  and  even  months,  of  the  most  terrible  suf- 
fering man  has  often  been  called  upon  to  endure,  was 
seemingly  more  than  human.  It  was  certainly  God- 
like. During  all  this  period  of  deepest  anxiety  Mr. 
Arthur's  every  move  was  watched,  and  be  it  said  to  his 
credit  that  his  every  action  displayed  only  an  earnest 
desire  that  the  suffering  Garfield  might  recover,  to 
serve  the  remainder  of  the  term  he  hud  so  auspi- 
ciously begun.  Not  a  selfish  feeling  was  manifested 
in  deed  or  look  of  this  man,  even  though  the  most 
honored  position  in  the  world  was  at  any  moment 
likely  to  fall  to  him. 

At  last  God  in  his  mercy  relieved  President  Gar- 
field  from  further  suffering,  and  the  world,  as    never 
before  in   its   history  over  the  death  of    any  other 
man,  wept  at  his  bier.     Then  it  became   the  duty  of 
the  Vice  President  to  assume  the  responsibilities  of 
the  high  office,  and  he  took  the  oath  in    New  York, 
Sept.  20,  1881.     The  position  was  an    embarr.issing 
one  to  him,  made  doubly  so  from  the  facts  that  all 
eyes  were  on  him,  anxious  to  know  what  he  would  do, 
what'policy  he  would  pursue,  and  who  he  would  se- 
lect as  advisers.    The  duties  of  the  office  had  been 
greatly  neglected  during  the  President's  long  illness, 
and  many  important  measures  were  to  be  immediately 
decided  by  him ;  and  still  farther  to  embarrass  him  he 
did  not  fail  to  realize  under  what  circumstances  he 
became  President,  and  knew  the  feelings  of  many  on 
this  point.  Under  these  trying  circumstances  President 
Arthur  took  the  reins  of  the  Government  in  his  own 
hands;  and,  as  embarrassing  as  were  the  condition  of 
affairs,  he  happily  surprised  the   nation,  acting  so 
wisely   that    but   few   criticised    his   administration. 
He  served   the  nation  well  and  faithfully,  until  the 
close  of  his  administration,  March  4,  1885,  and  was 
a  popular  candidate  before  his   party  for  a  second 
term.     His  name  was  ably  presented  before  the  con- 
vention   at   Chicago,  and  was  received  with  great 
favor,  and  doubtless. but  for  the  personal  popularity 
of  one  of  the  opposing  candidates,  he  would  have 
been   selected   as  the  standard-bearer  of  his   party 
for  another  campaign.     He  retired  to  private  life  car- 
rying with  him  the  best  wishes  of  the  American  peo- 
ple, whom  he  had  served  in  a  manner  satisfactory 
to  them  and  with  credit  to  himself.  1 


UBRARY 


TWENTY-SECOND  PRESIDENT. 


* 


+m^ 


Si«HNKg<HJ!&*3gHKJ»«3i{NH»!£ 


TEPHEN  GROVfiR  CLEVE- 
LAND, the  twenty- second  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States,  was 
born  in  1837,  in  the  obscure 
town  of  Caldwell,  Essex  Co., 
N.  J.,  and  in  a  little  two-and-a- 
half-story  white  house  which  is  still 
standing,  characteristically  to  mark 
the  humble  birth-place  of  one  of 
America's  great  men  in  striking  con- 
trast with  the  Old  World,  where  all 
men  high  in  office  must  be  high  in 
origin  and  born  in  the  cradle  of 
wealth.  When  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  three  years  of  age,  his 
father,  who  was  a  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, with  a  large  family  and  a  small  salary,  moved, 
by  way  of  the  Hudson  River  and  Erie  Canal,  to 
Fayetteville,  in  search  of  an  increased  income  and  a 
larger  field  of  work.  Fayetteville  was  then  the  most 
straggling  of  country  villages,  about  five  miles  from 
Pompey  Hill,  where  Governor  Seymour  was  born. 

At  the  last  mentioned  place  young  Grover  com- 
menced going  to  school  in  the  "  good,  old-fashioned 
way,"  and  presumably  distinguished  himself  after  the 
manner  of  all  village  boys,  in  doing  the  things  he 
ought  not  to  do.  Such  is  the  distinguishing  trait  of 
all  geniuses  and  independent  thinkers.  When  he 
arrived  at  the  age  of  14  years,  he  had  outgrown  the 
capacity  of  the  village  school  and  expressed  a  most 


emphatic  desire  to  be  sent  to  an  academy.  To  this 
his  father  decidedly  objected.  Academics  in  those 
days  cost  money;  besides,  his  father  wanted  him  to 
become  self-supporting  by  the  quickest  possible 
means,  and  this  at  that  time  in  Fayetteville  seemed 
to  be  a  position  in  a  country  store,  where  his  father 
and  the  large  family  on  his  hands  had  considerable 
influence.  Grover  was  to  be  paid  $50  for  his  services 
the  first  year,  and  if  he  proved  trustworthy  he  was  to 
receive  $too  the  second  year.  Here  the  lad  com- 
menced his  career  as  salesman,  and  in  two  years  he 
had  earned  so  good  a  reputation  for  trustworthiness 
that  his  employers  desired  to  retain  him  for  an  in- 
definite length  of  time.  Otherwise  he  did  not  ex- 
hibit as  yet  any  particular  "  flashes  of  genius  "  or 
eccentricities  of  talent.  He  was  simply  a  good  boy. 
But  instead  of  remaining  with  this  firm  in  Fayette- 
ville, he  went  with  the  family  in  their  removal  to 
Clinton,  where  he  had  an  opportunity  of  attending  a 
high  school.  Here  he  industriously  pursued  his 
studies  until  the  family  removed  with  him  to  a  point 
on  Black  River  known  as  the  "  Holland  Patent,"  a 
village  of  500  or  600  people,  15  miles  north  of  Utica, 
N.  Y.  At  this  place  his  father  died,  after  preaching 
but  three  Sundays.  This  event  broke  up  the  family, 
and  Grover  set  out  for  New  York  City  to  accept,  at  a 
small  salary,  the  position  of  "  under-teacher  "  in  an 
asylum  for  the  blind.  He  taught  faithfully  for  two 
years,  and  although  he  obtained  a  good  reputation  in 
this  capacity,  he  concluded  that  teaching  was  not  his 


-.F 


104 


GROVER   CLEVELAND. 


• 


calling  for  life,  and,  reversing  the  traditional  order, 
he  left  the  city  to  seek  his  fortune,  instead  of  going 
to  a  city.  He  first  thought  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  as 
there  was  some  charm  in  that  name  for  him;  but 
before  proceeding  to  that  place  he  went  to  Buffalo  to 
ask  the  advice  of  his  uncle,  Lewis  F.  Allan,  a  noted 
stock-breeder  of  that  place.  The  latter  did  not 
speak  enthusiastically.  "  What  is  it  you  want  to  do, 
my  boy?"  he  asked.  "Well,  sir,  I  want  to  study 
law,"  was  the  reply.  "Good  gracious!"  remarked 
the  old  gentleman ;  "  do  you,  indeed  ?  What  ever  put 
that  into  your  head?  How  much  money  have  you 
got?"  "Well,  sir,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  haven't  got 
any." 

After  a  long  consultation,  his  uncle  offered  him  a 
place  temporarily  as  assistant  herd-keeper,  at  $50  a 
year,  while  iic  cuuld  "  look  around."  One  day  soon 
afterward  he  boldly  walked  into  the  office  of  Rogers, 
Bowen  &  Rogers,  of  Buffalo,  and  told  them  what  he 
wanted.  A  number  of  young  men  were  already  en- 
gaged in  the  office,  but  Graver's  persistency  won,  and 
he  was  finally  permitted  to  come  as  an  office  boy  and 
have  the  use  of  the  law  library,  for  the  nominal  sum 
of  $3  or  $4  a  week.  Out  of  this  he  had  to  pay  for 
fiis  board  and  washing.  The  walk  to  and  from  his 
uncle's  was  a  long  and  rugged  one;  and,  although 
the  first  winter  was  a  memorably  severe  one,  his 
shoes  were  out  of  repair  and  his  overcoat — he  had 
none — yet  he  was  nevertheless  prompt  and  regular. 
On  the  first  day  of  his  service  here,  his  senior  em- 
ployer threw  down  a  copy  of  Blackstone  before  him 
with  a  bang  that  made  the  dust  fly,  saying  "That's 
where  they  all  begin."  A  titter  ran  around  the  little 
circle  of  clerks  and  students,  as  they  thought  that 
was  enough  to  scare  young  Grover  out  of  his  plans  ; 
but  in  due  time  he  mastered  that  cumbersome  volume. 
Then,  as  ever  afterward,  however,  Mr.  Cleveland 
exhibited  a  talent  for  executiveness  rather  than  for 
chasing  principles  through  all  their  metaphysical 
possibilities.  "  Let  us  quit  talking  and  go  and  do 
it,"  was  practically  his  motto. 

The  first  public  office  to  which  Mr.  Cleveland  was 
elected  was  that  of  Sheriff  of  Erie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in 
which  Buffalo  is  situated;  and  in  such  capacity  it  fell 
to  his  duty  to  inflict  capital  punishment  upon  two 
criminals.  In  1881  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  the 
City  of  Buffalo,  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  with  es- 
pecial reference  to  the  bringing  about  certain  reforms 
«. 


in  the  administration  of  the  municipal  affairs  of  that 
city.  In  this  office,  as  well  as  that  of  Sheriff,  his 
performance  of  duty  has  generally  been  considered 
fair,  with  possibly  a  few  exceptions  which  were  fer- 
reted out  and  magnified  during  the  last  Presidential 
campaign.  As  a  specimen  of  his  plain  language  in 
a  veto  message,  we  quote  from  one  vetoing  an  iniqui- 
tous street-cleaning  contract:  "This  is  a  time  for 
plain  speech,  and  my  objection  to  your  action  shall 
be  plainly  stated.  I  regard  it  as  the  culmination  of 
a  mos  bare-faced,  impudent  and  shameless  scheme 
to  betray  the  interests  of  the  people  and  to  worse 
than  squander  the  people's  money."  The  New  York 
Sun  afterward  very  highly  commended  Mr.  Cleve- 
land's administration  as  Mayor  of  Buffalo,  and  there- 
upon recommended  him  for  Governor  of  the  Empire 
State.  To  the  latter  office  he  was  elected  in  1882, 
and  his  administration  of  the  affairs  of  State  was 
generally  satisfactory.  The  mistakes  he  made,  if 
any,  were  made  very  public  throughout  the  nation 
after  he  was  nominated  for  President  of  the  United 
States.  For  this  high  office  he  was  nominated  July 
n,  1884,  by  the  National  Democratic  Convention  at 
Chicago,  when  other  competitors  were  Thomas  F. 
Bayard,  Roswell  P.  Flower,  Thomas  A.  Hendricks, 
Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Allen  G.  Thurman,  etc.:  and  he 
was  elected  by  the  people,  by  a  majority  of  about  a 
thousand,  over  the  brilliant  and  long-tried  Repub- 
lican statesman,  James  G.  Blaine.  President  Cleve- 
land resigned  his  office  as  Governor  of  New  York  in 
January,  1885,  in  order  to  prepare  for  his  duties  as 
the  Chief  Executive  of  the  United  States,  in  which 
capacity  his  term  commenced  at  noon  on  the  4th  of 
March,  1885.  For  his  Cabinet  officers  he  selected 
the  following  gentlemen:  For  Secretary  of  State, 
Thomas  F.  Bayard,  of  Delaware ;  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  Daniel  Manning,  of  New  York  ;  Secretary 
of  War,  William  C.  Endicott,  of  Massachusetts ; 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  William  C.  Whitney,  of  New 
York ;  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  L.  Q.  C.  Lamar,  of 
Mississippi;  Postmaster-General,  William  F.  Vilas, 
of  Wisconsin ;  Attorney-General,  A.  H.  Garland,  of 
Arkansas. 

The  silver  question  precipitated  a  controversy  be- 
tween those  who  were  in  favor  of  the  continuance  of 
silver  coinage  and  those  who  were  opposed,  Mr. 
Cleveland  answering  for  the  latter,  even  before  his 
inauguration. 


LIBRARY 
i  OF  THE 

'  v.  -  'UINOIS 


LIBRARY 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILUMOIS. 


HADRACH  BOND,  the  first 
Governor  of  Illinois  after  its 
organization  as  a  State,  serving 
from  1818  to  1822,  was  born  in 
Frederick  County,  Maryland, 
in  the  year  1773,  and  was 
raised  a  farmer  on  his  father's 
plantation,  receiving  or.ly  a  plain 
English  education.  He  emigrated 
to  this  State  in  1794,  when  it  was  a 
part  of  the  "Northwest  Territory," 
continuing  in  the  vocation  in  which 
he  had  been  brought  up  in  his  native 
State,  in  the  "  New  Design,"  near 
Eagle  Creek,  in  what  is  now  Monroe 
County.  He  served  several  terms  as 
a  member  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  Indiana  Territory,  after  it  was  organized  as  such, 
and  in  1812-14  he  was  a  Delegate  to  the  Twelfth 
and  Thirteenth  Congresses,  taking  his  seat  Dec.  3, 
1812,  and  serving  until  Oct.  3,  (814.  These  were 
the  times,  the  reader  will  recollect,  when  this  Gov- 
ernment had  its  last  struggle  with  Great  Britain. 
The  year  1812  is  also  noted  in  the  history  of  this 
State  as  that  in  which  the  first  Territorial  Legislature 
was  held.  It  convened  at  Kaskaskia,  Nov.  25,  and 
adjourned  Dec.  26,  following. 

While  serving  as  Delegate  to  Congress,  Mr.  Bond 
was  instrumental  in  procuring  the  right  of  pre-emp- 
t:on  on  the  public  domain.  On  the  expiration  of  his 
term  at  Washington  he  was  appointed  Receiver  of 
Public  Moneys  at  Kaskaskia,  then  the  capital  of  the 
Territory.  In  company  with  John  G.  Comyges, 


Thomas  H.  Harris,  Charles  Slade,  Michael  Jones, 
Warren  Brown,  Edward  Humphries  and  Charles  W. 
Hunter,  he  became  a  proprietor  of  the  site  of  the 
initial  city  of  Cairo,  which  they  hoped,  from  its  favor- 
able location  at  the  junction  of  the  two  great 
rivers  near  the  center  of  the  Great  West,  would 
rapidly  develop  into  a  metropolis.  To  aid  the  enter- 
prise, they  obtained  a  special  charter  from  the  Legis- 
lature, incorporating  both  the  City  and  the  Bank  of 
Cairo. 

In  i8r8  Mr.  Bond  was  elected  the  first  Governor 
of  the  State  of  Illinois,  being  inaugurated  Oct.  6, 
that  year,  which  was  several  weeks  before  Illinois 
was  actually  admitted.  The  facts  are  these:  In 
January,  1818,  the  Territorial  Legislature  sent  a  peti- 
tion to  Congress  for  the  admission  of  Illinois  as  a 
State,  Nathaniel  Pope  being  then  Delegate.  The 
petition  was  granted,  fixing  the  northern  line  of  the 
State  on  the  latitude  of  the  southern  extremity  of 
Lake  Michigan;  but  the  bill  was  afterward  so  amend- 
ed as  to  extend  this  line  to  its  present  latitude.  In 
July  a  convention  was  called  at  Kaskaskia  to  draft  a 
constitution,  which,  however,  was  not  submitted  to 
the  people.  By  its  provisions,  supreme  judges,  pros- 
ecuting attorneys,  county  and  circuit  judges,  record- 
ers and  justices  of  the  peace  were  all  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Governor  or  elected  by  the  Legislature.  This 
constitution  was  accepted  by  Congress  Dec.  30.  At 
that  time  Illinois  comprised  but  eleven  counties, 
namely,  Randolph,  Madison,  Gallatin,  Johnson, 
Pope,  Jackson,  Crawford,  Bond,  Union,  Washington 
and  Franklin,  the  northern  portion  of  the  State  be- 
ing mainly  in  Madison  County.  Thus  it  appears 
that  Mr.  Bond  was  honored  by  the  naming  of  a  \ 


f 


-1 


,   i     112 


SHADRACH  BOND. 


county  before  he  was  elected  Governor.  The  present 
county  of  Bond  is  of  small  limitations,  about  60  to  80 
miles  south  of  Springfield.  For  Lieutenant  Governor 
the  people  chose  Pierre  Menard,  a  prominent  and 
worthy  Frenchman,  after  whom  a  county  in  this  State 
is  named.  In  this  election  there  were  no  opposition 
candidates,  as  the  popularity  of  these  men  had  made 
their  promotion  to  the  chief  offices  of  the  Slate,  even 
before  the  constitution  was  drafted,  a  foregone  con- 
clusion. 

The  principal  points  that  excited  the  people  in 
reference  to  political  issues  at  this  period  were  local 
or  "internal  improvements,"  as  they  were  called, 
State  banks,  location  of  the  capital,  slavery  and  the 
personal  characteristics  of  the  proposed  candidates. 
Mr.  Bond  represented  the  "  Convention  party,"  for 
introducing  slavery  into  the  State,  supported  by  Elias 
Kent  Kane,  his  Secretary  of  State,  and  John  Mc- 
Lean, while  Nathaniel  Pope  and  John  P.  Cook  led 
the  anti-slavery  element.  The  people,  however,  did 
not  become  very  much  excited  over  this  issue  until 
1820,  when  the  f.im  KIS  Missouri  Compromise  was 
adopted  by  Congress,  limiting  slavery  to  the  south 
of  the  parallel  of  36°  30'  except  in  Missouri.  While 
this  measure  settled  the  great  slavery  controversy, 
so  far  as  the  average  public  sentiment  was  tempor- 
arily concerned,  until  1854,  when  it  was  repealed 
under  the  leadership  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  the  issue 
as  considered  locally  in  this  State  was  not  decided 
until  1824,  after  a  most  furious  campaign.  (See 
sketch  of  Gov.  Coles.)  The  ticket  of  1818  was  a 
compromise  one,  Bond  representing  (moderately)  the 
pro-slavery  sentiment  and  Menard  the  anti-slavery. 

An  awkward  element  in  the  State  government 
under  Gov.  Bond's  administration,  was  the  imperfec- 
tion of  the  State  constitution.  The  Convention 
wished  to  have  Elijah  C.  Berry  for  the  first  Auditor 
of  Public  Accounts,  but,  as  it  was  believed  that  the 
new  Governor  would  not  appoint  him  to  the  office, 
the  Convention  declared  in  a  schedule  that  "  an 
auditor  of  public  accounts,  an  attorney  general  and 
such  other  officers  of  the  State  as  may  be  necessary, 
may  be  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly."  The 
Constitution,  as  it  stood,  vested  a  very  large  appoint- 
ing power  in  the  Governor ;  but  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  one  man  into  office,  a  total  change  was  made, 
and  the  power  vested  in  the  Legislature.  Of  this 
provision  the  Legislature  took  advantage,  and  de- 


clared  that  State's  attorneys,  canal  commissioners, 
bank  directors,  etc.,  were  all  "  officers  of  the  State  " 
and  must  therefore  be  appointed  by  itself  independ- 
ently of  the  Governor. 

During  Gov.  Bond's  administration  a  general  law 
was  passed  for  the  incorporation  of  academies  and 
towns,  and  one  authorizing  lotteries.  The  session  of 
1822  authorized  the  Governor  to  appoint  commis- 
sioners, to  act  in  conjunction  with  like  commissioners 
appointed  by  the  State  of  Indiana,  to  report  on  the 
practicability  and  expediency  of  improving  the  navi- 
gation of  the  Wabash  River;  also  inland  navigation 
generally.  Many  improvements  were  recommended, 
some  of  which  have  been  feebly  worked  at  even  till 
the  present  day,  those  along  the  Wabash  being  of  no 
value.  Also,  during  Gov.  Bond's  term  of  office,  the 
capital  of  the  State  was  removed  from  Kask;iskia  to 
Vandalia.  In  1820  a  law  was  passed  by  Congress 
authorizing  this  State  to  open  a  canal  through  the 
public  lands.  The  State  appointed  commissioners 
lo  explore  the  route  and  prepare  the  necessary  sur- 
veys and  estimates,  preparatory  to  its  execution; 
but,  being  unable  out  of  its  own  resources  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  the  undertaking,  it  was  abandoned 
until  some  time  after  Congress  made  the  grant  of 
land  for  the  purpose  of  its  construction. 

On  the  whole,  Gov.  Bond's  administration  was 
fairly  good,  not  being  open  to  severe  criticism  from 
any  party.  In  1824,  two  years  after  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  office,  he  was  brought  oat  as  a  candi- 
date for  Congress  against  the  formidable  John  I'. 
Cook,  but  received  only  4,374  votes  to  7,460  for  the 
latter.  Gov.  Bond  was  no  orator,  but  had  made 
many  fast  friends  by  a  judicious  bestowment  of  his 
gubernatorial  patronage,  and  these  worked  zealously 
for  him  in  the  campaign. 

In  1827  ex-Gov.  Bond  was  appointed  by  the  Leg- 
islature, with  VVm.  P.  McKee  and  Dr.  Gershom 
Jayne,  as  Commissioners  to  locate  a  site  for  a  peni- 
tentiary on  the  Mississippi  at  or  near  Alton. 

Mr.  Bond  was  of  a  benevolent  and  convivial  dis- 
position, a  man  of  shrewd  observation  and  clear  ap- 
preciation of  events.  His  person  was  erect,  stand- 
ing six  feet  in  height,  and  after  middle  life  became 
portly,  weighing  200  pounds.  His  features  were 
strongly  masculine,  complexion  dark,  hair  jet  and 
eyes  hazel ;  was  a  favorite  with  the  ladies.  He  died 
April  1 1,  1830,  in  peace  and  contentment. 


L Y 

OF  THE 
' '  »- r  'IINOIS 


G0  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


DWARD  COLES,  second 
Governor  of  Illinois,  1823- 
6,  was  born  Dec.  15,  1786, 
in  Albemarle  Co.,  Va.,  on 
the  old  family  estate  called 
"Enniscorthy,"  on  the 
Green  Mountain.  His  fath- 
er, John  Coles,  was  a  Colonel  in  the 
Revolutionary  War.  Having  been  fit- 
ted for  college  by  private  tutors,  he 
was  sent  to  Hampden  Sidney,  where 
he  remained  until  the  autumn  of  1805, 
when  he  was  removed  to  William  and 
Mary  College,  at  Williamsburg,  Va. 
This  college  he  left  in  the  summer  of 
1807,  a  short  time  before  the  final  and  graduating 
examination.  Among  his  classmates  were  Lieut. 
Gen.  Scott,  President  John  Tyler,  Wm.  S.  Archer, 
United  States  Senator  from  Virginia,  and  Justice 
Baldwin,  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court.  The 
President  of  the  latter  college,  Bishop  Madison,  was 
a  cousin  of  President  James  Madison,  and  that  cir- 
cumstance was  the  occasion  of  Mr.  Coles  becoming 
personally  acquainted  with  the  President  and  re- 
ceiving a  position  as  his  private  secretary,  1809-15. 
The  family  of  Coles  was  a  prominent  one  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  their  mansion  was  the  seat  of  the  old- 
fashioned  Virginian  hospitality.  It  was  visited  by 
such  notables  as  Patrick  Henry,  Jefferson,  Madison, 
Monroe,  the  Randolphs,  Tazewell,  Wirt,  etc.  At  the 
ago  of  23,  young  Coles  found  himself  heir  to  a  plant- 
ation and  a  considerable  number  of  slaves.  Ever 
since  his  earlier  college  days  his  attention  had  been 
drawu  to  the  question  of  slavery.  He  read  every- 


thing  on  the  subject  that  came  in  his  way,  and 
listened  to  lectures  on  the  rights  of  man.  The  more 
he  reflected  upon  the  subject,  the  more  impossible 
was  it  for  him  to  reconcile  the  immortal  declaration 
"that  all  men  are  born  free  and  equal  "  with  the 
practice  of  slave-holding.  He  resolved,  therefore,  to 
free  his  slaves  the  first  opportunity,  and  even  remove 
his  residence  to  a  free  State.  One  reason  which  de- 
termined him  to  accept  the  appointment  as  private 
secretary  to  Mr.  Madison  was  because  he  believed 
that  through  the  acquaintances  he  could  make  at 
Washington  he  could  better  determine  in  what  part 
of  the  non-slaveholding  portion  of  the  Union  he  would 
prefer  to  settle. 

The  relations  between  Mr.  Coles  and  President 
Madison,  as  well  as  Jefferson  and  other  distinguished 
men,  were  of  a  very  friendly  character,  arising  from 
the  similarity  of  their  views  on  the  question  of  slavery 
and  their  sympathy  for  each  other  in  holding  doc- 
trines so  much  at  variance  with  the  prevailing  senti- 
ment in  their  own  State. 

In  1857,  he  resigned  his  secretaryship  and  spent  a 
portion  of  the  following  autumn  in  exploring  the 
Northwest  Territory,  for  the  purpose  of  finding  a  lo- 
cation and  purchasing  lands  on  which  to  settle  his 
negroes.  He  traveled  with  a  horse  and  buggy,  with 
an  extra  man  and  horse  for  emergencies,  through 
many  parts  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri, 
determining  finally  to  settle  in  Illinois.  At  this  time, 
however,  a  misunderstanding  arose  between  our 
Government  and  Russia,  and  Mr.  Coles  was  selected 
to  repair  to  St.  Petersburg  on  a  special  mission,  bear- 
ing important  papers  concerning  the  matter  at  issue. 
The  result  was  a  conviction  of  the  Emperor  (Alex- 


L, 

,    ,,6 


EDWARD  COLES. 


ander)  of  the  error  committed  by  his  minister  at 
Washington,  and  the  consequent  withdrawal  of  the 
the  latter  from  the  post.  On  his  return,  Mr.  Coles 
visited  other  parts  of  Europe,  especially  Paris,  where 
he  was  introduced  to  Gen.  Lafayette. 

In  the  spring  of  1819,  he  removed  with  all  his 
negroes  from  Virginia  to  Edwardsville,  111.,  with  the 
intention  of  giving  them  their  liberty.  He  did  not 
make  known  to  them  his  intention  until  one  beautiful 
morning  in  April,  as  they  were  descending  the  Ohio 
River.  He  lashed  all  the  boats  together  and  called 
all  the  negroes  on  deck  and  made  them  a  short  ad- 
dress, concluding  his  remarks  by  so  expressing  him- 
self that  by  a  turn  of  a  sentence  he  proclaimed  in 
the  shortest  and  fullest  manner  that  they  were  no 
longer  slaves,  but  free  as  he  was  and  were  at  liberty 
to  proceed  with  him  or  go  ashore  at  their  pleas- 
ure. A  description  of  the  effect  upon  the  negroes  is 
best  desciibed  in  his  own  language  : 

"  The  effect  upon  them  was  electrical.  They  stared 
at  me  and  then  at  each  other,  as  if  doubting  the  ac- 
curacy or  reality  of  what  they  heard.  In  breathless 
silence  they  stood  before  me,  unable  to  utter  a  word, 
but  with  countenances  beaming  with  expression  which 
no  words  could  convey,  and  which  no  language 
can  describe.  As  they  began  to  see  the  truth  of 
what  they  had  heard,  and  realize  their  situation,  there 
came  on  a  kind  of  hysterical,  giggling  laugh.  After 
a  pause  of  intense  and  unutterable  emotion,  bathed 
in  tears,  and  with  tremulous  voices,  they  gave  vent  to 
their  gratitude  and  implored  the  blessing  of  God 
on  me." 

Before  landing  he  gave  them  a  general  certificate 
of  freedom,  and  afterward  conformed  more  particu- 
larly with  the  law  of  this  State  requiring  that  each 
individual  should  have  a  certificate.  This  act  of 
Mr.  Coles,  all  the  more  noble  and  heroic  considering 
the  overwhelming  pro-slavery  influences  surrounding 
him,  has  challenged  the  admiration  of  every  philan- 
thropist of  modern  times. 

March  5,  1819,  President  Monroe  appointed  Mr. 
Coles  Registrar  of  the  Land  Office  at  Edwardsvihe; 
at  that  time  one  of  the  principal  land  offices  in  the 
State.  While  acting  in  th's  capacity  and  gaining 
many  friends  by  his  politeness  and  general  intelli- 
gence, the  greatest  struggle  that  ever  occurred  in 
Illinois  on  the  slavery  ques  ion  culminated  in  the 
furious  contest  characterizing  the  campaigns  and 
elections  of  1822-4.  In  the  summer  of  1823,  when  a 
new  Governor  was  to  be  elected  to  succeed  Mr. 
Bond,  the  pro-slavery  element  divided  into  factions, 
putting  forward  for  the  executive  office  Joseph 
Phillips,  Chief  Justice  of  the  State,  Thomas  C. 
Browne  and  Gen.  James  B.  Modre,  of  the  State  Mil- 
itia. The  anti-slavery  element  united  upon  Mr. 
Coles,  and,  after  one  of  the  most  bitter  campaigns, 
succeeded  in  electing  him  as  Governor.  His  plural- 
ity over  Judge  Phillips  was  only  59  in  a  total  vote  of 


over  8,000.  The  Lieutenant  Governor  was  elected 
by  the  slavery  men.  Mr.  Coles' inauguration  speech 
was  marked  by  calmness,  deliberation  and  such  a 
wise  expression  of  appropriate  suggestions  as  to 
elicit  the  sanction  of  all  judicious  politicians.  But 
he  compromised  not  with  evil.  In  his  message  to 
the  Legislature,  the  seat  of  Government  being  ilvjn 
at  Vandalia,  he  strongly  urged  the  abrogation  yf  the 
modified  form  of  slavery  which  then  existed  in  this 
State,  contrary  to  the  Ordinance  of  1787.  His  posi- 
tion on  this  subject  seems  the  more  remarkable,  when 
it  is  considered  that  he  was  a  minority  Governor,  the 
population  of  Illinois  being  at  that  lime  almost  ex 
clusively  from  slave-holding  States  and  by  a  large 
majority  in  favor  of  the  perpetuation  of  that  old  relic 
of  barbarism.  The  Legislature  itself  was,  of  co«r>e, 
a  reflex  of  the  popular  sentiment,  and  a  majority  ot 
them  were  led  on  by  fiery  men  in  denunciations  of 
the  conscientious  Governor,  and  in  curses  loud  and 
deep  upon  him  and  all  his  friends.  Some  of  the 
public  men,  indeed,  went  so  far  as  to  head  a  sort  of 
mob,  or  "shiveree"  party,  who  visited  the  residence 
of  the  Governor  and  others  at  Vandalia  and  yelled 
and  groaned  and  spat  fire. 

The  Constitution,  not  establishing  or  permitting 
slavery  in  this  State,  was  thought  therefore  to  be 
defective  by  the  slavery  politicians,  and  they  desired 
a  State  Convention  to  be  elected,  to  devise  and  sub- 
mit a  new  Constitution;  and  the  dominant  politics 
of  the  day  was  "Convention"  and  "anti-Conven- 
tion." Both  parties  issued  addresses  to  the  people, 
Gov.  Coles  himself  being  the  author  of  the  address 
published  by  the  latter  party.  This  address  revealed 
the  schemes  of  the  conspirators  in  a  masterly  man- 
ner. It  is  difficult  for  us  at  this  distant  day  to  esti- 
mate the  critical  and  extremely  delicate  situation  in 
winch  the  Governor  was  placed  at  that  time. 

Our  hero  maintained  himself  honorably  and  with 
supreme  dignity  throughout  his  administration,  and 
in  his  honor  a  county  in  this  State  is  named.  He 
was  truly  a  great  man,  and  those  who  lived  in 
this  State  during  his  sojourn  here,  like  those  who 
live  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  were  too  near  to  see 
and  recognize  the  greatness  that  overshadowed  them. 

Mr.  Coles  was  married  Nov.  28,  1833,  by  Bishop 
De  Lancey,  to  Miss  Sally  Logan  Roberts,  a  daughter 
of  Hugh  Roberts,  a  descendant  of  Welsh  ancestry, 
who  cam i  to  this  country  with  Win.  Penn  in  1682. 

After  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  Gov. 
Coles  continued  his  residence  in  Edwardsville,  sup- 
erintending his  farm  in  the  vicinity.  He  was  fond 
of  agriculture,  and  was  the  founder  of  the  first  agri- 
cultural society  in  the  State.  On  account  of  ill 
health,  however,  and  having  no  family  to  tie  him 
down,  he  spent  much  of  his  time  in  Eastern  cities. 
About  1832  he  changed  his  residence  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  died  July  7,  1868,  and  is  buried  at 
Woodland,  near  that  city. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

'-  '  L  -  UINOIS 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


INIAN  EDWARDS,  Governor 
from  1827  to  1830,  was  a  sou 
of  Benjamin  Edwards,  and 
was  born  in  Montgomery 
County,  Maryland,  in  March, 
1775.  His  domestic  train- 
"  ing  was  well  fitted  to  give 
his  mind  strength,  firmness  and 
ho:  oiable  principles,  and  a  good 
foundation  was  laid  for  the  elevated 
character  to  which  he  afterwards 
attained.  His  parents  were  Bap- 
tists, and  very  strict  in  their  moral 
piinciples.  His  education  in  early 
youth  was  in  company  with  and 
partly  under  the  tuition  of  Hon.  Win. 
Wirt,  whom  his  father  patronized, 
and  who  was  more  than  two  years 
older.  An  intimacy  was  thus 
fornud  between  them  which  was  lasting  for  life.  He 
was  further  educated  at  Dickinson  College,  at  Car- 
lisle, Pa.  He  next  commenced  the  study  of  law,  but 
before  completing  his  course  he  moved  to  Nelson 
County,  Ky.,  to  open  a  farm  for  his  father  and  to 
purchase  homes  and  locate  lands  for  his  brothers  and 
sisters.  Here  he  fell  in  the  company  of  dissolute 
companions,  and  for  several  years  led  the  life  of  a 
spendthrift.  He  was,  however,  elected  to  the  Legis- 
lature of  Kentucky  as  the  Representative  of  Nelson 
bounty  before  he  was  2 1  years  of  age,  and  was.  re- 
elected  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote. 


In  1798  he  was  licensed  to  practice  law,  and  the 
following  year  was  admitted  to  the  Courts  of  Tennes- 
About  this   time   he   left   Nelson  County  for 


see. 


Russellville,  in  Logan  County,  broke  away  from  his  . 
dissolute  companions,  commenced  a  reformation  and 
devoted  himself  to  severe  and  laborious  study.  He 
then  began  to  rise  rapidly  in  his  profession,  and  soon 
became  an  eminent  lawyer,  and  inside  of  four  years 
he  filled  in  succession  the  offices  of  Presiding  Judge 
of  the  General  Court,  Circuit  Judge,  fourth  Judge  of 
the  Court  of  Appeals  and  Chief  Justice  of  the  State, 
— all  before  he  was  32  years  of  age  !  In  addition,  in 
1802,  he  received  a  commission  as  Major  of  a  battal- 
ion of  Kentucky  militia,  and  in  1804  was  chosen  a 
Presidential  Elector,  on  the  Jefferson  and  Clinton 
ticket.  In  1806  he  was  a  candidate  for  Congress, 
but  withdrew  on  being  promoted  to  the  Court  of 
Appeals. 

Illinois  was  organized  as  a  separate  Territory  in 
the  spring  of  1809,  when  Mr.  Edwards,  then  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  in  Kentucky,  received 
from  President  Madison  the  appointment  as  Gover- 
nor of  the  new  Territory,  his  commission  bearing  date 
April  24,  1809.  Edwards  arrived  at  Kaskaskia  in 
June,  and  on  the  i  ith  of  that  month  took  the  oath  of 
office.  At  the  same  time  he  was  appointed  Superin- 
tendent of  the  United  States  Saline,  this  Government 
interest  then  developing  into  considerable  proportions 
in  Southern  Illinois.  Although  during  the  first  three 
years  of  his  administration  he  had  the  power  to  make 
new  counties  and  appoint  all  the  officers,  yet  he  always 
allowed  the  people  of  each  county,  by  an  informal 


I 


NINIAN  EDWARDS. 


vote,  to  select  their  own  officers,  both  civil  and  mili- 
tary. The  noted  John  J.  Crittenden,  afterward 
United  States  Senator  from  Kentucky,  was  appointed 
by  Gev.  Edwards  to  the  office  of  Attorney  General  of 
the  Territory,  which  office  was  accepted  for  a  short 
time  only. 

The  Indians  in  1810  committing  sundry  depreda- 
tions in  the  Territory,  crossing  the  Mississippi  from 
the  Territory  of  Louisiana,  a  long  correspondence  fol- 
lowed between  the  respective  Governors  concerning 
the  remedies,  which  ended  in  a  council  with  the  sav- 
ages at  Peoria  in  1812,  and  a  fresh  interpretation  of 
the  treaties.  Peoria  was  depopulated  by  these  de- 
predations, and  was  not  re-settled  for  many  .years 
afterward. 

As  Gov.  Edwards'  term  of  office  expired  by  law  in 
1812,  he  was  re-appointed  for  another  term  of  three 
years,  and  again  in  1815  for  a  third  term,  serving 
until  the  organization  of  the  State  in  the  fall  of  1818 
and  the  inauguration  of  Gov.  Bond.  At  this  time 
ex-Gov.  Edwards  was  sent  to  the  United  States 
Senate,  his  colleague  being  Jesse  B.  Thomas.  As 
Senator,  Mr.  Edwards  took  a  conspicuous  part,  and 
acquitted  himself  honorably  in  all  the  measures  that 
came  up  in  that  body,  being  well  posted,  an  able  de- 
bater and  a  conscientious  statesman.  He  thought 
seriously  of  resigning  this  situation  in  1821,  but  was 
persuaded  by  his  old  friend,  Wm.  Wirt,  and  others  to 
continue  in  office,  which  he  did  to  the  end  of  the 
term. 

He  was  then  appointed  Minister  to  Mexico  by 
President  Monroe.  About  this  time,  it  appears  that 
Mr.  Edwards  saw  suspicious  signs  in  the  conduct  of 
Wm.  H.  Crawford,  Secretary  of  the  United  States 
Treasury,  and  an  ambitious  candidate  for  the  Presi- 
dency, and  being  implicated  by  the  latter  in  some  of 
his  statements,  he  resigned  his  Mexican  mission  in 
order  fully  to  investigate  the  charges.  The  result 
was  the  exculpation  of  Mr.  Edwards. 

Pro-slavery  regulations,  often  termed  "Black  Laws," 
disgraced  the  statute  books  of  both  the  Territory  and 
the  State  of  Illinois  during  the  whole  of  his  career  in 
this  commonwealth,  and  Mr.  Edwards  always  main- 
tained the  doctrines  of  freedom,  and  was  an  important 
actor  in  the  great  struggle  which  ended  in  a  victory 
for  his  party  in  1824. 

In  1826  7  the  Winnebago  and  other  Indians  com- 
mitted soire  depredations  in  the  northern  part  of  the 


State,  and  the  white  settlers,  who  desired  the  lands 
and  wished  to  exasperate  the  savages  into  an  evacu- 
ation of  the  country,  magnified  the  misdemeanors  of 
the  aborigines  and  thereby  produced  a  hostility  be- 
tween the  races  so  great  as  to  precipitate  a  little  war, 
known  in  history  as  the  "Winnebago  War."  A  few 
chases  and  skirmishes  were  had,  when  Gen.  Atkinson 
succeeded  in  capturing  Red  Bird,  the  Indian  chief, 
and  putting  him  to  death,  thus  ending  the  contest,  at 
least  until  the  troubles  commenced  which  ended  in 
the  "  Black  Hawk  War  "  of  1832.  In  the  interpre- 
tation of  treaties  and  execution  of  their  provisions 
Gov.  Edwards  had  much  vexatious  work  to  do.  The 
Indians  kept  themselves  generally  within  the  juris- 
diction of  Michigan  Territory,  and  its  Governor, 
Lewis  Cass,  was  at  a  point  so  remote  that  ready  cor- 
respondence with  him  was  difficult  or  impossible. 
Gov.  Edwards'  administration,  however,  in  regard  to 
the  protection  of  the  Illinois  frontier,  seems  to  have 
been  very  efficient  and  satisfactory. 

For  a  considerable  portion  of  his  time  after  his  re- 
moval to  Illinois,  Gov.  Edwards  resided  upon  his 
farm  near  Kaskaskia,  which  he  had  well  stocked  with 
horses,  cattle  and  sheep  from  Ke.itucky,  also  with 
fruit-trees,  grape-vines  and  shrubbery.  He  estab- 
lished saw  and  grist-mills,  and  engaged  extensively 
in  mercantile  business,  having  no  less  than  eight  or  ten 
stores  in  this  State  and  Missouri.  Notwithstanding 
the  arduous  duties  of  his  office,  he  nearly  always  pur- 
chased the  goods  himself  with  which  to  supply  the 
stores.  Although  not  a  regular  practitioner  of  medi- 
cine, he  studied  the  healing  art  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent, and  took  great  pleasure  in  prescribing  for,  and 
taking  care  of,  the  sick,  generally  without  charge. 
He  was  also  liberal  to  the  poor,  several  widows  and 
ministers  of  the  gospel  becoming  indebted  to  him 
even  for  their  homes. 

He  married  Miss  Elvira  Lane,  of  Maryland,  in 
1803,  and  they  became  the  affectionate  parents  of 
several  children,  one  of  whom,  especially,  is  well 
known  to  the  people  of  the  l:  Prairie  State,"  namely, 
Ninian  Wirt  Edwards,  once  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  and  still  a  resident  of  Springfield. 
Gov.  Edwards  resided  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Kas- 
kaskia from  180910  1818;  in  Edwardsville  (named 
after  him)  from  that  time  to  1824;  and  from  the  lat- 
ter date  at  Belleville,  St.  Claii  County,  until  his 
death,  July  20,  1833,  of  Asiatic  cholera.  Edwards 
County  is  also  named  in  his  honor. 


THE 


}- 


GL>  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


3;OHN  REYNOLDS, Governor  1831- 

4,  was  born  in  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  Feb.  26,  1788. 
His  father,  Robert  Reynolds  and 
his  mother,  nee  Margaret  Moore, 
were  both  natives  of  Ireland,  from 
which  country  they  emigrated  to 
the  United  States  in  1785,  land- 
ing at  Philadelphia.  The  senior 
Reynolds  entertained  an  undying 
hostility  to  the  British  Govern- 
ment. When  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  about  six  months  old, 
his  parents  emigrated  with  him  to 
Tennessee,  where  many  of  their 
relatives  had  already  located,  at  the  base  of  the 
Copper  Ridge  Mountain,  about  14  miles  northeast  of 
the  present  city  of  Knoxville.  There  they  were  ex- 
posed to  Indian  depredations,  and  were  much  molest- 
ed by  them.  In  1794  they  moved  into  the  interior 
of  the  State.  They  were  poor,  and  brought  up  their 
children  to  habits  of  manual  industry. 

In  1800  the  family  removed  to  Kaskaskia,  111.,  with 
eight  horses  and  two  wagons,  encountering  many 
hardships  on  the  way.  Here  young  Reynolds  passed 
the  most  of  his  childhood,  while  his  character  began 
to  develop,  the  most  prominent  traits  of  which  were 
ambition  and  energy.  He  also  adopted  the  principle 
and  practice  of  total  abstinence  from  intoxicating 
liquors.  In  1807  the  family  made  another  removal, 


this  time  to  the  "  Goshen  Settlement,"  at  the  foot  of 
the  Mississippi  bluffs  three  or  four  miles  southwest 
of  Edwardsville. 

On  arriving  at  his  2oth  year,  Mr.  Reynolds,  seeing 
that  he  must  look  about  for  his  own  livelihood  and 
not  yet  having  determined  what  calling  to  pursue, 
concluded  first  to  attend  college,  and  he  accordingly 
went  to  such  an  institution  of  learning,  near  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  where  he  had  relatives.  Imagine  his 
diffidence,  when,  after  passing  the  first  20  years  of 
his  life  without  ever  having  seen  a  carpet,  a  papered 
wall  or  a  Windsor  chair,  and  never  having  lived  in  a 
shingle- roofed  house,  he  suddenly  ushered  himself 
into  the  society  of  the  wealthy  in  the  vicinity  of 
Knoxville!  He  attended  college  nearly  two  years, 
going  through  the  principal  Latin  authors ;  but  it 
seems  that  he,  like  the  rest  of  the  world  in  modern 
times,  had  but  very  little  use  for  his  Latin  in  after 
life.  He  always  failed,  indeed,  to  exhibit  any  good 
degree  of  literary  discipline.  He  commenced  the 
study  of  law  in  Knoxville,  but  a  pulmonary  trouble 
came  on  and  compelled  him  to  change  his  mode 
of  life.  Accordingly  he  returned  home  and  re- 
cuperated, and  in  1812  resumed  his  college  and 
law  studies  at  Knoxville.  In  the  fall  of  1812  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  at  Kaskaskia.  About  this  time 
he  also  learned  the  French  language,  which  he 
practiced  with  pleasure  in  conversation  with  his 
family  for  many  years.  He  regarded  this  language 
as  being  superior  to  all  others  for  social  intercourse.  ' 


f 


124 


JOHN  REYNOLDS. 


1 


From  his  services  in  the  West,  in  the  war  of  1812, 
he  obtained  the  sobriquet  of  the  "  Old  Ranger."  He 
was  Orderly  Sergeant,  then  Judge  Advocate. 

Mr.  Reynolds  opened  his  first  law  office  in  the 
winter  and  spring  of  1814,  in  the  French  village  of 
Cahokia,  then  the  capital  of  St.  Clair  County. 

In  the  fall  of  1818  he  was  elected  an  Associate 
Justice  upon  the  Supreme  Bench  by  the  General 
Assembly.  In  1825  he  entered  more  earnestly  than 
ever  into  the  practice  of  law,  and  the  very  next  year 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  where  he 
acted  independently  of  all  cliques  and  private  inter- 
ests. In  1828  the  Whigs  and  Democrats  were  for 
the  first  time  distinctively  organized  as  such  in  Illi- 
nois, and  the  usual  party  bitterness  grew  up  and 
raged  on  all  sides,  while  Mr.  Reynolds  preserved  a 
judicial  calmness  and  moderation.  The  real  animus 
of  the  campaign  was  "  Jackson  "  and  "  anti-Jackson," 
the  former  party  carrying  the  State. 

In  August,  1830,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  elected  Gov- 
ernor, amid  great  excitement.  Installed  in  office,  he 
did  all  within  his  power  to  advance  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation, internal  improvements,  the  Illinois  &  Mich- 
igan Canal,  the  harbor  at  Chicago,  settling  the  coun- 
try, etc.;  also  reccmmended  the  winding  up  of  the 
State  Bank,  as  its  affairs  had  become  dangerously 
complicated.  In  his  national  politics,  he  was  a 
moderate  supporter  of  General  Jackson.  But  the 
most  celebrated  event  of  his  gubernatorial  admin- 
istration was  the  Black  Hawk  War,  which  occurred 
in  1832.  He  called  out  the  militia  and  prosecuted 
the  contest  with  commendable  diligence,  appearing 
in  person  on  the  battle-grounds  during  the  most 
critical  periods.  He  was  recognized  by  the  President 
as  Major-General,  and  authorized  by  him  to  make 
treaties  with  the  Indians.  By  the  assistance  of  the 
general  Government  the  war  was  terminated  without 
much  bloodshed,  but  after  many  serious  fights.  This 
war,  as  well  as  everything  else,  was  materially  re- 
tarded by  the  occurrence  of  Asiatic  cholera  in  the 
West.  This  was  its  first  appearance  here,  and  was 
the  next  event  in  prominence  during  Gov.  Reynolds' 
term. 

South  Carolina  nullification  coming  up  at  this  time, 
it  was  heartily  condemned  by  both  President  Jackson 
and  Gov.  Reynolds,  who  took  precisely  the  same 
grounds  as  the  Unionists  in  the  last  war. 

On  the  termination  of  his  gubernatorial  term  in 
1834,  Gov.  Reynolds  was  elected  a  Member  of  Con- 
gress, still  considering  himself  a  backwoodsman,  as 
he  had  scarcely  been  outside  of  the  State  since  he 
became  of  age,  and  had  spent  nearly  all  his  youthful 
days  in  the  wildest  region  of  the  frontier.  His  first 
move  in  Congress  was  to  adopt  a  resolution  that  in 
all  elections  made  by  the  House  for  officers  the  votes 
should  be  given  viva  vote,  each  member  in  his  place 
naming  aloud  the  person  for  whom  he  votes.  This 
created  considerable  heated  discussion,  but  was  es- 


sentially  adopted,  and  remained  the  controlling  prin- 
ciple for  many  years.  The  ex  Governor  was  scarcely 
absent  from  his  seat  a  single  day,  during  eight  ses- 
sions of  Congress,  covering  a  period  of  seven  year->, 
and  he  never  vacillated  in  a  party  vote;  but  he  failed 
to  get  the  Democratic  party  to  foster  his  "  National 
Road"  scheme.  He  says,  in  "  My  Own  Times  "  (a 
large  autobiography  he  published),  that  it  was  only 
by  rigid  economy  that  he  avoided  insolvency  while  in 
Washington.  During  his  sojourn  in  that  city  he  was 
married,  to  a  lady  of  the  place. 

In  1837,  while  out  of  Congress,  and  in  company 
with  a  few  others,  he  built  the  first  railroad  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  namely,  one  about  six  miles  long, 
leading  from  his  coal  mine  in  the  Mississippi  bluff  to 
the  bank  of  the  river  opposite  St.  Louis.  H-iving  not 
the  means  to  purchase  a  locomotive,  they  operated  it 
by  horse-power.  The  next  spring,  however,  the  com- 
pany sold  out,  at  great  sacrifice. 

In  1839  the  ex-Governor  was  appointed  one  of  the 
Canal  Commissioners,  and  authorized  to  borrow 
money  to  prosecute  the  enterprise.  Accord1  ngly,  he 
repaired  to  Philadelphia  and  succeeding  in  obtaining 
a  million  dollars,  which,  however,  was  only  a  fourth 
of  what  was  wanted.  The  same  year  he  and  his 
wife  made  at  our  of  Europe.  This  year,  also,  Mr. 
Reynolds  had  the  rather  awkward  little  responsibility 
of  introducing  to  President  Van  Buren  the  noted 
Mormon  Prophet,  Joseph  Smith,  as  a  "  Latter-Day 
Saint!" 

In  1846  Gov  Reynolds  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  from  St.  Clair  County,  more  particu- 
larly for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  feasible  charter 
for  a  macadamized  road  from  Belleville  to  St.  Louis, 
a  distance  of  nearly  14  miles.  This  was  immediately 
built,  and  was  the  first  road  of  the  kind  in  the  State. 
He  was  again  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1852,  when 
he  was  chosen  Speaker  of  the  House.  In  1860,  aged 
and  infirm,  he  attended  the  National  Democratic 
Convention  at  Charleston,  S.  C  ,  as  an  anti-Douglas 
Delegate,  where  he  received  more  attention  from  the 
Southern  Delegates  than  any  other  member.  He 
supported  Breckenridge  for  the  Presidency.  After 
the  October  elections  foreshadowed  the  success  of 
Lincoln,  he  published  an  address  urging  the  Demo- 
crats to  rally  to  the  support  of  Douglas.  Immedi- 
ately preceding  and  during  the  late  war,  his  corre- 
spondence evinced  a  clear  sympathy  for  the  Southern 
secession,  and  about  the  first  of  March,  1861,  he 
urged  upon  the  Buchanan  officials  the  seizure  of  the 
treasure  and  arms  in  the  custom-house  and  arson, il 
at  St.  Louis.  Mr.  Reynolds  was  a  ratlur  talkative 
man,  and  apt  in  all  the  Western  phrases  and  catch- 
words that  ever  gained  currency,  besides  many  cun- 
ning and  odd  ones  of  his  own  manufacture. 

He  was  married  twice,  but  had  no  children.  He 
died  in  Belleville,  in  May,  1865,  just  after  the  close 
of  the  war. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

'IM'-LINOIS 


/ 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


ILLIAM  LEE  D.  EWING, 
Governor  of  Illinois  Nov.  3 
to  17,  1834,  was  a  native 
of  Kentucky,  and  probably 
of  Scotch  ancestry.  He  had 
a  fine  education,  was  a  gentle- 
man of  polished  manners  and 
refined  sentiment.  In  1830  John  Rey- 
nolds was  elected  Governor  of  the  State, 
and  Zadok  Casey  Lieutenant  Governor, 
and  for  the  principal  events  that  followed, 
and  the  characteristics  of  the  times,  see 
sketch  of  Gov.  Reynolds.  The  first  we 
see  in  history  concerning  Mr.  Ewing,  in- 
forms us  that  he  was  a  Receiver  of  Public 
Moneys  at  Vandalia  soon  after  the  organization  of 
this  State,  and  that  the  public  moneys  in  his  hands 
were  deposited  in  various  banks,  as  they  are  usually 
at  the  present  day.  In  1823  the  State  Bank  was 
robbed,  by  which  disaster  Mr.  Ewing  lost  a  thousand- 
dollar  deposit. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  a  commission  as 
Colonel  in  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  in  emergencies 
he  acted  also  as  Major.  In  the  summer  of  1832, 
when  it  was  rumored  among  the  whites  that  Black 
Hawk  and  his  men  had  encamped  somewhere  on 
Rock  River,  Gen.  Henry  was'  sent  on  a  tour  of 
reconnoisance,  and  with  orders  to  drive  the  Indians 
from  the  State.  After  some  opposition  from  his 
subordinate  officers,  Henry  resolved  to  proceed  up 
Rock  River  in  search  of  the  enemy.  On  the  igth  of 
July,  early  in  the  morning,  five  baggage  wagons, 


camp  equipage  and  all  heavy  and  cumbersome  arti- 
cle.; were  piled  up  and  left,  so  that  the  army  might 
make  speedy  and  forced  marches.  For  some  miles 
tho  travel  was  exceedingly  bad,  crossing  swamps 
and  the  worst  thickets;  but  the  large,  fresh  trail 
gave  life  and  animation  to  the  Americans.  Gen. 
Dodge  and  Col.  Ewing  were  both  acting  as  Majors, 
and  composed  the  "  spy  corps  "  or  vanguard  of  the 
army.  It  is  supposed  the  army  marched  nearly  50 
miles  this  day,  and  the  Indian  trail  they  followed 
became  fresher,  and  was  strewed  with  much  property 
and  trinkets  of  the  red-skin-;  that  they  had  lost  or 
thrown  away  to  hasten  their  march.  During  the 
following  night  there  was  a.  terrific  thunder-storm,  and 
the  soldiery,  with  all  their  appurtenances,  were  thor- 
oughly drenched. 

On  approaching  nearer  the  Indians  the  next  day. 
Gen.  Dodge  and  Major  Ewing,  each  commanding  a 
battalion  of  men,  were  placed  in  front  to  bring  on  the 
battle,  but  the  savages  were  not  overtaken  this  day 
Forced  marches  were  continued  until  they  reached. 
Wisconsin  River,  where  a  veritable  battle  ensued, 
resulting  in  the  death  of  about  68  of  Black  Hawk's 
men.  The  next  day  they  continued  the  chase,  and 
as  soon  as  he  discovered  the  trail  of  the  Indians 
leading  toward  the  Mississippi,  Maj.  Ewing  formed 
his  battalion  in  order  of  battle  and  awaited  the  order 
of  Gen.  Henry.  The  latter  soon  appeared  on  the 
ground  and  ordered  a  charge,  which  directly  resulted 
in  chasing  the  red  warriors  across  the  great  river. 
Maj.  Ewing  and  his  command  proved  particularly- 
efficient  in  war,  as  it  seems  they  were  the  chief  actors 
in  driving  the  main  body  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  in- 
, .fr. 


4 


WILLIAM  L.  D.  EWING. 


eluding  Black  Hawk  himself,  across  the  Mississippi, 
while  Gen.  Atkinson,  commander-in-chief  of  the  ex- 
pedition, with  a  body  of  the  army,  was  hunting  for 
them  in  another  direction. 

In  the  above  affair  Maj.  Ewing  is  often  referred  to 
as  a  "General,"  which  title  he  had  derived  from  his 
connection  with  the  militia. 

It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year  (1832) 
that  Lieutenant  Governor  Casey  was  elected  to  Con- 
gress and  Gen.  Ewing,  who  had  been  elected  to  the 
Senate,  was  chosen  to  preside  over  that  body.  At 
the  August  election  of  1834,  Gov.  Reynolds  was  also 
elected  to  Congress,  more  than  a  year  ahead  of  the 
time  at  which  he  could  actually  take  his  seat,  as  was 
then  the  law.  His  predecessor,  Chailes  Slade,  had 
just  died  of  Asiatic  cholera,  soon  after  the  elec- 
tion, and  Gov.  Reynolds  was  chosen  to  serve  out  his 
unexpired  term.  Accordingly  he  set  out  for  Wash- 
ington in  November  of  that  year  to  take  his  seat  in 
Congress,  and  Gen.  Ewing,  by  virtue  of  his  office  as 
President  of  the  Senate,  became  Governor  of  the 
State  of  Illinois,  his  term  covering  only  a  period  of 
15  days,  namely,  from  the  3d  to  the  171)1  days,  in- 
clusive, of  November.  On  the  171!!  the  Legislature 
met,  and  Gov.  Ewing  transmitted  to  that  body  his 
message,  giving  a  statement  of  the  condition  of  the 
affairs  of  the  State  at  that  time,  and  urging  a  contin- 
uance of  the  policy  adopted  by  his  predecessor;  and 
on  the  same  day  Governor  elect  Joseph  Duncan 
was  sworn  into  office,  thus  relieving  Mr.  Ewing  from 


the  responsible  situation.  This  is  the  only  time  that 
such  a  juncture  has  happened  in  the  history  of  Illi- 
nois. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  1835,  Gen.  Ewing  was 
elected  a  United  States  Senator  to  serve  out  the 
unexpired  term  of  Elias  Kent  Kane,  deceased.  The 
latter  gentleman  was  a  very  prominent  figure  in  the 
early  politics  of  Illinois,  and  a  county  in  this  State  is 
named  in  his  honor.  The  election  of  Gen.  Ewing  to 
the  Senate  was  a  protracted  struggle.  His  competi- 
tors were  James  Semple,  who  afterwards  held  several 
important  offices  in  this  State,  and  Richard  M. 
Young,  afterward  a  United  States  Senator  and  a 
Supreme  Judge  and  a  man  of  vast  influence.  On 
the  first  ballot  Mr.  Semple  had  25  votes,  Young  19 
'and  Ewing  18.  On  the  eighth  ballot  Young  was 
dropped ;  the  ninth  and  tenth  stood  a  tie ;  but  on 
the  1 2th  Ewing  received  40,  to  Semple  37,  and  was 
accordingly  declared  elected.  In  1837  Mr.  Ewing 
received  some  votes  for  a  continuance  of  his  term  in 
Congress,  when  Mr.  Young,  just  referred  to,  -was 
elected.  In  1842  Mr.  Ewing  was  elected  State 
Audit?r  on  the  ticket  with  Gov.  Ford. 

Gen.  Ewing  was  a  gentleman  of  culture,  a  lawyer 
by  profession,  and  was  much  in  public  life.  In  person 
he  was  above  medium  height  and  of  heavy  build, 
with  auburn  hair,  blue  eyes,  large-sized  head  and 
short  face.  He  was  genial,  social,  friendly  and 
affable,  with  fair  talent,  though  of  no  high  degree  of 
originality.  He  died  March  25,  1846. 


r 


• 

CF  THE 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


i 


'3'    ,, 


OSEPH  DUNCAN,  Governor 
1834-8,  was  born  at  Paris, 
Ky.,  Feb.  23,  1794-  At  the 
tender  age  of  19  years  he  en- 
listed in  the  war  against  Grea'. 
Britain,  and  as  a  soldier  he 
acquitted  himself  with  credit.  He 
was  an  Ensign  under  the  daunt- 
less Croghan  at  Lower  Sandusky, 
or  Fort  Stiphenson.  In  Illinois 
I  e  first  appeared  in  a  public  capa- 
city as  Major-General  of  the  Militia, 
a  position  which  his  military  fame 
had  procured  him.  Subsequently 
he  became  a  State  Senator  from 
Jackson  County,  and  is  honorably 
mentioned  for  introducing  the  first  bill  providing  for 
a  free-school  system.  In  1826,  when  the  redoubt- 
able John  P.  Cook,  who  had  previously  beaten  such 
men  as  John  McLean,  Elias  Kent  Kane  and  ex- 
Gov.  Bond,  came  up  for  the  fourth  time  for  Congress, 
Mr.  Duncan  was  brought  forward  against  him  by  his 
friends,  greatly  to  the  surprise  of  all  the  politicians. 
As  yet  he  was  but  little  known  in  the  State.  He  was 
an  original  Jackson  man  at  that  time,  being  attached 
to  his  political  fortune  in  admiration  of  the  glory  of 
his  military  achievements.  His  chances  of  success 
against  Cook  were  generally  regarded  as  hopeless, 
but  he  entered  upon  the  campaign  undaunted.  His 
speeches,  though  short  and  devoid  of  ornament,  were 
full  of  good  sense.  He  made  a  diligent  canvass  of 
the  State,  Mr.  Cook  being  hindered  by  the  condition  of 
his  health.  /The  most  that  was  expected  of  Mr. 
Duncan,  under  the  circumstances,  was  that  he  would 


obtain  a  respectable  vote,  but  without  defeating  Mr. 
Cook.  The  result  of  the  campaign,  however,  was  a 
source  of  surprise  and  amazement  to  both  friends 
and  foes,  as  Mr.  Duncan  came  out  641  votes  ahead! 
He  received  6,321  votes,  and  Mr.  Cook  5,680.  Un- 
til this  denouement,  the  violence  of  party  feeling 
smoldering  in  the  breasts  of  the  people  on  account 
of  the  defeat  of  Jackson,  was  not  duly  appreciated. 
Aside  from  the  great  convention  struggle  of  1824,  no 
other  than  mere  !ocal  and  personal  considerations 
had  ever  before  controlled  an  election  in  Illinois. 

From  the  above  date  Mr.  Duncan  retained  his 
seat  in  Co.igress  until  his  election  as  Governor  in 
August,  1834.  The  first  and  bloodless  year  of  the 
Black  Hawk  War  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Rey- 
nolds to  the  position  of  Brigadier-General  of  the 
volunteers,  and  he  conducted  his  brigade  to  Rock 
Island.  But  he  was  absent  from  the  State,  in  Wash- 
ington, during  the  gubernatorial  campaign,  and  did 
not  personally  participate  in  it,  but  addressed  circu- 
lars to  his  constituents.  His  election  was,  indeed, 
attributed  to  the  circumstance  of  his  absence,  be- 
cause his  estrangement  from  Jackson,  formerly  his 
political  idol,  and  also  from  the  Democracy,  largely 
in  ascendency  in  the  State,  was  complete  ;  but  while 
his  defection  was  well  known  to  his  Whig  friends, 
and  even  to  the  leading  Jackson  men  of  this  State, 
the  latter  were  unable  to  carry  conviction  of  that  fact 
to  the  masses,  as  mail  and  newspaper  facilities  at 
that  day  were  far  inferior  to  those  of  the  present 
time.  Of  course  the  Governor  was  much  abused 
afterward  by  the  fossilized  Jackson  men  who  re- 
garded party  ties  and  affiliations  as  above  all 
other  issues  that  could  arise ;  but  he  was  doubtless 


JOSEPH  DUNCAN. 


4 


sincere  in  his  opposition  to  the  old  hero,  as  the  latter 
had  vetoed  several  important  western  measures 
which  were  dear  to  Mr.  Duncan.  In  his  inaugural 
message  he  threw  off  the  mask  and  took  a  bold  stand 
against  the  course  of  the  President.  The  measures 
he  recommended  in  his  message,  however,  were  so 
desirable  that  the  Legislature,  although  by  a  large 
majority  consisting  of  Jackson  men,  could  not  refrain 
•  from  endorsing  them.  These  measures  related 
mainly  to  banks  and  internal  improvements. 

It  was  while  Mr.  Duncan  was  Governor  that  the 
people  of  Illinois  went  whirling  on  with  bank  and  in- 
ternal improvement  schemes  that  well  nigh  bank- 
rupted the  State.  The  hard  times  of  1837  came  on, 
and  the  disasters  that  attended  the  inauguration  of 
these  plans  and  the  operation  of  the  banks  were  mu- 
tually charged  upon  the  two  political  parties.  Had 
any  one  man  autocratic  power  to  introduce  and 
carry  on  any  one  of  these  measures,  he  would  proba- 
bly have  succeeded  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public; 
but  as  many  jealous  men  had  hold  of  the  same  plow 
handle,  no  success  followed  and  each  blamed  the  other 
for  the  failure.  In  this  great  vortex  Gov.  Duncan 
was  carried  along,  suffering  the  like  derogation  of 
character  with  his  fellow  citizens. 

At  the  height  of  the  excitement  the  Legislature 
"  provided  for  "  railroads  from  Galena  to  Cairo,  Alton 
to  Shawneetown,  Alton  to  Mount  Carmel,  Alton  to  the 
eastern  boundary  of  the  State  in  the  direction  of 
Terre  Haute,  Quincy  via  Springfield  to  the  Wabash, 
Bloomington  to  Pekin,  and  Peoria  to  Warsaw, — in  all 
about  1,300  miles  of  road.  It  also  provided  for  the 
improvement  of  the  navigation  of  the  Kaskaskia, 
Illinois,  Great  and  Little  Wabash  and  Rock  Rivers  ; 
also  as  a  placebo,  $200,000  in  money  were  to  be  dis- 
tributed to  the  various  counties  wherein  no  improve 
ments  were  ordered  to  be  made  as  above.  The 
estimate  for  the  expenses  for  all  these  projects  was 
placed  at  a  little  over  $10,000,000,  which  was  not 
more  than  half  enough !  That  would  now  be  equal  to 
saddling  upon  the  State  a  debt  of  $225,000,000!  It 
was  sufficient  to  bankrupt  the  State  several  times 
over,  even  counting  all  the  possible  benefits. 

One  of  the  most  exciting  events  that  ever  occurred 
in  this  fair  State  was  the  murder  of  Elijah  P.  Love- 
joy  in  the  fall  of  1837,  at  Alton,  during  Mr.  Duncan's 
term  as  Governor.  Lovejoy  was  an  "  Abolitionist," 
editing  the  Observer  at  that  place,  and  the  pro- 
i  y  slavery  slums  there  formed  themselves  into  a  mob, 


and  after  destroying  successively  three  presses  be- 
longing to  Mr.  Lovejoy,  surrounded  the  warehouse 
where  the  fourth  press  was  stored  away,  endeavoring 
to  destroy  it,  and  where  Lovejoy  and  his  friends 
were  entrenching  themselves,  and  shot  and  killed  the 
brave  reformer! 

About  this  time,  also,  the  question  of  removing  the 
State  capital  again  came  up,  as  the  20  years'  limit  for 
its  existence  at  Vandalia  was  drawing  to  a  close. 
There  was,  of  course,  considerable  excitement  over 
the  matter,  the  two  main  points  competing  for  it  be- 
ing Springfield  and  Peoria.  The  jealousy  of  the  lat- 
ter place  is  not  even  yet,  45  years  afterward,  fully 
allayed. 

Gov.  Duncan's  term  expired  in  1838.  In  1842 
he  was  again  proposed  as  a  candidate  for  the  Execu- 
tive chair,  this  time  by  the  Whig  party,  against  Adam 
W.  Snyder,  of  St.  Clair  County,  the  nominee  of  the 
Democrats.  Charles  W.  Hunter  was  a  third  candi- 
date for  the  same  position.  Mr.  Snyder,  however,  died 
before  the  campaign  had  advanced  very  far,  and  his 
party  substituted  Thomas  Ford,  who  was  elected, 
receiving  46,901  votes,  to  38,584  for  Duncan,  and 
909  for  Hunter.  The  cause  of  Democratic  success 
at  this  time  is  mainly  attributed  to  the  temporary 
support  of  the  Mormons  which  they  enjoyed,  and  the 
want  of  any  knowledge,  on  the  part  of  the  masses, 
that  Mr.  Ford  was  opposed  to  any  given  policy  en- 
tertained in  the  respective  localities. 

Gov.  Duncan  was  a  man  of  rather  limited  educa- 
tion, but  with  naturally  fine  abilities  he  profited 
greatly  by  his  various  public  services,  and  gathered 
a  store  of  knowledge  regarding  public  affairs  which 
served  him  a  ready  purpose.  He  possessed  a  clear 
judgment,  decision,  confidence  in  himself  and  moral 
courage  to  carry  out  his  convictions  of  right.  In  his 
deportment  he  was  well  adapted  to  gain  the  admira- 
tion of  the  people.  His  intercourse  with  them  was 
both  affable  and  dignified.  His  portrait  at  the  Gov- 
ernor's mansion,  from  which  the  accompanying  was 
made,  represents  him  as  having  a  swarthy  complex- 
ion, high  cheek  bones,  broad  forehead,  piercing  black 
eyes  and  straight  black  hair. 

He  was  a  liberal  patron  of  the  Illinois  College  at 
Jacksonville,  a  member  of  its  Board  of  Trustees,  and 
died,  after  a  short  illness,  Jan.  15,  1844,  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  leaving  a  wife 
but  no  children.  Two  children,  born  to  them,  had 
died  in  infancy. 


t 


OF  THE 
Y  i  *  UINOIS 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


I 


HOMAS  CARLIN,  the  sixth 
Governor  of  the  State  of 
Illinois,  serving  from  1838 
to  1842,  was  also  a  Ken- 
tuckian,  being  born  near 
Frankfort,  that  State,  July 
18,  1789,  of  Irish  paternity. 
The  opportunities  for  an  education 
being  very  meager  in  his  native 
place,  he,  on  approaching  years  of 
judgment  and  maturity,  applied 
himself  to  those  branches  of  learn- 
ing that  seemed  most  important, 
and  thus  became  a  self-made  man  ; 
and  his  taste  for  reading  and 
study  remained  with  him  through 
life.  In  1803  his  father  removed 
lo  Missouri,  then  a  part  of  "  New  Spain,"  where  he 
died  in  1810. 

In  1812  young  Carlin  came  to  Illinois  and  partici- 
pated in  all  the  "ranging"  service  incident  to  the 
war  of  that  period,  proving  himself  a  soldier  of  un- 
daunted bravery.  In  1814  he  married  Rebecca 
Huitt,  and  lived  for  four  years  on  the  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
sc.tvi,  where  he  followed  farming,  and  then  removed 
to  Greene  County.  He  located  the  town  site  of  Car- 
n/"«.ton,  in  that  county,  and  in  1825  made  a  liberal 
donation  of  land  for  county  building  purposes.  He 
was  the  first  Sheriff  of  that  county  after  its  separate 
organization,  and  afterward  was  twice  elected,  as  a 
Jackson  Democrat,  to  the  Illinois  Senate.  In  the 
Black  Hawk  War  he  commanded  a  spy  battalion,  a 
po,t  of  considerable  danger.  In  1834  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  Jackson  to  the  position  of 
Receiver  of  Public  Moneys,  and  to  fulfill  the  office 


more  conveniently  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Quincy. 

While,  in  1838,  the  unwieldy  internal  improvement 
system  of  the  State  was  in  full  operation,  with  all  its 
expensive  machinery,  amidst  bank  suspensions 
throughout  the  United  States,  a  great  stringency  in 
the  money  market  everywhere,  and  Illinois  bonds 
forced  to  sale  at  a  heavy  discount,  and  the  "  hardest 
times "  existing  that  the  people  of  the  Prairie  State 
ever  saw,  the  general  election  of  State  officers  was 
approaching.  Discreet  men  who  had  cherished  the 
hope  of  a  speedy  subsidence  of  the  public  infatua- 
tion, met  with  disappointment.  A  Governor  and 
Legislature  were  to  be  elected,  and  these  were  now 
looked  forward  to  for  a  repeal  of  the  ruinous  State 
policy.  But  the  grand  scheme  had  not  yet  lost  its 
dazzling  influence  upon  the  minds  of  the  people. 
Time  and  experience  had  not  yet  fully  demonstrated 
its  utter  absurdity.  Hence  the  question  of  arresting 
its  career  of  profligate  expenditures  did  not  become 
a  leading  one  with  the  dominant  party  during  the 
campaign,  and  most  of  the  old  members  of  the  Leg- 
islature were  returned  at  this  election. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  Democrats,  in  State 
Convention  assembled,  nominated  Mr.  Carlin  for  the 
office  of  Governor,  and  S.  H.  Anderson  for  Lieuten- 
ant Governor,  while  the  Whigs  nominated  Cyrus  Ed- 
wards, brotherof  Ninian  Ed  wards,  formerly  Governor, 
and  W.  H.  Davidson.  Edwards  came  out  strongly 
for  a  continuance  of  the  State  policy,  while  Carlin 
remained  non-committal.  This  was  the  first  time 
that  the  two  main  political  parties  in  this  State  were 
unembarrassed  by  any  third  party  in  the  field.  The 
result  of  the  election  was:  Carlin,  35,573;  Ander- 
son, 30,335  ;  Edwards,  29,629  ;  and  Davidson,  28,- 

7*5- 

Upon  the  meeting  of  the  subsequent  Legislature 

(1839),  the  retiring  Governor  CDuncan*)  in  his  mes- 


136 


THOMAS  CARLTN. 


sage  spoke  in  emphatic  terms  of  the  impolicy  of  the 
internal  improvement  system,  presaging  the  evils 
threatened,  and  uiged  that  body  to  do  their  utmost 
to  correct  the  great  error ;  yet,  on  the  contrary,  the 
Legislature  not  only  decided  to  continue  the  policy 
but  also  added  to  its  burden  by  voting  more  appro- 
priations and  ordering  more  improvements.  Although 
the  money  market  was  still  stringent,  a  further  loan 
of  $4,000,000  was  ordered  for  the  Illinois  &  Mich- 
igan Canal  alone.  Cti'cago  at  that  time  began  to 
loom  up  and  promise  to  be  an  important  city,  even 
the  great  emporium  of  the  West,  as  it  has  since  in- 
deed came  to  be.  Ex-Gov.  Reynolds,  an  incompe- 
tent financier,  was  commissioned  to  effect  the  loan, 
and  accordingly  hastened  to  the  East  on  this  respons- 
ible errand,  and  negotiated  the  loans,  at  considera- 
ble sacrifice  to  the  State.  Besides  this  embarrassment 
to  Carlin's  administration,  the  Legislature  also  de- 
clared that  he  had  no  authority  to  appoint  a  Secretary 
of  State  until  a  vacancy  existed,  and  A.  P.  Field,  a 
Whig,  who  had  already  held  the  post  by  appointment 
through  three  administrations,  was  determined  to 
keep  the  place  a  while  longer,  in  spite  of  Gov.  Car- 
lin's preferences.  The  course  of  the  Legislature  in 
this  regard,  however,  was  finally  sustained  by  the 
Supreme  Court,  in  a  quo  warranto  case  brought  up 
before  it  by  John  A.  McClernand,  whom  the  Gov- 
ernor had  nominated  for  the  office.  Thereupon  that 
dignified  body  was  denounced  as  a  "Whig  Court!'* 
endeavoring  to  establish  the  principle  of  life-tenure 
of  office. 

A  new  law  was  adopted  re-organizing  the  Judici- 
ary, and  under  it  five  additional  Supreme  Judges 
were  elected  by  the  Legislature,  namely,  Thomas 
Ford  (afterward  Governor),  Sidney  Breese,  Walter  B. 
Scales,  Samuel  H.  Treat  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas — 
all  Democrats. 

It  was  during  Cov.  Carlin's  administration  that  the 
noisy  campaign  of  "  Tippecanoe  and  Tyler  too  "  oc- 
curred, resulting  in  a  Whig  victory.  This,  however, 
did  not  affect  Illinois  politics  very  seriously. 

Another  prominent  event  in  the  West  during  Gov. 
Carlin's  term  of  office  was  the  excitement  caused  by 
the  Mormons  and  their  removal  from  Independence, 
Mo.,  to  Nauvoo,  111.,  in  1840.  At  the  same  time 
they  began  to  figure  somewhat  in  State  politics.  On 
account  of  their  believing — as  they  thought,  accord- 
ing to  the  New  Testament — that  they  should  have 


"all  things  common,"  and  that  consequently  "all 
the  earth  "  and  all  that  is  upon  it  were  the"  Lord's  " 
and  therefore  the  property  of  his  "  saints,"  they 
were  suspected,  and  correctly,  too,  of  committing 
many  of  the  deeds  of  larceny,  robbery,  etc.,  that 
were  so  rife  throughout  this  country  in  those  days. 
Hence  a  feeling  of  violence  grew  up  between  the 
Mormons  and  "anti-Mormons."  In  the  State  of 
Missouri  the  Mormons  always  sup|x>'ted  the  Dem- 
ocracy until  they  were  driven  out  by  the  Democratic 
government,  when  they  turned  their  support  to  the 
Whigs.  They  were  becoming  numerous,  and  in  the 
Legislature  of  1840-1,  therefore,  it  became  a  matter 
of  great  interest  with  both  parties  to  conciliate  these 
people.  Through  the  agency  of  one  John  C.  Ben- 
nett, a  scamp,  the  Mormons  succeeded  in  rushing 
through  the  Legislature  (both  parties  not  daring  to 
oppose)  a  charter  for  the  city  of  Nauvoo  which  vir- 
tually erected  a  hierarchy  co'-ordinate  with  the  Fed- 
eral Government  itself.  In  the  fall  of  1841  the 
Governor  of  Missouri  made  a  demand  upon  Gov. 
Carlin  for  the  body  of  Joe  Smith,  the  Mormon  leader, 
as  a  fugitive  from  justice.  Gov.  Carlin  issued  the 
writ,  but  for  some  reason  it  was  returned  unserved. 
It  was  again  issued  in  1842,  and  Smith  was  arrested, 
but  was  either  rescued  by  his  followers  or  discharged 
by  the  municipal  court  on  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus. 

In  De-ember,  1841,  the  Democratic  Convention 
nominated  Ada:n  W.  Snyder,  of  Belleville,  fir  Gov- 
ernor. Ai  he  had  been,  as  a  mem'>er  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, rather  friendly  to  the  M  mnons,  the  latter 
naturally  turned  their  support  to  the  Democratic 
narty.  The  next  spring  the  Whig;  nominated  Ex- 
Gov.  Duncan  for  the  same  office.  In  the  meantime 
the  Mormons  began  to  grow  more  odious  to  the 
masses  of  the  people,  and  the  comparative  prospects 
of  the  respective  pirties  for  success  became  very 
problematical.  Mr.  S.iyder  died  in  May,  and 
Thomas  Ford,  a  Supre  ne  Judge,  was  substituted  as 
a  candidate,  and  was  elected. 

At  the  close  of  his  gubernatorial  term,  Mr.  Carlin 
removed  back  to  his  old  home  at  Carrollton,  where 
he  spent  the  rem. under  of  his  life,  as  before  his  ele- 
vation to  office,  in  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1849 
he  served  out  the  unexpired  term  of  J.  D.  Fry  in  the 
Illinois  House  of  Representatives,  and  died  Feb.  4, 
1852,31  his  residence  at  Carrollton,  leaving  a  wife 
and  seven  children. 


^94  THE 

f  l  r  "-UHOIS 


•4*- 


GOVERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


JHOMAS  FORD,  Governor 
from  1842  to  1846,  and  au- 
thor of  a.  very  interesting 
history  of  Illinois,  was  bom 
at  Uniontown,  Pa.,  in  the 
year  1 800.  His  mother,  after 
the  death  of  her  first  hus- 
band (Mr.  Forquer),  married  Rob- 
ert Ford,  who  was  killed  in  1802, 
by  the  Indians  in  the  mountains 
of  Pennsylvania.  She  was  conse- 
quently left  in  indigent  circum- 
stances, with  a  large  family,  mostly 
girls.  With  a  view  to  better  her 
condition,  she,  in  1804,  removed  to 
Missouri,  where  it  had  been  cus- 
tomary by  the  Spanish  Govern- 
ment to  give  land  to  actual  settlers;  but  upon  her 
arrival  at  St.  Louis  she  found  the  country  ceded  to 
the  United  States,  and  the  liberal  policy  toward  set- 
tlers changed  by  the  new  ownership.  After  some 
sickness  to  herself  and  family,  she  finally  removed  to 
Illinois,  and  settled  some  three  miles  south  of  Water- 
loo, but  the  following  year  moved  nearer  the  Missis- 
sippi bluffs.  Here  young  Ford  received  his  first 


schooling,  under  the  instructions  of  a  Mr.  Humphrey, 
for  which  he  had  to  walk  three  miles.  His  mother, 
though  lacking  a  thorough  education,  was  a  woman 
of  superior  mental  endowments,  joined  to  energy 
and  determination  of  character.  She  inculcated  in 
her  children  those  high-toned  principles  which  dis- 
tinguished her  sons  in  public  life.  She  exercised  a 
rigid  economy  to  provide  her  children  an  education ; 
but  George  Forquer,  her  oldest  son  (six  years  older 
than  Thomas  Ford),  at  an  early  age  had  to  quit 
school  to  aid  by  his  labor  in  the  support  of  the  family. 
He  afterward  became  an  eminent  man  in  Illinois 
affairs,  and  but  for  his  early  death  would  probably 
have  been  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate. 

Young  Ford,  with  somewhat  better  opportunities, 
received  a  better  education,  though  limited  to  the 
curriculum  of  the  common  school  of  those  pioneer 
times.  His  mind  gave  early  promise  of  superior  en- 
dowments, with  an  inclination  for  mathematics.  His 
proficiency  attracted  the  attention  of  Hon.  Daniel  P. 
Cook,  who  became  his  efficient  patron  and  friend. 
The  latter  gentleman  was  an  eminent  Illinois  states- 
man who,  as  a  Member  of  Congress,  obtained  a  grant 
of  300,000  acres  of  land  to  aid  in  completing  the 
Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal,  and  after  whom  the 
county  of  Cook  was  named.  Through  the  advice  of 


THOMAS  FORD. 


this  gentleman,  Mr.  Ford  turned  his  attention  to  the 
study  of  law;  nut  Forquer,  then  merchandising,  re- 
garding his  education  defective,  sent  him  to  Transyl- 
vania University,  where,  however,  he  remained  but 
one  term,  owing  to  Forquer'-;  failure  in  business.  On 
his  return  he  alternated  his  law  reading  with  teach- 
ing school  for  support. 

In  1829  Gov.  Edwards  appointed  him  Prosecuting 
Attorney,  and  in  1831  he  was  re-appointed  by  Gov. 
Reynolds,  and  after  that  he  was  four  times  elected  a 
Judge  by  the  Legislature,  without  opposition,  twice  a 
Circuit  Judge,  once  a  Judge  of  Chicago,  and  as  As- 
sociate Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  when,  in  1841, 
the  latter  tribunal  was  re-organized  by  the  addition 
of  five  Judges,  all  Democrats.  Ford  was  assigned  to 
the  Ninth  Judicial  Circuit,  and  while  in  this  capacity 
he  was  holding  Court  in  Ogle  County  he  received  a 
notice  of  his  nomination  by  the  Democratic  Conven- 
tion for  the  office  of  Governor.  He  immediately  re- 
signed his  place  and  entered  upon  the  canvass.  In 
August,  1842,  he  was  elected,  and  on  the  8th  of  De- 
cember following  he  was  inaugurated. 

All  the  offices  which  he  had  held  were  unsolicited 
by  him.  He  received  them  upon  the  true  Jefferson- 
ian  principle, — Never  to  ask  and  never  to  refuse 
office.  Both  as  a  lawyer  and  as  a  Judge  he  stood 
deservedly  high,  but  his  cast  of  intellect  fitted  him 
rather  for  a  writer  upon  law  than  a  practicing  advo- 
cate in  the  courts.  In  the  latter  capacity  he  was  void 
of  the  moving  power  of  eloquence,  so  necessary  to 
success  with  juries.  As  a  Judge  his  opinions  were 
"ound,  lucid  and  able  expositions  of  the  law.  In 
practice,  he  was  a  stranger  to  the  tact,  skill  and  in- 
sinuating address  of  the  politician,  but  he  saw  through 
the  arts  of  demagogues  as  well  as  any  man.  He  was 
plain  in  his  demeanor,  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  at 
one  time  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office, 
during  a  session  of  the  Legislature,  he  was  taken  by 
a  stranger  to  be  a  seeker  for  the  position  of  door- 
keeper, and  was  waited  upon  at  his  hotel  near  mid- 
night by  a  knot  of  small  office-seekers  with  the  view 
of  effecting  a  "  combination  !  " 

Mr.  Ford  had  not  the  "  brass  "  of  the  ordinary 
politician,  nor  that  impetuosity  which  characterizes  a 
political  leader.  He  cared  little  for  money,  and 
hardly  enough  for  a  decent  support.  In  person  he 
was  of  small  stature,  slender,  of  dark  complexion, 
with  black  hair,  sharp  features,  deep-set  eyes,  a 
pointed,  aquiline  nose  having  a  decided  twist  to  one 
side,  and  a  small  mouth. 

The  three  most  important  events  in  Gov.  Ford's 
administration  were  the  establishment  of  the  high 
financial  credit  of  the  State,  the  "  Mormon  War  "and 
the  Mexican  War. 

In  the  first  of  these  the  Governor  proved  himself 
to  be  eminently  wise.  On  coming  into  office  he  found 
the  State  badly  paralyzed  by  the  ruinous  effects  of 
the  notorious  "internal  improvement"  schemes  of 


the  preceding  decade,  with  scarcely  anything  to 
show  by  way  of  "improvement."  The  enterprise 
that  seemed  to  be  getting  ahead  more  than  all  the 
rest  was  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal.  As  this 
promised  to  be  the  most  important  thoroughfare, 
feasible  to  the  people,  it  was  well  under  headway  in 
its  construction.  Therefore  the  State  policy  wa- 
almost  concentrated  upon  it,  in  order  to  rush  it  on  U- 
completion.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  State- 
was  growing  so  large  as  to  frighten  the  people,  mid 
they  were  about  ready  to  entertain  a  proposition  for 
repudiation.  But  the  Governor  had  the  foresight  to 
recommend  such  measures  as  would  maintain  the 
public  credit,  for  which  every  citizen  to-day  feels 
thankful. 

But  perhaps  the  Governor  is  remembered  more  for 
his  connection  with  the  Mormon  troubles  than  for 
anything  else;  for  it  was  during  his  term  of  office 
that  the  "  Latter-Day  Saints  "  became  so  strong  at 
Nauvoo,  built  their  temple  there,  increased  their  num- 
bers throughout  the  country,  committed  misdemean- 
ors, taught  dangerous  doctrines,  suffered  the  loss  of 
their  leader,  Jo  Smith,  by  a  violent  death,  were  driven 
out  of  Nauvoo  to  the  far  West,  etc.  Having  been  a 
Judge  for  so  many  years  previously,  Mr.  Ford  of 
course  was  no  i-corarnittal  (Concerning  Mor.non  affairs, 
and  was  therefore  claimed  by  both  parties  and  also 
accused  by  each  of  sympathizing  too  greatly  with  the 
other  side.  Mormonism  claiming  to  be  a  system  of 
religion,  the  Governor  no  doubt  was  "between  two 
fires,"  and  felt  compelled  to  touch  the  matter  rather 
"  gingerly,"  and  doubtless  felt  greatly  relieved  when 
that  pestilential  people  left  the  State.  Such  compli- 
cated matters,  especially  when  religion  is  mixed  up 
with  them,  expose  every  person  participating  in 
them  to  criticism  from  all  parties. 

The  Mexican  War  was  begun  in  the  spring  of 
1845,  and  was  continued  into  the  gubernatorial  term 
of  Mr.  Ford's  su-cessor.  The  Governor's  connection 
with  this  war,  however,  was  not  conspicuous,  as  it 
was  only  administrative,  commissioning  officers,  etc. 

Ford's  "  History  of  Illinois  "  is  a  very  readable  and 
entertaining  work,  of  450  small  octavo  pages,  and  is 
destined  to  increase  in  value  with  the  lapse  of  time. 
It  exhibits  a  natural  flow  of  compact  and  forcible 
thought,  never  failing  to  convey  the  nicest  sense.  In 
tracing  with  his  trenchant  pen  the  devious  operations 
of  the  professional  politician,  in  which  he  is  inimit- 
able, his  account  is  open,  perhaps,  to  the  objection 
that  all  his  contemporaries  are  treated  as  mere  place- 
seekers,  while  many  of  them  have  since  been  judged 
by  the  people  to  be  worthy  statesmen.  His  writings 
seem  slightly  open  to  the  criticism  that  they  exhibit 
a  little  splenetic  partiality  against  those  of  his  con- 
temporaries who  were  prominent  during  his  term  of 
office  as  Governor. 

The  death  of  Gov.  Ford  took  place  at  Peoria,  111., 
Nov.  2,  1850. 


LIBRARY 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


Augustus  C.  French 


4ft 


AUGUSTUS  C.  FRENCH, 
Governor  of  Illinois  from 
1846  to  1852,  was  born  in 
the  town  of  Hill,  in  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire, 
Aug.  2,  1808.  He  was  a 
descendant  in  the  fourth 
generation  of  Nathaniel 
French,  who  emigrated  from  England 
in  1687  and  settled  in  Saybury,  Mass. 
In  early  life  young  French  lost  his 
father,  but  continued  to  receive  in- 
struction from  an  exemplary  and 
Christian  mother  until  he  was  19  years 
old,  when  she  also  died,  confiding  to 
his  care  and  trust  four  younger  broth- 
ers and  one  sister.  He  discharged  his  trust  with 
parental  devotion.  His  education  in  early  life  was 
such  mainly  as  a  common  school  afforded.  For  a 
brief  period  he  attended  Dartmouth  College,  but 
from  pecuniary  causes  and  the  care  of  his  brothers 
and  sister,  he  did  npt  graduate.  He  subsequently 
read  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1831,  and 
shortly  afterward  removed  to  Illinois,  settling  first  at 
Albion,  Edwards  County,  where  he  established  him- 
self in  the  practice  of  law.  The  following  year  he 
removed  to  Paris,  Edgar  County.  Here  he  attained 
eminence  in  his  profession,  and  entered  public  life 
by  representing  that  county  in  the  Legislature.  A 
strong  attachment  sprang  up  between  him  and  Ste- 
phen A.  Douglas. 

In  1839,  Mr.  French  was  appointed  Receiver  of 
the  United  States  Land  Office  at  Palestine,  Craw- 
ford County,  at  which  place  he  was  a  resident  when 


elevated  to  the  gubernatorial  chair.  In  1844  he  was 
a  Presidential  Elector,  and  as  such  he  voted  for 
James  K.  Polk. 

The  Democratic  State  Convention  of  1846,  meet- 
ing at  Springfield  Feb.  10,  nominated  Mr.  French 
for  Governor.  Other  Democratic  candidates  were 
Lyman  Trumbull,  John  Calhoun  (subsequently  of 
Lecompton  Constitution  notoriety),  Walter  B.  Scales. 
Richard  M.  Young  and  A.  W.  Cavarly, — an  array  of 
very  able  and  prominent  names.  Trumbull  was  per- 
haps defeated  in  the  Convention  by  the  rumor  that 
he  was  opposed  to  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal, 
as  he  had  been  a  year  previously.  For  Lieutenant 
Governor  J.  B.  Wells  was  chosen,  while  other  candi- 
dates were  Lewis  Ross,  Wm.  McMurtry,  Newton 
Cloud,  J.  B.  Hamilton  and  W.  W.  Thompson.  The 
resolutions  declared  strongly  against  the  resuscita- 
tion of  the  old  State  Banks. 

The  Whigs,  who  were  in  a  hopeless  minority,  held 
their  convention  June  8,  at  Peoria,  and  selected 
Thomas  M.  Kilpatrick,  of  Scott  County,  for  Governor, 
and  Gen.  Nathaniel  G.  Wilcox,  of  Schuyler,  for 
Lieutenant  Governor. 

In  the  campaign  the  latter  exposed  Mr.  French's 
record  and  connection  with  the  passage  of  the  in- 
ternal improvement  system,  urging  it  against  his 
election ;  but  in  the  meantime  the  war  with  Mexico 
broke  out,  regarding  which  the  Whig  record  was  un- 
popular in  this  State.  The  war  was  the  absbrbihg 
and  dominating  question  of  the  period,  sweeping 
every  other  political  issue  in  its  course.  The  elec- 
tion in  August  gave  Mr.  French  58,700  votes,  and 
Kilpatrick  only  36,775.  Richard  Eells,  Abolitionist 
candidate  for  the  same  office,  received  5,152  votes. 


I  k  J44 


AUGUSTUS  C.  FRRNC&. 


By  the  new  Constitution  of  1848,  a  new  election  for 
State  officers  was  ordered  in  November  of  that  year, 
before  Gov.  French's  term  was  half  out,  and  he  was 
re-elected  for  the  term  of  four  years.  He  was  there- 
fore the  incumbent  for  six  consecutive  years,  the 
only  Governor  of  this  State  who  has  ever  served  in 
that  capacity  so  long  at  one  time.  As  there  was  no 
organized  opposition  to  his  election,  he  received  67,- 
453  votes,  to  5,639  for  Pierre  Menard  (son  of  the 
first  Lieutenant  Governor),  4,748  for  Charles  V. 
Dyer,  3,834  for  W.  L.  D.  Morrison,  and  1,361  for 
James  L.  D.  Morrison.  But  Wm.  McMurtry,  of 
Knox  County,  was  elected  Lieutenant  Governor,  in 
place  of  Joseph  B.  Wells,  who  was  before  elected 
and  did  not  run  again. 

Governor  French  was  inaugurated  into  office  dur- 
ing the  progress  of  the  Mexican  War,  which  closed 
during  the  summer  of  1847,  although  the  treaty  of 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo  was  not  made  until  Feb.  2, 
1848.  The  policy  of  Gov.  French's  party  was  com- 
mitted to  that  war,  but  in  connection  with  that  affair 
he  was,  of  course,  only  an  administrative  officer. 
During  his  term  of  office,  Feb.  19,  1847,  the  Legisla- 
ture, by  special  permission  of  Congress,  declared  that 
all  Government  lands  sold  to  settlers  should  be  im- 
mediately subject  to  State  taxation;  before  this  they 
were  exempt  for  five  years  after  sale.  By  this  ar- 
rangement the  revenue  was  materially  increased. 
About  the  same  time,  the  distribution  of  Government 
land  warrants  among  the  Mexican  soldiers  as  bounty 
threw  upon  the  market  a  great  quantity  of  good 
lands,  and  this  enhanced  the  settlement  of  the  State. 
The  same  Legislature  authorized,  with  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Governor,  the  sale  of  the  Northern 
Cross  Railroad  (from  Springfield  to  Meredosia,  the 
first  in  the  State  and  now  a  section  of  the  Wabash, 
St.  Louis  &  Pacific)  It  sold  for  $100,000  in  bonds, 
although  it  had  cost  the  State  not  less  than  a  million. 
The  salt  wells  and  canal  lands  in  the  Saline  reserve 
in  Gallatin  County,  granted  by  the  general  Govern- 
ment to  the  State,  were  also  authorized  by  the 
Governor  to  be  sold,  to  apply  on  the  State  debt.  In 
1850,  for  the  first  time  since  1839,  the  accruing  State 
revenue,  exclusive  of  specific  appropriations,  was 
sufficient  to  meet  the  current  demands  upon  the 
treasury.  The  aggregate  taxable  property  of  the 
State  at  this  time  was  over  $100,000,000,  and  the 
I  y  population  851,470. 


I 


In  1849  the  Legislature  adopted  the  township  or- 
ganization law,  which,  however,  proved  defective, 
and  was  properly  amended  in  185  r.  At  its  session 
in  the  latter  year,  the  General  Assembly  also  passed 
a  law  to  exempt  homesteads  from  sale  on  executions. 
This  beneficent  measure  had  been  repeatedly  urged 
upon  that  body  by  Gov.  French. 

In  1850  some  business  men  in  St.  Louis  com- 
menced to  build  a  dike  opposite  the  lower  part  of 
their  city  on  the  Illinois  side,  to  keep  the  Mississippi 
in  its  channel  near  St.  Louis,  instead  of  breaking 
away  from  them  as  it  sometimes  threatened  to  do. 
This  they  undertook  without  permission  from  the 
Legislature  or  Executive  authority  of  this  State  ;  and 
as  many  of  the  inhabitants  there  complained  thai 
the  scheme  would  inundate  and  ruin  much  valuable 
land,  there  was  a  slight  conflict  of  jurisdictions,  re- 
sulting in  favor  of  the  St.  Louis  project;  and  since 
then  a  good  site  has  existed  there  for  a  city  (East  St. 
Louis),  and  now  a  score  of  railroads  center  there. 

It  was  in  September,  1850,  that  Congress  granted 
to  this  State  nearly  3,000,000  acres  of  land  in  aid  of 
the  completion  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad, 
which  constituted  the  most  important  epoch,  in  the 
railroad — we  might  say  internal  improvement — his- 
tory of  the  State.  The  road  was  rushed  on  to  com- 
pletion, which  accelerated  the  settlement  of  the  in- 
terior of  the  State  by  a  good  class  of  industrious  citi- 
zens, and  by  the  charter  a  good  income  to  the  State 
Treasury  is  paid  in  from  the  earnings  of  the  road. 

In  185  i  the  Legislature  passed  a.  law  authorizing 
free  stock  banks,  which  was  the  source  of  much  leg- 
islative discussion  for  a  number  of  years. 

But  we  have  not  space  further  to  particularize 
concerning  legislation.  Gov.  French's  administra- 
tion was  not  marked  by  any  feature  to  be  criticised, 
while  the  country  was  settling  up  as  never  before. 

In  stature,  Gov.  French  was  of  medium  height, 
squarely  built,  light  complexioned,  with  ruddy  face 
and  pleasant  countenance.  In  manners  he  was 
plain  and  agreeable.  By  nature  he  was  somewhat 
diffident,  but  he  was  often  very  outspoken  in  his  con- 
victions of  duty.  In  public  spjech  he  was  not  an 
orator,  but  was  chaste,  earnest  and  persuasive.  In 
business  he  was  accurate  and  methodical,  and  in  his 
administration  he  kept  up  the  credit  of  the  State. 

He  died  in  1865,  at  his  home  in  Lebanon,  St. 
Clair  Co.,  111. 

•»    I 


:f 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


4 


'47 


3:OEL  A.  MATTESON,  Governor 
1 85  3-6,  was  born  Aug.  8,  1808, 
in  Jefferson  County,  New  York, 
to  which  place  his  father  had  re- 
moved from  Vermont  three  years 
before.  His  father  was  a  farmer 
in  fair  circumstances,  but  a'com- 
mon  English  education  was  all 
that  his  only  son  received.  Young 
Joel  first  tempted  fortune  as  a 
small  tradesman  in  Prescott, 
Canada,  before  he  was  of  age. 
He  returned  from  that  place  to 
his  home,  entered  an  academy, 
taught  school,  visited  the  prin- 
cipal Eastern  cities,  improved  a  farm  his  father  had 
given  him,  made  a  tour  in  the  South,  worked  there 
in  building  railroads,  experienced  a  storm  on  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  visited  the  gold  diggings  of  Northern 
Georgia,  and  returned  via  Nashville  to  St.  Louis  and 
through  Illinois  to  his  father's  home,  when  he  mar- 
ried. In  1833,  having  sold  his  farm,  he  removed, 
with  his  wife  and  one  child,  to  Illinois,  and  entered 
a  claim  on  Government  land  near  the  head  of  An 
SaMe  River,  in  what  is-  now  Kendall  County.  At 
that  time  there  were  not  more  than  two  neighbors 
within  a  range  of  ten  miles  of  his  place,  and  only 
three  or  four  houses  between  him  and  Chicago.  He 
opened  a  large  farm.  His  family  \ras  boarded  f 


miles  away  while  he  erected  a  house  on  his  claim, 
sleeping,  during  this  time,  under  a  rude  pole  shed. 
Here  his  life  was  once  placed  in  imminent  peril  by 
a  huge  prairie  rattlesnake  sharing  his  bed. 

In  1835  he  bought  largely  at  the  Government  land 
sales.  During  the  speculative  real-estate  mania  which 
broke  out  in  Chicago  in  1836  and  spread  over  the  State, 
he  sold  his  lands  under  the  inflation  of  that  period 
and  removed  to  Joliet.  In  1838  he  became  a  heavy 
contractor  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal.  Upon 
the  completion  of  his  job  in  1841,  when  hard  times 
prevailed,  business  at  a  stand,  contracts  paid  in  State 
scrip;  when  all  the  public  works  except  the  canal 
were  abandoned,  the  State  offered  for  sale  700  tons 
of  railroad  iron,  which  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Mat- 
teson  at  a  bargain.  This  he  accepted,  shipped  and 
sold  at  Detroit,  realizing  a  very  handsome  profit, 
enough  to  pay  off  all  his  canal  debts  and  leave  him  a 
surplus  of  several  thousand  dollars.  His  enterprise 
next  prompted  him  to  start  a  woolen  mill  at  Joliet, 
in  which  he  prospered,  and  which,  after  successive 
enlargements,  became  an  enormous  establishment. 

In  1842  he  was  first  elected  a  State  Senator,  but, 
by  a  bungling  apportionment,  John  Pearson,  a  Senator 
holding  over,  was  found  to  be  in  the  same  district, 
and  decided  to  be  entitled  to  represent  it.  Mat- 
teson's  seat  was  declared  vacant.  Pearson,  however, 
with  a  nobleness  difficult  to  appreciate  in  this  day  of 


f 


148 


JOEL  A.  MATTESON. 


I 


greed  for  office,  unwilling  to  represent  his  district 
under  the  circumstances,  immediately  resigned  his 
unexpired  term  of  two  years.  A  bill  was  passed  in  a 
few  hours  ordering  a  new  election,  and  in  ten  days' 
time  Mr.  Matteson  was  returned  re-elected  and  took 
his  seat  as  Senator.  From  his  well-known  capacity 
as  a  business  man,  he  was  made  Chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Finance,  a  position  he  held  during 
this  half  and  two  full  succeeding  Senatorial  terms, 
discharging  its  important  duties  with  ability  and  faith- 
fulness. Besides  his  extensive  woolen-mill  interest, 
when  work  was  resumed  on  the  canal  under  the  new 
loan  of  $r, 600,000  he  again  became  a  heavy  con- 
tractor, and  also  subsequently  operated  largely  in 
building  railroads.  Thus  he  showed  himself  a  most 
energetic  and  thorough  business  man. 

He  was  nominated  for  Governor  by  the  Demo- 
cratic State  Convention  which  met  at  Springfield 
April  20,  1852.  Other  candidates  before  the  Con- 
vention were  D.  L.  Gregg  and  F.  C.  Sherman,  of 
Cook ;  John  Dement,  of  Lee  ;  Thomas  L.  Harris,  of 
Menard;  Lewis  W.  Ross, of  Fulton;  and  D.  P.  Bush, 
of  Pike.  Gustavus  Koerner,  of  St.  Clair,  was  nom- 
inated for  Lieutenant  Governor.  For  the  same  offices 
th.e  Whigs  nominated  Edwin  B.  Webb  and  Dexter  A. 
Knowlton.  Mr.  Matteson  received  80,645  votes  at 
the  election,  while  Mr.  Webb  received  64,408.  Mat- 
teson's  forte  was  not  on  the  stump;  he  had  not  cul- 
tivated the  art  of  oily  flattery,  or  the  faculty  of  being 
all  things  to  all  men.  His  intellectual  qualities  took 
rather  the  direction  of  efficient  executive  ability.  His 
turn  consisted  not  so  much  in  the  adroit  manage- 
ment of  party,  or  the  powerful  advocacy  of  great  gov- 
ernmental principles,  as  in  those  more  solid  and 
enduring  operations  which  cause  the  physical  devel- 
opment and  advancement  of  a  State, — of  commerce 
and  business  enterprise,  into  which  he  labored  with 
success  to  lead  the  people.  As  a  politician  he  was 
just  and  liberal  in  his  views,  and  both  in  official  and 
private  life  he  then  stood  untainted  and  free  from 
blemish.  As  a  man,  in  active  benevolence,  social 
rirtues  and  all  the  amiable  qualities  of  neighbor  or 
citizen,  he  had  few  superiors.  His  messages  present 
a  perspicuous  array  of  facts  as  to  the  condition  of  the 
State,  and  are  often  couched  in  forcible  and  elegant 
diction. 

The  greatest  excitement  during  his  term  of  office 
was  the  repeal  of  trie  Missouri  Compromise,  by  Con- 


gress, under  the  leadership  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas  in 
1854,  when  the  bill  was  passed  organizing  the  Terri- 
tory of  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  A  large  portion  of 
the  Whig  party  of  the  North,  through  their  bitter  op- 
position  to  the  Democratic  party,  naturally  drifted 
into  the  doctrine  of  anti-slavery,  and  thus  led  to  what 
was  temporarily  called  the  "Anti-Nebraska"  party, 
while  the  followers  of  Douglas  were  known  us  "  Ne- 
braska or  Douglas  Democrats."  It  was  during  this 
embryo  stage  of  the  Republican  party  that  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  brought  forward  as  the  "Anti-Nebraska  " 
candidate  for  the  United  States  Senatorship,  wh  le 
Gen.  James  Shields,  the  incumbent,  was  re-nom- 
inated by  the  Democrats.  But  after  a  fewballotings 
in  the  Legislature  (1855),  these  men  were  dropped, 
and  Lyman  Trumbull,  an  Anti-Nebraska  Democrat, 
was  brought  up  by  the  former,  and  Mr.  Matteson, 
then  Governor,  by  the  latter.  On  the  nth  ballot 
Mr.  Trumbull  obtained  one  majority,  and  was 'ac- 
cordingly declared  elected.  Before  Gov.  Matteson  s 
term  expired,  the  Republicans  were  fully  organized 
as  a  national  party,  and  in  1856  put  into  the  field  a 
full  national  and  State  ticket,  carrying  the  State,  but 
not  the  nation. 

The  Legislature  of  1855  passed  two  very  import- 
ant measures, — the  present  free-school  system  and  a 
submission  of  the  Maine  liquor  law  to  a  vote  of  the 
people.  The  latter  was  defeated  by  a  small  majority 
of  the  popular  vote. 

During  the  four  years  of  Gov.  Matteson 's  admin- 
istration the  taxable  wealth  of  the  State  was  about 
trebled,  from  $137,818.079  to  $349,951,272;  the  pub- 
lic debt  w:is  reduced  from  $17,398,985  to  $[2,843,- 
144;  taxation  was  at  the  same  time  reduced,  and  the 
State  resumed  paying  interest  on  its  debt  in  New 
York  as  fast  as  it  fell  due;  railroads  were  increased 
in  their  mileage  from  something  les,s  than  400  to 
about  3,000 ;  and  the  population  of  Chicago  was 
nearly  doubled,  and  its  commerce  more  than  quad- 
rupled. 

Before  closing  this  account,  we  regret  that  we  have 
to  say  that  Mr.  Matteson,  in  all  other  res]>ects  an 
upright  man  and  a  good  Governor,  was  implicated 
in  a  false  re-issue  of  redeemed  canal  scrip,  amount- 
ing to  $224,182.66.  By  a  suit  in  the  Sangamon  Cir-  - 
cuit  Court  the  State  recovered  the  principal  and  all 
the  interest  excepting  $27,500. 

He  died  in   the  winter  of  1872-3,  at  Chicago. 


V  -  ~Y 

OF  THE 

—    YC 


(•I 


i 


GO  VEKNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


VVV.V'i^.-'rVW^ii^r'^^^ 


ILLIAM  H.  BISSELL,  Gov- 
ernor 1857-60,  was  born 
f'f$  April  25,  1811,  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  near 
Painted  Post,  Yates  County. 
His  parents  were  obscure, 
honest,  God-fearing  people, 
who  reared  their  children  under  the  daily 
example  of  industry  and  frugality,  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  that  class  of  Eastern 
society.  Mr.  Bissell  received  a  respecta- 
ble but  not  thorough  academical  education. 
By  assiduous  application  he  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  medicine,  and  in  his  early 
manhood  came  West  and  located  in  Mon- 
roe County,  this  State,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  that  profession.  But  he  was  not  enam- 
ored of  his  calling:  he  was  swayed  by  a  broader 
ambition,  to  such  an  extent  that  the  mysteries  of  the 
healing  art  and  its  arduous  duties  failed  to  yield  him 
further  any  charms.  In  a  few  years  he  discovered 
his  choice  of  a  profession  to  be  a  mistake,  and  when 
he  approached  the  age  of  30  he  sought  to  begin 
anew.  Dr.  Bissell,  no  doubt  unexpectedly  to  him- 
self, discovered  a  singular  facility  and  charm  of 
speech,  the  exercise  of  which  acquired  for  him  a 
ready  local  notoriety.  It  soon  came  to  be  under- 


stood that  he  desired  to  abandon  his  profession  and 
take  up  that  of  the  law.  During  terms  of  Court  he 
would  spend  his  time  at  the  county  seat  among  the 
members  of  the  Bar,  who  extended  to  him  a  ready 
welcome.  « 

It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  he  should  drift 
into  public  life.  In  1840  he  was  elected  as  a  Dem- 
ocrat to  the  Legislature  from  Monroe  County,  and 
was  an  efficient  member  of  that  body.  On  his  re- 
turn home  he  qualified  himself  for  admission  to  the 
Bar  and  speedily  rose  to  the  front  rank  as  an  advo- 
cate. His  powers  of  oratory  were  captivating.  With  a 
pure  diction,  charming  and1  inimitable  gestures, 
clearness  of  statement,  and  a  remarkable  vein  of  sly 
humor,  his  efforts  before  a  jury  told  with  irresistible 
effect.  He  was  chosen  by  the  Legislature  Prosecut- 
ing Attorney  for  the  Circuit  in  which  he  lived,  and 
in  that  position  he  fully  discharged  his  duty  to  the 
State,  gained  the  esteem  of  the  Bar,  and  seldom 
failed  to  convict  the  offender  of  the  law. 

In  stature  he  was  somewhat  tall  and  slender,  and 
with  a  straight,  military  bearing,  he  presented  a  dis- 
tinguished appearance.  His  complexion  was  dark, 
his  head  well  poised,  though  not  large,  his  address 
pleasant  and  manner  winning.  He  was  exemplary 
in  his  habits,  a  devoted  husband  and  kind  parent. 
He  was  twice  married,  the  first  time  to  Miss  James, 


15* 


WILLIAM  H.  BISSELL. 


of  Monroe  County,  by  whom  he  had  two  children, 
both  daughters.  She  died  soon  after  the  year  1840, 
and  Mr.  B.  married  for  his  second  wife  a  daughter 
of  Elias  K.  Kane,  previously  a  United  States  Senator 
from  this  State.  She  survived  him  but  a  short  time, 
and  died  without  issue. 

When  the  war  with  Mexico  was  declared  in  1846, 
Mr.  Bissell  enlisted  and  was  elected  Colonel  of  his 
regiment,  over  Hon.  D.on  Morrison,  by  an  almost 
unanimous  vote,— 807  to  6.  Considering  the  limited 
opportunities  he  had  had,  he  evinced  a  high  order  of 
military  talent.  On  the  bloody  field  of  Buena  Vista 
he  acquitted  himself  with  intrepid  and  distinguished 
ability,  contributing  with  his  regiment,  the  Second 
Illinois,  in  no  small  degree  toward  saving  the  waver- 
ing fortunes  of  our  arms  during  that  long  and  fiercely 
contested  battle. 

After  his  return  home,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  lie 
was  elected  to  Congress,  his  opponents  being  the 
Hons.  P.  B.  Fouke  and  Joseph  Gillespie.  He  served 
two  terms  in  Congress.  He  was  an  ardent  politician. 
During  the  great  contest  of  1850  he  voted  in  favor 
of  the  adjustment  measures;  but  in  1854  he  opposed 
the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  act  and 
therefore  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  of  Douglas,  and 
thus  became  identified  with  the  nascent  Republican 
party. 

During  his  first  Congressional  term,  while  the 
Southern  members  were  following  their  old  practice 
of  intimidating  the  North  by  bullying  language, 
and  claiming  most  of  the  credit  for  victories  in  the 
Mexican  War,  Ad  Jefferson  Davis  claiming  for  the 
Mississippi  troops  all  the  credit  for  success  at  Buena 
Vista,  Mr.  Bissell  bravely  defended  the  Northern 
troops ;  whereupon  Davis  challenged  Bissell  to  a  duel, 
which  was  accepted.  This  matter  was  brought  up 
against  Bissell  when  he  was  candidate  for  Governor 
and  during  his  term  of  office,  as  the  Constitution  of 
this  State  forbade  any  duelist  from  holding  a  State 
office. 

In  1856,  when  the  Republican  party  first  put  forth 
a  candidate,  John  C.  Fremont,  for  President  of  the 
United  States,  the  same  party  nominated  Mr.  Bissell 
for  Governor  of  Illinois,  and  John  Wood,  of  Quincy, 
for  Lieutenant  Governor,  while  the  Democrats  nomi- 
nated Hon.  W.  A.  Richardson,  of  Adams  County, 
for  Governor,  and  Col.  R.  J.  Hamilton,  of  Cook 
County,  for  Lieutenant  Governor.  The  result  of  the 


election  was  a  plurality  of  4,729  votes  over  Richard- 
son. The  American,  or  Know-Nothing,  party  had  a 
ticket  in  the  field.  The  Legislature  was  nearly  bal- 
anced, but  was  politically  opposed  to  the  Governor. 
His  message  to  the  Legislature  was  short  and  rather 
ordinary,  and  was  criticised  for  expressing  the  sup- 
posed obligations  of  the  people  to  the  incorporators 
of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company  and  for  re- 
opening the  slavery  question  by  allusions  to  the 
Kansas  troubles.  Late  in  the  session  an  apportion- 
ment bill,  based  upon  the  State  census  of  1855,  was 
passed,  amid  much  partisan  strife.  The  Governor 
at  first  signed  the  bill  and  then  vetoed  it.  A  furious 
debate  followed,  and  the  question  whether  the  Gov- 
ernor had  the  authority  to  recall  a  signature  was 
referred  to  the  Courts,  that  of  last  resort  deciding  in 
favor  of  the  Governor.  Two  years  afterward  another 
outrageous  attempt  was  made  for  a  re-apportionment 
and  to  gerrymander  the  State,  but  the  Legislature 
failed  to  pass  the  bill  over  the  veto  of  the  Governor. 

It  was  during  Gov.  Bissell's  administration  that 
the  notorious  canal  scrip  fraud  was  brought  to  light, 
implicating  ex-Gov.  Matteson  and  other  prominent 
State  officials.  The  principal  and  interest,  aggregat- 
ing $255,500,  was  all  recovered  by  the  State  except- 
ing $27,500.  (See  sketch  of  Gov.  Matteson.) 

In  1859  an  attempt  was  discovered  to  fraudu- 
lently refund  the  Macalister  and  Stebbins  bonds  and 
thus  rob  the  State  Treasury  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
million  dollars.  The  State  Government  was  impli- 
cated in  this  affair,  and  to  this  day  remains  unex- 
plained or  unatoned  for.  For  the  above,  and  other 
matters  previously  mentioned,  Gov.  Bissell  has  been 
severely  criticised,  and  he  has  also  been  most  shame- 
fully libelled  and  slandered. 

On  account  of  exposure  in  the  army,  the  remote 
cause  of  a  nervous  form  of  disease  gained  entrance 
into  his  system  and  eventually  developed  paraplegia, 
affecting  his  lower  extremities,  which,  while  it  left 
his  body  in  comparative  health,  deprived  him  of  loco- 
motion except  by  the  aid  of  crutches.  While  he  was 
generally  hopeful  of  ultimate  recovery,  this  myste- 
rious disease  pursued  him,  without  once  relaxing  its 
stealthy  hold,  to  the  close  of  his  life,  March  18, 
1860,  over  nine  months  before  the  expiration  of  his 
gubernatorial  term,  at  the  early  age  of  48  years.  He 
died  in  the  faith  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  of 
which  he  hart  been  a  member  since  1854. 


CVi*HJiniOlf 


Gi.  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


'55 


OHN  WOOD,  Governor  1860-1,  and 
the  first  settler  of  Quincy,  111., 
was  bom  in  the  town  of  Sempro- 
nius  (now  Moravia),  Cayuga  Co., 
N.  Y.,  Dec.  20,  1798.  He  was 
the  second  child  and  only  son  of 
Dr.  Daniel  Wood.  His  mother, 
nee  Catherine  Crause,  was  of 
German  parentage,  and  died 
while  he  was  an  infant.  Dr. 
Wood  was  a  learned  and  skillful 
physician,  of  classical  attain- 
ments and  proficient  in  several 
modern  languages,  who,  after 
serving  throughout  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  as  a  Surgeon,  settled  on  the  land  granted 
him  by  the  Government,  and  resided  there  a  re- 
spected and  leading  influence  in  his  section  until  his 
death,  at  the  ripe  age  of  92  years. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  impelled  by  the  spirit 
of  Western  adventure  then  pervading  everywhere, 
left  his  home,  Nov.  2,  1818,  and  passed  the  succeed- 
ing winter  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The  following  sum- 
mer he  pushed  on  to  Illinois,  landing  at  Shawneetown, 
and  spent  the  fall  and  following  winter  in  Calhoun 
County.  In  1820,  in  company  with  Willard  Keyes, 
he  settled  in  Pike  County,  about  30  miles  southeast 
of  Quincy,  where  for  the  next  two  years  he  pursued 
farming.  In  1821  he  visited  "the  Bluffs"  (as  the 
present  site  of  Quincy  was  called,  then  uninhabited) 
and,  pleased  with  its  prospects,  soon  after  purchased 
a  quarter-section  of  land  near  by,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing fall  (1822)  erected  near  the  river  a  small  cabin, 


18  x  20  feet,  the  first  building  in  Quincy,  of  which 
he  then  became  the  first  and  for  some  months  the 
only  occupant. 

About  this  time  he  visited  his  old  friends  in  Pike 
County,  chief  of  whom  was  William  Ross,  the  lead- 
ing man  in  building  up  the  village  of  Atlas,  of  that 
county,  which  was  thought  then  to  be  the  possible 
commencement  of  a  city.  One  day  they  and  others 
were  traveling  together  over  the  country  between  the 
two  points  named,  making  observations  on  the  com- 
parative merits  of  the  respective  localities.  On  ap- 
proaching the  Mississippi  near  Mr.  Wood's  place, 
the  latter  told  his  companions  to  follow  him  and  he 
would  show  them  where  he  was  going  to  build  a  city. 
They  went  about  a  mile  off  the  main  trail,  to  a  high 
point,  from  which  the  view  in  every  direction  was 
most  magnificent,  as  it  had  been  for  ages  and  as  yet 
untouched  by  the  hand  of  man.  "Before  them  swept 
by  the  majestic  Father  of  Waters,  yet  unburdened  by 
navigation.  After  Mr.  Wood  had  expatiated  at 
length  on  the  advantages  of  the  situation,  Mr.  Ross 
replied,  "  But  it's  too  near  Atlas  ever  to  amount  to 
anything!" 

Atlas  is  still  a  cultivated  farm,  and  Quincy  is  a 
city  of  over  30,000  population. 

In  1824  Mr.  Wood  gave  a  newspaper  notice, 
as  the  law  then  prescribed,  of  his  intention  to  apply 
to  the  General  Assembly  for  the  formation  of  a  new 
county.  This  was  done  the  following  winter,  result- 
ing in  the  establishment  of  the  present  Adams 
County.  During  the  next  summer  Quincy  was  se- 
lected as  the  county  seat,  it  and  the  vicinity  then 
containing  but  four  adult  male  residents  and  half 


JOHN  WOOD. 


that  number  of  females.  Sinoe  that  period  Mr. 
Wood  resided  at  the  place  of  his  early  adoption  un- 
til his  death,  and  far  more  than  any  other  man  was 
he  identified  with  every  measure  of  its  progress  and 
history,  and  almost  continuously  kept  in  public  posi- 
tions. 

He  was  one  of  the  early  town  Trustees,  and  after 
the  place  became  a  city  he  was  often  a  member  of 
the  City  Council,  many  times  elected  Mayor,  in  the 
face  of  a  constant  large  opposition  political  majority. 
In  1850  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate.  In  1856, 
on  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  he  was 
chosen  Lieutenant  Governor  of  the  State,  on  the 
ticket  with  Win.  H.  Bissell  for  Governor,  and  on  the 
death  of  the  latter,  March  18,  1860,  he  succeeded  to 
the  Chief  Executive  chair,  which  he  occupied  until 
Gov.  Yates  was  inaugurated  nearly  ten  months  after- 
ward. 

Nothing  very  marked  characterized  the  adminis- 
tration of  Gov.  Wood.  The  great  anti-slavery  cam- 
paign of  1860,  resulting  in  the  election  of  the  honest 
Illinoisan,  Abraham  Lincoln,  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
United  States,  occurred  during  the  short  period 
while  Mr.  Wood  was  Governor,  and  tiie  excitement 
and  issues  of  that  struggle  dominated  over  every 
other  consideration, — indeed,  supplanted  them  in  a 
great  measure.  The  people  of  Illinois,  during  all 
that  time,  were  passing  the  comparatively  petty  strifes 
under  Bissell's  administration  to  the  overwhelming 
issue  of  preserving  the  whole  nacion  from  destruction. 

In  1861  ex-Gov.  Wood  was  one  of  the  five  Dele- 
gates from  Illinois  to  the  "  Peace  Convention  "  at 
Washington,  and  in  April  of  the  same  year,  on  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  he  was  appointed 


Quartermaster-General  of  the  State,  which  position 
he  held  throughout  the  war.  In  1864  he  took  com- 
mand as  Colonel  of  the  i37th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  with 
whom  he  served  until  the  period  of  enlistment  ex- 
pired. 

Politically,  Gov.  Wood  was  always  actively  identi- 
fied with  the  Whig  and  Republican  parties.  Few 
men  have  in  personal  experience  comprehended  so 
many  surprising  and  advancing  local  changes  as 
vested  in  the  more  than  half  century  recollections  of 
Gov.  Wood.  Sixty- four  years  ago  a  solitary  settler 
on  the  "Bluffs,"  with  no  family,  and  no  neighbor 
within  a  score  of  miles,  the  world  of  civilization  away 
behind  him,  and  the  strolling  red-man  almost  his 
only  visitant,  he  lived  to  see  growing  around  him, 
and  under  his  auspices  and  aid,  overspreading  the 
wild  hills  and  scraggy  forest  a  teaming  city,  second 
only  in  size  in  the  State,  and  surpassed  nowhere  in 
beauty,  prosperity  and  promise ;  whose  people  recog- 
nize as  with  a  single  voice  the  proverbial  honor  and 
liberality  that  attach  to  the  name  and  lengthened 
life  of  their  pioneer  settler,  "the  old  Governor." 

Gov.  Wood  was  twice  married, — first  in  January, 
1826,  to  Ann  M.  Streeter,  daughter  of  Joshua  Streeter, 
formerly  of  Salem,  Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.  They  had 
eight  children.  Mrs.  W.  died  Oct.  8,  1863,  and  in 
June,  1865,  Gov.  Wood  married  Mrs.  Mary  A.,  widow 
of  Rev.  Joseph  T.  Holmes.  Gov.  Wood  died  June  4, 
1880,  at  his  residence  in  Quiiicy.  Four  of  his  eight 
children  are  now  living,  namely:  Ann  E.,  wife  of 
Gen.  John  Till  son;  Daniel  C.,  who  married  Mary  J. 
Abernethy;  John,  Jr.,  who  married  Josephine  Skinner, 
and  Joshua  S.,  who  married  Annie  Bradley.  The 
last  mentioned  now  resides  at  Atchison,  Kansas,  and 
all  the  rest  are  still  at  Quincy. 


t       * 

T.-Y  IF 


GOVERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


4 


'59    ,  , 


HCHARD  YATES,  the  "War 
Governor,"  1861-4,  was  born 
Jan.  18,  1818,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Ohio  River,  at  Warsaw, 
Gallatin  Co.,  Ky.  His  father 
moved  in  1831  to  Illinois,  and 
afier  stopping  for  a  time  in 
Springfield,  settled  at  Island 
Grove,  Sangamon  County.  Here, 
after  attending  school,  Richard  joined 
the  family.  Subsequently  he  entered 
Illinois  College  at  Jacksonville, 
where,  in  1837,  he  graduated  with 
first  honors.  He  chose  for  his  pro- 
fession the  la*,  the  Hon.  J.  J.  Har- 
din  being  his  instructor.  After  ad- 
mission to  the  Bar  he  soon  rose  to  distinction  as  an 
advocate. 

Gifted  with  a  fluent  and  ready  oratory,  he  soon 
appeared  in  the  political  hustings,  and,  being  a 
passionate  admirer  of  the  great  Whig  leader  of  the 
West,  Henry  Clay,  he  joined  his  political  fortunes  to 
the  party  of  his  idol.  In  1840  he  engaged  with  great 
ardor  in  the  exciting  "  hard  cider  "  campaign  for 
Harrison.  Two  years  later  he  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature  from  Morgan  County,  a  Democratic 
stronghold.  He  served  three  or  four  terms  in  the 
Legislature,  and  such  was  the  fascination  of  his  ora- 
tory that  by  1850  his  large  Congressional  District, 
extending  from  Morgan  and  Sangamon  Counties 
ivjrth  to  include  LaSalle,  unanimously  tendered  him 
the  Whig  nomination  for  Congress.  His  Democratic 
opponent  was  Maj.  Thomas  L.  Harris,  a  very  pop- 
ular man  who  had  won  distinction  at  the  battle  of 
Ccrro  Gordo,  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  who  had 
beaten  Hon.  Stephen  T.  Logan  for  the  same  position, 


two  years  before,  by  a  large  majority.  Yates  was 
elected.  Two  years  later  he  was  re-elected,  over 
John  Calhoun. 

It  was  during  Yates'  second  term  in  Congress  that 
the  great  question  of  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Com- 
promise was  agitated,  and  the  bars  laid  down  for  re- 
opening the  dreaded  anti-slavery  question.  He  took 
strong  grounds  against  the  repeal,  and  thus  became 
identified  with  the  rising  Republican  party.  Conse- 
quently he  fell  into  the  minority  in  his  district,  which 
was  pro-slavery.  Even  then,  in  a  third  contest,  he 
fell  behind  Major  Harris  only  200  votes,  after  the 
district  had  two  years  before  given  Pierce  2,000 
majority  for  President. 

The  Republican  State  Convention  of  1860  met  at 
Decatur  May  9,  and  nominated  for  the  office  of  Gov- 
ernor Mr.  Yates,  in  preference  to  Hon.  Norman  B. 
Judd,  of  Chicago^  and  Leonard  Swett,  of  Blooming- 
ton,  two  of  the  ablest  men  of  the  State,  who  were 
also  candidates  before  the  Convention.  Francis  A. 
Hoffman,  of  DuPage  County,  was  nominated  for 
Lieutenant  Governor.  This  was  the  year  when  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  a  candidate  for  President,  a  period  re- 
membered as  characterized  by  the  great  whirlpool 
which  precipitated  the  bloody  War  of  the  Rebellion. 
The  Douglas  Democrats  nominated  J.  C.  Allen  of 
Crawford  County,  for  Governor,  and  Lewis  W.  Ross, 
of  Fulton  County,  for  Lieutenant  Governor.  The 
Breckenridge  Democrats  and  the  Bell-Everett  party 
had  also  full  tickets  in  the  field.  After  a  most  fear- 
ful campaign,  the  result  of  the  election  gave  Mr. 
Yates  172,196  votes,  and  Mr.  Allen  159,253.  Mr. 
Yates  received  over  a  thousand  more  votes  than  did 
Mr.  Lincoln  himself. 

Gov.  Yates  occupied  the  chair  of  State  during  the 


t 


i6o 


RICHARD    YATES. 


most  critical  period  of  our  country's  history.  In  the 
fate  of  the  nation  was  involved  that  of  each  State. 
The  life  struggle  of  the  former  derived  its  sustenance 
from  the  loyalty  of  the  latter;  and  Gov.  Yates 
seemed  to  realize  the  situation,  and  proved  himself 
both  loyal  and,  wise  in  upholding  the  Government. 
He  had  a  deep  hold  upon  the  affections  of  the 
people,  won  by  his  moving  eloquence  and  genial 
manners.  Erect  and  symmetrical  in  person,  of  pre- 
possessing appearance,  with  a  winning  address  and  a 
magnetic  power,  few  men  possessed  more  of  the  ele- 
ments of  popularity.  His  oratory  was  scholarly  and 
captivating,  his  hearers  hardly  knowing  why  they 
were  transported.  He  was  social  and  convivial.  In 
the  latter  respect  he  was  ultimately  carried  too  far. 

The  very  creditable  military  efforts  of  this  State 
during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  in  putting  into  the 
field  the  enormous  number  of  about  200,000  soldiers, 
were  ever  promptly  and  ably  seconded  by  his  excel- 
lency ;  and  the  was  ambitious  to  deserve  the  title  of 
"the  soldier's  friend."  Immediately  after  the  battle  of 
Shiloh  he  repaired  to  the  field  of  carnage  to  look 
after  the  wounded,  and  his  appeals  for  aid  were 
promptly  responded  to  by  the  people.  His  procla- 
mations calling  for  volunteers  were  impassionate 
appeals,  urging  upon  the  people  the  duties  and  re- 
quirements of  patriotism;  and  his  special  message 
in  1863  to  the  Democratic  Legislature  of  this  State 
pleading  for  material  aid  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  of  Illinois  regiments,  breathes  a  deep  fervor 
of  noble  sentiment  and  feeling  rarely  equaled  in 
beauty  or  felicity  of  expression.  Generally  his  mes- 
sages on  political  and  civil  affairs  were  able  and  com- 
prehensive. During  his  administration,  however, 
there  were  no  civil  events  of  an  engrossing  character, 
although  two  years  of  his  time  were  replete  with 
partisan  quarrels  of  great  bitterness.  Military  ar- 
rests, Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  riot  in  Fulton 
County,  attempted  suppression  of  the  Chicago  Times 
and  the  usurping  State  Constitutional  Convention  of 
1862,  were  the  chief  local  topics  that  were  exciting 
during  the  Governor's  term.  This  Convention  assem- 
bled Jan.  7,  and  at  once  took  the  high  position  that 
the  law  calling  it  was  no  longer  binding,  and  that  it 
had  supreme  power;  that  it  represented  a  virtual 
assemblage  of  the  whole  people  of  the  State,  and  was 
sovereign  in  the  exercise  of  all  power  necessary  to 
effect  a  peaceable  revolution  of  the  State  Government 


and  to  the  re-establishment  of  one  for  the  "happiness, 
prosperity  and  freedom  of  the  citizens,"  limited  only 
by  the  Federal  Constitution.  Notwithstanding  the 
law  calling  the  Convention  required  its  members  to 
take  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  State 
as  well  as  that  of  the  general  Government,  they 
utterly  refused  to  take  such  oath.  They  also  as- 
sumed legislative  powers  and  passed  several  import- 
ant "laws!"  Interfering  with  the  (then)  present 
executive  duties,  Gov.  Yates  was  provoked  to  tell 
them  plainly  that  "  he  did  not  acknowledge  the  right 
of  the  Convention  to  instruct  him  in  the  performance 
of  his  duty." 

In  1863  the  Governor  astonished  the  Democrats 
by  "  proroguing  "  their  Legislature.  This  body,  after 
a  recess,  met  June  2,  that  year,  and  soon  began  to 
waste  time  upon  various  partisan  resolutions ;  and, 
while  the  two  houses  were  disagreeing  upon  the 
question  of  adjourning  sine  die,  the  Governor,  having 
the  authority  in  such  cases,  surprised  them  all  by 
adjourning  them  "  to  the  Saturday  next  preceding  the 
first  Monday  in  January,  1865  !  "  This  led  to  great 
excitement  and  confusion,  and  to  a  reference  of  the 
Governor's  act  to  the  Supreme  Court,  who  decided  in 
liis  favor.  Then  it  was  the  Court's  turn  to  receive 
abuse  for  weeks  and  months  afterward. 

During  the  autumn  of  1864  a  conspiracy  was  de- 
tected at  Chicago  which  had  for  its  object  the  liber- 
ation of  the  prisoners  of  war  at  Camp  Douglas,  the 
burning  of  the  city  and  the  inauguration  of  rebellion 
in  the  North.  Gen.  Sweet,  who  had  charge  of  the 
camp  at  the  time,  first  had  his  suspicions  of  danger 
aroused  by  a  number  of  enigmatically  worded  letters 
which  passed  through  the  Camp  postoffice.  A  de- 
tective afterward  discovered  that  the  rebel  Gen. 
Marmaduke  was  in  the  city,  under  an  assumed 
name,  and  he,  with  other  rebel  officers — Grenfell, 
Morgan,  Cantrell,  Buckner  Morris,  and  Charles 
Walsh — was  arrested,  most  of  whom  were  convicted 
by  a  court-martial  at  Cincinnati  and  sentenced  to 
imprisonment, — Grenfell  to  be  hung.  The  sentence 
of  the  latter  was  afterward  commuted  to  imprison- 
ment for  life,  and  all  the  others,  after  nine  months' 
imprisonment,  were  pardoned. 

In  March,  1873,  Gov.  Yates  was  appointed  a  Gov- 
ernment Director  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  in 
which  office  he  continued  until  his  decease,  at  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  on  the  27th  of  November  following. 


1 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

'  <  *   -1INOIS 


GOVERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


163     t  , 


Michard  JT.  Ogles 

i 


UCHARD  J.  OGLESBY,  Gov- 
ernor 1865-8,  and  re-elected 
in  1872  and  1884,  was  born 
July  25,  1824,  in  Oldham  Co., 
Ky., — the  State  which  might 
s;.x  be  considered  the  "  mother  of 
Illinois  Governors."  Bereft  of 
his  parents  at  the  tender  age 
of  eight  years,  his  early  education 
was  neglected.  When  12  years  of 
age,  and  after  he  had  worked  a  year 
and  a  half  at  the  carpenter's  trade, 
he  removed  with  an  uncle,  Willis 
Oglesby,  into  whose  care  he  had 
been  committed,  to  Decatur,  this 
State,  where  he  continued  his  ap- 
prenticeship as  a  mechanic,  working  six  months  for 
Hon.  E.  O.  Smith. 

In  1844  he  commenced  studying  law  at  Spring- 
field, with  Judge  Silas  Robbins,  and  read  with  him 
one  year.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1845,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession  at 
Sullivan,  the  county  seat  of  Moultrie  County. 

The  next  year  the  war  with  Mexico  was  com- 
menced, and  in  June,  1846,  Mr.  Oglesby  volunteered, 
was  elected  First  Lieutenant  of  Co.  C,  Fourth  Illinois 
Regiment  of  Volunteers,  and  participated  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Vera  Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo. 

On  his  return  he  sought  to  perfect  his  law  studies 
by  attending  a  course  of  lectures  at  Louisville,  but 
on  the  breaking  out  of  the  California  "gold  fever  "  in 
1849,  he  crossed  the  plains  and  mountains  to  the 
new  Eldorado,  driving  a  six-mule  team,  with  a  com- 


pany  of  eight  men,  Henry  Prather  being  the  leader. 

In  1852  he  returned  home  to  Macon  County,  and 
was  placed  that  year  by  the  Whig  party  on  the  ticket 
of  Presidential  Electors.  In  1856  he  visited  Europe, 
Asia  and  Africa,  being  absent  20  months.  On  his 
return  home  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  as  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Gallagher,  Wait  &  Oglesby. 
In  1858  he  was  the  Republican  no.ainee  for  the 
Lower  House  of  Congress,  but  was  defeated  by  the 
Hon.  James  C.  Robinson,  Democrat.  In  1860  he 
was  elected  to  the  Illinois  State  Senate ;  and  on  the 
evening  the  returns  of  this  election  were  coming  in, 
Mr.  Oglesby  had  a  fisticuff  encounter  with  "  Cerro 
Gordo  Williams,"  in  which  he  came  out  victorious, 
and  which  was  regarded  as  "  the  first  fight  of  the 
Rebellion."  The  following  spring,  when  the  war 
had  commenced  in  earnest,  his  ardent  nature 
quickly  responded  to  the  demands  of  patriotism  and 
he  enlisted.  The  extra  session  of  the  Legislature 
elected  him  Colonel  of  the  Eighth  Illinois  Infantry, 
the  second  one  in  the  State  raised  to  suppress  the 
great  Rebellion. 

He  was  shortly  entrusted  with  important  com- 
mands. For  a  time  he  was  stationed  at  Bird's  Point 
and  Cairo;  in  April  he  was  promoted  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral ;  at  Fort  Donelson  his  brigade  was  in  the  van, 
being  stationed  on  the  right  of  General  Grant's  army 
and  the  first  brigade  to  be  attacked.  He  lost  500 
men  before  re-inforcements  arrived.  Many  of  these 
men  were  from  Macon  County.  He  was  engaged  in 
the  battle  of  Corinth,  and,  in  a  brave  charge  at  this 
place,  was  shot  in  the  left  lung  with  an  ounce  ball, 
and  was  carried  from  the  field  in  expectation  of  im- 


i 


t 


1  164 


RICHARD  J.    OGLESB  Y. 


mediate  death.  That  rebel  ball  he  carries  to  this 
day.  On  his  partial  recovery  he  was  promoted  as 
Major  General,  for  gillantry,  his  commission  to  rank 
from  November,  1862.  In  the  spring  of  1863  he 
was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  i6th  Army 
Corps,  but,  owing  to  inability  fro  n  the  effects  of  his 
wound,  he  relinquished  this  command  in  July,  that 
year.  Gen.  Grant,  however,  refused  to  accept  his 
resignation,  and  he  was  detailed,  in  December  follow- 
ing, to  court-;n  irtial  a  id  try  the  Surgeon  General  of 
the  Army  at  Washington,  where  he  remained  until 
May,  1864,  wh-'n  he  returned  home. 

The  Republican,  or  U  lion,  State  Convention  of 

1864  was  held  at  Springfield,   May   25,   when   Mr. 
Oglesby  was  nominated  for  the  office  of  Governor, 
while  other  candidates  before  the  Convention  were 
Allen  C.  Fuller,  of  Boone,  Jesse  K.  Dubois,  of  Sanga- 
mon,   and    John    M.    Palmer,  of  Macoupin.     Wm. 
Bross,   of  Chicago,    was   nominated  for  Lieutenant 
Governor.      On   the  Democratic   State  ticket  were 
James  C.   Robinson,  of  ('lark,  for  Governor,  and  S. 
Corning  Judd,  of  Fulton,  for   Lieutenant  Governor. 
The  general  election  gave  Gen.  Oglesby  a  majority 
of  about  31,000  votes.     The  Republicans  had  also  a 
majority  in  b.nh  thi  Legislature   and  in  the  repre- 
sentation in  Congress. 

Gov.  Oglesby  was  duly  inaugurated  Jan.  17,  1865. 
The  day  before  the  first  time  set  for  his  installation 
death  visited  his  lu  ne  at  Decatur,  and  took  from  it 
his  only  son,  an  intelligent  and  sprightly  lad  of  six 
years,  a  great  favorite  of  the  bereaved  parents.  This 
caused  the  inauguration  to  be  post|x>aed  a  week. 

The  political  events  of  the  Legislative  session  of 

1865  were   the   election   of  ex-Gov.    Yates   to  the 
United  States  Senate,  and  the  ratification  of  the  13111 
amend. nent  to  the  Constitutio.i  of  the  United  States, 
abolishing  slavery.      This   session    also    signalized 
itself  by  repealing  the  'v>torioa$  "  black  laws,"  part 
of  which,  although  a  dead  letter,  had  held  their  place 
upon  the  statute  books  since  1819.     Also,  laws  re- 
quiring the  registration  of  voters,  and  establishing  a 
State  Board  of  Equalization,  were  passed  by  this  Leg- 
islature.    But  the  same  body  evinced  that  it  was  cor- 
ruptly influenced  by  a  mercenary  lobby,  as  it  adopted 
some  bad  legislation,  over  the  Governor's  veto,  nota- 
bly an  amendment  to  a  charter  for  a  Chicago  horse 
railway,   granted    in     1859  for  25   years,   and   now 
sought  to  be  extended  99  years.     As   this  measure 
was  promptly  passed  ov*r  his  veto  by  both  branches 
of  the  Legislature,  he  deemed  it   useless  further  to 
attempt   to   check  their  headlong  career.     At   this 
session  no  law  of  a  general  useful  character  or  public 
interest   was  perfected,  unless   we  count  such  the 
turning  over  of  the  canal  to  Chicago  to  be  deepened. 
The  session  of  1867   was   still  more   productive  of 
private  and  special  acts.     Many  omnibus  bills  were 
ptoposed,  and  some  passed.     The  contests  over  the 
location  of  the   Industrial  College,  the  Capital,  the 

4. 


Southern    Penitentiary,  and   the  canal   enlargement 
and   Illinois   River  improvement,  dominated  every- 
thing else. 

During  the  year  1872,  it  became  evident  that  if 
the  Republicans  could  re-elect  Mr.  Oglesby  to  the 
office  of  Governor,  they  could  also  elect  him  to  the 
United  States  Senate,  which  they  desired  to  do. 
Accordingly  they  re-nominated  him  for  the  Execu- 
tive chair,  and  placed  upon  the  ticket  with  him  for 
Lieutenant  Governor,  John  L.  Beveridge,  of  Cook 
County.  On  the  other  side  the  Democrats  put  into 
the  field  Gustavus  Koerner  for  Governor  and  John 
C.  Black  for  Lieutenant  Governor.  The  election 
gave  the  Republican  ticket  majorities  ranging  from 
35>334  to  56,174, — the  Democratic  defection  being 
caused  mainly  by  their  having  an  old-time  Whig  and 
Abolitionist,  Horace  Greeley,  on  the  national  ticket 
for  President.  According  to  the  general  understand- 
ing had  beforehand,  as  soon  as  the  Legislature  met 
it  elected  Gov.  Oglesby  to  the  United  States  Senate, 
whereupon  Mr.  Beveridge  became  Governor.  Sena- 
tor Oglesby's  term  expired  March  4,  1879,  having 
served  his  party  faithfully  and  exhibited  an  order  of 
statesmanship  beyond  criticism. 

During  the  campaign  of  1884  Mr.  Oglesby  was 
nominated  for  a  "third  term"  as  Executive  of  the 
State  of  Illinois,  against  Carter  H.  Harrison,  Mayor 
of  Chicago,  nominated  by  the  Democrats.  Both 
gentlemen  "stumped  "  the  State,  and  while  the  peo- 
ple elected  a  Legislature  which  was  a  tie  on  a  joint 
ballot,  as  between  the  two  parties,  they  gave  the 
jovial  "  Dick"  Oglesby  a  majority  of  15,018  for  Gov- 
ernor, and  he  was  inaugurated  Jan.  30,  1885.  The 
Legislature  did  not  fully  organize  until  this  date,  on 
account  of  its  equal  division  between  the  two  main 
parties  and  the  consequent  desperate  tactics  of  each 
party  to  checkmate  the  latter  in  the  organization  of 
the  House. 

Gov.  Oglesby  is  a  fine-appearing,  affable  man,  with 
regular,  well  defined  features  and  rotund  face.  In 
stature  he  is  a  little  above  medium  height,  of  a  large 
frame  and  somewhat  fleshy.  His  physical  appear- 
ance is  striking  and  pre]x>ssessing,  while  his  straight- 
out,  not  to  say  bluff,  manner  and  speech  are  well 
calculated  favorably  to  impress  the  average  masses. 
Ardent  in  feeling  and  strongly  committed  to  the  pol- 
icies of  his  party,  he  intensifies  Republicanism 
among  Republicans,  while  at  the  same  time  his  jovial 
and  liberal  manner  prevents  those  of  the  opposite 
party  from  hating  him. 

He  is  quite  an  effective  stump  orator.  With  vehe- 
ment, passionate  and  scornful  tone  and  gestures, 
tremendous  physical  power,  which  in  speaking  he 
exercises  to  the  utmost;  with  frequent  descents  to 
the  grotesque;  and  with  abundant  homely  compari- 
sons or  frontier  figures,  expressed  in  the  broadest 
vernacular  and  enforced  with  stentorian  emphasis, 
he  delights  a  promiscuous  audience  beyond  measure. 


L 


f 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


167        k 


^^^ 

" 


'J  O  HN  M,  PA  L  HER 


^^ 


|:OHN  Me  AULEY  PALMER,  Gov- 
ernor 1869-72,  was  born  on 
Engle  Creek;  Scott  Co.,  Ky., 
Sept.  13,  1817.  During  his  in- 
fancy, his  father,  who  had  been 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  re- 
moved to  Christian  Co.,  Ky., 
where  lands  were  cheap.  Here 
the  future  Governor  of  the  great 
Prairie  State  spent  his  childhood 
and  received  such  meager  school- 
ing as  the  new  and  sparsely  set- 
tled country  afforded.  To  this 
he  added  materially  by  diligent 
reading,  for  which  he  evinced  an 
His  father,  an  ardent  Jackson  man, 
was  also  noted  for  his  anti-slavery  sentiments,  which 
he  thoroughly  impressed  upon  his  children.  In  1831 
he  emigrated  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Madison  County. 
Here  the  labor  of  improving  a  farm  was  pursued  for 
about  two  years,  when  the  death  of  Mr.  Palmer's 
mother  broke  up  the  family.  About  this  time  Alton 
College  was  opened,  on  the  "manual  labor  "  system, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1834  young  Palmer,  with  his 
elder  brother,  Elihu,  entered  this  school  and  remained 
18  months.  Next,  for  over  three  years,  he  tried 
variously  coopering,  peddling  and  school-teaching. 

Duiing    the   summer  of   1838  he  formed  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  then  making  his 


ea.ly  aptitude. 


first  canvass  for  Congress.  Young,  eloquent  and  in 
political  accord  with  Mr.  Palmer,  he  won  his  confi- 
dence, Sred  his  ambition  and  fixed  his  purpose.  The 
following  winter,  while  teaching  near  Canton,  he  be- 
gan to  devote  his  spare  time  to  a  desultory  reading 
of  law,  and  in  the  spring  entered  a  law  office  at  Car- 
linville,  making  his  home.-  with  his  elder  brother, 
Elihu.  (The  latter  was  a  learned  clergy  man,  of  con- 
siderable orginality  of  thought  and  doctrine.)  On 
the  next  meeting  of  the  Supreme  Court  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Bar,  Douglas  being  one  of  his  examiners. 
He  was  not  immediately  successful  in  his  profession, 
and  would  have  located  elsewhere  than  Carlinville 
had  he  the  requisite  means.  Thus  his  early  poverty 
was  a  blessing  in  disguise,  for  to  it  he  now  attributes 
the  success  of  his  life. 

From  1839  on,  while  he  diligently  pursued  his 
profession,  he  participated  more  or  less  in  local 
politics.  In  1843  he  became  Probate  Judge.  In 
1847  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Constitutional  Con- 
vention, where  he  took  a  leading  part.  In  1852  he 
was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  at  the  special 
session  of  February,  1854,  true  to  the  anti-slavery 
sentiments  bred  in  him,  he  took  a  firm  stand  in  op- 
position to  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise; 
and  when  the  Nebraska  question  became  a  party 
issue  he  refused  to  receive  a  re-nomination  for  the 
Senatorship  at  the  hands  of  the  Democracy,  issuing 
a  circular  to  that  effect.  A  few  weeks  afterward, 


t 


168 


JOHN  MC  AULEY  PALMER. 


however,  hesitating  to  break  with  his  party,  he  par- 
ticipated in  a  Congressional  Convention  which  nomi- 
T.  L.  Harris  against  Richard  Yates,  and  which 
unqualifiedly  approved  the  principles  of  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  act.  But  later  in  the  campaign  he  made 
the  plunge,  ran  for-the  Senate  as  an  Anti-Nebraska 
Democrat,  and  was  elects  1.  The  following  winter 
he  put  in  nomination  for  the  United  States  Senate 
Mr.  Trumbiill,  and  was  one  of  the  five  steadfast  men 
who  voted  for  him  -until  all  the  Whigs  came  to  their 
support  and  elected  their  man. 

In  1856  he  was  Chairman  of  the  Republican  State 
Convention  at  Bloomington.  He  ran  for  Congress  in 
1859,  but  was  defeated,  in  1860  he  was  Republican 
Presidential  Elector  for  the  State  at  large.  In  1861 
he  was  appointed  one  of  the  five  Delegates  (all  Re- 
publicans) sent  by  Illinois  to  the  peace  congress  at 
Washington. 

When  the  civil  conflict,  broke  out,  he  offered  his 
services  to  his  country,  and  was  elected  Colonel  of  the 
141)1  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  participated  in  the  engagements 
at  Island  No.  10;  at  Fanriington,  where  he  skillfully 
extricated  his  command  from  a  dangerous  position  ; 
at  Stone  River,  where  his  division  for  several  hours, 
Dec.  31,  1862,  held  the  advance  and  stood  like  a 
rock,  and  for  his  gallantry  there  he  was  made  Major 
General;  at  Chickamauga,  where  his  and  Van  Cleve's 
divisions  for  two  hours  maintained  their  position 
when  they  were  cut  off  by  overpowering  numbers 
Under  Gen.  Sherman,  he  was  assigned  to  the  14th 
Army  Corps  and  participated  in  the  Atlanta  campaign. 
At  Peach-Tree  Creek  his  prudence  did  much  to  avert 
disaster.  In  February,  1865,  Gen.  Palmer  was  as- 
signed to  the  military  administration  of  Kentucky, 
which  was  a  delicate  post.  That  State  was  about 
half  rebel  and  half  Union,  and  those  of  the  latter 
element  were  daily  fretted  by  the  loss  of  their  slaves. 
He,  who  had  been  bred  to  the  rules  of  common  law, 
trembled  at  the  contemplation  of  his  extraordinary 
power  over  the  persons  and  property  of  his  fellow 
men,  with  which  he  was  vested  in  his  capacity  as 
military  Governor ;  and  he  exhibited  great  caution  in 
the  execution  of  the  duties  of  his  post. 

Gen.  Palmar  was  nominated  for  Governor  of  Illi- 
nois by  the  Republican  State  Convention  which  met 
at  Peoria  May  6,  1868,  and  his  nomination  would 
probably  have  been  made  by  acclamation  had  he  not 
persistently  declared  that  he  could  not  accept  a  can- 


didature  for  the  office.  The  result  of  the  ensuing 
election  gave  Mr.  Palmer  a  majority  of  44,707  over 
John  R.  Eden,  the  Democratic  nominee. 

On  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature  in  January, - 
1869,  the  first  thing  to  arrest  public  attention  was 
that  portion  of  the  Governor's  message  which  took 
broad  State's  rights  ground.  This  and  some  minor 
points,  which  were  more  in  keeping  with  the  Demo- 
cratic sentiment,  constituted  the  e.itering  wedge  f  >r 
the  criticisms  and  reproofs  he  afterward  received 
from  the  Republican  party,  and  ultimately  resulted 
in  his  entire  aleniation  from  the  latter  element.  The 
Legislature  just  referred  to  was  noted  for  the  intro- 
duction of  numerous  bills  in  the  interest  of  private 
parties,  which  were  embarrassing  to  the  Governor. 
Among  the  public  acts  passed  was  that  which  limited 
railroad  charges  for  passenger  travel  to  a  maximum 
of  three  cents  per  mile ;  and  it  was  passed  over  the 
Governor's  veto.  Also,  they  passed,  over  his  yeto, 
the  "tax-grabbing  law"  tc  pay  rmlror.i  subscriptions, 
the  Chicago  Lake  Front  bill,  etc.  The  riew  State 
Constitution  of  1870,  far  superior  to  the  old,  was  a 
peaceful  "  revolution"  which  took  place  during  Gov. 
Palmer's  term  of  office.  The  suffering  caused  by  the 
great  Chicago  Fire  of  October,  1871,  was  greatly 
alleviated  by  the  prompt  responses  of  his  excellency. 

Since  the  expiration  of  Gov.  Palmers 's  term,  he  has 
been  somewhat  prominent  in  Illinois  [wlitics,  and 
has  been  talked  of  by  many,  especially  in  the  Dem- 
ocratic party,  as  the  best  man  in  the  State  for  a 
United  States  Senator.  His  business  during  life  has 
been  that  of  the  law.  Few  excel  him  in  an  accurate 
appreciation  of  the  depth  and  scope  of  its  principles- 
The  great  number  of  his  able  veto  messages  abun- 
dantly testify  not  only  this  but  also  a  rare  capacity  to 
point  them  out.  He  is  a  logical  and  cogent  reasoner 
and  an  interesting,  forcible  and  convincing  speaker, 
though  not  fluent  or  ornate.  Without  brilliancy,  his 
dealings  are  rather  with  facts  and  ideas  than  with 
appeals  to  passions  and  prejudices.  He  is  a  patriot 
and  a  statesman  of  very  high  order.  Physically  he  is 
above  the  medium  height,  of  robust  frame,  ruddy 
complexion  and  sanguine-nervous  temperament  He 
has  a  large  cranial  development,  is  vivacious,  social 
in  disposition,  easy  of  approach,  unostentatious  in  his 
habits  of  life,  democratic  in  his  habits  and  manners 
and  is  a  true  American  in  his  fundamental  principles 
of  statesmanship. 


I" 

r  •   ,    I 
•(  t  c  'I.LINOIS 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


171 


."<•''.< '••'' '.  'i   'i  ;.'<;;. '^.H^tg.' 


OHN  LOWRiE'  BEVER- 
IDGE, Governor  1 87  3-6,  was 
born  in  the  town  of  Green- 
wich, Washington  Co.,  N.  Y., 
July  6,  1824.  His  parents 
were  George  and  Ann  Bever- 
idge. His  father's  parents,  An- 
drew and  Isabel  Beveridge,  be- 
fore their  marriage  emigrated 
from  Scotland  just  before  the 
Revolutionary  War,  settling  in 
Washington  County.  His  father 
was  the  eldest  of  eight  brothers,  the 
youngest  of  whom  was  60  years  of 
age  when  the  first  one  of  the  num- 
ber died.  His  mother's  parents, 
Tames  and  Agnes  Hoy,  emigrated 
from  Scotland  at  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  settling  also  in 
Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.,  with  their 
first-born,  whose  "  native  land  "was 
the  wild  ocean.  His  parents  and 
grandparents  lived  beyond  the  time 
allotted  to  man,  their  average  age 
being  over  80  years.  They  belonged  to  the  "  Asso- 
ciate Church,"  a  seceding  Presbyterian  body  of 


America  from  the  old  Scotch  school ;  and  so  rigid 
was  the  training  of  young  Beveridge  that  he  never 
heard  a  sermon  from  any  other  minister  except  that 
of  his  own  denomination  until  he  was  iu  his  ipth 
year.  Later  in  life  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which  relation  he  still 
holds. 

Mr.  Beveridge  received  a  good  common-school  ed- 
ucation, but  his  parents,  who  could  obtain  a  livelihood 
only  by  rigid  economy  and  industry,  could  not  send 
him  away  to  college.  He  was  raised  upon  a  farm, 
and  was  in  his  i8th  year  when  the  family  removed 
to  De  Kalb  County,  this  State,  when  that  section  was 
very  sparsely  settled.  Chicago  had  less  than  7,000 
inhabitants.  In  this  wild  West  he  continued  as  a 
farm  laborer,  teaching  school  during  the  winter 
months  to  supply  the  means  of  an  education.  In  the 
fall  of  1842  he  attended  one  term  at  the  academy  at 
Granville,  Putnam  Co.,  111.,  and  subsequently  several 
terms  at  the  Rock  River  Seminary  at  Mount  Morris, 
Ogle  Co.,  111.,  completing  the  academic  course.  At 
this  time,  the  fall  of  1845,  his  parents  and  brothers 
were  anxious  to  have  him  go  to  college,  even  though 
he  had  not  money  sufficient;  but,  njt  willing  to  bur- 
den the  family,  he  packed  his  trunk  and  with  only 
$40  in  money  started  South  to  seek  his  fortune. 


I72 


JOHN'  L.  BEVERIDGE, 


Poor,  alone,  without  friends  and  influence,  he  thus 
entered  upon  the  battle  of  life. 

First,  he  taught  school  in  Wilson,  Overton  and 
Jackson  Cos.,  Tenn.,  in  which  experience  he  under- 
went considerable  mental  drill,  both  in  book  studies 
and  in  the  ways  of  the  world.  He  read  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar,  in  the  South,  but  did  not  learn 
to  love  the  institution  of  slavery,  although  he  ad- 
mired many  features  of  Southern  character.  In  De- 
cember, 1847,  he  returned  North,  and  Jan.  20,  1848, 
he  married  Miss  Helen  M.  Judson,  in  the  old  Clark- 
Street  M.  E.  church  in  Chicago,  her  father  at  that 
time  being  Pastor  of  the  society  there.  In  the  spring 
of  1848  he  returned  with  his  wife  to  Tennessee, 
where  his  two  children,  Alia  May  and  Philo  Judson, 
were  born. 

In  the  fall  of  1849,  through  the  mismanagement 
of  an  associate,  he  lost  what  little  he  had  accumu- 
lated and  was  left  in  debt.  He  soon  managed  to 
earn  means  to  pay  his  debts,  returned  to  De  Kalb 
Co.,  111.,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession at  Sycamore,  the  county  seat.  On  arrival 
from  the  South  he  had  but  one-quarter  of  a  dollar  in 
money,  and  scanty  clothing  and  bedding  for  himself 
and  family.  He  borrowed  a  little  money,  practiced 
law,  worked  in  public  offices,  kept  books  for  some  of 
the  business  men  of  the  town,  and  some  railroad  en- 
gineering, till  the  spring  of  1854,  when  he  removed 
to  Evanston,  12  miles  north  of  Chicago,  a  place  then 
but  recently  laid  out,  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Northwestern  University,  a  Methodist  institution. 
Of  the  latter  his  father-in-law  was  then  financial 
agent  and  business  manager.  Here  Mr.  Beveridge 
prospered,  and  the  next  year  (1855)  opened  a  law 
office  in  Chicago,  where  he  found  the  battle  some- 
what hard;  but  he  persevered  with  encouragement 
and  increasing  success. 

Aug.  12,  1 86 1,  his  law  partner,  Gen.  John  F. 
Farnsworth,  secured  authority  to  raise  a  regiment  of 
cavalry,  and  authorized  Mr.  Beveridge  to  raise  a 
company  forit.  He  succeeded  in  a  few  days  in  rais- 
ing the  company,  of  course  enlisting  himself  along 
with  it.  The  regiment  rendezvoused  at  St.  Charles, 
111.,  was  mustered  in  Sept.  1 8,  and  on  its  organiza- 
tion Mr.  B.  was  elected  Second  Major.  It  was  at- 
tached, Oct.  n,  to  the  Eighth  Cavalry  and  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  served  with  the  regiment 
until  November,  1863,  participating  in  some  40  bat- 


tles and  skirmishes  :  was  at  Fair  Oaks,  the  seven  days' 
fight  around  Richmond,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellors- 
vine  and  Gettysburg.  He  commanded  the  regiment 
the  greater  part  of  the  summer  of  1863,  and  it  was  while 
lying  in  camp  this  year  that  he  originated  the  policy 
of  encouraging  recruits  as  well  as  the  fighting  capac- 
ity of  the  soldiery,  by  the  wholesale  furlough  system. 
It  worked  so  well  that  many  other  officers  adopted 
it.  In  the  fall  of  this  year  he  recruited  another  com- 
pany, against  heavy  odds,  in  January,  1864,  was 
commissioned  Colonel  of  the  iyth  111.  Cav.,  and 
skirmished  around  in  Missouri,  concluding  with  the 
reception  of  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Kirby  Smith's 
army  in  Arkansas.  In  1865  he  commanded  various 
sub-districts  in  the  Southwest.  He  was  mustered 
out  Feb.  6,  1866,  safe  from  the  casualties  of  war  and 
a  stouter  man  than  when  he  first  enlisted.  His  men 
idolized  him. 

He  then  returned  to  Chicago,  to  practice  law,  with 
no  library  and  no  clientage,  and  no  political  experi- 
ence except  to  help  others  into  office.  In  the  fall  of 
1866  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Cook  County,  serving 
one  term;  next,  until  November,  1870,  he  practiced 
law  and  closed  up  the  unfinished  business  of  his 
office.  He  was  then  elected  State  Senator;  in  No- 
vember, 1871,  he  was  elected  Congressman  at  large; 
in  November,  1872,  he  was  elected  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor on  the  ticket  with  Gov.  Oglesby;  the  latter  be- 
ing elected  to  the  U.  S.  Senate,  Mr.  Beveridge  became 
Governor,  Jan.  21,  1873.  Thus,  inside  of  a  few 
weeks,  he  was  Congressman  at  large,  Lieutenant 
Governor  and  Governor.  The  principal  events  oc- 
curring during  Gov.  Beveridge 's  administration  were: 
The  completion  of  the  revision  of  the  statutes,  begun 
in  1869;  the  partial  success  of  th  ,•  "farmers'  move- 
ment;" "  Haines'  Legislature  "  and  Illinois'  exhibit  at 
the  Centennial. 

Since  the  close  of  his  gubernatorial  term  ex-Gov. 
Beveridge  has  been  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Bever- 
idge &  Dewey,  bankers  and  dealers  in  commercial 
paper  at  71  Dearborn  Street  (McCormick  Block), 
Chicago,  and  since  November,  1881,  he  has  also  been 
Assistant  United  States  Treasurer :  office  in  the 
Government  Building.  His  residence  is  still  at  Ev- 
anston. 

He  has  a  brother  and  two  sisters  yet  residing  in 
De  Kalb  County — James  H.  Beveridge,  Mrs.  Jennet 
Henry  and  Mrs.  Isabel  French. 


iteft 
v-»v,5f 


t.r », 


-i-** 


GO  VERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


T  M.   CULLOM. 


HELBY  M.  CULLOM,  Gover- 
nor 1877-83,13  the  sixth  child 
of  the  late  Richard  N.  Cullom, 
and  was  born  Nov.  22,  1829,111 
Wayne  Co.,  Ky.,  where  his  fa- 
ther then  resided,  and  whence 
both  the  Illinois  and  Tennessee 
branches  of  the  family  originated.  In 
the  following  year  the  family  emi- 
grated to  the  vicinity  of  Washington, 
Tazewell  Co.,  111.,  when  that  section 
was  very  sparsely  settled.  They  lo- 
cated on  Deer  Creek,  in  a  grove  at 
the  time  occupied  by  a  party  of  In- 
dians, attracted  there  by  the.  superior 
hunting  and  fishing  afforded  in  that 
vicinity.  The  following  winter  was 
known  as  the  "  hard  winter,"  the  snow  ^being  very 
deep  and  lasting  and  the  weather  severely  cold;  and 
tiie  family  had  to  subsist  mainly  on  boiled  corn  or 
hominy,  and  some  wild  game,  for  several  weeks.  In 
the  course  of  time  Mr.  R.  N.  Cullom  became  a  prom- 
inent citizen  and  was  several  times  elected  to  the 
Legislature,  both  before  and  after  the  removal  of  the 
capital  from  Vandalia  to  Springfield.  He  died  about 


Until  about  19  years  of  age  young  Cullom  grew  up 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  attending  school  as  he  had 
opportunity  during  the  winter.  Within  this  time, 
however,  he  spent  several  months  teachino-  school, 


and  in  the  following  summer  he  "broke  prairie  "with 
an  ox  team  for  the  neighbors.  With  the  money  ob- 
tained by  these  various  ventures,  he.  undertook  a 
course  of  study  at  the  Rock  River  Seminary,  a 
Methodist  institution  at  Mt.  Mbrris,  Ogle  County; 
but  the  sudden  change  to  the  in-door  life  of  a  stu- 
dent told  severely  upon  his  health,  and  he  was  taken 
home,  being  considered  in  a  hopeless  condition.  While 
at  Mt.  Morris  he  heard  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburne  make 
his  first  speech. 

On  recovering  health,  Mr.  Cullom  concluded  to 
study  law,  under  the  instruction  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
at  Springfield,  who  had  by  this  time  attained  some 
notoriety  as  an  able  lawyer ;  but  the  latter,  being  ab- 
sent from  his  office  most  of  the  time,  advised  Mr. 
Cullom  to  enter  the  office  of  Stuart  &  Edwards. 
After  about  a  year  of  study  there,  however,  his  health 
failed  again,  and  he  was  obliged  to  return  once  more 
to  out-door  life.  Accordingly  he  bought  hogs  foi 
packing,  for  A.  G.  Tyng,  in  Peoria,  and  while  he  re- 
gained his  health  he  gained  in  purse,  netting  $400  in 
a  few  weeks.  Having  been  admitted  to  the  Bar,  he 
went  to  Springfield,  where  he  was  soon  elected  City 
Attorney,  on  the  Anti-Nebraska  ticket. 

In  1856  he  ran  on  the  Fillmore  ticket  as  a  Presi- 
dential Elector,  and,  although  failing  to  be  elected  as 
such,  he  was  at  the  same  time  elected  a  Representa- 
tive in  the  Legislature  from  Sangamon  County,  by  a 
local  coalition  of  the  American  and  Republican  par- 
ties. On  the  organization  of  the  House,  he  received 
the  vote  of  the  Fillmore  men  for  Speaker.  Practicing 


i  176 


SHELB  Y  M.    CULLOM. 


law  until  1860,  he  was  again  elected  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, as  a  Republican,  while  the  county  went  Demo- 
cratic on  the  Presidential  ticket.  In  January  follow- 
ing he  was  elected  Speaker,  probably  the  youngest 
man  who  had  ever  presided  over  an  Illinois  Legis- 
lature. After  the  session  of  1861,  he  was  a  candidate 
for  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  called  for 
that  year,  but  was  defeated,  and  thus  escaped  the 
disgrace  of  being  connected  with  that  abortive  party 
scheme  to  revolutionize  the  State  Government.  In 
1862  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  State  Senate,  but 
was  defeated.  The  same  year,  however,  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  Lincoln  on  a  Government 
Commission,  in  company  with  Gov.  Boutwell  of 
Massachusetts  and  Cnarles  A.  Dana,  since  of  the 
New  York  Sun,  to  investigate  the  affairs  of  the 
Quartermaster's  and  Commissary  Departments  at 
Cairo.  He  devoted  several  months  to  this  duty. 

In  1864  he  enteied  upon  a  larger  political  field, 
being  nominated  as  the  Republican  candidate  for 
Congress  from  the  Eighth  (Springfield)  District,  in 
opposition  to  the  incumbent,  John  T.  Stuart,  who  had 
been  elected  in  1862  by  about  1,500  majority  over 
Leonard  Swett,  then  of  Bloomington,  now  of  Chicago. 
The  result  was  the  election  of  Mr.  Cullom  in  Novem- 
ber following  by  a  majority  of  1,785.  In  1866  he 
was  re-elected  to  Congress,  over  Dr.  E.  S.  Fowler,  by 
the  magnificent  majority  of  4,103!  In  1868  he  was 
again  a  candidate,  defeating  the  Hon.  B.  S.  Edwards, 
another  of  his  old  preceptors,  by  2,884  votes. 

During  his  first  term  in  Congress  he  served  on  the 
Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs  and  Expenditures  in 
the  Treasury  Department;  in  his  second  term,  on 
the  Committees  on  Foreign  Affairs  and  on  Territories ; 
and  in  his  third  term  he  succeeded  Mr.  Ashley,  of 
Ohio,  to  the  Chairmanship  of  the  latter.  He  intro- 
duced a  bill  in  the  House,  to  aid  in  the  execution  of 
law  in  Utah,  which  caused  more  consternation  among 
the  Mormons  than  any  measure  had  previously,  but 
which,  though  it  passed  the  House,  failed  to  pass  the 
Senate. 

The  Republican  Convention  which  met  May  25, 
1876,  nominated  Mr.  Cullom  for  Governor,  while  the 
other  contestant  was  Gov.  Beveridge.  For  Lieuten- 
ant-Governor  they  nominated  Andrew  Shuman,  editor 
of  the  Chicago  Journal.  For  the  same  offices  the 
Democrats,  combining  with  the  Anti-Monopolists, 
ulaced  in  nomination  Lewis  Steward,  a  wealthy 


farmer  and  manufacturer,  and  A.  A.  Glenn.  The 
result  of  the  election  was  rather  close,  Mr.  Cullom 
obtaining  only  6,800  majority.  He  was  inaugurated 
Jan.  8,  1877. 

Great  depression  prevailed  in  financial  circles  at 
this  time,  as  a  consequence  of  the  heavy  failures  of 
1873  and  afterward,  the  effect  of  which  had  seemed 
to  gather  force  from  that  time  to  the  end  of  Gov. 
Cullom's  first  administration.  This  unspeculative 
period  was  not  calculated  to  call  forth  any  new 
issues,  but  the  Governor's  energies  were  at  one  time 
put  to  task  to  quell  a  spirit  of  insubordination  that 
had  been  begun  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  among  the  laboring 
classes,  and  transferred  to  Illinois  at  Chicago,  East 
St.  Louis  and  Braidwood,  at  which  places  laboring 
men  for  a  short  time  refused  to  work  or  allow  others 
to  work.  These  disturbances  were  soon  quelled  and 
the  wheels  of  industry  again  set  in  motion. 

In  May,  1880,  Gov.  Cullom  was  re-nominated  by 
the  Republicans,  against  Lyman  Trumbull,  by  the 
Democrats;  and  although  the  former  party  was  some- 
what handicapped  in  the  campaign  by  a  zealous 
faction  opposed  to  Grant  for  President  and  to  Grant 
men  for  office  generally,  Mr.  Cullom  was  re-elected 
by  about  314,565,  to  277,532  for  the  Democratic  State 
ticket.  The  Greenback  vote  at  the  same  time  was 
about  27,000.  Both  Houses  of  the  Legislature  again 
became  Republican,  and  no  representative  of  the 
Greenback  or  Socialist  parties  were  elected.  Gov. 
Cullom  was  inaugurated  Jan.  10,  iS8i.  In  his  mes- 
sage he  announced  that  the  last  dollar  of  the  State 
debt  had  been  provided  for. 

March  4,  1883,  the  term  of  David  Davis  as  United 
States  Senator  from  Illinois  expired,  and  Gov.  Cul- 
lom was  chosen  to  succeed  him.  This  promoted 
Lieutenant-Governor  John  M.  Hamilton  to  the  Gov- 
ernorship. Senator  Cullom's  term  in  the  United 
States  Senate  will  expire  March  4,  1889. 

As  a  practitioner  of  law  Mr.  C.  has  been  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Cullom,  Scholes  &  Mather,  at  Spring- 
field ;  and  he  has  also  been  President  of  the  State 
National  Bank. 

He  has  been  married  twice, — the  first  time  Dec. 
12,  1855,  to  Miss  Hannah  Fisher,  by  whom  he  had 
two  daughters ;  and  the  second  time  May  5,  1863, 
to  Julia  Fisher.  Mrs.  C  is  a  member  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  with  which  religious  body  Mr. 
C.  is  also  in  sympathy. 


LIBRARY 

r     THE 
f     r  "-UNOIS 


GOVERNORS  OF  ILLINOIS. 


'79     t  J 


*JHt+&&ait+m&ms*m+9j&*^^ 


!•-'.  *  its 

;;£^j^ 


OHN  MARSHALL  HAMIL- 
TON, Governor  1883-5,  was 
born  May  28,  1847,  in  a  log 
house  upon  a  farm  about  two 
miles  from  Richwood,  Union 
County,  Ohio.     His  father  was 
Samuel  Hamilton,  the  eldest  son 


of- Rev.  VVm.  Hamilton,  who,  to- 
gether with  his  brother,  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Hamilton,  was  among  the 
early  pioneer  Methodist  preachers  in 
Ohio.  The  mother  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  was,  before  her  marriage, 
Mrs.  Nancy  McMorris,  who  was 
born  and  raised  in  Fauquier  or  Lou- 
doun  County,  Va.,  and  related  to  the 
two  large  families  of  Youngs  and  Marshalls,  well 
known  in  that  commonwealth ;  and  from  the  latter 
family  name  was  derived  the  middle  name  of  Gov. 
Hamilton. 

In  March,  1854,  Mr.  Hamilton's  father  sold  out 
his  little  pioneer  forest  home  in  Union  County,  O., 
and,  loading  his  few  household  effects  and  family 
(of  six  children)  into  two  emigrant  covered  wagons, 
moved  to  Roberts  Township,  Marshall  Co.,  111.,  being 
2 1  days  on  the  route.  Swamps,  unbridged  streams 
and  innumerable  hardships  and  privations  met  them 
on  their  way.  Their  new  home  had  been  previously 
selected  by  the  father.  Here,  after  many  long  years 
of  toil,  they  succeeded  in  paying  for  the  land  and 
making  a  comforta'^-"  home.  John  was,  of  course, 


brought  up  to  hard  manual  labor,  with  no  schooling 
except  three  or  four  months  in  the  year  at  a  common 
country  school.  However,  he  evinced  a  capacity 
and  taste  for  a  high  order  of  self-education,  by 
studying  or  reading  what  books  he  could  borrow,  as 
the  family  had  but  very  few  in  the  house.  Much  of 
his  study  he  prosecuted  by  the  light  of  a  log  fire  in 
the  old-fashioned  chimney  place.  The  financial 
panic  of  1857  caused  the  family  to  come  near  losing 
their  home,  to  pay  debts ;  but  the  father  and  two 
sons,  William  and  John,  "buckled  to"'  and  perse- 
vered in  hard  labor  and  economy  until  they  redeemed 
their  place  from  the  mortgage. 

When  the  tremendous  excitement  of  the  political 
campaign  of  1860  reached  the  neighborhood  of  Rob- 
erts Township,  young  Hamilton,  who  had  been 
brought  up  in  the  doctrine  of  anti-slavery,  took  a  zeal- 
ous part  in  favor  of  Lincoln's  election.  Making  special 
efforts  to  procure  a  little  money  to  buy  a  uniform,  he 
joined  a  company  of  Lincoln  Wide-Awakes  at  Mag- 
nolia, a  village  not  far  away.  Directly  after  the 
ensuing  election  it  became  evident  that  trouble 
would  ensue  with  the  South,  and  this  Wide-Awake 
company,  like  many  others  throughout  the  country, 
kept  up  its  organization  and  transformed  itself  into  a 
military  company.  During  the  ensuing  summer  they 
met  often  for  drill  and  became  proficient;  but  when 
they  offered  themselves  for  the  war,  young  Hamilton 
was  rejected  on  account  of  his  youth,  he  being  then 
but  14  years  of  age.  During  the  winter  of  1863-4  he 
attended  an  academy  at  Henry,  Marshall  County; 


i8o 


JOHN  MARSHALL  HAMILTON. 


and  in  the  following  May  he  again  enlisted,  for  the 
fourth  time,  when  he  was  placed  in  the  14151  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  a  regiment  then  being  raised  at  Elgin,  111., 
for  the  loo-day  service.  He  took  with  him  13  other 
lads  from  his  neighborhood,  for  enlistment  in  the 
service.  This  regiment  operated  in  Southwestern 
Kentucky,  for  about  five  months,  under  Gen.  Paine. 

The  following  winter,  1864-5,  Mr.  Hamilton  taught 
school,  and  during  the  two  college  years  1865-7,  he 
went  through  three  years  of  the  curriculum  of  the 
Ohio  Wesleyan  University  at  Delaware,  Ohio.  The 
third  year  he  graduated,  the  fourth  in  a  class  of  46, 
in  the  classical  department.  In  due  time  he  received 
the  degree  of  M.  A.  For  a  few  months  he  was  the 
Principal  of  Marshall  "  College  "  at  Henry,  an  acad- 
emy under  the  auspices  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  By 
this  time  he  had  commenced  the  study  of  law,  and 
after  earning  some  money  as  a  temporary  Professor 
of  Latin  at  the  Illinois  Wesleyau  University  at 
Bloomington,  he  entered  the  law  office  of  Weldon, 
Tipton  &  Benjamin,  of  that  city.  Each  member  of 
this  firm  has  since  been  distinguished  as  a  Judge. 
Admitted  to  the  Bar  in  May,  1870,  Mr.  Hamilton 
was  given  an  interest  in  the  same  firm,  Tipton  hav- 
ing been  elected  Judge.  In  October  following  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  J.  H.  Rowell,  at  that  time 
Prosecuting  Attorney.  Their  business  was  then 
small,  but  they  increased  it  to  very  large  proportions, 
practicing  in  all  grades  of  courts,  including  even  the 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  and  this  partnership  continued 
unbroken  until  Feb.  6,  1883,  when  Mr.  Hamilton 
was  sworn  in  as  Executive  of  Illinois.  On  the  4th 
of  March  following  Mr.  Rowell  took  his  seat  in  Con- 
gress. 

'In  July,  1871,  Mr.  Hamilton  married  Miss  Helen 
M.  Williams,  the  daughter  of  Prof.  Win.  G,  Williams, 
Professor  of  Greek  in  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  have  two  daughters  and  one  son. 

In  1876  Mr.  Hamilton  was  nominated  by  the  Re- 
publicans for  the  State  Senate,  over  other  and  older 
competitors.  He  took  an  active  part  "  on  the  stump  " 
in  the  campaign,  for  the  success  of  his  party,  and  was 
elected  by  a  majority  of  1,640  over  his  Democratic- 
Greenback  opponent.  In  the  Senate  he  served  on 
the  Committees  on  Judiciary,  Revenue,  State  Insti- 
tutions, Appropriations,  Education,  and  on  Miscel- 
lany ;  and  during  the  contest  for  the  election  of  a 
U.  S.  Senator,  the  Republicans  endeavoring  to  re- 


• 


elect  John  A.  Logan,  he  voted  for  the  war  chief  on 
every  ballot,  even  alone  when  all  the  other  Republi- 
cans had  gone  over  to  the  Hon.  E.  B.  Lawrence  and 
the  Democrats  and  Independents  elected  Judge 
David  Davis.  At  this  session,  also,  was  passed  the 
first  Board  of  Health  and  Medical  Practice  act,  of 
which  Mr.  Hamilton  was  a  champion,  aga'.r:'"  .  . 
much  opposition  that  the  bill  was  seveial  times 
"  laid  on  the  table."  Also,  this  session  authorized 
the  location  and  establishment  of  a  southern  pel 
tentiary,  which  was  fixed  at  Chester.  In  the  session 
of  1879  Mr.  Hamilton  was  elected  President  pro  tern. 
of  the  Senate,  and  was  a  zealous  supporter  of  John 
A.  Logan  for  the  U.  S.  Senate,  who  wa?.  this  time 
elected  without  any  trouble. 

In  May,  1880,  Mr.  Hamilton  was  nominated  on 
the  Republican  ticket  for  Lieutenant  Governor,  his 
principal  competitors  before  the  Convention  being 
Hon.  Win.  A.  James,  ex-Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  Judge  Robert  Bell,  of  Wabash 
County,  Hon.  T.  T.  Fountain,  of  Perry  County,  and 
Hon.  M.  M.  Saddler,  of  Marion  County.  He  engaged 
actively  in  the  campaign,  and  his  ticket  was  elected 
by  a  majority  of  41,200.  As  Lieutenant  Governor, 
he  presided  almost  continuously  over  the  Senate  in 
the  32d  General  Assembly  and  during  the  early  days 
of  the  33d,  until  he  succeeded  to  the  Governorship. 
When  the  Legislature  of  1883  elected  Gov.  Cullom 
to  the  United  States  Senate,  Lieut.  Gov.  Hamilton 
succeeded  him,  under  the  Constitution,  taking  the 
oath  of  office  Feb.  6,  1883.  He  bravely  met  all  the 
annoyances  and  embarrassments  incidental  upon 
taking  up  another's  administration.  The  principal 
events  with  which  Gov.  Hamilton  was  connected  as 
the  Chief  Executive  of  the  State  were,  the  mine  dis- 
aster at  Braidwood,  the  riots  in  St.  Clairand  Madison 
Counties  in  May,  1883,  the  appropriations  for  the 
State  militia,  the  adoption  of  the  Harper  high-license 
liquor  law,  the  veto  of  a  dangerous  railroad  bill,  etc. 

The  Governor  was  a  Delegate  at  large  to  the 
National  Republican  Convention  at  Chicago  in  June, 

1884,  where  his  first  choice  for  President  was  Toh:i 
A.  Logan,  and  second  choice  Chester  A.  Arthur;  but 
he  afterward  zealously  worked  for  the  election  of  Mr. 
Blaine,  true  to  his  party. 

Mr.  Hamilton's  term  a.f  Governor  expired  Ja;:.  30, 

1885,  when  the  great  favorite  "  Dick  "  Oglesby  was 
inaugurated. 


"iO/te^ 


4 


J 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


~ 


INTRODUCTORY 


-* 


IIAMPAIGN  COUNTY  has 
an  exceptionally  interesting 
•  history.  We  have  not,  how- 
ever, proposed  to  place  this 
on  record,  yet  a  few  lines  re- 
garding its  location,  advan- 
tages, and  the  wonderful 
transformation  made  from  the  wilder- 
ness of  forty  years  ago,  will  not,  we 
deem,  be  inappropriate.  While  there 
is  no  county  in  the  State  that  possesses 
all  the  advantages  of  an  Acadin,  yet 
Champaign  County  may  be  credited 
with  coming  as  near  1o  this  as  any  one 
of  them.  Jts  geographical  location  is 
very  favorable,  being  only  128  miles  south  of  Chi- 
cago, 160  norttrwesFof  St.  Louis,  106  west  of  In- 
dianapolis, and  ninety  miles  east  of  Peoria.  This 
happy  location  gives  it  ready  access  by  vail  to  the 
cities  named,  and  enables  it  to  secure  the  benefits  of 
favorable  markets.  In  area,  Champaign  County  is 
among  the  largest  in  the  State,  and  for  the  value  of 
its  products,  it  is  excelled  by  few.  It  is  exceed- 
ingly well  laid  out,  being  an  oblong  square,  thirty-six 
miles  north  and  south  and  twenty-eight  miles  east 
and  west,  and  having  an  acreage  of  645,120,  with  a 
population  in  round  numbers  of  about  42,000.  This 
entire  area  is  under  good  cultivation,  having  good 
roads,  elegant  farms,  fine  houses  and  excellent 
schools. 

The  county  is  traversed  by  four  different  lines  of 


railroads,  giving  it  ample  transportation  facilities. 
Its  topography  is  very  favorable.  The  land  forms 
a  watershed  which  carries  the  water  off  in  every 
direction.  One  of  the  highest  points  between  Chi- 
cago and  Cairo  is  at  Ludlow.  The  drainage  is 
good,  and  there  are  very  few  sloughs  now  in  the 
county.  The  soil  is  a  rich,  black  vegetable  loam, 
varying  from  one  to  two  feet  in  depth,  and  very 
productive.  The  county  is  covered  mostly  with 
undulating  prairies  with  occasional  groves,  and 
some  slightly  broken  lands.  It  is  well  watered  by 
numerous  streams.  Underlying  the  surface  are  ex- 
tensive coal  beds  which  afford  a  ready  and  cheap 
article  of  fuel.  The  climate  is  of  the  medium  tem- 
perature, which  makes  it  very  desirable  as  a  place  of 
residence,  and  very  favorable  to  agricultural  inter- 
ests as  well  as  stock-raising. 

Though  settlers  came  into  the  county  at  a  very 
early  date,  the  commencement  of  its  rapid  growth 
may  be  dated  from  the  construction  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  in  1854-55.  This  was  the  turning 
point  in  the  history  of  the  county.  The  settlements 
at  first  were  confined  to  groves  and  timber  belts, 
and  the  cabins  were  built  of  logs.  The  first  white 
men  to  come  into  the  county,  as  far  as  is  known, 
were  the  United  States  surveyors,  who  divided  the 
county  into  townships.  This  was  in  the  summer  of 
1 H2 1 .  Prior  to  this,  it  is  supposed,  there  were  hunters 
and  trappers  here,  but  they  left  no  name  or  sign 
behind  them  of  their  coming  or  going.  The  first 
settler  or  squatter,  was  Runnel  Fielder,  who  came  in 


j 

I 


186 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1822,  and  located  in  the  northeast  corner  of  section 
11,  Urbana  Township.  Fielder,  however,  made  no 
entry  of  land  until  1828,  which  was  on  section  12, 
Urbana  Township.  This  pioneer  has  also  the  credit 
of  planting  the  first  orchard  in  the  county.  Per- 
manent settlement  was  not  begun  until  the  year 
1828. 

Champaign,  like  all  new  counties  in  this  State, 
until  brought  under  cultivation,  was  the  home  and 
nursery  of  malarial  diseases.  They  were  a  great 
hindrance  to  the  settlement  of  the  count}'.  Some- 
times there  were  not  well  persons  enough  in  a 
neighborhood  to  take  care  of  the  sick.  Physicians 
were  few,  or  entirely  wanting. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1832,  near  Ur- 
bana. Not  long  before  this  was  the  first  school 
taught.  The  county  was  organized  from  lands  at- 
tached to  Vermilion  County  by  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature, approved  Feb.  28,  1833.  The  first  meeting 
of  the  County  Commissioners  was  held  in  May  fol- 
lowing. Commissioners  from  Clark,  Coles  and 
Edgar  Counties  were  appointed  to  locate  the 
county  seat.  Urbana  received  this  honor,  though 
there  were  other  places  contesting.  The  only  post- 
office  in  the  county  at  that  time  was  on  the  farm  of 
Mathias  Rhinehart,  and  was  named  Van  Bnren,  after 
Martin  Van  Buren,  who  was  then  occupying  the 
position  of  Vice  President  of  the  United  States. 
As  soon  as  the  county  seat  was  determined  upon, 
settlers  began  to  gather  in.  They  located  at  first 
on  the  south  side  of  the  grove.  Stores  and  shops 
were  soon  started,  and  roads  opened  to  the  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  county.  The  Van  Buren  post-office 
was  moved  to  Urbana  and  its  name  perished.  The 
population  of  the  county  at  that  time  was  about 
800.  In  1835  it  had  increased  to  1,250,  and  in  1850 
to  2,649,  not  quite  100  a  year. 

From  the  advent  of  the  railroads,  Champaign 
County  has  bad  a  steady  and  healthy  growth. 


until  now  she  is  one  of  the  foremost  counties  in  the 
State.  The  principal  city  is  Champaign,  which  is  a 
very  active  business  place,  and  an  attractive  place 
of  residence.  Urbana  is  the  county  seat  ;uid  the 
next  in  population.  Homer.  Itantoul,  Tolono  and 
Mahomet  are  also  thriving  little  cities.  There  are 
several  prosperous  villages,  among  which  arc  St. 
Joseph  and  Philo. 

Champaign  County  is  the  seat  of  one  of  the  great 
educational  institutions  of  Illinois,  the  State  Uni- 
versity. It  has  an  attractive  and  healthy  location 
on  high  grounds,  between  Champaign  and  Urbana. 
The  domain  occupied  by  this  University  embraces 
about  625  acres.  There  are  several  buildings  con- 
nected with  this  institution,  all  of  which  are  well 
built,  commodious  and  attractive.  In  addition  to 
agriculture,  horticulture,  practical  mechanics  and 
engineering,  the  curriculum  embraces  a  full  Kn- 
glish  and  a  classic  course.  Great  pains  have  been 
taken  by  the  State  in  selecting  the  best  professors 
and  educators  for  this  University,  in  all  its  depart- 
ments, and  thoroughness  in  all  branches  of  study  is 
its  distinguishing  feature. 

The  public  schools  the  county  has  endeavored 
to  make  first-class.  Some  of  the  city  school 
buildings  are  elegant,  and  all  are  substantial,  num- 
bering within  the  borders  of  the  county  about  245. 

In  the  growth  and  development  of  her  vast  re- 
sources, in  her  agriculture  and  stock-raising,  in  all 
the  departments  of  labor  in  which  busy  man  is  en- 
gaged ;  in  her  churches  and  schools,  in  civilization 
and  culture,  Champaign  County  has  taken  a  front 
rank.  Well  ma}'  her  people  be  proud  of  their  prod- 
uct; well  may  her  pioneers  turn  with  pride  to  their 
achievements.  Within  a  half  century  a  wilderness 
has  been  subdued  and  converted  into  beautiful 
farms  and  thriving,  populous  cities,  and  a  com- 
munity established  commanding  the  admiration  of 
the  country. 


§L      --Y 
OF  THE 
r  -  .  •  — 


~(  CF  ILLINOIS 


•4*- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


189   t  , 


HE  portrait  upon  the  oppo- 
site page  is  that  of  one  of 
the  best  known  and  most 
highly  esteemed  men  in 
Champaign  Count)',  Mark 
Carley.  He  was  one  of 
the  early  benefactors  of  its 
capital  city,  and  has  probably 
done  more  than  any  other  one 
man  in  bringing  it  to  its  present 
prosperous^  condition.  He  has 
spent  very  much  time  and  money 
upon  improvements  for  the  gen- 
eral good,  and  on  every  hand  may 
be  seen  the  silent  evidences  of  the 
work  which  he  inaugurated  in  this 
locality  nearly  thirty-five  years 
ago.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Hancock,  Hillsboro 
Co.,  N.  II.,  Aug.  24,  1799.  With  the  history  of  his 
ancestors  prior  to  his  grandfather  he  is  not  familiar, 
further  than  that  he  knows  they  were  of  English 
extraction.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Joseph  Car- 
ley,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  Feb.  17,  1718,  and 
in  early  manhood  married  Miss  Sallie  Washburu, 
who  was  born  Sept.  1,  1729.  This  lady  was  con- 
nected with  the  numerous  family  of  Washburns, 
who  have  since  filled  so  large  a  space  in  .State  and 
National  affairs  of  this  country.  The  father  of 
Mark  Carley  was  Elijah,  the  youngest  of  his  par- 
ents' family,  and  who  was  born  in  Massachusetts, 
May  21,  1771.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  for- 
merly Miss  Agnes  Graham,  was  born  in  New 
Hampshire,  July  18,  1772.  The  elder  brothers  of 


Elijah  Carley  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War, 
and  one  of  them  left  a  soldier's  discharge  signed  by 
the  hand  of  Washington  himself.  As  may  be  sup- 
posed, this  document  is  carefully  preserved  as  an 
invaluable  relic.  Elijah  Carley,  Sr.,  and  one  of  his 
eldest  sons,  served  in  the  War  of  1812.  Two  years 
prior  to  -this,  however,  the  former  removed  from 
New  Hampshire  to  Vermont  with  his  family. 

In  the  year  1815  young  Mark  commenced  to 
learn  the  trade  of  a  house  carpenter  aiid  millwright, 
at  which  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  four  years, 
and  subsequently  followed  milling  and  the  gin  busi- 
ness in  Louisiana  for  seventeen  years,  and  until 
he  was  thirty-five  years  old.  In  1835  he  removed 
to  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  300 
acres  of  land  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
He  subsequently  added  to  his  first  possessions  and 
remained  a  resident  of  the  Buckeye  State  until 
1853,  in  the  meantime  having  visited  California. 
After  his  return  from  the  Pacific  Slope  he  decided 
to  make  his  home  further  westward,  and  coming 
to  this  county  located  first  at  Urbana,  whence  he 
removed  to  Champaign.  Soon  afterward  he  put 
up  a  dwelling  on  State  street,  and  erected  the  first 
grain  warehouse  in  the  city,  placing  within  it  the 
first  steam  engine  which  operated  a  corn-sheller. 

In  1857  Mr.  Carley  purchased  lots  in  Tolono, 
and  there  also  built  the  first  warehouse,  and  put  in 
the  first  steam  engine  and  side  track  for  cars.  He 
encouraged  the  settling  up  of  Champaign  by  every 
means  within  his  power,  such  as  erecting,  building 
and  buying  city  property,  and  disposing  of  it  at  a 
reasonable  figure  to  those  who  desired  to  become  citi- 


,1  ,  100 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


zens.  His  fine  business  abilities,  in  connection  with 
his  genial  disposition  and  courteous  manners  to  all, 
have  secured  for  him  scores  of  life-long  friends,  who 
esteem  him  as  much  as  the}'  are  grateful  to  him  for 
what  he  has  done  for  them  personally,  and  for  what 
he  has  done  for  the  community  in  general.  He  has 
now  arrived  at  fourscore  years  and  eight,  with  all 
his  faculties  in  fine  preservation,  and  retains  the 
same  love  of  sociabilit}'  vhich  characterized  his 
younger  years.  He  has  contributed  liberally  to  all 
worthy  enterprises,  giving  of  his  time,  means  and 
influence  to  the  support  of  every  project  calculated 
to  increase  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  Champaign 
County. 

Mark  Carley  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Abigail  W.  Stevens,  of  Springfield,  Vt.,  April  27, 
1830.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  eleven  chil- 
dren, only  three  of  whom  are  now  living,  and  are 
residents  of  Champaign.  Mrs.  Carle}-  departed  this 
life  in  the  latter  city,  Nov.  12,  1871.  She  was  a 
lady  of  much  force  of  character,  highly  esteemed, 
and  well  worthy  to  be  the  companion  of  such  a 
man  as  Mark  Carley. 

Mr.  Carley,  during  his  earlier  years,  was  a  Clay 
Whig,  and  a  Fremont  and  Lincoln  Republican,  but 
later  has  voted  independently,  giving  his  support  to 
the  men  whom  he  believed  best  qualified  for  office. 
In  this,  as  in  all  other  duties  of  life,  he  has  brought 
his  conscience  to  bear,  and  has  little  to  regret  dur- 
ing the  course  of  a  remarkably  long  and  worthy 
life. 


LLISON  LOWMAN.  This  prosperous 
and  enterprising  farmer  of  Scott  Town- 
ship came  to  this  vicinity  in  the  winter  of 
1883,  and  has  lived  here  since  that  time. 
His  homestead,  which  is  pleasantly  located  on  section 
1 4,  consists  of  eighty  acres  of  good  land  with  first- 
class  improvements,  where  he  has  operated  success- 
fully, and  by  his  upright  course  as  a  business  man 
and  industry  as  a  farmer,  has  gained  for  himself  a 
good  position  socially  and  financially,  and  is  es- 
teemed a  valued  factor  of  society. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  John  and  Mary  (Alli- 
son)  Lowman,  were  born,  reared  and  married  in 


Indiana  County,  Pa.,  where  the  father  died  about 
1881.  The  mother  still  survives,  and  continues  to 
live  in  the  Keystone  State.  The  parental  family 
included  seven  children,  of  whom  Allison  of  our 
sketch  was  the  oldest.  He  was  born  in  the  same 

Q 

county  as  his  parents,  on  the  28th  of  October,  1837. 
He  remained  under  the  home  roof  until  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  and  was  soon  afterward  married, 
locating  on  his  father's  farm,  where  he  remained  un- 
til 18G2.  In  July  of  that  year,  the  Civil  War  be- 
ing then  in  progress,  he  became  a  member  of  the 
1 1  th  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  and  served  faithfully 
as  a  soldier  until  the  preservation  of  the  Union  was 
fully  assured.  He  was  mustered  out  of  the  service 
at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  returning  to  his  native  coun- 
ty, resumed  the  peaceful  vocation  of  a  farmer's  life 
on  the  old  homestead,  where  he  continued  until 
starting  for  the  West. 

The  marriage  of  Allison  Lowman  with  Miss 
Sarah  Lytle  was  celebrated  in  Indiana  County,  Pa., . 
Dec.  18,  1858.  Mrs.  L.  is  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Robinson)  Lytlc,  both  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania. They  located  in  Indiana  County  after 
their  marriage,  became  the  parents  of  thirteen 
children,  and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
days.  Mrs.  L.  was  born  in  that  county  on  the  1st 
of  Ma}',  1838.  The  children  of  our  subject  and 
his  wife,  eight  in  number,  areas  follows:  Inez  J., 
Alice  M.,  Belle  A.,  Elizabeth  E.,  John  L.,  Mary  A., 
Samuel  L.  and  Cora.  Inez  J.  became  the  wife  of 
"Chalmers  Stitt,  a  farmer  of  Scott  Township;  Alice 
died  in  Indiana  County,  Pa.,  when  but  nine  years 
old,  while  on  a  visit  to  her  grandfather;  Belle  is 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Mullikin,  and  resides  in  Scott 
Township.  Mr.  Lowman  has  held  the  offices  of 
Road  Commisioner,  School  Director  and  Constable. 
Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Champaign  Post  No. 
140,  G.  A.  It.  Politically,  he  is  a  true  blue  Re- 
publican, and  with  his  excellent  wife  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

In  March,  1869,  after  Mr.  L.  became  a  resident 
of  Scott  Township,  and  was  living  three-fourths  of 
a  mile  south  of  Bondville,  on  a  small  tract  of  land 
where  he  had  erected  a  new  house,  and  which  he 
had  occupied  but  five  days,  about  eleven  o'clock  at 
night  a  terrific  storm  of  wind  and  rain  burst  upon 
them  and  the  entire  house  with  its  contents  was 

•»     I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


191     ,  , 


blown  to  the  four  winds.  Mr.  and  Mr3.  Lowmau 
with  their  three  children  were  landed  in  the  garden 
without  serious  injury,  but  as  may  be  supposed, 
badly  frightened.  Mr.  L.,  clad  in  only  a  shirt  and 
overcoat,  set  out  on  horseback  to  find  a  shelter  for 
his  f ami  13',  but  the  night  was  so  dark  that  he  became 
bewildered  on  the  prairie  and  lost  his  wa3".  lie 
finall3'  gave  the  reins  to  his  faithful  horse,  which 
carried  him  all  right  to  the  residence  of  a  Mr.  Fos- 
ter, who  returned  with  him  and  assisted  in  the 
search  for  the  wife  and  children.  They  twice 
passed  the  place  where  the  house  had  stood  before 
they  could  locate  it,  on  account  of  the  darkness. 
They  finally  found  the  stable  where  he  had  placed 
his  family  for  shelter,  and  it  was  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning  before  he  had  them  .  comfortably 
housed  in  the  dwelling  of  Mr.  Foster. 


R.  SHAWHAN,  County  Superintendent 
Schools,  is  located  at  Urbana,  of  which 
he  became  a  resident  in  1882.  He  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Illinois  University,  and  has  been  a 
teacher  of  long  experience  and  more  than  ordinary 
abilitj'.  He  was  called  to  the  duties  of  his  present 
position  in  1881,  and  has  acquitted  himself  with 
credit  and  satisfaction  to  all  concerned.  He  was 
born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  March  20,  1844,  and  is 
the  sou  of  William  M.  and  Nancy  (Redmond) 
Shawhan,  who  were  both  natives  of  Harrison  Coun- 
ty, Ivy.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  John  Shaw- 
han, married  Miss  McCune,  of  Kentucky,  of  which 
State  he  was  also  a  native,  and  afterward  engaged  in 
milling  on  the  Licking  River.  Their  son,  William 
M..  was  born  in  1803,  received  a  practical  education, 
and  was  associated  with  his  father  in  the  mill  until 
1836.  He  then  removed  to  Indiana,  purchasing  300 
acres  of  land  in  Rush  County,  which  he  occupied  for 
twenty  years,  and  then  sold,  to  become  a  resident 
of  this  county.  Here  he  purchased  320  acres  of 
land  in  Ra3*mond  Township,  together  with  100  acres 
for  his  sons.  He  remained  on  this  farm  until  his 
death,  which  took  place  while  he  was  attending 
divine  service  at  the  Christian  Church  at  Sidney, 
on  the  2d  of  May,  1875.  At  the  close  of  the  serv- 


ice he  droped  dead,  of  heart  disease  as  it  is  sup- 
posed. He  had  been  a  member  of  this  religious 
organization  since  a  young  man,  and  later  was  elect- 
ed an  Elder,  in  which  capacit3'  he  served  for  many 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  large  benevolence,  and  be- 
sides contributing  money  to  the  erection  of  the 
church  building  near  his  Indiana  home,  donated 
the  land  upon  which  it  stood  and  also  the  sites  for 
the  academj"  and  district  school-houses.  He  always 
took  an  active  interest  in  the  establishment  of 
schools  and  churches  throughout  the  county,  and 
was  School  Treasurer  of  Raymond  Township  for  a 
period  of  twelve  years.  Prior  to  the  election  of 
1846,  he  was  Democratic  in  politics,  and  cast  his 
last  vote  that  3"car,  for  which  purpose  he  rode  on 
horseback  twelve  miles  to  deposit  his  ballot  in  favor 
of  the  Free  School  law  of  Indiana.  He  assisted  in 
the  establishment  of  Butler  University  at  Irvington, 
near  Indianapolis,  and  kept  up  a  scholarship  for 
many  years.  During  his  residence  in  Kentucky 
he  was  a  Captain  in  the  State  Militia.  His  family 
included  ten  children,  of  whom  seven  are  now  liv- 
ing, and  the  record  is  as  follows:  Charles  is  farm- 
ing in  Nebraska,  and  Daniel  in  Indiana;  Joseph,  a 
resident  of  Kentucky,  is  employed  as  a  traveling 
salesman;  Margaret,  Mrs.  Higginbotham,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Champaign;  G.  R.,  of  our  sketch,  is  the 
next  eldest;  James  is  farming  in  Champaign  Coun- 
ty, and  William  is  Postmaster  in  Nebraska. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  spent  his  childhood 
and  youth  on  the  farm,  receiving  a  good  common- 
school  education,  and  when  seventeen  years  of  age, 
commenced  teaching.  He  was  thus  occupied  mostly 
during  the  winter  seasons  for  ten  years  following. 
He  entered  upon  a  course  of  study  in  the  Illinois 
State  University  in  1871,  and  after  graduating,  re- 
sumed his  labors  as  a  teacher  in  Mansfield,  Piatt 
County,  having  charge  of  a  graded  school  which  he 
conducted  for  two  years.  He  then  came  to  this 
.county,  and  was  made  Principal  of  the  Homer 
graded  school,  which  included  five  departments, 
and  of  which  he  had  charge  for  a  period  of  four 
and  one-half  years.  In  December,  1881,  he  was  ap- 
pointed County  Superintendent  to  fill  a  vacancy, 
elected  in  1882  and  re-elected  in  1886. 

Prof.  Shawhan  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Vista  Brown  in  the  spring  of  1867.  Mrs.  Shavvhan 


192 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


is  a  native  of  Roscoe.  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of 
Samuel  W.  and  Catherine  (Potter)  Brown,  natives 
respectively  of  Marblehead,  Mass.,  and  Pennsylva- 
nia. The  early  representatives  of  the  Potter  family 
in  this  country  were  descendants  of  a  brother  of 
(leu.  Joseph  Wai-rcMi,  of  Bunker  Hill  fame,  and  by 
intermarriage,  from  Gov.  Gage,  of  Boston.  Of  this 
marriage  there  have  been  born  four  children;  two 
are  living — Gertrude  and  William  VV.  Prof.  Sliaw- 
hau  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  with  his  excellent 
wife,  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian 
Church.  Socially  he  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  is  a  Good  Templar.  The  family  resi- 
dence is  pleasantly  located,  and  is  the  resort  of  the 
cultured  and  intelligent  people  of  Urbana. 


1 


VRRISON  SHREVE,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  honored  pioneers  of  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in 
Brown  County,  Dec.  2,  1811,  and  is  now  fast  ad- 
vancing to  fourscore  years.  He  came  to  this 
county  with  his  family  in  the  spring  of  1853,  and 
has  consequently  been  a  witness  of  the  remarkable  . 
changes  which  have  occurred  during  a  period  of 
over  thirty  years.  The  scenes  which  he  has  wit- 
nessed and  the  experiences  through  which  he  has 
passed  have  probably  brought  to  his  mind  many 
times  the  m:ixiin  that  "truth  is  stranger  thin  fic- 
tion." He  came  to  Illinois  when  it  was  compara- 
tively young  in  years,  and  when  he  himself  was 
strong  and  in  the  pride  of  his  manhood,  and  he  has 
witnessed  with  a  feeling  of  gratification,  the  devel- 
opment of  the  State,  which  has  now  become  one  of 
the  principal  commonwealths  in  the  West. 

The  first  representatives  of  the  Shreve  family  in 
this  country  emigrated  from  Amsterdam,  making 
their  first  settlement  in  Pennsylvania,  a  branch  of 
the  family  settling  in  Mason  County,  Ky.,  in  the 
early  settlement  of  that  region.  In  that  locality, 
too,  was  born  Caleb  Shreve,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, whose  marriage  is  recorded  as  having  taken 
place  in  about  1799,  in  Mason  County.  Five  years 
later,  in  1804,  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Ohio, 
and  locating  in  Brown  Count}7,  continued  a  resident 
there  until  the  spring  of.  1834,  whence  he  removed 


to  Fountain  County,  lud.,  and  from  there  in  the 
spring  of  1835  to  this  county.  He  purchased  land 
in  Sidney  Township,  upon  which  he  settled,  but 
only  lived  until  the  September  following.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  before  her  marriage,  was 
Miss  Anna  Slack,  who  was  born  near  the  city  of 
Baltimore,  Md.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  John 
Slack,  Esq..  who  was  also  a  native  of  that  locality. 
By  her  marriage  with  Caleb  Shreve  she  became  the 
mother  of  twelve  children,  six  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters, who  all  lived  to  mature  years,  married  and 
reared  families  of  their  own.  Caleb  Shreve  had 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  our 
subject  still  has  in  his  possession  the  land  warrant 
which  was  issued  in  payment  of  his  services. 

Orrison  Shreve  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  iu 
Brown  County,  Ohio,  and  after  repairing  to  Ripley 
learned  the  tanner's  trade,  which  he  followed  in 
his  native  State  for  eleven  years.  When  twenty- 
three  years  old  he  was  married,  Aug.  14,  1834,  to 
Miss  Eleanor  Hamilton,  a  native  of  his  own  county, 
and  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Nancy  Hamilton. 
Our  subject,  resolving  then  to  change  his  occupa- 
tion, located  on  a  farm  in  Brown  County,  where  he 
remained  until  fall,  in  1853,  and  then  began  mak- 
ing preparations  for  a  removal  to  the  Prairie  State. 
After  reaching  this  county  he  located  in  St.  Joseph 
Township  near  the  Sidney  line,  where  for  several 
years  he  farmed  on  rented  land,  and  met  with  good 
success.  In  1871  he  became  a  resident  of  the 
town  of  St.  Joseph,  and  for  thirteen  years  had 
charge  of  a  water  tank  of  the  I.,  B.  &  W.  R.  R. 
Later  he  retired  from  active  labor,  and  is  passing 
the  sunset  of  life  in  peace  and  quiet  in  St.  Joseph. 

Mr.  S.  has  been  twice  married.  She  who  was 
the  first  companion,  and  whom  he  married  in  his 
native  State,  became  the  mother  of  eight  children, 
namely:  Joseph  H.,  Robert  N. ;  Nancy  A.,  now  de- 
ceased; William  O.,  a  merchant  of  St.  Joseph; 
Mary  E.,  Amanda  J.,  Joshua  E.  and  Ely  F.  The  lat- 
ler  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  late  war  and  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro.  Of  these 
children,  five  died  of  cholera.  The  second  wife  of 
Mr.  S.  was  formerly  Miss  Rebecca  Hayden,  our 
subject  being  her  third  husband.  Of  her  former 
marriages  there  were  born  five  children,  and  by  her 
union  with  Mr.  Shrevi-  five  children  were  born.  ' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


193  i 


Mr.  S.  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
iml  Church  in  1834,  with  which  he  IIMS  since  been 
connected,  and  strives  to  perform  his  duties  faith- 
fully. His  wife  is  ;i  member  of  the  same  church 
and  attends  quite  regularly  at  St.  .Joseph. 


AVID  B.  STAYTON,  Ju.,  senior  member 
of  the  linn  of  Stay  ton  A-  Son,  dealers  in 
general  merchandise,  is  numbered  among 
•the  representative  business  men  of  St.  .Jo- 
seph, among  whose  people  he  has  grown  up  and 
among  whom  he  was  born  on  his  father's  old  home- 
stead in  St.  Joseph  Township,  Dec.  2,  1862.  Our 
subject  is  the  sou  of  David  B.  and  Sarah  ( Hartley) 
Stayton,  who  are  numbered  among  the  oldest  and 
mo:4  highly  respected  residents  of  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship. The  father,  a  native  of  Mason  County,  Ivy., 
was  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  and  at  an  early  pe- 
riod in  life  became  skilled  in  its  various  duties,  also 
receiving  fair  advantages  educationally.  By  the 
assistance  of  his  worthy  and  intelligent  wife  he  be- 
came an  important  factor  in  the  business  and  ag- 
ricultural community,  establishing  a  good  home- 
stead and  rearing  a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daugh- 
ters. 

.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  took  kindly  to  the  ex- 
cellent parental  training  which  he  received  at  home, 
and  has  continually  improved  his  mind  bv  the  pe- 
rusal of  books  and  the  various  periodicals  of  the 
day,  which  have  kept  him  well  posted  upon  the 
affairs  of  the  world  in  general."  He  remained  a 
member  of  his  father's  household  until  the  spring 
of  1881,  and  was  then  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lydia  Bird/ell,  of  this  county.  Mrs.  S.  is  the 
youngest  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine  Birdzell, 
who  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  The 
former  was  born  in  1828,  and  died  in  March,  1884. 
His  wife  was  born  in  1832.  Mrs.  S.  was  born  Nov. 
6,  1864,  and  reared  on  the  farm  by  her  parents, 
receiving  a  fair  education.  Of  her  marriage  with 
our  subject  there  have  been  born  three  bright 
daughters,  named  respectively  Maude,  Lettie  and 
Oral  Anna. 

After  their  marriage   Mr.  and    Mrs.  S.  located   in 
St.  Joseph  Township,  where  they   continued    until 


July,  1884.  Mr.  S.  then  formed  a  partnership  with 
William  II.  Swearingen,  and  they  embarked  in  the 
grocery  business.  At  the  end  of  six  months  Mr. 
Swearingen  disposed  of  his  interests  to  D.  B.  Stay- 
ton,  Sr.,  the  father  of  our  subject.  The  firm  is  a 
strong  one,  and  carries  a  full  stock  of  dry-goods, 
groceries  -and  notions,  and  has  an  extensive  and 
constantly  increasing  trade.  Their  straightforward 
methods  of  doing  business  and  promptness  in  meet- 
ing their  obligations  have  commended  them  to  the 
respect  of  the  people  in  that  section,  by  whom  they 
are  generously  patronized  and  whose  confidence 
they  enjoy  in  a  more  than  ordinary  degree. 


<*  MLLIAM  WHITE,  of  St.  Joseph  Township, 
\f\///  has  distinguished  himself  as  one  of  the 
^7\y  most  energetic  and  successful  farmers  and 
stock-raisers  of  that  region,  where  he  is  the  owner 
of  300  acres  of  valuable  land,  a  commodious  and 
substantial  residence,  good  barns  and  out-buildings, 
and  everything  required  by  the  progressive  and  in- 
telligent agriculturist.  The  dwelling  stands  upon  a 
gentle  elevation,  and  commands  a  fine  view  of  the 
surrounding  country.  The  eye  of  the  passer-by  is 
invariably  attracted  to  the  neatness  and  good  order 
of  the  entire  premises,  and  the  spirit  of  thrift  which 
is  one  of  its  prevailing  elements. 

The  master  spirit  which  has  presided  over  the 
homestead  which  we  have  described,  was  first  intro- 
duced to  the  responsibilities  of  life  in  Greenbrier 
County,  W.  Va.,  on  the  3d  of  June,  1832.  His 
parents,  David  and  Elizabeth  (Reynolds)  White, 
were  also  natives  of  the  Old  Dominion,  where  they 
were  married  and  remained  until  removing  to  Ross 
County,  Ohio,  where  the  death  of  both  parents  took 
place,  the  father  dying  in  1847,  and  the  mother  in 
1860.  They  reared  a  family  of  eight  children, 
four  sons  and  four  daughters,  who,  with  one  excep- 
tion, were  all  married,  and  all  but  two  remained 
residents  of  the  Buckeye  State.  One  brother  is  a 
resident  of  this  count}',  another  was  accidentally 
killed  by  a  mowing-machine  in  Ohio. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  the  third 
child  and  son  of  his  parents,  spent  his  earliest  years 
in  his  native  State,  but  completed  his  education  in 
the  district  schools  of  Ross  County,  Ohio.  lie  was 


t. 

f 


194 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


but  sixteen  years  old  when  his  father  died,  and  re- 
mained with  his  mother  three  years  afterward,  then 
began  life  on  his  own  account.  b_y  laboring  on  a 
farm  at  #1;")  per  month  for  three  months.  He  was 
afterward  proffered  larger  wages  from  another 
party,  whieli  he  accepted,  and  remained  in  that 
vicinity  until  the  fall  of  186(J.  His  attention  was 
then  attracted  by  the  reports  coming  from  the  rap- 
idly growing  State  of  Illinois,  and  he  resolved  to 
investigate.  He  spent  his  first  winter  in  Moultrie 
County,  and  in  the  spring  of  1863  came  to  this 
county  and  commenced  operating  on  a  rented  farm, 
of  which  he  remained  in  possession  as  a  tenant  for 
five  years.  He  then  purchased  eighty  acres  from 
the  railroad  company  on  section  30,  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  upon  which  there  were  no  improvements. 
He  first  put  up  a  small  log  house  which  is  still 
standing,  and  proceeded  with  the  cultivation  of  his 
laud,  meeting  with  success  in  his  labors.  He  in- 
vested his  surplus  capital  in  additional  real  estate, 
and  is  now  the  owner  of  300  acres,  most  of  which 
is  in  a  good  state -of  cultivation,  well  fenced  and 
thoroughly  drained  with  about  23,000  rods  of  tile. 
He  has  also  added  to  his  annual  income  by  fattening 
each  year  numbers  of  cattle,  usually  shipping  two 
carloads  to  the  Eastern  markets.  He  has  attained 
quite  a  reputation  also  as  a  breeder  of  Belgian 
horses,,  and  exhibits  some  fine  draft  animals  and 
roadsters. 

While  energetically  engaged  in  the  labors  and  cares 
of  farming,  Mr.  White,  with  a  due  appreciation^  the 
value  of  the  home  circle  and  domestic  ties,  was  mar- 
ried, after  reaching  his  majority,  to  Miss  Mary  Peni- 
will,  and  they  commenced  housekeeping  in  the  hum- 
ble dwelling  which  our  subject  had  erected  when 
taking  possession  of  his  first  purchase.  His  early 
hopes,  however,  were  destined  to  disappointment, 
as  his  young  wife  died  eleven  months  after  her 
marriage.  The  thread  of  his  life  thus  broken  was 
again  taken  up  in  1865,  when  he  was  united  to  Miss 
Mahala  F.,  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Sarah  Jones,  who 
had  become  residents  of  St.  Joseph  Township  in 
1835.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  three  daughters,  viz.,  Marion 
E.,  Leona,  Isaac.  Sarah  E.,  Bertha,  Homer  K.  and 
Frederick. 

Mrs  White  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of   the 


I'nited  Brethren  Church,  in  which  Mr.  White  has 
been  Trustee,  and  is  one  of  its  most  valued  sup- 
porters. He  has  never  been  backward  in  any  en- 
terprise calculated  for  the  welfare  of  the  community 
when  called  upon  for  assistance,  and  is  one  of  the 
Trustees  of  iluss  Cemetery,  which  was  laid  out  and 
devoted  to  burial  purposes  hi  about  IS.MO.  I'.iliiu-all v 
he  is  stanch  Republican,  and  om;  of  tin;  strongest 
advocates  of  law  and  good  order  in  these  times 
when  so  many  subjects  tsnd  to  agitate  and  unsettle 
the  people. 

In  the  career  of  Mr.  White,  who  commenced  the 
battle  of  life  dependent  entirely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, we  find  a  striking  example  of  the  results  of 
an  upright  course  and  persevering  industry.  His 
possessions  have  been  but  the  just  reward  of  a  man 
who  has  labored  faithfully,  been  prompt  to  meet 
his  obligations,  and  who  has  built  up  a  recordijof 
which  his  children  may  well  be  proud. 


G.  PARR,  of  Champaign,  is  filling  an  im- 
portant place  in  its  business  interests,  and 
is  at  present  employed  as  wholesale  presser 
and  shipper  of  hay,  his  business  being  located  on 
Lynn  street,  north  of  the  C.,  H.  &  W.  R.  K.  Mr. 
Parr  was  born  near  Greenville,  Bond  Co.,  111.,  Oct. 
2,  1832,  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Nancy  (Cor- 
rick)  Parr,  natives  respectively  of  Ireland  and 
Virginia.  The  mother  of  our  subject  descended 
from  substantial  Scotch  ancestry.  Her  father,  Sam- 
uel Corrick,  emigrated  to  America  with  his  parents 
when  four  years  old.  Tliey  located  in  Harrison 
County,  Ohio,  and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits, 
and  Samuel  resided  in  that  county  until  twenty-five 
years  of  age.  He  then  removed  to  Illinois  and  set- 
tled near  Greenville  on  the  east  fork  of  Shoal 
Creek,  where  he  built  a  grist  and  saw  mill,  and  was 
occupied  in  running  these  until  1847.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  entered  400  acres  of  timber  land, 
of  which  he  cleared  100  acres.  In  the  year  named 
he  sold  out  and  removed  to  La  Salle  County,  pur- 
chasing .'!20  acres  of  land  near  Peru,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  remained  until  his  death,  in 
l,st;o.  lie  was  married  in  1816,  to  Miss  Nancy  * 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


195 


Corrick.  They  became  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren, and  the  mother  departed  this  life  upon  the 
homestead  of  her  husband  in  1859.  Of  the  eight 
children  comprising  the  parental  household,  three 
only  are  now  living,  namely.  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Delatour, 
of  Chicago;  James,  a  resident  of  Wilmettc,  Cook 
Co.,  111.,  now  retired  from  active  business,  and  W. 
G.,  our  subject. 

Young  Parr  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and 
remained  under  the  home  roof  until  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  taking  care  of  his  parents  until  they 
passed  to  their  final  rest.  He  was  married,  in  1859, 
to  Miss  Maria  L.  Mitchell,  of  Wisconsin,  who  was 
born  in  1839,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Samuel 
Mitchell,  of  Virginia.  Two  years  previously  our 
subject  had  engaged  in  the  dry-goods  trade  at 
Granville,  Putnam  County,  but  after  eighteen 
months  sold  out  and  took  charge  of  the  old  home- 
stead until  1864.  He  then  sold  this  also,  and  re- 
moving to  McLean  County,  opened  up  a  stock  of 
goods  at  Normal,  selling  the  first  commodity  of 
the  kind  in  that  town.  He  remained  there  until  the 
fall  of  1870,  and  the  following  spring  removed  to 
Bloomington,  where,  in  company  with  Mr.  Aldrich, 
he  engaged  in  the  buying  and  shipping  of  hay. 
They  left  Bloomington  in  1874,  and  established 
a  similar  business  at  Henderson  Station,  where  our 
subject  remained  one  year,  and  in  1875  came  to 
Champaign,  where  he  established  his  present  busi- 
ness and  has  operated  since  that  time.  Here  he  has 
thirteen  acres  of  land,  which  he  purchased  in  1884^ 
supplied  with  a  shapely  and  convenient  residence, 
and  the  requisite  machinery  and  buildings  for  carry- 
ing on  his  business.  He  employs  upon  an  average 
six  men  the  year  round,  and  has  a  profitable  and 
constantly  increasing  trade. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parr  became  the  parents  of  three 
children:  Nora  is  a  graduate  of  the  High  School; 
Harry  G.  is  in  the  insurance  business  in  Chicago; 
Katie  is  studying  art  in  college.  Mr.  Parr  is  Re- 
publican in  politics,  and  with  his  wife  and  two 
daughters  is  prominently  connected  with  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  While  living  at  Normal  the 
first  society  of  this  denomination  there,  was  organ- 
ized, in  the  parlor  of  our  subject,  in  18G4,  and  he 
was  Secretary  and  Treasurer  for  seven  years  after- 
ward. .  He  has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  the  prog- 


ress of  morality  and  education,  and  has  contributed 
his  full  share  toward  the  building  up  of  society 
since  coining  here. 


ffiRA  A.  MANLEY,  Agent  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad  and  the  American  Express  Com- 
pany at  Tolono,  became  a  resident  of  this  county 
in  1872.  He  is  a  native  of  Herkimer  County, 
N.  Y.,  born  Sept.  30,  1829,  and  is  the  son  of  Ad- 
dison  and  Henrietta  (Parsons)  Manley,  the  former  a 
native  of  Vermont,  born  in  1794,  and  the  latter  of 
Connecticut,  born  in  1796.  The  parents  were  mar- 
ried in  Norway,  Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1820,  and 
resided  on  a  farm  until  1842,  when  they  took  pos- 
session of  a  hotel  in  the  town  of  Norway,  which 
they  carried  on  two  years.  Then,  resolving  to  come 
to  the  West,  in  May,  1844,  they  started  for  Illinois, 
and  located  first  on  a  farm  at  Byron,  Rock  River, 
ii:  Ogle  County.  The  father  died  in  November 
following,  leaving  a  wife  aifd  three  children  :  Mary, 
the  eldest,  became  the  wife  of  Samuel  Willard,  of 
Newport,  Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y. ;  Henrietta  A.  mar- 
ried John  W.  Andrews,  and  resides  at'  Kirkwood, 
Mo. ;  her  husband  is  engaged  in  the  jewelry  business 
in  St.  Louis.  Our  subject  is  tha  second  child  and 
only  son.  The  mother  was  married  the  second 
time,  in  1847,  to  a  .Mr.  Jones,  and  died  at  Burling- 
ton, Iowa,  in  March,  1860. 

Ira  A.  Manley  was  fifteen  years  of  age  when  the 
family  came  to  Illinois.  He  completed  his  educa- 
tion at  Mt.  Morris  Seminary  in  1848,  and  then 
going  to  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  entered  the  employ  of 
the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  Railroad  Company, 
under  whom  he  served  as  telegraph  operator  and 
clerk  until  the  latter  part  of  1855.  Then  return- 
ing to  Illinois  he  located  in  Iroquois  County  on  a 
farm,  where  he  remained  until  1872,  during  the  last 
ten  years  of  which  time  he  was  also  employed  as 
agent  of  the  Illinois  Central  at  Bulkley,  being  the 
first  railroad  agent  at  that  point.  In  1872  he  re- 
moved to  Tolono,  having  been  appointed  to  his 
present  office. 

Our  subject  was  married,  on  the  13th  of  October, 
1852,  to  Miss  Amanda  F.  Eraley,  who  is  a  native  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  was  born  Jan.  23,  1831.  She 


f 


IOC. 


CHAMPAION  COUNTY. 


is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Margaret.  (IJakei-) 
Fraley.  also  natives  of  the  (junker  City.  Of  this 
marriage  there  were  born  live  children:  Ira  A., 
Jr.,  was  accidentally  killed  at  the  station  at  Tolono. 
Dec.  4,  1875,  being  then  seventeen  years  of  age. 
Those  living  are  Alice  V.,  now  the  wife  of  Charles 
II.  Bell;  Mary  L,,  Mrs.  Ralph  L.  Brown;  George 
W.  and  Horace  A. 

Mr.  Manley,  politically,  votes  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  which  he  has  cordially  endorsed  since 
its  organization  in  1850.  He  is  also  a  strung  advo- 
cate of  temperance  and  interested  in  the  success  of 
the  prohibition  movement.  Mr;  and  Mrs.  M.  are 
active  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
our  subject  having  been  Superintendent  in  the  Sab- 
bath-school for  the  last  ten  years.  Socially  he  is  a 
Royal  Arch  Mason.  He  owns  his  present  home  in 
Tolono.  and  Mrs.  Manley  has  1 10  acres  of  land  ad- 
joining the  town  limits. 


ma 
J™ 


HOMAS  W.  CIIAMBERLIN,  of  the  Ex- 
change Bank  of  Rantoul,  is  a  gentleman 
highly  respected  for  his  excellent  business 
qualities  as  well  as  for  his  genial  and  companiona- 
ble character.  He  has  been  identified  with  the 
business  interests  of  Rantoul  since  1875,  and  estab- 
lished the  Exchange  Bank  in  November  of  that 
year.  Here  a  general  banking  business  is  con- 
ducted, and  the  institution,  which  is  considered 
thoroughly  reliable,  has  become  one  of  the  indis- 
pensable features  of  this  locality — one  of  which 
Rantoul  has  reason  to  be  proud. 

The  childhood  and  youth  of  our  subject  were 
passed  in  Hamilton  and  Warren  Cos.,  Ohio,  where 
his  birth  took  place  near  Cincinnati,  Aug.  20,  1840. 
His  parents,  Reuben  and  Susan  (McClane)  Cham- 
berlin,  were  natives  respectively  of  Vermont  and 
New  Hampshire,  of  English  and  Scottish  ancestry. 
After  his  marriage  Reuben  Chamberlin  with  his 
young  wife  located  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  for 
many  years  was  engaged  as  teacher  in  the  public 
schools.  Later  he  embarked  in  mercantile  business, 
but  did  not  live  to  cany  out  the  plans  which  he  had 
inaugurated,  passing  from  earth  when  our  subject 
was  a  small  boy.  The  family  included  five  children, 


of  whom  Thomas  \V.  is  the  the  only  surviving  child. 
The  mother  is  still  living,  making  her  home  in  Ran- 
toul, and  for  one  of  her  years  is  quite  active  in 
mind  and  body. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  after  finishing  his  pri- 
mary studies,  took  a  course  in  the  Cincinnati  Com- 
mercial College,  and  in  May,  1864,  came  into  Ford 
County,  this  State,  where  for  a  period  of  seven 
years  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  American  Ex- 
press Company.  In  1872  he  engaged  in  banking  in 
Vermjlion  County,  where  he  remained  until  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  Exchange  Bank  in  Rantoul.  .He 
has  been  prominent  in  local  matters  since  coming 
here,  having  been  at  once  recognized  as  a  gentle- 
man of  more  than  ordinary  abilities,  and  one  whose 
judgment  could  be  relied  upon.  He  has  served  as 
Village  Treasurer,  and  is  Director  of  the  Rantoul 
Building  and  Loan  Association,  besides  giving  his 
support  to  other  worthy  enterprises.  The  Congre- 
gational Church  recognizes  in  him  one  of  its  most 
useful  and  valued  members,  and  in  fact  he  has  be- 
come quite  indispensable  to  the  best  interests  of 
the  town  in  general.  In  only  one  particular  has  he 
failed  to  signalize  himself  as  having  performed  all 
the  duties  of  life — he  has  never  married.  He  is  of 
that  courteous  and  pleasing  manner  which  at  once 
indicates  him  as  the  true  gentleman,  whom  the 
stranger  recognizes  at  once,  and  for  whom  his 
friends  have  a  faithful  and  lasting  regard. 


ONALD  McINTOSH,  V.  S.,  and  Professor 
|]  of  Veterinary  Science,  has  charge  of  one 
of  the  most  important  departments  in  the 
Illinois  Industrial  University,  at  Urbana. 
For  this  his  natural  talents  have  eminently  fitted 
him,  and  he  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the  profes- 
sion to  which  he  has  given  years  of  time  and 
thought.  He  is  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  in  the 
city  of  Perth,  June  28,  1841,  and  is  the  son  of 
William  and  Kate  (Pennycook)  Me  In  tosh,  natives 
of  the  same  country.  They  emigrated  to  America 
in  1 848,  and  located  in  New  York  City,  where  the 
father  of  our  subject  engaged  as  a  contractor  and 
builder.  After  two  years'  residence  there  he  was 
recommended  to  a  fine  position  at  Kingston,  Can- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


197 


ad.-i,  which  he  acceptcil,  and  was  there  employed  at 
his  chosen  calling  for  a  period  of  nine  years.  Af- 
terward he  went  to  Guelph,  in  the  western  part  of 
the  Dominion,  where  he  followed  his  vocation  until 
his  death,  in  1887;  the  mother  is  still  living.  The 
parental  family  included  nine  children,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth. 

Young  Mclntosh  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  Scotland,  and  completed  it  at 
the  grammar  school  in  Elora,  Canada.  In  1804  he 
took  up  the  study  of  medicine,  which  he  pursued 
two  years,  and  then  entered  the  Veterinary  College 
in  the  Province  of  Ontario,  from  which  he  grad- 
uated in  1869.  Soon  afterward  he  was  appointed 
Veterinary  Surgeon  of  the  Dominion  artillery, 
which  position  he  occupied  for  a  period  of  thirteen 
years.  He  then  resigned,  and  started  for  the  North- 
west Territory  on  a  pleasure  and  exploring  expedi- 
tion combined.  In  1881  he  returned  East  to  New 
York  City,  and  engaging  with  his  brother  as  Veter- 
inary Surgeon,  operated  in  that  line  until  1886, 
when  he  came  to  this  county  and  took  the  position 
in  the  University  which  had  been  proffered  him, 
and  which  he  still  holds.  He  has  carried  on  the 
duties  of  his  department  with  credit  and  success, 
and  as  an  instructor  is  scarcely  to  be  excelled. 

Prof.  Mclntosh  was  married,  in  November,  1871, 
to  Miss  Charlotte  Urquhart,  a  native  of  Niagara 
County,  Canada.  Their  three  children  are  named 
Winnifred,  Mabel  and  Kate.  The  Professor  is 
Republican  in  politics,  and  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


ffiSAAC  THOMPSON  LEAS,  who  has  distin- 
guished himself  principally  as  a  successful 
/£  breeder  of  fine  stock,  is  one  of  the  valued  land- 
marks of  St.  Joseph  Township,  where  he  has  been 
an  important  factor  of  the  rural  community  since 
1860.  His  birth  took  place  near  Covington,  the 
county  seat  of  Fountain  County,  Ind.,  Oct.  27, 
1833,  and  he  traces  his  descendants  across  the  water 
to  where  they  originated,  in  England,  whence  they 
emigrated  to  this  country  in  the  Colonial  days,  set- 
tling in  Pennsylvania.  Daniel  Leas,  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  removed  in  early  life  from 


his  native  State  of  Ohio,  and  there  reared  a  family 
of  sons  and  daughters,  among  whom  was  George, 
the  father  of  our  subject.  This  lad,  although  born 
in  Pennsylvania,  was  reared  in  Ohio,  and  there  grew 
to  manhood,  learning  the  potter's  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  several  years  thereafter.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1830,  to  Miss  Lydia,  the  eldest  child  of 
Abner  and  Huldah  (Robinson)  Crane.  Her  par- 
ents were  natives  of  New  Jersey,  and  Abner  Crane 
was  a  private  in  the  War  of  1812. 

George  Leas  after  his  marriage  removed  to  Foun- 
tain County,  Ind.,  where  he  first  followed  his  trade, 
and  then  took  up  farming,  remaining  there  until  his 
decease,  in  1877.  Isaac  T.,  of  our  sketch,  passed 
his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his  native  count}'  and 
upon  reaching  his  majority  and  setting  out  to  do 
for  himself  traced  his  steps  to  Central  Illinois.  He 
first  engaged  in  stock-raising,  meeting  with  unusual 
success,  and  ere  long  was  considered  an  expert  at 
his  calling.  In  1858  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
on  section  9,  St.  Joseph  Township,  to  which  he  lias 
since  added  by  degrees  until  he  is  the  owner  of 
520  broad  acres,  beautifully  laid  off  in  grain  fields 
and  pasture  lands,  and  which  invariably  attracts  the 
attention  of  the  passer-l>3'  on  account  of  its  loca- 
tion, its  handsome  and  substantial  buildings,  and 
the  evident  care  and  forethought  exercised,  both 
as  regards  the  estate  as  a  homestead  and  a  stock 
farm.  Of  late  years  he  has  turned  his  attention 
principally  to  the  breeding  of  Norman  horses,  and  . 
exhibits  some  of  the  finest  animals  in  this  section 
of  country,  models  of  beauty  and  strength.  In 
connection  with  his  cattle  operations  he  ships  sev- 
eral carloads  annually  to  Chicago  and  other  Eastern 
markets,  from  the  proceeds  of  which  he  realizes  a 
handsome  sum  annually. 

The  marriage  of  Isaac  T.  Leas  and  Miss  Ervilla 
Sumner,  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents  near  Covington,  Ind.,  in  October,  1860. 
The  wife  of  our  subject  is  the  youngest  daughter 
of  the  first  settler  of  Champaign  .County,  namely, 
Selby  Sumner,  who  married  Miss  Rebecca  Hatha- 
way. Our  subject  and  wife  became  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  two  sons  and  six  daughters,  of  whom 
two,  Nettie  and  Frank,  are  deceased.  Those  sur- 
viving are  Emma,  Jennie,  Clara,  Gertrude,  Sadie 
and  Earnest,  all  at  home  with  their  parents. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


The  family  residence  is  a  commodious  and  sub- 
stantial structure,  finely  finished  and  furnished,  and 
was  erected  in  1879.  The  barn  in  the  rear  had 
been  put  up  two  years  previously.  The  grounds 
surrounding  it  are  ample  and  neatly  kept,  and  the 
whole  has  an  air  of  plenty  and  comfort,  refreshing 
to  the  eye.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leas  are  active  members 
of  Prairie  Hope  Church,  in  which  our  subject  has 
served  as  Clerk  for  many  years,  and  officiated  as 
teacher  in  the  Sabbath-school,  in  which  he  has  al- 
ways maintained  a  lively  interest.  Their  children 
have  been  carefully  trained  and  well  educated  and 
present  a  group  of  which  the  parents  may  well  be 
proud. 


f       EC 

If: 


JIJ'  EONARD  McELWEE,  a  highly  respected 
member  of  the  farming  community  of  St. 
Joseph  Township,  became  a  resident  of  the 
Prairie  State  when  a  youth  of  nineteen  years,  and 
located  with  his  father's  family  upon  the  land  which 
constitutes  his  present  homestead.  This  is  a  good 
body  of  land,  finely  located,  furnished  with  all  nec- 
essary farm  buildings,  and  constitutes  one  of  the 
desirable  homes  so  often  seen  in  the  district  settled 
up  by  an  intelligent  and  progressive  ctass  of  peo- 
ple. Knell  year  adds  something  to  its  value  and 
attractiveness,  and  our  subject,  if  we  ma}'  judge 
from  appearances,  has  availed  himself  uniformly  of 
the  modern  improvements  of  the  age. 

Mr.  McElwee  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born 
in  Lancaster  County,  Nov.  29,  1837.  His  grand- 
father, John  McElwee,  was  a  prominent  iron  manu- 
facturer of  that  county,  and  a  descendant  of  sub- 
stantial Scotch  ancestry,  possessing  in  a  marked  de- 
gree the  qualities  for  which  that  race  is  noted.  He 
married  and  reared  a.familj'  of  sons  and  daughters, 
among  whom  was  Carson  J.,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  was  born  in  Maryland  in  about  1811. 
The  latter  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  his 
youth,  but  later  engaged  in  farming.  Upon  assum- 
ing domestic  ties  he  chose  for  his  wife  Miss  Eliza, 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  J.  Buchanan,  and 
going  into  Pennsylvania  they  located  on  a  farm  in 
Lancaster  County.  This,  however,  they  only  occu- 
pied about  three  years,  and  thence  removed  to 


fountain  County,  Ind.,  where  Mr.  McElwee  en- 
tered forty  acres  of  land,  in  the  improvement  and 
cultivation  of  which  he  was  engaged  for  ten  years 
following.  lie  then  sold  out  and  purchased  another 
farm,  but  only  remained  upon  it  until  the  spring  of 
1856.  Then,  resolving  to  push  further  westward 
he  came  with  his  family  to  this  county,  and  took 
possession  of  a  tract  of  land  on  section  1,  St.  Joseph 
Township,  where  he  remained  until  1876.  He  then 
crossed  the  Mississippi  into  Cherokee  County,  Kan., 
where  his  death  took  place  in  1883.  The  mother 
died  on  the  homestead  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  in 
August,  1864. 

The  parental  family  included  nine  children,  of 
whom  seven  lived  to  mature  years,  but  three  only 
now  survive.  Leonard  C.  of  our  sketch  was  the 
second  born,  and  received  his  education  mainly  in 
the  schools  of  Fountain  County,  Ind.  He  contin- 
ued with  his  parents  until  his  marriage,  coming 
with  them  to  this  county,  but  had  previously 
formed  an  attachment  to  a  young  lad}7  in  Indiana, 
where  he  afterward  returned,  and  was  married  in 
Fountain  County,  in  the  twenty-second  year  of  his 
age.  The  maiden  of  his  choice  was  Miss  Anna  M., 
daughter  of  David  and  Margaret  Simons,  of  the 
latter-named  county.  The  Simons'  family  first  set- 
tled in  Pennsylvania,  whence  they  removed  to 
Ohio  and  afterward  to  Indiana. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McElwee  re- 
turned to  this  county  and  located  upon  the  home- 
stead which  had  built  up  from  the  uncultivated 
prairie  by  the  father  of  our  subject.  Afterward, 
however,  they  were  induced  to  return  to  Indiana, 
where  Mr.  McE.  rented  a  farm  in  the  neighborhood 
where  he  had  been  reared,  and  which  he  occupied 
with  his  family  thereafter  ten  years.  Subsequently 
he,  purchased  a  timber  tract  of  eighty  acres  in  that 
vicinity,  of  which  he  cleared  forty.  He  then  sold 
out,  and  returning  to  this  county  purchased  his 
father's  farm  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  where  he 
now  resides.  This  included  120  acres  of  thor- 
oughly cultivated  land,  to  which  he  has  since 
added  forty-eight  acres.  He  also  put  up  a  good 
residence  in  1883,  and  this,  together  with  the  com- 
modious barn  and  other  necessary  out-buildings, 
forms  a  homestead  which  will  bear  comparison 
with  those  around  it  in  its  appearance  and  manage- 


'\ 


.t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


201 


ment.  Mr.  McE.  has  given  particular  attention  to 
stock-raising,  and  has  a  number  of  graded  animals 
which  are  in  the  habit  of  carry  ing  off  the  blue  ribbon 
at  county  fairs. 

The  six  children  which  completed  the  household 
circle  of  our  subject  and  wife,  consisted  of  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  as  follows  :  Samira  J., 
now  the  wife  of  Thomas  F.  Mapes;  Charles  F.  ; 
Eliza  I).,  the  wife  of  William  Osborne,  of  Edgar 
Count}*;  James  C.,  who  married  Miss  Mary  Alsop; 
Anderson  C.  and  Orpha  D.  The  latter  two  are  at 
home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McE.  are 
members  and  regular  attendants  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church,  and  politically,  our  subject  is  an 
independent  voter,  aiming  to  support  the  candi- 
dates best  qualified  for  office. 


OLOMON  NOX,  a  prosperous  farmer  of 
Urbana  Township,  is  one  of  the  old  settlers 
of  this  county,  having  come  here  w.ith  his 
parents  in  1827,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  continuously  identified  with  its  agricultural 
development.  He  was  born  in  Gallia  County,  Ohio, 
near  Gallipolis,  May  20,  1813.  His  maternal  grand- 
father was  of  Irish  descent  and  was  a  resident  of 
Gallia  County. 

Our  subject's  father,  William  Nox,  was  a  farmer 
by  calling  and  born  in  the  State  of  Delaware.  He 
was  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  whose  name  was 
Miss  Reed,  leaving  at  her  death  a  family  of  ten 
children.  The  second  marriage  was  with  Miss  Mary 
Gillespie,  a  native  of  Virginia.  Soon  after  his  first 
marriage  William  Nox  moved  to  Gallia  County, 
Ohio,  and  located  on  a  farm,  which  he  cleared  and 
improved.  Before  he  removed  to  Champaign  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  he  had  cleared  and  cultivated  three  farms  in 
Ohio.  In  18-27  he  first  established  himself  near  Sid- 
ney, this  county,  which  was  at  that  time  in  Vermilion 
County,  and  on  that  farm  he  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  days.  His  death  occurred  April  4,  1840,  and 
'  his  wife  died  April  20.  1847.  He  was  the  father  of 
twenty  children,  having  had  ten  by  each  marriage. 
Solomon  Nox  was  born  of  the  second  marriage 
and  passed  his  early  boyhood  in  Ohio.  He  was 
about  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  removed  to 


Champaign  County  with  his  parents.  He  received 
a  limited  education  and  remained  with  his  parents 
until  his  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  A.  Busey,  in 
1837.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Sarah 
Busey.  Her  father  died  in  1863,  and  her  mother 
May  1  3,  1  887,  aged  ninety-six  years.  After  his 
marriage  Mr.  Nox  settled  on  a  farm  near  Sidney, 
where  he  remained  for  a  number  of  years.  He  then 
removed  to  his  present  home  on  section  15,  in 
Urbana  Township,  the  date  of  his  locating  being 
in  the  spring  of  1851.  His  farm  contains  160  acres 
of  valuable,  well-improved  land. 

In  1862  Mr.  Nox  enlisted  in  Co.  G,  36th  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  his  country  faithfully  for  three 
years.  He  was  engaged  in  several  battles  but 
fortunately  escaped  being  either  wounded  or  taken 
prisonerv  In  August,  1865,  he  was  mustered  out, 
returning  to  his  home,  and  resumed  his  former 
occupation  of  general  farming.  He  is  very  success- 
ful in  stock-raising  and  supervises  his  farm  without 
doing  much  active  work  himself.  Although  in  the 
seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age  he  is  strong  and 
vigorous.  He  voted  for  Gen.  Grant  although  he  is 
a  Democrat  of  the  old  Jacksoriian  school.  Mr.  Nox 
began  his  career  in  life  with  but  little  capital  except 
his  own  energy,  and  has  acquired  a  fine  property, 
enabling  him  to  pass  the  declining  years  of  his  life 
in  comfort  and  ease. 


?ILLIAM  MEHARRY,  for  more  than  twenty 
years  one  of  the  most  active  and  prosper- 
ous farmers  of  Champaign  County,  and 
one  of  the  large  land-owners  of  the  Prairie  State, 
left  his  rural  residence  and  moved  into  the  pleasant 
village  of  Tolono,  where,  surrounded  by  the  comforts 
and  luxuries  of  a  modern  home,  secured  through 
early  industry  and  enterprise,  he  is  passing  the  sun- 
set of  life  and  enjoying  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  hosts  of  friends. 

The  early  years  of  Mr.  Meharry  were  spent  in 
Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  where  he  was  born  Oct. 
27,  1830.  He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Unity 
(Patton)  Meharry,  natives  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
where  the  father  followed  farming  until  he  re- 


.1 


202 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


moved  to  Indiana,  where  he  died  when  seventy- 
four  years  of  age.  The  mother,  who  was  born 
Aug.  16,  1802,  died  Aug.  7,  1887.  The  seven  chil- 
dren of  the  parental  household  are  all  living  and  re- 
corded as  follows:  Jane,  the  wife  of  Eli  H.  Dick,  is 
a  resident  of  Philo,  111.;  William,  of  our  sketch,  was 
the  second  child  ;  Ellen,  Mrs.  John  Martin,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Montgomery  County,  Ind.;  Jesse  resides  in 
Philo  Township  (see  sketch) ;  Polly  Ann,  who  mar- 
ried Calvin  McCorkle,  was  born  July  3,  1838,  and 
died  Aug.  19,  1887;  Abraham  and  Isaac  were 
twins;  the  former  is  a  resident  of  this  county,  and 
the  latter  occupies  a  part  of  the  homestead  in  In- 
diana. 

Mr.  Meharry  remained  under  the  home  roof  un- 
til twenty-seven  years  old,  passing  his  time  in  as- 
sisting in  the  cultivation  of  the  farm  and  in  at- 
tendance upon  the  common  schools.  He  early  in 
life  very  wisely  began  to  accumulate  property.  His 
first  purchase  of  land  was  near  Attica,  Ind.  This 
he  tilled  until  1864.  In  the  meantime  his  father 
had  purchased  section  9  of  Crittenden  Township, 
this  county  which  he  gave  to  William,  a  few  years 
later,  when  he  sold  out  his  property  in  Fountain 
County,  Ind.,  and  removed  to  the  Prairie  State,  and 
in  1864  added  to  his  landed  interests  by  the  pur- 
chase of  section  32  of  Philo  Township,  upon  which 
he  lived  until  the  year  1883,  and  then,  leaving  his 
farm  property  in  good  shape,  removed  to  the 
village  of  Tolono  and  purchased  his  present  home, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  complete  in  the  town.  The 
dwelling  is  finished  and  furnished  in  modern  style, 
and  everything  about  the  premises  indicates  culti- 
vated tastes  and  ample  means.  Mr.  Meharry  still 
owns  the  two  sections  of  land  above  mentioned  and 
a  farm  of  160  acres  near  the  town  limits  of  Tolono, 
besides  valuable  village  property.  His  career  has 
been  marked  by  industry,  energy  and  excellent 
judgment,  and  he  has  performed  an  important  part 
in  the  building  up  of  Tolono  Township,  and  -the 
development  of  its  resources.  He  has  been  honest 
and  upright  in  his  dealings,  prompt  to  meet  his 
obligations,  and  while  enjoying  the  good  things  of 
this  life  and  regard  of  his  fellow-citizens,  is  simply 
in  possession  of  that  which  he  has  justly  earned. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  life  of 
our  subject,  and  which  undoubtedly  had  much  to 


do  in  shaping  his  future  course,  was  his  marriage 
with  Miss  Margaret  McCorkle,  which  took  place  in 
1869.  Mrs.  M.  is  a  native  of  Putnam  Count}',  Ind., 
and  their  union  has  been  blest  by  the  birth  of  two 
daughters  —  May  and  Lelia.  Mr.  Meharry  is  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party,  and  his  estima- 
ble wife  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

The  portrait  department  of  the  BIOGRAPHICAL 
Ai.itrM  of  Champaign  County  is  greatly  enhanced  by 
including  in  it  a  likeness  of  this  prominent  and 
wealthy  citizen. 


OBERT  M.  PORTERFIELD,  a  prominent 
hardware  merchant  of  Sidney,  was  born  in 
Armstrong  County,  Pa.,  Sept.  23,  1847.  His 
parents  were  R.  G.  and  Hannah  (Campbell) 
Porterfield.  His  father  was  born  May  31,  1814,  and 
his  mother  Jan.  22,  1815.  They  were  reared  in  Arm- 
strong •County,  and  were  there  married  May  16, 
1837.  In  1867  R.  G.  and  Hannah  Porterfield 
moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  Sidney,  this  county, 
where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 
The  former  died  Oct.  22,  1872,  and  his  wife  Feb. 
25,  1879. 

Robert  M.  Porterfield  was  the^sixth  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  of  whom  the 
record  is  as  follows:  Nancy  became  the  wife 
of  George  Forsy  th,  and  is  now  deceased  ;  L.  C. 
married  Miss  Mary  A.  Toy,  and  they  live  in 
Sidney  Township;  Sarah  is  deceased;  S.  A.  married 
Miss  Lydia  Williams,  who  is  deceased;  Malinda, 
formerly  the  wife  of  George  Wilson,  is  also  dead  ; 
Robert  M.  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch  ;  Mary  E.  is 
single;  J.  W.  is  deceased;  Hannah  M.  is  the  wife 
of  John  Kennie,  and  they  reside  in  Sidney  Town- 
ship, and  Martha  A.  is  dead. 

Robert  M.  Porterfield  was  married  to  Miss  Maggie 
Hunter,  Oct.  31,  1876.  She  was  born  Jan.  16, 
1853,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Margaret 
(Fleming)  Hunter.  Her  father  was  a  prominent 
merchant,  and  was  born  in  Armstrong  County,  Pa., 
July  21,  1826.  Both  parents  died  in  Pennsylvania. 
Their  family  consisted  of  four  children,  of  whom 
Margaret  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth.  The 


'4 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


203 


others'  were  John,  William  and  Tillie.  The  latter, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Beck,  lives  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. Mrs.  Porterfleld  has  become  the  mother  of 
four  interesting  children,  namely  :  Ira  B.,  born 
Oct.  15,  1877;  Charles  C.,  Oct.  22,  1880;  Frank 
M.,  Dec.  30,  1882,  and  Zula  V.,  Jan.  13,  1885. 

Mr.  Porterfleld  is  the  owner  of  an  extensive  and 
highly  cultivated  farm,  being  the  southeast  quarter 
of  section  22,  Sidney  Township.  His  farm  is  ex- 
cellently managed,  and  successfully  carried  on  with 
the  aid  of  all  the  best  modern  appliances.  He  also 
owns  three  well-improved  town  lots,  upon  which  is 
erected  one  of  the  most  elegant  frame  residences 
in  the  place.  It  is  surrounded  by  an  extensive 
lawn,  planted  with  evergreen  shrubbery  and  the  fin- 
est hard  maple  trees  in  the  township.  His  house 
and  barn  are  unsurpassed  by  any  in  the  county, 
everything  within  and  without  bearing  witness  to 
the  cultured  taste  of  its  owner.  Mr.  Porterfteld 
and  his  wife  are  members  in  high  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Church.  His  political  sympathies  are 
with  the  Republican  party. 


IfclLLISON  HA  WORTH.  This  gentleman 
has  attained  quite  a  reputation  in  Stanton 
Township  and  vicinity,  as  a  stock-raiser  and 
feeder,  and  dealer  in  Durham  cattle.  He  is  essen- 
tially a  self-made  man.  provided  with  but  limited 
advantages  in  his  youth,  but  who,  with  the  aid  of 
his  natural  talents  and  industry,  has  secured  a  com- 
petency and  a  good  position  socially  among  his 
fellow-men.  His  real  estate  consists  of  a  good  farm 
located  on  section  27,  which  is  provided  with  a 
complete  family  residence,  a  convenient  and  sub- 
stantial barn,  and  a  proper  assortment  of  valuable 
modern  machinery. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  this  State,  born  at  Ver- 
milion Grove,  Dec.  10,  1835.  His  parents,  David  and 
Miiriam  (Mills)  Haworth,  were  also  natives  of  Ver- 
milion County,  where  they  were  reared  and  married, 
and  where  the  mother  is  still  living  on  the  old 
homestead.  David  Haworth  departed  this  life  July 
25,  1876.  The  eleven  children  of  the  household 
included  eight  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of 
whom  grew  to  mature  years  and  present  one  of  the 


finest  families  found  in  the  Prairie  State.  Willison, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  the  oldest;  Clayborn 
married  Miss  Esther  Williams;  Maria  died  .Sept.  1, 
1864;  James  W.,  married  Miss  Rose  Porter,  of  Ver- 
milion County;  Elvin  is  living  in  California;  John 
married  Miss  Ann  Sigler,  of  Vermilion  County,  and 
went  to  Colorado,  dying  at  Golden,  that  State, 
April  11,  1880.  His  wife  died  two  years  later, 
leaving  two  children,  both  now  living.  Beriah  mar- 
ried Miss  Anna  Lewis,  and  is  farming  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Vermilion  County;  Horace  married 
Miss  Dora  Kennedy;  Mary  J.  became  the  wife  of 
James  Jndd ;  Cecelia  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  Cook, 
and  Lindley  married  Miss  Mollie  Hoskins.  These 
are  living  in  Vermilion  County,  mostly  engaged 
in  farming  pursuits. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  passed  his  early  days 
in  his  native  county,  and  chose  from  its  daughters 
Miss  Martha  E.  Judd,  who  became  his  wife  Feb. 
28,  1861.  Mrs.  Haworth  is  the  daughter  of  Syl- 
vester R.  and  Eliza  (Gowen)  Judd,  being  the  third 
of  eleven  children  born  to  her  parents,  of  whom 
only  five  are  living.  The  mother  is  living  and  a 
resident  of  Champaign  County.  Her  brothers  and 
sisters  are  recorded  as  follows:  James  H.  married 
Miss  Haworth ;  Thomas  married  Carrie  Cline,  and 
is  a  resident  of  Fulton  County,  111. ;  Martha  E.  is 
the  wife  of  our  subject;  Josephine  married  James 
Mundy;  Lorena  is  the  wife  of  Eli  Stratton,  of 
Somers  Township.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Haworth 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  March  7,  1812.  He  was  a 
miller  by  trade  and  a  man  generally  respected  in 
his  community,  being  a  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  holding  the  various  town- 
ship offices.  He  died  at  Georgetown,  in  this  State, 
on  the  5th  of  May,  1877.  The -mother  was  born 
Sept,  27, 1818,  and  is  still  living  among  her  children. 
She  became  connected  with  the  Christian  Church 
at  an  early  day,  of  which  she  has  remained  a  consist- 
ent member  to  this  time.  Three  sons  of  the  family 
served  as  Union  soldiers  in  the  late  war,  all  in  Illi- 
nois regiments,  and  afterward  returned  safely  to 
their  homes. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haworth  after  their  marriage,  lo- 
cated first  in  Vermilion  County,  where  they  lived 
two  years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1863  took  up  their 
residence  in  Stanton  Township,  upon  the  eighty 


t. 


204 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


acres  of  land  which  Mr.  II.  had  purchased,  :md 
which  is  now  included  in  the  homestead.  He  after- 
ward purchased  forty  acres  additional,  which  makes 
a  farm  of  120  acres,  upon  which  he  has  effected 
fine  improvements,  setting  out  a  good  orchard, 
building  neat  fences,  and  in  1 882  put  up  a  residence, 
which,  with  its  adjacent  buildings,  is  not  excelled 
by  any  in  the  county.  The  live-stock  is  of  excel- 
lent quality  and  receives  the  best  of  care.  None  of 
the  land  is  allowed  to  run  to  waste,  being  utilized 
either  in  pasturage  or  the  growing  of  grain  and 
other  -crops,  either  for  market  or  the  use  of  the 
household.  Their  two  children  are  daughters. 
Flora  E.  is  now  the  wife  of  Milton  Simcox,  of  Stan- 
ton  Township;  Maria  T.,  a  music  teacher,  remains 
at  home  with  her  p_arents. 

The  grandparents  of  our  subject,  John  and 
Cecilia  Haworth,  were  natives  of  North]  Carolina- 
They  spent  their  last  days  in  Vermilion  County,  and 
their  children  became  residents  of  this  State,  where 
some  of  them  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 
The  Haworths  were  of  English  ancestry,  and  were 
Quakers  on  both  sides  of  the  family.  Willison,  of 
our  sketch,  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  John 
C.  Fremont,  and  his  last  one  for  James  G.  Blaine, 
indicating  that  for  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years 
he  has  been  connected  with  the  Republican  party. 


(,-ILLIAM  HENDERSON.  On  section  in, 
in  Homer  Township,  is  located  one  of  the 
best  conducted  farms  in  that  locality, 
owned  and  occupied  by  the  gentleman  whose  name 
stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  He  is  the  de- 
scendant of  an  excellent  family  who  were  of  strong 
and  sturdy  character,  possessing  the  spirit  of  the 
pioneer  days,  and  who  worked  hand  in  hand  with 
the  courageous  colonists,  who,  from  time  to  time, 
left  their  homes  in  the  East,  or  the  other  side  of 
the  Atlantic,  to  found  new  associations  and  build 
up  new  homes  in  an  untried  country.  The  parents 
of  our  subject,  Alexander  and  Isabella  (Chapman) 
Henderson,  were  natives  respectively  of  North 
Carolina  and  Ohio,  the  former  born  Sept.  C,  1815, 
and  the  latter  Dec.  31,  181!).  Both  are  still  living, 
and  residents  of  Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  and 


the  father  is  in  a  moderate  way  carrying  on  agri- 
culture, with  which  he  has  been  familiar  through 
life. 

Alexander  Henderson  and  his  wife  were  careful 
and  conscientious  in  their  lives,  and  trained  up 
their  children  in  those  moral  and  religious  princi- 
ples which  formed  the  basis  of  their  own  course  in 
life.  They  were  married  on  the  1 1th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1838,  and  in  early  life  identified  themselves 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  the 
father  has  been  Steward  and  otherwise  prominently 
connected  with  it  for  many  years.  He  was  a  man 
of  much  force  of  character,  and  great  energy  and 
industry,  which  qualities  have  become  but  little 
lessened  by  the  flight  of  years,  and  he  is  now  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  competency.  The  ten  children  of 
the  parental  household  are  recorded  as  follows: 
Elizabeth,  who  became  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Hendrick, 
died  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Indiana  in 
1874;  William,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  second  child; 
Amanda  became  the  second  wife  of  J.  W.  Hendrick; 
James  married  Miss  Amanda  Thomas;  Milton  mar- 
ried Miss  Sarah  Macomb;  Mary  became  the  wife  of 
Simon  Lynch;  Alice  is  the  wife  of  George  Munns; 
Martha  is  Mrs.  James  Miller,  and  John  married 
Miss  Jennie  Quick.  One  child  died  in  infancy  un- 
named. 

William  Henderson,  of  our  sketch,  is  a  native  of 
Parke  County,  Ind.,  and  was  born  Feb.  17,  1841. 
He  received  thorough  training  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits, and,  considering  his  early  education  and  asso- 
ciations, it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he  is  more 
than  ordinarily  skillful  in  his  tilling  of  the  soil  and 
the  breeding  of  fine  stock,  to  the  latter  of  which  he 
has  given  much  attention,  especially  of  late  years. 
The  youth  and  boyhood  of  our  subject  were  passed 
mostly  upon  the  farm  and  in  attendance  at  the  dis- 
trict schools.  The  pleasures  of  the  young  people 
of  those  days  were  simple  and  few,  but  it  is  proba- 
ble that  they  reaped  fully  as  much  enjoyment  as 
do  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  present  age,  with 
their  more  expensive  tastes.  He  was  employed  as 
a  teacher  at  intervals  for  a  period  of  ten  years, 
making  an  excellent  tutor  and  instructor. 

After  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war,  and  while 
in  Indiana,  resolving  to  become  a  Union  soldier, 
Mr.  II.  enlisted  in  the  72d  Indiana  Infantry,  and  i 


pm 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


205 


served  three  year:;  in  Cum  puny  B.  In  the  mean- 
time he  was  promoted  Corporal.  He  participated 
with  his  comrades  in  many  important  battles,  in- 
cluding the  fight  at  Chickamanga,  and  served  with 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  the  greater  portion  ' 
of  the  time.  Although  experiencing  many  hair- 
breadth escapes,  enduring  wearisome  marches  and 
other  hardships  connected  with  a  soldier's  life,  he 
escaped  without  serious  injury,  and  received  his 
honorable  discharge  on  the  Oth  of  July,  1865. 

Our  subject  then  came  to  Illinois,  and  after 
teaching  school  a  part  of  one  season  returned  to 
Indiana,  where  he  was  married.  He  had  already 
become  proprietor  of  150  acres  of  land,  upon  which 
he  now  located,  and  occupied  his  time  in  improv- 
ing his  farm  during  the  summer  seasons,  while  in 
thn  winter  he  added  to  his  income  by  teaching. 
His  present  homestead  embraces  110  acres  of  land, 
which  by  constant  and  careful  cultivation  will  now 
compare  with  the  soil  of  any  farm  in  its  vicinity. 
All  the  farm  stock  is  well  cared  for  and  in  good 
condition,  together  with  the  machinery,  fences, 
buildings,  and  everything  about  the  place. 

In  his  various  enterprises  Mr.  H.  ha~s  been  at- 
tended by  his  faithful  wife  and  companion,  who  be- 
came the  sharer  of  his  home  and  fortunes  on  the 
28th  of  March,  1867.  This  lady,  formerly  Miss 
Nancy  J.  Hoff,  is  also  a  native  of  Indiana,  born 
Oct.  15,  1848,  and  the  daughter  of  James  and  Han- 
nah (Barnett)  Hoff,  of  Ohio.  The  ceremony  which 
united  her  with  William  Henderson  was  performed 
by  Squire  J.  T.  Miller,  of  Waynetown,  Ind.,  the 
wedding  taking  place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents  near  that  city.  Her  father,  James  Hoff, 
was  born  in  Ohio,  June  27,  1823,  and  is  still  living 
on  his  farm  near  Waynetown.  His  wife,  Hannah, 
a  native  of  the  same  State,  was  born  Sept.  18,  1826, 
and  died  very  suddenly  of  heart  disease,  on  Sun- 
day morning,  July  11,  1886,  on  the  old  homestead. 
The  four  children  of  this  household  were,  Nancy  J., 
the  wife  of  our  subject;  Jernsha  A.,  who  married 
Ambrose  Fruits;  Mnhala,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Samuel  Nixon,  and  Emma,  who  died  of  typhoid 
fever  on  the  25th  of  November,  1882. 

The  six  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Hen- 
derson are  recorded  as  follows:  Minnie  was  born 
Feb.  24,  1868;  Edgar,  born  Oct.  20,  1809,  died 


Oct.  6,  1870;  Alice,  born  Feb.  23,  1871,  died  Aug. 
19.  1872;  Oscar  was  born  Sept.  1,  1872;  Emma,  Oct. 
22,  1877,  and  Alma,  Nov.  20,  1881.  Mr.  Hender- 
son, with  his  wife  and  children,  attends  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  at  Lost  Grove,  where  our 
subject  is  Steward  and  Trustee,  and  for  several 
years  has  been  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 
He  is  especially  active  in  all  matters  pertaining  to 
religious  work,  and  has  been  one  of  the  first  in  or- 
ganizing societies  and  encouraging  the  erection  of 
church  buildings.  He  was  a  member  of  the  first 
committee  appointed  to  undertake  the  erection  of 
the  Methodist  Church  in  Lost  Grove,  and  has  con- 
tributed liberally  toward  the  support  of  the  society, 
keeping  up  the  Sunday-school  and  assisting  in  fur- 
nishing the  house  of  worship  with  the  conveniences 
necessary  to  make  it  an  attractive  resort  for  the 
young  and  a  place  of  comfort  for  the  old.  Politi- 
cally he  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
has  served  as  School  Trustee  in  Homer  Township 
for  a  period  of  fifteen  years. 


AMES  H.  FLATT,  who  is  located  on  sec- 
tion 17,  Somer  Township,  is  a  native  of  the 
Province  of  Ontario,  Canada,  and  was  born 
near  the  city  of  Hamilton,  June  20,  1831. 
When  fifteen  years  of  age  he  started  out  in  life  to 
battle  for  himself,  and  coming  to  the  States  pro- 
ceeded westward  to  Lee  County,  111.,  where  he  was 
engaged  as  a  farm  laborer  for  a  period  of  seven 
years,  with  the  exception  of  a  time  when  he  was  ly- 
ing ill.  The  balance  of  the  time  was  principally 
spent  in  working  hard  to  pa3'  the  doctor's  bill, 
which  amounted  to  at  least  $100  per  year.  Not- 
withstanding this  outlay  and  the  low  price  paid  for 
labor  in  those  days,  he  managed  to  save  something 
from  his  wages.  In  1858  he  returned  to  his  old 
home  in  Canada,  where  he  leased  the  farm  for  seven 
years,  spending  that  time,  however,  for  naught,  as 
the  venture  did  not  prove  successful. 

In  the  midst  of  his  difficulties,  however,  Mr.  Flatt 
found  one  true  friend  and  sympathizer  who  was 
willing  to  share  his  fortunes  for  better  or  for  worse. 
This  vvas  Miss  Lovila  Matilda  Campbell,  who  be- 
came his  wife  on  the  25th  of  November,  1858.  She 


i 


206 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


was  the  daughter  of  Louis  Campbell,  of  Hamilton, 
Ontario,  and  was  born  not  far  from  the  birthplace 
of  her  husband.  Resolving  to  again  make  his  home 
in  the  West,  Mr.  Flatt,  with  his  wife,  came  to  Sa- 
dorus  Township,  this  county,  where  he  rented  a 
tract  of  land,  which  he  cultivated  five  years  with 
fair  success,  and  from  the  proceeds  of  which  he  was 
enabled  to  purchase  1 60  acres  of  raw  prairie  on  sec- 
tion 22,  in  Sadorus  Township.  He  at  once  com- 
menced the  improvement  of  this  property,  and  la- 
bored thereon  for  fifteen  years  following,  until  1883. 
His  fortunes  had  greatly  mended,  and  he  now  dis- 
posed of  his  farm  in  order  to  purchase  357  acres, 
lying  along  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  in  Somer 
Township,  five  miles  northeast  of  Champaign. 

Robert  Flatt,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a 
Scotchman  by  birth,  and  died  in  the  prime  of  life 
when  James  H.,  of  our  sketch,  was  but  a  lad.  He 
was  possessed  of  moderate  means,  his  estate  includ- 
ing seventy-five  acres  of  land,  which  is  now  owned 
by  his  son  William.  The  maiden  name  of  the 
mother  was  Mary  Baker.  She  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  is  still  living,  making  her  home  with 
Jennett  Flatt,  at  Waterville,  Canada,  and  having 
arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years. 
The  parental  household  included  twelve  children, 
seven  sons  and  five  daughters,  of  whom  five  sons 
and  four  daughters  arc  still  living.  Margaret  be- 
came the  wife  of  Samuel  Mordeu,  and  resides  in  the 
Province  of  Ontario;  Abram  married  Miss  Betsey 
Long,  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Fairbury,  111. ;  Will- 
iam married  Miss  Eleanor  Boyle,  and  they  are  liv- 
ing on  the  homestead  in  Ontario;  Fannie  is  the  wife 
of  Ed.  Brown;  Sarah,  Samuel,  Jenuettand  John,  are 
all  residents  of  Ontario,  and  all,  with  one  exception, 
have  families  of  their  own. 

The  early  education  of  our  subject,  with  that  of 
his  brothers  and  sisters,  was  obtained  in  the  old 
log  school-house,  with  its  seats  and  desks  rudely 
fashioned  out  of  slabs,  and  the  other  primitive  fur- 
nishings of  the  pioneer  days.  Notwithstanding  his 
limited  advantages,  Mr.  Flatt  is  a  gentleman  of 
more  than  ordinary  intelligence;  one  who  has  kept 
his  eyes  open  to  what  was  going  on  around  him, 
and  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities.  Since  com- 
ing to  this  county  he  has  been  quite  prominent  in 
local  affairs,  the  excellent  character  of  the  man  and 


his  value  as  a  citizen  receiving  ready  recognition. 
He  is  a  believer  in  the  Christian  religion,  and 
socially  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  whose 
principles  he  learned  to  admire  many  years  ago,  be- 
ing made  a  Mason  in  about  1875.  He  now  belongs 
to  Lodge  No.  537,  at  Sadorus.  Politically  he  exerts 
his  influence  in  support  of  Republican  principles. 

At  the  time  of  coming  to  this  vicinity,  much  of 
the  land  adjacent  was  considered  absolutely  worth- 
less. After  the  advent,  however,  of  a  few  intelli- 
gent men,  who  understood  drainage  and  the  benefits 
arising  from  it,  the  Beaver  Lake  Drainage  Associa- 
tion was  formed,  and  Mr.  Flatt  became  prominently 
identified  with  this,  the  result  being  that  through  the 
efforts  of  himself  and  others  as  persevering;  a  tract 
of  territory  was  redeemed  from  the  swamps  and 
brought  to  a  tillable  condition. 

The  record  of  the  seven  living  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Flatt  is  as  follows:  Orrnand  married  Miss 
Harriet  Ann  Rock,  and  lives  in  Sadorus  Township; 
James  Alvah  married  Miss  Mary  Earl,  and  located 
in  Somer  Township;  Lovila  Annis  became  the  wife 
of  George  M.  Fowler;  those  unmarried  arc  Sarah, 
Carrie,  George  and  Edward.  Ira  W.  and  Charlotte 
Edgar  are  now  deceased.  Mrs.  James  H.  Flatt  is 
the  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Jemima  (Roy)  Camp- 
bell, both  natives  of  New  Jersey.  The  father  was 
born  in  1799,  and  died  July  3,  1877,  being  buried 
on  the  following  day.  He  was  a  good  man  in  every 
sense  of  the  wqrd,  and  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mrs.  Campbell  was 
born  Sept.  16,  1805,  and  is  still  living,  making  her 
home  in  Ft.  Dodge,  Iowa. 

The  children  of  the  parental  household  are  re- 
corded as  follows:  The  eldest  son,  Daniel  R.,  died 
when  thirty  years  of  age;  Samuel  S.  upon  leaving 
the  parental  roof  located  in  St.  Joseph  County, 
Mich.,  and  was  afterward  elected  to  the  office  of 
Road  Commissioner.  One  day  he  sent  his  men  to 
work  informing  them  he  would  soon  follow.  He 
has  never  been  seen  by  his  friends  since  that  day, 
although  supposed  to  be  still  living;  he  was  unmar- 
ried. Elizabeth  T.  died  when  twelve  years  of  age; 
Lovila  M.  is  the  wife  of  our  subject;  Joseph  R. 
married  Miss  Hannah  Fcatherstone,  and  is  carrying 
on  a  farm  near  Ft.  Dodge,  Iowa;  Jemima  A.  be- 
came the  wife  of  James  Barlow,  who  is  engaged  in  ^ 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


207 


handling  agricultural  implements  in  Wise  County, 
Tex.;  Mary  L..  the  wife  of  Charles  F.  Flavveling,  is 
living  in  this  county;  Carrie  S.,  Mrs.  J.  Herod,  is  a 
resident  of  Texas;  David  L.  married  Miss  Eleanor 
Hall,  and  is  living  in  Sadorus  Township;  Margaret 
A.,  died  in  1870,  when  about  twenty-two  years  of 
age. 

No  man  is  held  in  higher  respect  in  Champaign 
County  than  James  II.  Flatt.  As  a  man,  citizen 
and  farmer  he  is  filling  his  niche  in  life  most  worth- 
ily, and  present?  in  his  daily  walk  an  example 
worthy  of  imitation  as  a  Christian  gentleman  of  the 
noblest  impulses,  having  a  good  influence  upon  all 
with  whom  he  associates.  His  intelligence  has  led 
him  to  keenly  appreciate  the  westward  march  of 
civilization,  and  he  has  taken  great  satisfaction  in  the 
prosperity  of  his  adopted  State,  identifying  himself 
with  its  interests,  and  jealous  of  its  reputation  as  a 
commonwealth.  No  man  feeling  thus  can  fail  be- 
ing of  groat  value  to  a  county  and  a  community. 
There  is  no  truer  saying  than  "that  the  works  of 
men  live  after  them,"  and  Mr.  Flatt  will  leave  to 
his  descendants  a  life  history  which  they  will  be 
proud  to  peruse  and  to  teach  their  children  when 
he  shall  have  passed  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly 
labor. 


AVID  B.  GEORGE  took  possession  of  his 
present  homestead  on  section  2,  in  Tolono 
Township,  on  the  10th  of  March,  1885.  He 
was  born  in  McLean  County,  this  State, 
July  30,  1856,  and  is  the  son  of  James  S.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Bennett)  George,  who  are  still  residents  of 
the  township  of  Dauvers  in  that  county.  Our  sub- 
ject was  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  and  received 
a  good  common-school  education,  supplemented 
by  a  full  term  at  the  Business  College  at  Bloom- 
ington,  whence  he  graduated  in  1879.  After  leaving 
school  he  returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  continued 
until  the  fall  of  1880.  He  was  married,  November 
6  of  that  year,  to  Miss  Charity  M.,  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  and  Margaret  (McCullongh)  Perry.  Mrs. 
G.  was  born  in  McLean  County  in  1861,  and  by 
her  union  with  our  subject  has  become  the  mother 
of  two  children  —  Clyde  and  Scdella  May. 

After  marriage,  Mr.  George  followed  farming  in 


his  native  county  until  1885,  then  sold  out  and  re- 
moved to  his  present  homestead.  This  embraces 
1 60  acres,  fairly  improved  and  provided  with  a  com- 
fortable dwelling  and  barn.  Mr.  George  has  not 
yet  reached  middle  life,  in  fact  has  only  just  begun 
as  a  member  of  the  fanning  community,  and  bids 
fair  to  become  one  of  its  valued  factors.  He  is  in- 
telligent and  well  informed,  has  held  the  various 
local  odices  of  his  township,  and  politically  casts  his 
vote  with  the  Democratic  party.  A  lithographic 
view  of  his  handsome  residence  is  shown  on  another 
page  of  this  work. 

James  S.  George,  the  father  of  our  subject,  is 
pleasantly  located  on  section  36,  Danvers  Town- 
ship, McLean  County,  where  he  is  engaged  as  a  far- 
mer and  carpenter.  He  is  a  native  of  Pendleton 
County,  Va.,  and  was  born  on  the  24th  of  March, 
1824.  His  parents  were  William  and  Mary  A. 
(Hawkins)  George,  both  natives  of  Virginia,  and 
the  mother  of  German  ancestry.  William  George 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade;  he  was  born  in  1796,  and 
removed  to  Champaign  County,  111.,  where  he  died 
in  April,  1875.  The  parents  were  married  in  Hamp- 
shire County,  Va.,  in  1816,  the  mother  being  eight- 
een years  old.  She  removed  with  her  husband  to 
Illinois,  and  died  of  cholera  in  Danvers  Township  in 
1854,  at  the  age  of  fifty-four  years.  The  parental 
household  included  the  following  children :  Samuel 
married  Miss  Rebecca  Idleman,  in  Virginia;  John 
died  of  cholera  in  1 854;  Thomas  married  Miss  Col- 
lins Betts;  James  S.  is  our  subject;  Catharine,  Mrs. 
Simons,  lives  in  Harrison  County,  W.  Va. ;  Elsie, 
the  wife  of  Elijah  White,  resides  in  Randolph 
County,  W.  Va. ;  Mary  became  the  wife  of  William 
Brown,  of  Virginia;  Sarah  married  Silas  Smith,  of 
Tazewell  Count}',  111.;  Rebecca  married  William 
Emmett,  of  Tazewell  County,  111.;  William  mar- 
ried Miss  E.  Deraming,  of  McLean  County; 
Abraham  and  Isaac  were  twins;  the  first  married 
Miss  Goram,  and  Isaac  married  Miss  R.  Cook,  of 
McLean  County,  111. 

James  S.  George  became  a  resident  of  the  Prai- 
rie State  in  1852,  and  for  two  years  followed  the 
trade  of  a  carpenter.  Not  being  quite  satisfied 
with  the  results  in  this  direction,  he  took  up  fanning 
pursuits,  locating  on  the  tract  of  land  which  lie  now 
owns  and  occupies.  He  is  making  a  specialty  of  , 


' 


• 


•208 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


stock-raising,  and  deals  in   high-grade  Short-horn 
cattle. 

After  coming  to  Illinois,  Mr.  George  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bennett,  on  the  1 2th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1853,  in  Tazewell  County.  Mrs.  George 
was  born  in  Virginia,  on  the  12th  of  September, 
1829,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Catharine 
(Grapes)  Bennett,  natives  of  the  same  State,  the 
father  born  in  1797.  He  emigrated  to  Iowa  after 
his  marriage,  and  died  there  in  1873.  The  mother 
died  in  Tazewell  County, 'this  State,  in  1836,  leav- 
ing four  children,  two  boys  and  two  girls.  Eliza 
married  John  Roarbeck-;  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  George,  is 
the  second  child;  David  married  Miss  Salina  Green; 
William  was  killed  by  lightning  when  sixteen  years 
old.  The  education  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  was 
necessarily  somewhat  limited,  their  parents  being 
pioneers  of  a  new  country,  and  schooling  facilities 
very  meager.  Realizing  the  advantages  of  mental 
culture  they  have  given  their  children  the  best  ad- 
vantages which  the  schools  of  the  present  day  af- 
ford. Of  these  children,  John  died  of  cholera,  in 
1854;  David  B.  married  Miss  Charity  Perry ;  James 
W.,  Ida  and  Elmer  are  at  home.  While  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  George  have  not  identified  themselves  with 
any  church  organization  they  are  firm  believers  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  endeavor  to  follow  the  precepts 
of  the  Golden  Rule.  Mr.  George  is  Democratic  in 
politics,  and  in  all  respects  is  a  worthy  citizen  and 
a  valued  member  of  society. 


-*- 


<ji?  EWIS  KUDER,  Kerr  Township.  Thebeau- 
I  (73)  tiful  homestead  of  the  gentleman  whose 
jii=^s  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  biography, 
forms  one  of  the  most  attractive  spots  in  the  land- 
scape of  Champaign  County.  Its  ample  and  sub- 
stantial buildings,  in  which  beauty  and  utility  are 
happily  combined,  are  finely  located,  and  invariably 
command  the  admiration  of  the  passer-by  as  evinc- 
ing in  a  marked  degree  the  outlay  of  ample  means 
and  the  exercise  of  cultivated  tastes.  The  dwell- 
ing is  commodious  and  of  a  tasteful  style  of  archi- 
tecture, and  the  well-built  barn,  with  its  adjacent 
structures  for  the  storage  of  grain  and  the  shelter 


of  stock,  is  in  keeping  with  the  requirements  of  the 
modern  and  progressive  fanner. 

Mr.  Kuder  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  land- 
owners in  Central  Illinois,  the  home  farm  alone  em- 
bracing '.(00  acres.  Besides  this  lie  has  230  acres  in 
one  tract  north,  120  a  short  distance  east,  and  fifty 
in  Vermilion  County.  The  land  is  all  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  yields  in  abundance  the 
richest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State.  Mr.  Kuder 
manages  the  home  farm,  while  his  sons  have  charge 
of  the  others.  In  addition  to  general  agriculture, 
Mr.  Kuder  is  largely  interested  in  stock-growing, 
in  which  department  he  has  gained  quite  an  envi- 
able reputation  and  has  been  remarkably  success- 
ful. He  is  in  all  his  operations  uniformly  system- 
atic and  exact,  prompt  to  meet  his  obligations,  and 
is  uniformly  ranked  among  the  representative  men 
of  one  of  the  most  prosperous  counties  in  the  State. 

Our  subject,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born  near 
Circleville,  Picka way  County,  Dec.  22,  1819.  He 
was  the  thirteenth  child  in  a  family  of  fifteen,  the 
offspring  of  John  and  Mary  (Chamberlin)  Kuder. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  Elias  Kuder.  was  of  Ger- 
man extraction,  and  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  Pa. 
He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolutionary  War  during  the  entire  struggle. 
His  wife  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  but  beyond 
this  the  records  are  lost  iu  oblivion.  John  Kuder 
was  also  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  where  his 
father  had  settled  after  laying  aside  the  implements 
of  war.  He  inherited  the  patriotic  impulses  of  his 
sire  and  took  part  in  the  War  of  1812,  being  de- 
tailed to  duty  in  Northern  Ohio.  , 

Lewis  Kuder  commenced  early  in  life  to  make 
his  own  way  in  the  world,  and  when  quite  young 
began  learning  the  carpenter  trade  under  the  in- 
struction of  his  oldest  brother,  Solomon.  He  left 
the  parental  roof  when  eighteen  years  old,  and  for  a 
time  was  employed  on  the  Ohio  Canal.  Subse- 
quently he  returned  to  his  native  place  where  he 
engaged  at  his  trade,  and  in  the  manufacture  of 
wagons.  He  then  determined  to  seek  his  fortune 
in  the  farther  West.  He  came  to  this  "State  in 
1838,  locating  at  first  near  Danville,  Vermilion 
County,  where,  for  five  or  six  years,  he  continued 
to  follow  carpentering.  Having,  b3'  the  exercise  of 
industry  and  economy  acquired  sufficient  capitnl. 


•• 


cs.fc  FARM  OF  C.L.KuDER.5tc.32 


SCENES  ON  THE  FARM  PROPERTY  OF  LEWIS  KUOER.SEC'S  .20.21.28.29.,  KERR  TOWNSHIP. 


.,-~  rv*>y 

Cf  THE 
;  (  if  UIHOIS 


f 

-*- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


211 


lie  bought  forty  acres  of  partly  improved  land, 
and  afterward  purchased  the  interest  of  tin-  other 
heirs  to  the  estate  of  which  his  land  formed  a  part. 
This  constituted  a  fine  property  of  240  acres,  and 
from  this  handsome  beginning  he  steadily  pro- 
gressed to  his  present  position. 

The  marriage  of  Lewis  Kuder  and  Miss  Susanna 
Wood  was  celebrated  in  1844.  Mrs.  Kuder  was 
the  fourth  in  a  family  of  sixteen  children  born  to 
Henry  and  Nancy  (Hoover)  Wood.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  the  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(Harper)  Wood,  also  of  the  Old  Dominion.  Her 
mother,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  the  daughter  of 
Daniel  and  Nancy  Hoover,  who  were  natives  of 
Virginia,  of  German  descent.  Mrs.  Kuder  was 
born  neir  London,  Madison  Co.,  Ohio,  Oct.  14, 1826. 
Mr.  Kuder  and  his  wife  settled  on  the  Kerr  Town- 
ship farm  in  1845.  Their  first  dwelling  was  a  small 
cabin,  located  there  when  our  subject  purchased 
the  land.  Thirty  years  ago  he  built  a  fine  resi- 
dence, which  is  now  in  an  excellent  state  of  preserv- 
ation, and  is  occupied  by  his  family.  In  1869  he 
erected  a  fine,  commodious  barn,  which  accommo- 
dates a  large  number  of  horses  and  cattle. 

When  Mr.  Kuder  first  settled  in  Kerr  Township 
there  were  but  three  cabins  within  live  miles  of  his 
farm.  Deer  and  wolves  roamed  over  the  prairie 
and  the  grass  was  as  high  as  his  little  cabin.  Dur- 
ing the  first  few  years  of  his  residence  on  the  farm 
he  continued  to  follow  his  trade,  and  employed 
help  to  run  the  farm,  but  a  freshet  having  occurred 
which  swept  away  many  of  his  valuable  horses, 
cattle  and  hogs,  he  gave  up  his  trade  and  took 
charge  of  the  farm  himself.  Among  the  improve- 
ments which  he  has  instituted  are  five  artesian  wells 
which  supply  his  stock  with  an  abundance  of  the 
best  water,  and  he  annually  replenishes  his  pastures 
with  large  numbers  of  young  cattle,  purchased 
chiefly  from  the  best  to  be  found  in  the  Chicago 
market. 

Mr.  Kuder  and  his  wife  have  had  a  family  of 
nine  children— Henry,  Candus,  Nancy,  Sarah,  Al- 
bert, Lincoln,  Lydia,  and  two  who  died  in  infancy 
unnamed.  Only  two  are  now  living,  Albert  and 
Lincoln,  who  arc  married,  and  sketches  of  whom  ap- 
pear elsewhere  in  this  work.  Mr.  Kuder  1ms  served 
as  Supervisor  of  Kerr  Township  for  several  terms, 


and  has  held  various  local  offices,  but  his  farm  in- 
terests require  so  much  of  his  time  that  he  has  of 
late  declined  assuming  additional  cares,  although 
he  attends  important  elections,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  conscientious  voters  of  the  Republican  party. 
A  view  of  the  handsome  home  farm  of  Mr. 
Kuder  is  shown  on  an  adjoining  page;  also  the 
residences  of  his  two  sons,  who  have  inherited 
the  thrift  and  energy  of  the  father  and  arc  already 
numbered  among  the  important  members  of  the 
agricultural  community. 


OHN  W.  PARK,  who  became  a  resident  of 
Champaign  County  in  the  fall  of  1863,  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  locality 
as  having  at  one  time  been  one  of  its  most 
extensive  land-owners,  and  at  one  time  the  pro- 
prietor of  700  acres  in  one  body.  Although  now 
retired  from  active  labor,  he  is  still  possessed  of 
272  acres  in  Mahomet  Township,  which  is  operated 
by  a  tenant,  but  whose  cultivation  he  superintends 
with  the  same  good 'judgment  as  of  old.  He  also 
owns  320  acres  in  Sherburne  County,  Minn.  He 
now  owns  and  occupies  a  pleasant  home  in  Ma- 
homet, besides  other  valuable  village  property. 

Mr.  Park  is  a  native  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  Jefferson 
Co.,  Ohio,  and  was  born'Oct.  14,  1813.  His  par- 
ents were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Hannah)  Park,  both 
natives  of  Virginia,  where  they  were  married  and 
located  for  a  time  after.  They  afterward  removed 
to  Ohio,  and  from  there  to  Kentucky,  returning 
finally  to  the  Buckeye  State  and  settling  in  Clarke 
County,  of  which  they- remained  residents  for  sev- 
eral years.  Afterward  they  lived  in  Marion  and 
Ottawa  Counties,  where  John  Park  was  engaged 
in  farming  and  butchering,  and  where  both  parents 
died.  The  household  included  five  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

John  W.  Park  remained  with  his  parents  until  he 
was  of  age,  and  then  commenced  fanning  on  his 
own  account.  He  was  married  in  Ottawa  County, 
Ohio,  March  17,  1844,  to  Miss  Caroline,  daughter 
of  Solomon  and  Sallie  (Arnold)  Streeter,  both  na- 
tives of  New  Hampshire,  who,  after,  their  marriage, 
located  first  in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  whence 


212 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


they  removed  to  Huron  County,  Ohio,  and  from 
there  to  Ottawa  County,  same  State,  where  they 
passed  tin:  remainder  of  their  lives.  They  reared 
a  family  of  ten  children,  three  boys  and  seven 
girls,  of  whom  Caroline,  Mrs.  Park,  was  the  eighth. 
She  was  born  in  Genesee  County.  Dec.  12,  1824, 
and  by  her  marriage  witli  our  subject  became  the 
mother  of  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom  survive. 
Elizabeth  A.,  the  eldest,  met  her  death  by  drown- 
ing in  the  Sangamon  Uiver,  when  twenty-two  years 
old;  David  G.,  the  youngest,  and  two  others,  un- 
named, died  in  infancy;  Mary  .1.  is  the  wife  of 
William  II.  Paisley,  who  is  farming  in  Mahomet 
Township;  William  W.  married  Miss  Alice  Clark, 
and  is  living  in  Kansas;  James  S.  married  Miss 
Sarah  Angeline  C'onniar,  and  lives  in  Nebraska; 
Clarissa  I.  is  the  wife  of  J.  II.  Hume,  and  lives  in 
Mahomet  Township;  Caroline  F.,  Mrs.  William 
Harland,  resides  with  her  husband  in  Kureka,  111.; 
Abraham  L.  married  Miss  E.  M.  Kilgorc.  and  lives 
in  Mahomet  Township;  Hugh  V.  is  at  home  with 
his  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Park  are  members  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  our  subject,  politi- 
cally, is  a  warm  adherent  of  Republican  principle. 
He  has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  the  progress  and 
welfa're  of  his  township,  and  has  served  as  Trustee 
of  Mahomet  Village. 


ISAAC  BROWN,  who  makes  a  specialty  of 
breeding  fine  stock,  owns  and  occupies  ICO 
acres  of  good  land  on  section  21,  in  Homer 
Township,  of  which  he  took  possession  in  1857. 
He  has  a  good  residence,  a  substantial  barn,  and 
all  the  other  b'uildings  necessary  for  convenience 
and  comfort,  and  his  fields  are  tenanted  by  high- 
grade  Short-horn  cattle,  his  stables  with  line  horses, 
and  various  pens  adjacent  contain  a  fine  assortment 
of  Poland-China  hogs.  Among  his  horses  is  one 
especially  fine  stallion,  Bonny  B.,  sixteen  hands 
high,  a  bright  bay  in  color,  and  besides  this  valua- 
ble animal  he  has  a  number  of  English  carriage 
horses.  He  has  gained  an  enviable  reputation  in 
this  locality  as  a  breeder  and  stock-dealer,  and  ex-  I 


hibits  some   of  the  finest  animals   in  Central  Illi- 
nois. 

Mr.  Brown  comes  of  stanch  Pennsylvania  stock, 
his  parents  having  been  George  W.  and  Ruth 
(Rogers)  Brown,  natives  of  the  Keystone  State. 
and  the  father  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  was 
born  in  1807,  and  died  in  Homer  Township,  Sept. 
13,  1884.  The  mother  was  born  in  1808,  and  died 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Homer  Township,  Jan.  13, 

1872.  Both  parents  were  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  and   the    father  a  Democrat 
in  politics.     Their  five  children,  all  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania   except    the   youngest,  who   was  born  in 
Ohio,   were  Ann  M.,   who  only  lived   to  be  four 
years  of  age;    Isaac,  of  our  sketch;    David,   John 
and  William  M.     The  latter  followed  farming,  and 
died  at  his  home  in  Homer  Township  on   the   13th 
of  November,  1871. 

The  youth  and  boyhood  of  Isaac  Brown  were 
spent  mostly  in  his  native  State  occupied  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  In  September,  1857,  deciding 
to  change  his  location,  he  came  to  this  State  and 
county,  locating  near  the  town  of  Sidney.  He  was 
there  employed  at  farming  until  purchasing  the 
land  in  Homer  Township  where  he  is  now  living. 
He  was  first  married  in  Indiana  to  Miss  Sarah  C. 
Cunningham,  Dec.  25,  18(54.  Nine  years  later  this 
lady  passed  from  earth  at  the  age  of  thirty-one 
years,  her  death  taking  place  on  the  1st  of  April, 

1873.  The  seven  children  born  of  this  union  were 
George  L.  and  Laura  B.,  twins,  born  Dec.  25, 1865 ; 
William   O.,   March  £7,    1868;    Irvin  C.,  Dec.  23, 
1870;  .  Elizabeth   O.,  Sept.  21,   1872.      The  next 
child  died  in  infancy  unnamed,  and  the  youngest 
was  James  A.,  born  March  26,  1873.     The  present 
wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he    was  married  Dec. 
23,  1875,  was  formerly  Miss  Lucinda  Forbis,  a  na- 
tive   of    Madison  County,  Ohio,  whose  birth  took 
place  at  the   home  of  her  parents  in  Paint  Town- 
ship, Nov.  22,  1846.     This  lady  became  the  mother 
of  six  children,  viz.,  Francis  R.  and  Minnie,  died 
in    infancy;    Milo  E.  was   born   March   15,  1871); 
Jessie  W.,  May  8,  1881 ;  Charles  D.,Sept.  26, 1883, 
and  Clarence,  Sept.  28,  1885. 

Mr.  Brown  has  been  an  Elder  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  many  years,  and  is  independ- 
ent in  politics.  He  carries  on  the  operations  of  his 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


213 


farm  and  the  breeding  of  stock  after  the  most  ap- 
proved modern  methods,  and  everything  about  his 
premises  indicates  the  enterprise  and  thrift  of  its 
proprietor.  A  lithographic  view  of  the  place  and 
surroundings  is  shown  on  another  page. 

George  W.  Brown,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  Jan  24,  1807,  and 
died  Sept.  13,  1884.  He  removed  from  his  native 
State  in  1836,  and  four  years  later  purchased  157 
acres  of  land  in  Fayette  County.  To  this  he  added 
fifty-seven  acres,  and  afterward  sold  the  whole  with 
a  view  of  coming  to  this  State.  He  started  from 
Ohio  Sept.  13,  1857,  landing  in  this  county  thirteen 
days  later,  and  purchased  3G9  acres  of  land  in 
Homer  Township,  which  he  occupied  for  a  period 
of  twenty-seven  years,  effecting  many  improve- 
ments, and  becoming  one  of  the  most  important 
members' of  the  farming  community  of  that  section. 
He  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  Democratic  in  politics,  and  a  man  straight 
and  strict  in  his  business  affairs.  He  became  very 
successful,  and  at  his  death  had  accumulated  a 
large  property.  He  was  noted  for  his  industry  and 
frugality,  and  was  the  most  highly  respected  by 
those  who  knew  him  best,  being  greatly  missed  by 
his  near  friends  and  neighbors  when  his  earthly 
labors  had  ended.  While  in  Ohio  he  occupied  the 
office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  fifteen  years.  • 


-*•£>- 


<\f|  ACOB  TINDALL.  This  gentleman  in  1 876, 
after  having  been  successfully  engaged  in 
various  enterprises,  in  all  of  which  he  was 
remarkably  successful,  turned  his  attention 
to  farming  pursuits,  and  selected  for  his  future 
operations  a  fine  tract  of  land  consisting  of  191 
acres  on  section  31.  in  Homer  Township.  He  had 
abundant  faith  in  his  venture,  and  time  has  proved 
that  he  was  correct  in  regard  to  the  capacities  of 
the  soil  and  his  own  judgment  in  presiding  over  its 
cultivation.  The  farm  is  finely  laid  off  in  pasture 
lands  and  grain  fields,  Mr.  Tindall  devoting  his  at- 
tention principally  to  the  breeding  of  fine  Short-horn 
cattle.  It  is  said  by  those  who  are  judges  of 


stock,  that  his  animals  are  scarcely  to  be  equaled  in 
any  section  of  the  State.  He  1ms  been  particularly 
fortunate  in  his  selections,  and  they  have  been  given 
the  care  and  treatment  necessary  to  the  develop- 
ment of  their  finest  points. 

Our  subject's  birth  took  place  in  Morgan  County, 
i  this  State,  on  the  10th  of  April,  1840.  His  par- 
ents were  Jacob  T.  and  Isabella  (Ferguson)  Tin- 
dall; the  former  born  in  Delaware,  in  February, 
1800,  and  the  latter  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Nov. 
30,  1805.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  the 
daughter  of  Robert  Ferguson,  of  Scotland.  Jacob 
Tindall  in  early  life  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpen- 
ter in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  for  many  years  was  in 
the  employ  of  the  well-known  capitalist,  Stephen 
Girard.  Later  he  removed  to  Morgan  County, 
111.,  and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  He  was 
a  man  of  limited  education,  quiet  in  his  habits,  and 
was  a  keen  but  silent  observer  of  what  was  going 
on  around  him,  thus  gaining  a  good  fund  of  gen- 
eral information.  He  became  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  during  the  early  years  of  its 
organization,  and  was  a  man  of  deep  religious  con- 
victions, being  connected  with  the  Christian  Church, 
and  was  often  the  host  of  Alexander  Campbell, 
who  put  up  at  his  house  and  shared  his  hospitality. 
The  mother  was  a  member  of  the  same  church,  and 
is  still  living,  making  her  home  in  Jacksonville, 
111. 

Jacob  Tindall,  Jr.,  remained  a  resident  of  his 
native  county  until  reaching  manhood,  in  the 
meantime  receiving  a  common-school  education 
and  learning  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  from  his 
father.  He  was  occupied  by  the  latter  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  and  enlisted  first 
with  the  100-days' men  in  the  145th  Illinois  In- 
fantry. At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  determining 
to  see  the  fight  to  the  end,  he  re-enlisted  in>  Co.  E, 
58th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  as  a  private,  being  mustered  in 
at  Camp  Butler  for  the  three  years'  service.  He 
was  soon  promoted  First  Sergeant.  With  his  com- 
rades he  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  regiment  in 
its  tedious  marching  through  the  South  and  its 
various  encounters  with  the  enemy,  being  present 
at  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  and  engaged 
in  many  other  important  battles  of  the  war.  At 
its  close  he  received  his  honorable  discharge  and 


f 


f 


>   214 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


returned  to  his  home  in  .Morgan  County,  where  he 
resinned  his  trade  of  a  carpenter. 

In  1805  Mr.  Tindall  crossed  the  Mississippi  and 
went  over  into  Missouri,  where,  for  eight  months 
following,  he  was  employed  as  clerk  in  a  drug- 
store. Upon  returning  to  Illinois  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Aycrs  Township,  this  county,  and  for  the 
(irst  time  in  his  life  began  to  work  on  a  farm,  not 
as  a  laborer,  but  as  foreman  of  a  tract  which  was 
called  the  Broad  Lands,  owned  by  John  Alexander. 
Two  years  later  he  was  promoted,  and  given  larger 
liberties  and  more  responsibilities.  At  the  end  of 
three  years,  during  which  time  he  had  been  econom- 
ical and  saved  quite  a  little  sum  of  money,  he  was 
enabled  to  purchase  a  quarter  section  of  land  in 
Vermilion  County.  This  he  sold  a  year  later,  and 
receiving  a  tempting  offer  to  engage  in  the  drug 
business,  purchased  stock  and  set  up  a  store,  which 
he  conducted  for  three  years.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  he  sold  out,  and  going  to  Danville  engaged  in 
the  livery  business.  This  also  proved  a  fortunate 
venture,  and  at  the  end  of  two  years  he  was  en- 
abled to  purchase  a  valuable  tract  of  191  acres, 
which  he  still  owns  and  occupies.  In  the  spring  of 
1885  his  house  was  destroyed  by  fire.  He  then 
moved  a  house  from  another  part  of  the  farm,  and 
is  now  living  in  it. 

The  lady  who  for  the  last  seventeen  years  has 
presided  with  dignity  and  excellent  judgment  over 
his  household  affairs,  and  has  proved  herself  full 
worthy  to  have  been  the  companion  of  her  hus- 
band, was  in  her  girlhood  Miss  Ella  M.  Holmes,  to 
whom  he  was  married  the  29th  of  December,  1870, 
the  service  being  performed  by  Rev.  Heath,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mrs.  Tindall  is  a 
native  of  the  same  county  as  her  husband,  and  was 
born  Nov.  10,  1844.  Her  parents,  Robert  and 
Mary  (Leach)  Holmes,  were  natives  of  England, 
the  fatlier  born  in  Scarborough  and  the  mother  in 
Gool.  The  mother  had  been  previously  married  to 
a  Mr.  Martin.  Her  death  took  place  in  Morgan 
County,  April  28,  1858.  Robert  Holmes  died 
Sept.  13,  1847.  Mrs.  Tindall  was  reared  by  her 
grandparents  in  Morgan  County,  111.  The  children 
of  our  subject  and  wife  were  born  as  follows: 
Robert  E.,  born  April  12,1872,  died  the  6th  of 
.Inly  following;  Almah  I.,  born  March  3,  1874, 


died  Aug.  17,  1875;  Mary  V.,  born  Aug.  19,  1877; 
Ella  .!.,  Dec.  10,  187!). 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tindall  after  their  marriage,  located 
in  Vermilion  County,  where  they  lived  until  taking 
possession  of  their  present  farm.  Politically..  .Mr. 
T.  is  a  li  true-blue"  Republican,  and  has  held  var- 
ious township  offices,  being  Commissioner  of  High- 
ways three  years,  a  member  of  the  Town  Board  for 
five  years,  and  School  Trustee.  He  is  connected 
with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Lima  Lodge  No.  4,  and  En- 
campment No.  9,  at  Jacksonville.  He  also  be- 
longs to  Homer  Lodge  No.  199,  A.  F.  <k  A.  M., 
the  various  offices  of  which  he  has  filled  with  credit 
to  himself,  and  satisfaction  to  the  brethren.  He 
takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the  educational  and 
moral  welfare  of  his  community,  and  is  a  man 
whose  opinions  are  generally  respected. 


bEONIDAS  H.  HOWSER.  The  Howser  fain- 
,  ily  has  for  some  years  constituted  an  im- 
i  portant  portion  of  the  farming  community 

of  St.  Joseph  Township,  being  uniformly  enterpris- 
ing and  prosperous,  fortunate  in  their  investments, 
and  possessed  of  the  intelligence  and  foresight  so 
essential  to  good  citizenship,  and  of  which  charac- 
teristics the  bone  and  sinew  of  a  community  must 
be  composed  in  order  to  advance  its  prosperity. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  one  of  the  most  en- 
terprising representatives  of  the  name,  was  born  in 
Clermont  County,  Ohio,  June  29,  1840,  and  is  the 
eldest  son  of  Jonathan  N.  and  Margaret  J.  (Dill- 
man)  Howser.  He  was  a  boy  of  ten  years  when 
his  parents  left  the  Buckeye  State  and  became  resi- 
dents of  this  county,  in  1856.  His  father  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  240  acres  on  section  31,  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  where  he  labored  industriously, 
meeting  with  success,  and  where  he  still  resides. 

Mr.  Howser  attended  school  at  Old  Cowden 
school-house,  not  far  from  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  completed  his  education,  and  received  those  im- 
pressions which  have  largely  ministered  to  his  later 
success  in  life.  He  early  began  to  form  his'  plans 
for  the  future,  and  when  in  his  twenty-second  year, 
was  united  in  marriage  with  one  of  his  schoolmates, 
Miss  Isabel,  daughter  of  John  Hudson,  of  this 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


215 


county,  who  was  born  in  Indian:),  Nov.  7,  1846. 
After  remaining  the  companion  of  her  husband  but 
seven  short  years,  the  wife  and  mother  passed  from 
earth,  leaving  two  children,  a  son  and  daughter  — 
William  R.  and  Ollie  May.  In  1880  Mr.  Howser 
was  married  to  Miss  Emma  C.  Sampson,  a  native 
of  Illinois,  and  the  daughter  of  Nelson  Sampson, 
Esq.,  of  Sidney  Township.  Of  this  union  there 
has  been  born  one  child,  a  daughter,  Edith  B. 

The  residence  of  our  subject  is  a  handsome  frame 
structure,  finely  located,  and  with  attractive  sur- 
roundings, including  good  ont-bnildings,  shade 
trees,  shrubbery  and  ample  grounds.  The  farm 
embraces  200  acres  of  highly  cultivated  land,  thor- 
oughly drained  with  tile,  provided  with  neat  and 
substantial  fencing,  and  all  the  necessary  machin- 
ery required  by  the  progressive  modern  farmer. 
A  view  of  the  place  is  to  be  seen  on  another  page 
of  this  work.  Mr.  Howser  has  distinguished  him- 
self as  a  stock-raiser,  dealing  largely  in  hogs,  and 
cattle,  numbers  of  which  he  fattens  annually,  and 
sends  by  the  carload  to  the  Eastern  markets.  Of 
late  he  has  been  giving  considerable  attention  to 
the  celebrated  Belgian  draft  horses,  being  quite 
successful  as  a  breeder,  and  able  to  exhibit  some 
extraordinarily  fine  animals.  He  has  in  all  respects 
proved  one  of  the  most  valued  .members  of  the 
farming  community,  whose  interests  he  has  ad- 
vanced by  every  means  in  his  power,  and  being  the 
encourager  and  supporter  of  every  enterprise  cal- 
culated to  elevate  the  public  mind  and  morals. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howser  are  acceptable  members 
of  the  Olive  Christian  Church,  in  Philo  Township, 
in  which  the  former  is  Treasurer  and  the  latter 
Clerk. 


EOF.  EDWARD  SNYDER,  M.  A.,  holding 
the  Chair  of  Modern  Languages  of  the 
Illinois  University,  is  a  native  of  Sokal, 
Austrian  Poland,  born  in  1835,  and  the 
son  of  Mathias  and  Paulina  Anna  Mlynarska.  He 
was  educated  at  the  Universities  of  Lemberg  and 
Vienna;  entered  the  army  in  1850  and  participated 
in  the  campaign  of  1859,  in  Italy,  attaining  the 
rank  of  First  Lieutenant  in  the  74th  Infantry.  In 
1802  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  enlisted  in 


the  178th  New  York  Infantry,  serving  three  years, 
and  receiving  the  commission  of  Captain.  After  the 
close  of  the  war  he  taught  in  St.  Louis  and  Carlin- 
ville.  III.  In  1868  he  was  elected  Professor  of 
Military  Science  and  German  in  the  University  of 
Illinois,  and  commissioned  Colonel  of  the  I.  S.  N. 
( i. :  was  appointed  Professor  of  Modern  Languages 
in  1874,  and  has  held  the  position  of  Recording 
Secretary  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  since  1870: 

Prof.  Snyder  married,  in  July,  1869,  Miss  Mary 
S.  Patchen,  of  Burton,  Ohio,  daughter  of  D.  Pat- 
chen,  of  Carlinville,  111.  Mrs.  S.  is  a  member  of 
the  Congregational  Church,  which  the  Professor  also 
attends.  Politically  his  tendencies  are  Republican. 


ANIEL  MAPES,  a  representative  of  one 
nf  the  pioneer  families  of  Champaign 
County,  spent  his  earliest  youth  in  the 
western  part  of  New  York  State,  where 
his  birth  took  place  July  23,  1827.  The  family  is 
of  English  ancestiy,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
Samuel  Mapes,  having  been  born  across  the  Atlantic. 
He  married  a  lady  of  German  descent,  and  raised 
a  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  among  whom  was 
Samuel,  who,  after  reaching  manhood,  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Button,  and  became  the  father  of 
our  subject.  The  Button  family  was  of  Scotch 
ancestry. 

After  their  marriage  Samuel  Mapes  and  his  wife 
remained  in  New  York  State  until  the  fall  of  1827, 
and  then  removed  to  the  eastern  part  of  Ohio. 
After  a  residence  there  of  two  years,  they  pushed 
further  westward  into  Indiana.  Thence  they  mi- 
grated South,  locating  across  the  river  in  Kentucky, 
and  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati  for  the 
two  years  following.  Not  being  yet  satisfied  with 
their  location  they  removed  once  more,  in  the  fall 
of  1833,  and  coming  to  this  county  settled  on  a 
tract  of  land  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  near  what  was 
called  "the  bend,"  on  the  edge  of  a  timber  tract. 
Mr.  M.  possessed  hut  limited  means,  and  had  a  large 
family  to  support,  but  made  the  best  of  circum- 
stances and  succeeded  in  providing  comfortably  for 
all.  He  was  finally  enabled  to  purchase  forty  acres, 
which  is  included  in  the  homestead  of  our  subject, 


f 


21G 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  where  the  dentil  of  Samuel  Mapes  took  place, 
in  August,  1874,  when  seventy-three  years  of  age. 
The  wife  and  mother  died  early  in  life,  and  the  ten 
children  were  provided  for  by  the  father  to  the  best 
of  his  ability.  They  consisted  of  seven  sons  and 
three  daughters,  nine  of  whom  lived  to  mature 
years,  and  with  the  exception  of  two  sons,  all  were 
married.  They  were  named  respectively,  William, 
Alonzo  A.,  Daniel,  Asa  B.,  James,  Jackson,  Samuel, 
Melissa  B.,  Elizabeth  and  Permelia.  Melissa  be- 
came the  wife  of  Park  Orr,  and  Elizabeth  married 
Z.  M.  Dunn,  of  St.  Joseph  Township;  Permelia 
married  E.  Pettit.  But  two  of  the  family  now  sur- 
vive— Samuel,  and  Daniel  of  our  sketch. 

Daniel  Mapes  was  a  boy  of  six  jears  when  his 
parents  came  to  this  county,  and  received  a  limited 
education  in  the  subscription  schools.  He  remained 
under  the  home  roof  until  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
and  then  commenced  life  on  his  own  account,  work- 
ing out  by  the  month  until  his  marriage.  He  chose 
from  among  the  maidens  of  his  neighborhood  Miss 
Elizabeth,  the  daughter  of  John  W.  and  Zilpha 
Swearingen.  After  marriage  the  young  people  lo- 
cated on  section  24,  upon  land  included  in  the 
present  homestead  of  our  subject.  This,  through 
his  perseverance  and  industry,  has  become  a  finely 
improved  farm,  containing  167  acres,  upon  which 
are  good  buildings  and  all  the  appointments  of  a 
first-class  country  estate.  This  is  now  under  the 
management  Of  his  sons,  while  our  subject  and  his 
wife,  in  1883,  took  up  their  residence  in  the  town 
of  St.  Joseph,  where  they  are  spending  their  later 
years,  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  and  many  of 
the  Luxuries  of  life. 

Of  the  eleven  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mapes  seven  are  still  living,  namely,  John  M.,  who 
resides  on  the  homestead ;  William  H.  and  Benja- 
min, in  Nebraska;  Thomas  M.,  with  his  brother  on 
the  farm;  Siegel  A.,  of  Nebraska;  Effie  J.  and 
Charlie  at  home.  Mr.  Mapes  since  becoming  a 
resident  of  this  locality,  has  taken  an  active  interest 
in  local  affairs,  serving  as  School  Director  and  oc- 
cupying other  positions  where  his  excellent  judg- 
ment was  of  service  to  his  township.  Both  he  and 
his  estimable  wife  became  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  at  St.  Joseph  years  ago,  in  which  Mr. 
M.  lias  officiated  as  Elder,  and  has  contributed  lib- 


erally to  its  support.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat 
of  the  old  school,  and  holds  stanchly  to  the  princi- 
ples in  which  he  has  believed  since  he  began  to  ex- 
ercise the  risrht  of  suffrage. 


»  OHN  R.  OCHELTREE,  dealer  in  furniture 
and  undertakers'  goods,  established  himself 
in  business  at  Homer  in  the  spring  of  1800. 
The  early  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  ag- 
ricultural pursuits,  and  he  has  had  quite  an  ex- 
perience in  the  lumber  and  grain  trade.  His  present 
business  is  conducted  after  the  most  approved 
methods,  and  his  stock  embraces  a  fine  assortment 
of  everything  required  in  both  departments.  He 
began  life  without  means,  but  by  the  exercise  of 
close  economy  and  his  own  natural  talents  has  se- 
cured a  good  property,  and  will  be  able  to  spend 
his  declining  years  in  the  ease  and  comfort  which 
he  has  so  justly  earned.  Had  it  not  been  that  he 
was  forced  to  pay  over  $6,000  on  account  of 
friends,  for  whom  he  became  security,  he  would 
have  that  much  also  added  to  his  possessions. 
His  life  in  all  respects  has  been  straightforward  and 
upright,  and  his  voice  and  influence  have  been  felt 
and  heard  in  many  of  the  moral  reforms  of  the 
present,  especially  that  of  temperance,  which  he  has 
advocated  with  all  the  force  of  his  eloquence  and 
his  example.  He  has  not  tasted  liquor  for  a  period 
of  over  sixty  years,  and  has  never  used  tobacco  in 
any  form.  He  possesses  considerable  literary  tal- 
ent, and  has  used  his  pen  in  the  writing  of  several 
fine  articles  opposing  the  use  of  intoxicating  liq- 
uors, and  the  weed  with  which  the  mouths  of  so 
many  men,  both  young  and  old,  of  the  present  day, 
are  defiled. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  born  in  Green- 
brier  County,  Va.,  March  22,  1817.  He  is  the  son 
of  John  and  Eleanor  (Wilson)  Ocheltree,  both  also 
natives  of  the  Old  Dominion ;  the  former  was  born 
Nov.  30,  1774,  and  departed  this  life  in  Fayette 
County,  Ohio,  on  the  24th  of  December,  1833. 
John  Ocheltree  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and 
removed  from  his  native  State  first  to  Ross  County, 
Ohio,  when  our  subject  was  but  an  infant.  Seven- 
teen years  later  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Faycttc 
County,  where  he  established  a  good  homo  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


217 


spent  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  was  of  excel- 
lent Scottish  ancestry,  his  father  having  come  from 
the  Highlands,  and  although  reared  a  Presbyterian 
eventually  cast  his  lot  with  the  Methodists.  lie 
possessed  an  education  better  than  is  usual  with  the 
people  of  those  days,  and  was  especially  fine  in 
penmanship.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born 
June  18,  1785,  and  survived  her  husband  twenty- 
three  years,  remaining  a  widow  until  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  Vermilion  County,  111.,  on  the  23d 
of  September,  1856.  She  also  was  connected  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  as  a  wife  and 
mother  fulfilled  nobly  her  obligations  to  her  part- 
ner and  her  children. 

The  parental  household  included  nine  children : 
Martha,  the  eldest,  was  born  Jan.  4,  1 808,  and  died 
in  Ohio  several  years  ago,  having  been  married  and 
become  the  mother  of  twelve  children;  Elizabeth, 
born  July  G,  1810,  is  the  wife  of  Jacob  M.  Custer, 
now  living  in  Homer;  Mary,  born  Oct.  2.  1812,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Jesse  Bryant,  and  both  are  now 
deceased;  Eleanor,  also  deceased,  was  born  Feb. 
6,  1815,  and  married  John  Allen,  of  Fail-mount, 
111.;  John  R.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  fifth  child; 
Jane,  born  April  19,  1819,  died  many  years  ago  in 
Ohio;  Amanda,  born  Aug.  31,  1821,  became  the 
wife  of  S.  Barker,  and  died  in  1884;  Malinda,  born 
Oct.  24,  1825,  became  the  wife  of  T.  Hendrickson. 
and  died  Jan.  9,  1887;  America,  born  June  14, 
1828,  married  G.  Sampson,  who  is  now  deceased; 
she  is  living  in  Kansas. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  1842,  occurred  a  most 
important  change  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Ocheltree,  which 
had  much  to  do  in  shaping  his  future  course.  On 
the  evening  of  that  day  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Rebecca  Martin,  who  since  that  time  has 
been  his  companion  and  counselor  in  difficulty,  and 
who  perhaps  more  than  any  other  has  rejoiced  in 
his  prosperity.  Mrs.  Ocheltree  was  born  in  Scioto 
County,  Ohio,  July  14,  1823,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Jacob  and  Lucina  (Clark)  Martin.  The  former 
was  a  New  England  farmer,  who  removed  to  Ohio 
in  1810,  and  afterward  to  Indiana,  dying  in  the  lat- 
ter State  in  1855,  when  seventy-three  years  of  age. 
The  mother  did  not  long  survive  the  loss  of  her  part- 
ner, soon  joining  him  in  the  other  life,  and  being  sev- 
enty-two years  old.  Both  were  consistent  members 


of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  became 
the  parents  of  seven  children,  namely,  Franklin, 
George,  Lncina,  Ann,  Rhoda,  Emily  and  Rebecca. 
These  also,  with  the  exception  of  the  wife  of  our 
subject,  have  passed  to  the  silent  land,  Mrs.  O.  be- 
ing the  only  surviving  member  of  her  family. 

Mr.  Ocheltree  united  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  in  1841,  of  which  Mrs.  O.  has  been  a 
member  since  1838.  In  religious  work  he  has  dis- 
played the  same  energy  as  in  other  matters,  hold- 
ing the  offices  of  Trustee,  Steward  and  Chairman 
of  important  committees,  and  takes  great  satisfac- 
tion in  the  reflection  that  he  has  contributed  more 
money  for  Christian  purposes,  probably,  than  any 
man  of  his  means  in  this  section.  Upon  first  exer- 
cising the  right  of  suffrage  he  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket,  but  upon  the  organization  of  the  Free-Soil 
party  identified  himself  with  the  latter,  and  from 
them  came  over  to  the  Republicans,  in  185C,anrl  for 
a  period  of  over  thirty  years  has  cordially  endorsed 
Republican  principles.  The  household  circle  of 
our  subject  and  his  wife  was  completed  by  the  birth 
of  nine  children,  namely,  John  A.,  Rhoda  J.  (now 
deceased),  Jacob  M.,  Hortense  A.,  Martha  E.,  Gilson 
S.,  Gilbert  B.,  Benjamin'  N.  and  Mary  E.  The  lat- 
ter passed  away  in  infancy. 


JnOSEPII  H.  HEADRICK,  a  gentleman  in  the 
i    prime   of  life,   is   industriously  engaged  in 
,    farming  on  a  fine  tract  of  laud  in  Newcomb 
Township,  embracing  320  acres   on  section 
1,  which  constitutes  his  present  homestead.     The 
improvements  on  his  farm  are  among  the  best,  not 
only  in  Newcomb  Township,  butalsoin  Champaign 
County.     A  living  stream  of   water   runs   through 
the  farm,  except  in  exceedingly  dry   times,   which 
makes  it  excellent   for  stock  purposes.     Our  sub- 
ject's   birth  took  place  in   Randolph  County,  this 
State,  Sept.  19,  1846,  on  the  farm    of    his    father, 
and  at  thirteen  years  of  age  he  started   out  in   the 
world    for   himself,  and  since  then  has  spent  the 
most  of  his  time  in  Champaign  County. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Susan 
(Headrick)  Headrick,  who  were  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky, where  they  remained  a  few  years  after  their 
marriage,  and  thence  emigrated  to  McLean  County, 
111.  The  mother  died  on  the  homestead  in  Ran- 


218 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


dolph  Township,  in  August,  1856.  The  father  is 
still  living,  and  a  resident  of  the  latter-named 
county.  The  family  included  eight  sons  and  one 
daughter,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  seventh  child. 
He  was  naturally  of  an  industrious  and  enterpris- 
ing disposition,  and  looked  out  for  himself  without 
difficulty,  being  always  cheerful  and  willing  to  per- 
form his  whole  duty,  and  making  many  friends. 
During  the  progress  of  the  late  war  he,  in  1864, 
enlisted  in  Co.  G.  164th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  serving  un- 
til the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment,  at 
which  time  the  preservation  of  the  Union  was  as- 
sured. After  leaving  the  army  he  returned  to 
his 'old  home  in  McLean  County,  remaining  in  that 
vicinity  until  1877,  and  then  became  a  resident  of 
Nevvcomb  Township,  this  county,  where  he  has 
since  remained. 

Mr.  Headrick  was  married  when  thirty  years  of 
age,  in  Newcomb  Township,  Sept.  10,  1876,  to  Mrs. 
Nancy  (Richmond)  Briney,  who  was  born  in 
Tazewell  County,  Sept.  26,  1847,  and  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Wilson  and  Mary  (Judy)  Richmond.  She 
was  reared  by  her  parents  on  a  farm  in  her  native 
county,  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age  became 
the  wife  of  John  B.  Briney,  who  died  in  Tazewell 
County,  March  24,  1873.  Of  this  first  marriage 
there  were  born  three  children — Lilly  M.,  John  W. 
and  Valentine  W.  The  two  latter  are  deceased. 
The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Headrick  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  five  children,  whom  they  named  as  fol- 
lows: John  W.,  Calvin  A.,  Grace  L.,  Guy  W.  and 
Walter.  The  latter  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Head- 
rick, politically,  is  identified  with  the  Democratic 
party,  and  both  he  and  his  excellent  wife  are  mem- 
bers in  good  standing  of  the  Christian  Church.  A 
lithographic  view  of  the  residence  and  home  place 
of  Mr.  Headrick  is  shown  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

wj  AMES  W.  STONESTREET,  one  of  the  most 
|  prominent  and  respected  citizens  of  Ken- 
Township,  as  is  evident  from  the  number  of 
}}  years  he  has  held  the  office  of  Assessor,  was 
born  in  Hardy  County,  W.  Va.,  Oct.  19, 1828.  He  is 
the  son  of  Elisha  and  Hannah  (Skidmore)  Stone- 
street,  natives  of  Virginia.  His  paternal  grandparents 
were  Butler  and  Mary  (Williams)  Stonestreet.  and 
his  maternal  grandparents,  Elijah  and  Eleanor 


(Westfall)    Skidmore.     In   1848  Elisha  Stonestreet 

went  to  Illinois,  and  first  located  at  Blue  Grass,  Ver- 
milion County,  where  he  staid  three  years.  After  his 
death  his  widow  returned  to  the  South  in  order  to 
settle  up  some  business  affairs  there  which  required 
her  personal  attention. 

James  W.  Stonestreet  was  the  fifth  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  nine  children.  During  the  ab- 
sence of  his  mother  at  the  South  he  bought  120 
acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  moved  a  little  house, 
and  assuming  the  position  of  head  of  the  family 
brought  all  of  his  brothers  and  sisters  to  live  with 
him.  All  around  his  primitive  home  stretched  the 
bare,  unimproved  prairie  covered  with  rough,  tall 
grass  and  wild  flowers.  The  only  post-office  in  the 
vicinity  was  located  at  Champaign.  Many  times 
during  the  night  the  little  band  of  pioneers  was 
startled  by  the  howling  of  the  wolves,  which  some- 
times made  friends  with  the  dogs,  partaking  of 
their  food  and  robbing  the  family  of  all  the  fowls 
which  they  attempted  to  raise.  In  this  desolate 
wilderness  Mr.  Stonestreet  first  engaged  in  farming, 
and  struggled  with  the  crude  elements  of  nature 
until  his  efforts  were  finally  crowned  with  success, 
and  he  succeeded  in  bringing  his  laud  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation. 

In  the  meantime  one  of  his  sisters,  who  had  kept 
house  for  him,  died  in  the  year  1867,  and  he  mar- 
ried, Jan.  16,  1868,  Miss  Ellen  Keene,  of  Westfield, 
Clark  Co.,  111.,  the  orphan  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Irene  (Flesher)  Keene,  who  were  among  the  old 
settlers  of  Indiana.  After  his  marriage  he  settled 
on  his  farm  on  section  29,  Kerr  Township,  which 
place  has  since  continued  to  be  his  residence. 

Mr.  Stonestreet  and  his  wife  have  had  a  family 
of  eleven  sons,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy  un- 
named; the  names  of  the  others  are  as  follows: 
James  Edward,  Freddie  H.,  Walter  C.,  Ashford 
Osborne,  Samuel,  David  T.,  Otis,  and  Bertie  and 
Bruce  (twins).  Of  these  James  Edward  and  Sam- 
uel are  dead;  the  rest  live  at  home  with  their  par- 
ents. 

Mr.  Stonestreet  has  inherited  much  of  the  strong 
character  and  executive  ability  of  his  father,  who 
was  a  highly  educated  man,  possessing  great  mental 
power.  Our  subject  was  present  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  township,  of  which  he  was  elected  the 
second  Assessor,  and  which  position  he  has  ever 
since  retained,  with  the  exception  of  three  years, 
when  he  was  unable  to  perform  its  duties  on  ac- 
count of  severe  illness  resulting  from  a  white  swell- 
ing, which  had  troubled  him  when  a  boy  thirteen 
years  of  age.  He  has,  on  different  occasions,  held  all 
the  local  offices,  and  now  votes  with  the  Democrats, 
though  formerly  he  was  a  Republican.  Himself 
and  his  wife  belong  to  the  United  Brethren  Church. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


219 


eHRISTIAN  F.  SUMMIT,  a  representative 
German  farmer  of  Ludlow  Township,  whose 
native  place  was  the  little  Kingdom  of 
Wurtemberg,  crossed  the  sea  in  1853,  when  a 
young  man  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  two  years 
later  sought  the  Prairie  State,  of  which  he  has 
since  been  a  resident.  He  has  proved  one  of  the 
most  highly  esteemed  and  reliable  men  of  this  sec- 
tion, and  has  in  all  respects  identified  himself  with 
its  interests  and  thoroughly  adapted  himself  to 
American  institutions  and  customs.  In  the  estab- 
lishment of  his  home  and  the  rearing  of  his  family 
he  has  set  an  example  worthy  of  imitation.  He 
chose  for  his  helpmeet  a  rarely  intelligent  lady,  and 
their  three  children  have  been  given  an  excellent 
education.  He  is  now  surrounded  by  a  large  cir- 
cle of  friends  who  have  learned  to  respect  and  es- 
teem him  for  his  enterprise  and  industry,  his  prompt- 
ness in  meeting  his  obligations,  and  his  value  as  a 
farmer  and  a  useful  member  of  the  community. 

The  family  patronymic  is  spelled  Sammet  in 
Germany.  The  birth  of  our  subject  occurred  Jan. 
11,1831.  He  is  the  son  of  Frederick  and  Doro- 
thea Summit,  both  also  natives  of  Wurtemberg, 
where  they  spent  their  entire  lives  on  a  farm.  Our 
subject  was  placed  in  school  at  an  early  age  and 
pursued  his  studies  uninterruptedly  until  fourteen 
years  old,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  black- 
smith's trade,  which  he  worked  at  in  the  old  coun- 
try until  1853,  and  in  April  of  that  year  started 
for  the  New  World.  After  a  voyage  of  thirty 
days  he  landed  in  New  York  City,  and  first  found 
employment  on  a  farm  near  Syracuse,  where  he  re- 
mained until  coming  to  the  West.  He  had  been 
with  one  family  during  this  time  and  was  accom- 
panied by  them  to  this  State,  remaining  with  them 
in  Logan  County  for  some  time  afterward  and  un- 
til his  marriage.  After  this  important  change  in 
his  life  he  rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Logan  County, 
until  1867,  whence  he  removed  to  McLean  County 
and  cultivated  rented  land  near  Bloomington  until 
1873. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Summit  had  purchased  the 
land  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies,  and  which 
he  took  possession  of  in  the  spring  of  1873.  A 
few  acres  of  this  had  been  broken,  and  upon  it 
stood  a  rude  shanty.  He  occupied  this  with  his 


young  wife  for  a  time  until  enabled  to  put  up  a 
good  frame  dwelling.  He  now  has  all  the  land  in 
a  good  state  of  cultivation,  with  all  necessary 
buildings,  and  has  beautified  his  home  by  the  plant- 
ing of  choice  fruit  and  shade  trees.  His  stock  and 
farming  utensils  are  all  first  class,  and  his  farming 
operations  are  being  conducted  with  that  skill  and 
judgment  which  have  assured  him  a  comfortable 
home  and  competency. 

Mrs.  Summit  before  her  marriage  was  a  resident 
of  Philadelphia,  by  name  Miss  Magdalena  Spoehrle. 
She  also  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  and 
was  educated  there  in  the  same  school  as  her  hus- 
band. Her  birth  occurred  Nov.  20,  1830,  and  her 
parents  were  Gottlieb  and  Catherina  (Shafer) 
Spoehrle.  She  emigrated  to  America  with  her  par- 
ents in  1854.  and  resided  with  them  in  the  Quaker 
City  until  a  short  time  before  her  marriage.  She 
joined  her  future  husband  in  Logan  County  on  the 
16th  of  June,  1858,  and  they  were  married  ten 
days  later. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Summit,  four  in 
number,  are  Maude,  Saddle,  Lydia  C.  and  Minnie 
C.  John  F.,  the  second  child,  died  when  two  and 
one-half  years  old  in  Logan  County.  Saddle  and 
Lydia  are  teachers  in  the  public  school.  The  par- 
ents and  children  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


iiHOMAS  O.  DARRAH,  a  successful  farmer 
of  Pesotum  Township,  was  born  in  Dela- 
ware County,  Ohio,  March  12,  1839.  His 
parents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Orr)  Darrah. 
The  father,  born  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio,  in  1810, 
was  the  son  of  James  and  Nancy  (Kent)  Darrah, 
natives  of  Virginia.  His  maternal  ancestors  were 
from  Ireland  and  Scotland,  respectively,  and  emi- 
grated to  this  country,  settling  in  Pennsylvania  at 
an  early  day,  where  his  mother  was  born  in  1799 
in  Huntingdon  County.  Our  subject's  parents  re- 
moved from  Ohio  to  Illinois  when  he  was  but  an 
infant,  settling  in  Pike  County,  where  they  re- 
mained until  the  spring  of  1865,  then  removed  to 
Champaign  County,  this  State,  where  the  father 
bought  320  aoes  of  laud  then  known  as  the  How- 


I 


•  '   '220 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


let  farm,  and  where  our  subject  remained  until  his 
marriage,  when  his  father  gave  him  a  deed  to 
eighty  acres  of  the  home  farm.  John  Darrah  died 
in  1886;  the  mother  of  our  subject  preceded  her 
husband  to  the  silent  land  in  1868. 

The  marriage  of  Thomas  O.  Darrah  and  Miss 
Arclissa  Nelson  occurred  Dec.  1,  1870.  The3'  are 
now  the  parents  of  two  children — Mertie  M.  and 
Sylvia  M.,  both  at  home.  The  parents  of  Mrs. 
Darrah  were  Benham  C.  and  Lydia  Nelson,  who 
were  natives  respectively  of  Virginia  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  of  German  origin.  Mr.  Darrah's  par- 
ents had  a  family  of  ten  children,  he  being  the 
eighth  in  order  of  birth.  Of  these  three  are  now 
deceased. 

Mr.  Darrah  has  been  uniformly  prosperous,  and 
added  to  his  first  purchase  until  he  now  has 
185  acres  all  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation, 
and  notwithstanding  he  has  traded  to  a  considera- 
ble extent,  he  has  always  retained  his  first  home- 
stead, the  gift  of  his  father.  He  has  contributed 
his  share  in  building  up  his  community,  and  has 
filled  the  office  of  Township  Supervisor  for  four 
years,  Commissioner  of  Highways  five  years,  and 
School  Trustee  eight.  In  politics  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  upholds  the  principles  of  that  party. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Darrah  have  been  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  the  past  six  years, 
and  are  carrying  out  the  principles  of  that  faith  in 
word  and  deed.  They  are  worthy  members  of  so- 
ciety and  are  highly  respected  by  their  friends  and 
associates. 


AMUEL  A.  HYDE,  a  son  of  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  Ileusley  Township,  is 
one  of  the  few  representatives  of  the  ad- 
venturous spirits  who  sought  the  Western 
wilds  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  this 
region,  and  established  the  homesteads  few  and  far- 
between,  with  which  the  first  settlement  of  the  un- 
cultivated prairies  commenced.  Comparatively 
few  are  now  left  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  early  strug- 
gles and  the  courage  required  to  brave  the  hard- 
ships and  dangers  which  confronted  them  on  every 
hand.  Too  much  credit  can  not  be  given  to  the 
pioneer  fathers  and  mothers  who  have  left  to  their 


children  a  heritage  more  valuable  than  gold  or 
precious  gcrns — the  legacy  of  sound  principles,  in- 
dependence of  character,  industry  and  persever- 
ance. One  of  the  most  prominent  representatives 
of  the  pioneer  element  was  Samuel  Hyde,  Sr.,  fa- 
ther of  our  subject,  who  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  emigrated  with  his  family  from  his  native  hills 
about  1823.  His  father,  Walter  Hyde,  was  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  State,  whence  he  removed  to  On- 
tario County,  N.  Y.,  with  his  family,  where  he 
lived  a  number  of  years,  and  then  to  Indiana,  set- 
tling in  Switzerland  Countj^. 

Samuel,  Sr.,  was  but  a  lad  when  he  left  his  na- 
tive State,  and  was  twenty-one  years  old  when  his 
parents  removed  from  New  York  to  Indiana.  He 
stood  upon  the  present  site  of  Indianapolis  when 
it  was  but  a  wilderness,  and  assisted  in  clearing 
away  the  virgin  trees  in  order  to  lay  the  founda- 
tion of  the  State  House.  He  remained  a  resident 
of  that  section  until  his  marriage,  and  after  this 
event  settled  in  Vigo  County,  where  he  farmed  on 
rented  land  until  1844.  That  year,  accompanied 
by  his  wife  and  ten  children,  with  an  outfit  of  six 
horses  and  three  wagons,  he  started  overland  for  the 
prairies  of  Illlinois.  They  carried  their  household 
goods  and  provisions  with  them,  and,  it  being  be- 
fore the  days  of  palace  cars  and  hotels,  camped  and 
cooked  by  the  wayside.  It  was  in  the  spring  soon 
after  the  frost  had  left  the  ground,  and  the  roads 
in  some  places  were  almost  impassable.  It  took 
three  days  to  reach  Vermilion  County,  a  distance 
of  forty  miles. 

The  father  of  our  subject  rented  land  in  the  lat- 
ter-named county  until  1849,  and  the  following 
spring  came  to  this  county,  and  purchased  a  tract 
of  200  acres  of  wild  land  in  what  is  now  Hensley 
Township.  He  put  up  a  log  house  on  section  19, 
and  commenced  to  improve  the  farm.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  of  the  permanent  settlers  in  the  town- 
ship and  his  neighbors  were  few  and  far  between. 

He  lived  to  see  the  county  well  developed,  and 
where  once  had  been  the  wild  prairie  watched  with 
keenest  satisfaction  the  establishment  of  beautiful 
homesteads  and  the  cultivation  of  fields  of  yellow 
grain.  He  saw  also  the  approach  of  the  iron  horse 
and  noted  with  gratification  the  laying  of  the  rail- 
road tracks,  one  after  another,  through  one  of  the 


4- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


221 


richest  regions  of  the  Prairie  .State.  After  a  well- 
spent  life,  during  which  he  had  made  hosts  of 
friends,  he  was  gathered  to  his  fathers  on  the  13th 
day  of  September,  1878.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  was  formerly  Miss  Olive  Franklin,  was  a 
native  of  New  York  State,  and  departed  this  life 
at  the  old  homestead  in  July,  1875. 

Samuel  Hyde  was  the  ninth  child  of  the  parental 
household,  and  a  little  lad  of  eight  years  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Illinois.  Five  years  later  they 
came  to  this  county,  and  here  he  gre'w  to  manhood 
and  completed  his  practical  education.  He  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof  until  1860,  then 
farmed  one  year  on  the  place  he  now  owns  and  oc- 
cupies. At  the  expiration  of  this  time  the  Rebel- 
lion began  to  assume  alarming  proportions,  and  he, 
in  common  with  thousands  of  others,  laid  aside  his 
personal  plans  and  interests  and  proffered  his  serv- 
ices in  behalf  of  the  Union.  He  enlisted  Sept.  22, 
1861,  and  was  attached  to  the  3d  Missouri  Cavalry) 
serving  in  the  Western  army  three  years.  At  the 
expiration  of  this  time  he  received  his  honorable 
discharge,  and  returning  home  resumed  agricult- 
ure on  his  present  farm. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Catherine 
Montgomery  took  place  in  Mahomet  Township, 
Jan.  19,  1865.  Mrs.  Hyde  was  born  in  Salem,  Nv 
J.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Gilpin  Montgomery,  a 
native  of  the  same  State.  Her  grandfather  was 
born  in  Ireland  and  emigrated  to  America  when  a 
young  man,  locating  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  father  of  Mrs.  H. 
removed  from  New  Jersey  to  Iowa  in  1853,  but 
only  remained  three  or  four  months.  He  then  re- 
turned East  as  far  as  Ohio  and  lived  in  Champaign 
County,  that  State,  three  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  this  county  and  located  in  Mahomet 
Township.  Thence  he  removed  to  Kansas  in  1 883, 
settling  in  Neosha  County,  where  he  died  Dec.  3, 
1886.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  H.,  who  in  her  girl- 
hood was  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  McCombs,  was  also  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  and  died  in  Mahomet  Town- 
ship, this  county,  Jan.  16,  1864. 

Our  subject  and  wife  have  seven  children — Liz- 
zie, Orin,  George,  Charles,  Harry,  Rosie  and  Wil- 
ber.  The  parents  and  three  of  the  children  are 
members  and  regular  attendants  of  the  Methodist 


Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Hyde  is  a  Republican  in 
politics,  and  keeps  himself  well  posted  upon  mat- 
ters of  general  interest.  In  his  business  habits  and 
manner  of  living  he  is  a  worthy  representative  of  a 
family  widely  known  and  universally  respected. 


;ILLIAM  C.  FISHER,  a  well-known  resi- 
dent of  Hensley  Township,  and  one  of  the 
honored  pioneers  of  Champaign  County, 
came  to  this  section  of  country  while  the  greater 
part  of  the  soil  was  uncultivated,  and  was  among 
the  first  to  turn  the  sod  and  mark  out  the  path  for 
a  later  civilization.  He  is  a  man  possessed  of  un- 
common energy  of  character,  who  lays  his  plans  de- 
liberately and  seldom  fails  of  execution.  Conse- 
quently, when  he  had  once  decided  to  build  up  a 
permanent  home  in  the  Prairie  State  the  result  was 
only  a  question  of  time,  and  he  was  as  confident 
that  it  would  be  carried  out  as  that  the  sun  shone. 
The  fine  homestead  which  he  now  occupies,  and  the 
position  which  he  enjoys  among  his  fellow-towns- 
men, give  ample  evidence  of  what  he  has  accom- 
plished and  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  done. 
During  the  pioneer  days  he  became  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  dangerous  difficulties  and  hardships, 
but  met  them  all  like  a  man,  and  held  himself 
in  readiness  for  any  emergency.  It  is  hardly  nec- 
essary to  say  that  he  is  accorded  that  peculiar  rev- 
erence which  belongs  to  all  those  who  ventured  into 
an  untried  region  and  were  willing  to  brave  its  soli- 
tude and  labors. 

Mr.  Fisher  was  born  in  Ohio  County,  W.  Va., 
Dec.  15, 1810.  His  father,  John  Fisher,  also  a  na- 
tive of  the  Old  Dominion,  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  State,  and  was  there  married  and  lived  until 
1811.  He  then  emigrated  to  Ohio  with  his  family 
via  the  Ohio  and  Scioto  Rivers  toChillicothe,  where 
they  landed  on  the  10th  of  May,  1811.  The  father 
of  our  subject,  who  was  one  of  the  earlier  settlers 
of  that  region,  operated  on  rented  land  until  1820, 
then  purchased  a  farm  in  Madison  County,  to 
which  he  removed  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days,  departing  this  life  at  the  ripe  old  age  of 
ninety-three  years.  The  mother  of  our  subject, 
formerly  Miss  Elizabeth  Byers,  was  also  a  native 


'222 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


T 


of  Virginia.  She  accompanied  her  husband  on  his 
various  travels,  lived  to  take  up  with  him  their 
abode  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  and  there  died  in 
about  1850.  Of  their  fifteen  children  nine  grew  to 
become  men  and  women. 

William  C.  Fisher  of  our  sketch  was  but  a  babe 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Ohio.  He  grew  to 
manhood  in  the  Buckeye  State  and  was  there  mar- 
ried. After  assuming  domestic  ties  he  purchased 
100  acres  of  land  in  Fayette  County,  upon  which 
he  removed  with  his  bride  and  lived  until  1848, 
when  he  sold  out.  In  the  meantime  his  household 
had  been  increased  by  the  birth  of  five  children, 
and  with  his  family  he  now  started  for  the  prairies 
of  Illinois.  Their  outfit  consisted  of  three  horses 
and  a  wagon,  and  they  made  the  entire  journey 
overland,  landing  in  Piatt  County  after  a  journey 
of  eighteen  days.  Mr.  Fisher  rented  laud  there  for 
the  first  year,  and  then  coming  to  this  county  en- 
tered 160  acres  on  sections  7  and  18  of  what  is  now 
Hensley  Township,  in  addition  to  which  he  pur- 
chased fifty  acres.  His  first  claim  was  a  Mexican 
warrant,  and  the  160  acres  cost  him  $125.  He 
purchased  a  small  log  house  which  stood  about  one 
and  one-half  miles  distant,  and  which  he  removed  to 
his  land  and  fitted  it  up  so  that  his  family  occupied 
it  for  several  years.  There  was  no  grain  mar- 
ket for  several  years,  but  corn  found  a  ready  sale 
in  the  field  to  cattle-feeders  at  ten  cents  per  bushel. 
Deer  and  wolves  were  plenty,  and  the  family  were 
kept  supplied  with  all  the  wild  meat  they  could 
consume. 

When  Mr.  Fisher  came  to  this  township  there 
were  but  three  or  four  persons  who  had  remained 
here.  Their  removal  hence  has  been  brought  about 
in  various  ways,  some  by  seeking  different  locali- 
ties, and  others  by  passing  to  the  land  of  the  here- 
after. There  was  then  but  one  house  between  his 
dwelling  and  Champaign,  and  it  may  be  readily 
imagined  that  he  watched  with  pleasure  and  satis- 
faction the  gradual  settling  up  of  his  adopted 
county,  and  the  prosperity  to  which  it  slowly  but 
surely  attained. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Jemima 
Coyner,  took  place  at  the  residence  of  the  bride's 
parelits  on  the  1 2th  of  February,  1 835.  Mrs.  F.  was 
born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Dec.  1C,  1816,  and  is  the 


daughter  of  John  Coyner,  of  Pennsylvania.  Her 
grandfather  was  a  native  of  Germany,  whence  he 
emigrated  in  early  life  to  the  United  States,  and 
spent  his  last  days  in  the  Keystone  State.  His  Son 
John  removed  from  Virginia  to  Ohio  in  1814,  be- 
ing among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Ross  County, 
where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  and  improved  a 
farm,  which  he  occupied  until  his  death.  The 
mother  of  Mrs.  Fisher,  who  before  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Hannah  Lawell,  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and 
of  Scotch  parentage  and  descent. 

Of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  there 
were  born  eight  children,  six  now  living:  John,  J. 
Madison  and  David  C.  are  residents  of,  Hensley 
Township;  Hannah  married  A.  B.  Hensley,  and  is 
now  a  resident  of  Kansas;  Russell  B.  and  Martin 
remained  on  the  old  homestead.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  identified  themselves  with  the  Methodist 
Church  early  in  life,  Mr.  F.  when  twenty-one  years 
old,  and  Mrs.  F.  when  sixteen.  Mr.  F.  in  the  old 
Whig  days  affiliated  with  that  party,  but  since  its 
abandonment  has  cordially  supported  the  principles 
of  the  Republican,  and  casts  his  vote  in  support  of 
them. 


p]NRY  M.  DUNLAP,  proprietor  of  Rural 
Home  Farm,  is  beautifully  located  on  sec- 
tion 36,  Champaign  Township.  He  comes 
from  an  excellent  family,  and  was  trained 
by  careful  parents  to  habits  of  industry  and  princi- 
ples of  honor.  He  was  born  in  Leyden  Township, 
Cook  Co.,  111.,  Nov.  14,  1853,  and  is  the  son  of 
Hon.  M.  L.  Dunlap,  now  deceased.  The  latter,  a 
native  of  Cheny  Valley,  N.  Y.,  was  born  Sept.  14, 
1814,  and  in  early  youth  indicated  the  quiet  and 
studious  habits  which  directed  his  course  later  in 
life.  His  choice  was  the  study  of  medicine,  but  he 
was  never,  however,  permitted  to  carry  out  his 
wishes.  He  removed  West  with  his  father's  family 
in  1836,  and  after  remaining  one  winter  with  his 
parents  went  to  Chicago,  which  was  then  a  town  of 
about  2,000  inhabitants.  He  engaged  as  clerk  for 
a  time,  and  afterward  went  to  Lamont,  where  he 
became  book-keeper  for  a  firm  of  contractors  on 
the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained two  years.  In  the  meantime  he  saved  a  few 


i 

i 


f 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


223 


hundred  dollars,  and  concluding  to  engage  in  agri- 
culture, entered  a  tract  of  Government  land  in 
Cook  County,  about  twelve  miles  west  of  the  city 
limits  of  Chicago.  This  he  at  once  proceeded  to 
improve  and  cultivate,  and  also  engaged  in  survey- 
ing. 

In  about  1845  Mr.  Dunlap  turned  his  attention 
to  horticulture,  which  he  followed  for  several  years. 
In  1855  he  visited  Champaign  County,  and  pur- 
chased the  north  half  of  section  36,  in  what  is  now 
Champaign  Township.  Two  years  later  he  removed 
his  family  here,  and  in  due  time  had  one  of  the 
largest  nurseries  in  the  West.  As  a  man  of  thrift 
and  intelligence,  making  the  interests  of  his  adopted 
county  his  own,  he  contributed  of  his  time  and 
means  to  the  carrying  out  of  every  enterprise  which 
would  benefit  its  people  and  increase  its  standing. 
He  was  a  man  of  unusual  energy,  and  if  unsuccess- 
ful in  one  direction  or  enterprise,  lost  no  time  in 
bemoaning  the  loss,  but  at  once  set  about  some  other 
project,  and  was  usually  successful. 

During  the  struggle  for  the  location  of  the  In- 
dustrial University,  Mr.  Dunlap  aided  materially  in 
its  establishment  at  Urbana,  by  his  wide  acquaint- 
ance and  influence  among  the  public  men  of  the 
State.  He  also  po'ssessed  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer, 
and  was  for  many  years  a  frequent  and  intelligent 
contributor  to  the  leading  journals  of  the  West. 
When  the  Democratic  Press,  a  Republican  and 
leading  free-soil  paper  of  the  West,  was  established, 
in  1853,  Mr.  Dunlap  was  engaged  as  its  chief  agri- 
cultural writer,  and  his  weekly  letters  came  to  be 
looked  for  and  read  with  warm  interest.  His  intel- 
ligent arguments  on  farm  and  garden  attained  a 
wide  popularity,  and  the  impetus  which  his  thoughts 
gave  to  agriculture  will  be  recognized  many  years 
hence.  His  nom  de  plume,  "  Rural,"  was  well  known 
throughout  the  West.  After  the  consolidation  of 
the  Press  with  the  Chicago  Tribune,  Mr.  Dunlap 
was  retained  as  the  agricultural  correspondent, 
which  engagement  covered  a  period  of  twenty -two 
years.  lie  took  a  warm  interest  in  State  and  Na- 
tional affairs.  In  earlier  years  he  was  an  adherent 
of  the  Democratic  party,  with  which  he  cast  his  last 
vote  in  1852.  After  that  time  he  was  one  of  the 
most  ardent  adherents  of  Republican  principles, 
lie  was  strongly  opposed  to  slavery,  and  his  house 


became  one  of  the  depots  of  the  Underground 
Railroad,  where  the  fleeing  slave  always  found  the 
latch-string  out.  A  man  of  his  generous  sympa- 
thies and  rare  intelligence  could  not  fail  of  recog- 
nition, and  he  was  appointed  to  various  offices  of 
trust.  In  1854  he  was  one  of  the  four  members 
who  represented  Cook  County  in  the  State  Leg- 
islature, in  which  body  his  influence  was  uniformly 
felt,  as  elsewhere. 

Hon.  M.  L.  Dunlap  was  married,  in  Chicago,  to 
Miss  Emeline  Pierce,  who  was  born  March  18, 
1818,  at  Sandy  Creek,  Oswego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Hannah  (Ballou)  Pierce, 
natives  of  Rhode  Island.  Mr.  Pierce  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  was  Sheriff  of  Oswego 
County,  and  in  other  respects  a  prominent  man  in 
the  public  affairs  of  that  section.  The  children  of 
the  Pierce  household  were  Theodore,  now  deceased ; 
Hiram  J., a  resident  of  Champaign;  Oscar,  of  Grand 
View,  Dak.;  Merton,  of  Pax  ton,  111.;  Albert,  de- 
ceased; Ernest  L.  and  Ella,  twins;  the  former  a 
resident  of  Savoy,  and  the  latter  the  wife  of  C.  H. 
Riser,  and  now  living  in  Kaukakee;  Eva  J.,  the 
wife  of  R.  G.  Riser,  of  Kankakee,  and  Louie  J.,  de- 
ceased. 

Mr.  Dunlap  of  our  sketch  was  but  four  years  old 
when  he  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents.  He 
pursued  his  primary  studies  in  the  district  schools, 
and  afterward  entered  the  Illinois  State  University 
at  Urbana,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1875.  Soon 
afterward  he  went  into  Ford  County,  and  became 
the  assistant  of  his  brother  Merton,  who  was  then 
and  is  still  County  Clerk  there.  After  a  few  months 
of  office  work  he  returned  to  the  old  homestead, 
which  he  took  charge  of  until  1883,  and  then  be- 
came its  possessor  by  purchase.  He  is  extensively 
engaged  in  raising  grain  and  stock,  the  latter  of 
which  includes  horses,  sheep,  cattle  and  hogs.  He 
also  has  a  fine  fruit  orchard,  in  the  cultivation  of 
which  he  takes  great  pride,  and  produces  annually 
some  of  the  finest  specimens  to  be  found  at  the  ag- 
ricultural fairs.  The  main  orchard  includes  150 
acres,  among  the  trees  of  which  are  150  varieties 
of  apples.  This  orchard  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
United  States,  and  the  largest  in  Central  Illinois. 
In  connection  with  this  he  has  a  steam  cider  mill, 
from  which  he  turns  out  1,000  barrels  of  cider  an- 

1  •»•- 


• 


224 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


nually,  and  which  finds  a  ready  market.  The  farm 
and  buildings  are  kept  in  first-class  condition,  and 
form  one  of  the  most  attractive  spots  in  this  lo- 
cality. 

Mr.  Dunlap  was  married  in  Urbana,  July  5,  1877, 
to  Miss  Nora  C.  Biirt,  who  is  a  native  of  Coshocton 
County,  Ohio,  born  Feb.  4,  1856,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Mary  L.  Hurt.  Of  this  union 
there  have  been  born  two  children — Mabel  and 
Clarence.  Mrs.  Dunlap  is  connected  with  the 
Universalist  Church.  Politically  our  subject  casts 
his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


€11.  VAN  VLECK,  of  Philo  Milage,  is  a 
substantial  representative  of  the  family 
which  originated  in  Holland  and  the  first 
members  of  which  came  to  this  country  prior  to 
the  Revolutionary  War.  The  first  of  the  family 
to  locate  ^in  this  country  was  the  great-grandfather 
of  our  subject,  who  settled  in  the  Mohawk  Valley 
and  remained  a  resident  of  the  Empire  State  until 
his  death.  He  there  reared  a  family,  among  the 
members  of  which  was  James,  the  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  who  became  a  successful  farmer,  was 
married  to  Miss  Rachel  Francisco,  of  Spanish  an- 
cestry, and  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  in  Herki- 
mer  County,  dying  in  1822.  His  wife  survived 
him  until  1838,  and  until  about  seventy  years  of 
age.  Their  eldest  son  and  child,  also  named  James, 
was  reared  to  manhood  in  that  locality  and  when 
twelve  years  of  age  began  to  work  in  the  woolen- 
mills  of  Honeoye,  N.  Y. 

James  Van  Vleck  attained  to  great  skill  in  the 
manufacture  of  woolens,  and  was  also  possessed  of 
much  mechanical  skill,  becoming  perfectly  familiar 
with  the  intricacies  of  machinery  and  operated  as  a 
millwright  during  the  later  years  of  his  life.  At 
the  early  age  of  twenty-three  years,  in  company 
with  his  brother-in-law,  he  erected  a  large  woolen- 
mill  at  Brownsville,  N.  Y.,  and  was  even  at  that 
time  the  master  mechanic  in  its  construction. 
Afterward,  in  1840,  in  company  with  a  partner,  he 
established  the  mills  at  Macedon  Locks,  in  Wayne 
County,  where  he  operated  four  years.  He  then  con- 
cluded to  try  farming,  but  after  one  year's  experi- 


ence returned  to  his  former  business  and  re-estab- 
lished the  old  factory  in  Penficld,  Monroe  County. 
His  partner  died  about  th:it  time  but  he  remained 
there  for  several  years  and  thence  removed  to  Dans- 
ville,  Livingston  County,  and  afterward  to  Addison, 
Steuben  County.  In  185G  he  removed  from  the 
Empire  State,  and  coining  to  Joliet,  111.,  was  vari- 
ouslj'  engaged  until  his  death,  Dec.  9,  1885,  when 
seventy-four  years  old,  having  been  born  Dec.  1 1 , 
1811.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Miss  Mary 
A.  Haskins,  who  was  born  at  Hinsdale,  Mass.,  where 
she  was  reared  and  educated  and  learned  to  weave. 
She  came  of  a  long-lived  family  and  is  yet  living 
in  Joliet,  being  about  seventy-three  years  old.  She 
was  the  youngest  of  twelve  children,  and  was  or- 
phaned by  the  death  of  both  parents  when  a  small 
child.  The  twelve  all  lived  to  a  good  old  age  and 
six  yet  survive,  being  well  advanced  in  years. 

Our  subject  was  the  eldest  in  the  family,  consist- 
ing of  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  latter, 
Mary,  died  in  infancy.  The  parents  afterward 
adopted  a  little  girl  named  Elizabeth,  who  was  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  family  and  became  the  wife 
of  George  Thompson,  of  Steuben  County,  N.  Y. 
She  is  now  deceased.  Mr.  Van  Vleck  received  a 
good  education,  completing  his  studies  at  Albany 
University,  from  which  he  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1854,  being  its  youngest  member.  lie  had 
attended  a  course  in  the  law  department,  and  was 
admitted  to  practice  that  same  year.  Soon  after- 
ward he  withdrew  from  the  bar  of  the  State  and 
came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Winnebago  County, 
where  he  was  alternately  engaged  in  teaching  and 
farming.  In  1858  he  became  a  resident  of  Will 
County.  During  that  year  also  he  set  out  with  an 
organized  company  to  cross  the  plains,  and  after 
reaching  California  engaged  in  mining  and  mer- 
chandising until  1866.  He  then  returned  to  Illi- 
nois via  the  Isthmus,  arriving  in  this  State  in  June. 

From  that  time  until  October  our  subject  occu- 
pied himself  in  looking  around  for  a  permanent 
location,  finally  settling  at  Philo  Village,  where  he 
began  dealing  in  grain,  which  he  continued  for 
some  years,  ih  the  meantime  also  becoming  con- 
nected with  the  agency  of  the  Wabash  Railroad. 
He  also  dealt  in  lumber,  coal,  live-stock  and  real 
estate.  At  the  early  age  of  eighteen  years  he  had  1 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


225, 


obtained  a  practical  knowledge  of  surveying,  which 
lie  followed  for  many  years.  The  greater  part  of 
the  township  of  Philo  was  surveyed  by  him,  as  well 
as  portions  of  Raymond,  Sidney  and  Urbana,  and 
lie  laid  out  the  village  of  St.  Joseph  as  early  as 
1872.  lie  has  operated  of  late  years  in  company 
with  his  brother,  and  the  firm  of  Van  Vleek  &  Bro. 
now  do  a  business  of  about  $100,000  annually. 

Our  subject  was  married  at  Joliet,  Sept.  20, 
1809,  to  Miss  Jennie  S.  Palmer,  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  that  city  and  who  died  at  the  home  of 
her  husband  in  Philo  Village,  Oct.  26,  1872,  being 
a  few  months  over  twenty-six  years  of  age.  The 
second  marriage  of  Mr.  Van  Vleck  took  place  in 
1874,  with  Mrs.  Emma  (Gordy)  Moon.  Mrs.  Van 
V.  was  the  daughter  of  Cyrus  Gordy,  and  was  born 
and  reared  in  Ohio.  A  sketch  of  her  uncle,  Thomas 
Gordy,  appears  on  another  page  in  this  volume. 
This  lady  died  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Philo 
Village,  June  18,  1880. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  at  Philo  in  1881,  was  Mrs.  Frances  (Gil- 
lett)  Godfrey,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  Gillett.  Of  the 
first  marriage  of  Mr.  Van  V.  there  was  born  a  son, 
C.  Frank,  who  is  the  only  child  of  our  subject. 

Mr.  Van  Vleck  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  Philo  Township  for  two  years.  Politically  he 
is  a  solid  Republican,  and  with  his  excellent  lady 
is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 


eAPT.  JOSEPH  DAVIDSON.  This  gentle- 
man is  widely  and  favorably  known  through- 
out Champaign  County  as  possessing  more 
than  ordinary  ability,  and  one  who  has  proved  him- 
self an  important  factor  in  the  farming  and  busi- 
ness community  of  Philo  Township.  He  is  pleas- 
antly located  on  a  fine  stock  farm,  which  occupies 
part  of  section  18,  and  also  has  a  tract  in  Tolono 
Township,  the  whole  including  455  acres,  all  of 
which  is  finely  improved.  The  residence  of  our 
subject  is  a  fine  and  imposing  structure,  and  the 
grounds  surrounding  it  are  beautifully  laid  out  and 
ornamented  with  choice  shrubs  and  trees,  the  main 
feature  being  a  fine  grove  which  protects  it  from 


summer's  heat  and  winter's  storm.  The  barns  and 
other  outhouses  correspond  with  the  dwelling,  and 
the  whole  estate  forms  a  picture  to  delight  the  eye 
and  attract  the  attention  of  the  passer-by. 

Capt.  Davidson  took  possession  of  his  present 
homestead  in  1867,  although  he  had  been  a  resident 
of  Champaign  County  since  the  close  of  the  war. 
His  first  purchase  consisted  of  160  acres,  to  which 
he  afterward  added  by  degrees.  He  has  been  uni- 
formly prosperous  in  his  business  and  agricultural 
undertakings,  and  has  contributed  his  full  share 
toward  the  development  of  Philo  Township.  He 
is  a  native  of  Ironton,  Lawrence  Co.,  Ohio,  and 
was  born  June  15,  1820.  His  father,  Col.  Joseph 
Davidson,  was  for  some  years  Sheriff  of  Lawrence 
County,  which  he  also  represented  in  the  Ohio 
Legislature  for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  owned 
a  fine  property  in  the  Buckeye  State,  and  was  a  man 
who  commanded  admiration  and  respect  wherever 
known.  After  reaching  middle  life  he  moved  to 
Iowa,  locating  on  a  farm  near  Farmington,  Van 
Buren  County,  where  his  death  occurred.  The 
mother  died  in  Ohio  when  her  only  son,  Joseph  of 
our  sketch,  was  but  nine  years  of  age.  His  father 
in  due  time  was  married  again,  and  our  subject  re- 
mained with  him  until  seventeen  years  of  age, 
when  he  set  out  to  do  for  himself.  He  had  no 
money  and  the  occason  of  his  leaving  home  was  a 
severe  chastisement  which  his  father  gave  him  with- 
out cause.  He  commenced  the  struggle  with  the 
world  as  a  flatboatman  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Rivers,  and  for  eight  years  following  journeyed  up 
and  down  between  Cincinnati  and  New  Orleans. 
During  that  period  he  saw  many  strange  sights  and 
met  with  some  hard  experiences;  sometimes  pos- 
sessed of  a  full  purse  and  sometimes  had  nothing. 
Later  in  life  he  began  to  operate  a  steamboat  up 
and  down  the  Tennessee  River,  and  during  the  war 
was  engaged  in  transporting  Government  supplies, 
which  proved  quite  a  bonanza.  He  became  Cap- 
tain of  the  J.  H.  Done,  and  later  built  a  boat,  J.  II. 
Done  No.  2.  He  transferred  the  first  Ft.  Don- 
nelson  prisoners  from  the  fort  to  Vicksburg  for  ex- 
change, and  his  craft  was  afterward  utilized  entirely 
for  army  officials.  He  became  one  of  the  most 
skillful  pilots  and  Captains  throughout  that  section 
of  country.  In  June,  1864,  he  sold  out  his  boats 


D 

f 


226 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


and  business  to  good  advantage,  and  located  in 
Ironton,  Ohio,  whence  later  he  removed  to  Cham- 
paign County,  111.,  invested  in  land  and  began  to 
operate  as  a  general  farmer.  He  was  for  a  few 
years  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Ironton,  but 
confesses  more  of  an  affection  for  Champaign 
County  than  any  other  locality  where  his  lot  has 
been  cast. 

Our  subject  was  first  married  in  Lawrence  County, 
Ohio,  in  1850,  to  Miss  Eliza  Frampton.  This  lady 
was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Lawrence  County, 
and  died  in  that  county,  at  Ironton,  in  1856,  leav- 
ing two  children.  Ada  became  the  wife  of  Chester 
A.  Bowman,  now  a  successful  young  farmer  of 
Philo  Township,  this  county;  Joseph  M.  is  engaged 
as  a  grain  dealer  at  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  at  Ironton,  Ohio,  in  May,  1865,  was  for- 
merly Miss  Susan  Hover.  She  was  bora  in  Penn- 
sylvania, of  which  State  her  parents  were  both 
natives.  She  possesses  in  a  marked  degree  the 
energy  and  intelligence  of  her  husband,  and  their 
home  is  the  resort  of  the  cultured  people  of  Philo 
Township.  Capt.  Davidson  is  strongly  Republican, 
but  has  steadily  declined  to  become  an  office- 
seeker. 

*• 

^ILLIAM  DAWLEY.  The  subject  of  the 
following  sketch  owns  and  occupies  a  fine 
homestead  in  Scott  Township,  on  section 
3.  This  comprises  240  acres  of  choice  land,  upon 
which  he  has  erected  a-fine  set  of  frame  buildings, 

O     " 

and  supplied  the  premises  with  all  things  needful 
for  the  carrying  on  of  agriculture  in  a  first-class 
manner.  Mr.  Dawley  has  been  a  resident  of  Scott 
Township  since  1866.  He  was  born  in  Greene 
County,  Ohio,  April  26,  1828,  and  is  the  son  of  Dev- 
vorix  and  Huldah  Dawley,  the  former  a  native  of 
Maryland  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  After  their 
marriage  they  located  in  Ohio,  and  the  mother 
died  in  Greene  County  in  about  1837.  After  the 
death  of  his  wife  the  .father  of  our  subject  removed 
to  Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  where  he  again  mar- 
ried, and  then  removed  to  Fairfield  County.  lie 
died  in  Lancaster,  that  county,  in  about  18*0. 
The  parental  family  consisted  of  seven  children, 


three  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject 
is  the  third  child.  He  remained  a  resident  of  Ohio 
until  1851,  when  he  came  to  Piatt  County,  this 
State,  first  working  oat  by  the  month,  then  operat- 
ing on  rented  land  until  1866.  He  was  married  in 
Piatt  County,  Jan.  6,  1853,  to  Miss  Susan  Gay,  also 
a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State.  They  became  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  three  now  deceased.  Those 
surviving  are  Diantlm,  John,  Mary  C.,  William, 
Ida  and  Clara.  John  married  Miss  Nancy  Beck, 
and  is  farming  in  Scott  Township.  Those  deceased 
are  Albert,  Kosaltha  and  Jane. 

Mr.  Dawley  has  held  the  office  of  Highway  Com- 
missioner, and  is  a  man  who  takes  a  genuine  inter- 
est in  the  welfare  of  his  community.  Politically  he 
is  a  reliable  Republican.  Mrs.  D.  is  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Church. 


ENRY  SADORUS,  deceased,  father  of  Henry 
T.,  Allen  M.  and  William  Sadorus,  repre- 
sented in  this  work,  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania  and  of  German  descent,  as  was 
also  his  wife,  Mary  (Titus)  Sadorus.  He  followed 
farming  in  Allegheny  County,  Pa.,  from  early  man- 
hood until  1817,  then  left  the  farm  and  drifted 
down  the  Ohio  River  on  a  raft,  landing  at  Cincin- 
nati, where  he  remained  two  years,  engaged  in  var- 
ious kinds  of  business.  Thence  he  migrated  into 
Rush  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres,  where  he  remained  until  1824.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  been  greatly  prospered,  but  desiring  to 
change  his  location  once  more,  pushed  still  further 
westward  into  Illinois,  and  purchased  600  acres  of 
land  in  Vermilion  County.  From  this  Champaign 
County  was  afterward  detached,  and  Mr.  Sadorus 
settled  at  the  lower  end  of  what  is  now  known  as 
Sadorus  Grove.  Here  he  remained  engaged  in  the 
peaceful  pursuit  of  agriculture,  and  rested  from  his 
earthly  labors  July  18, 1878,  dying  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-five  years,  having  been  born  July  26, 
1783. 

The  subject  of  this  history  possessed  a  varied  and 
interesting  experience.  During  the  progress  of  the 
Revolutionary  War  he  served  with  the  minute  men 
who  guarded  the  navy  yard  during  the  construction  ' 


T 





RESIDENCE  OF  L H. Hows ER, SEC. 31, ST. JOSEPH  TOWNSHIP 


RESIDENCE  OF  GUSTAVE  STUMPF,  SEc.G.,(R.9.E.)RANTOULTowN5HiR 


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RESIDENCE  OF  G.W.GRISWOLD,SEC.  17  ,HARWOOD  TOWNSHIP. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


229  ,  , 


of  Commodore  Perry's  fleet  for  the  memorable 
cruise  on  Lake  Erie.  He  witnessed  the  Indian  war 
dance  and  the  bloody  massacre  which  followed,  and 
during  the  early  days  of  the  settlement  of  Penn- 
sylvania, incurred,  in  common  with  those  around 
him,  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  life  in  the  wilder- 
ness. 

Henry  Sadorus  lived,  however,  to  note  the  disap- 
pearance of  the  untamed  savages,  and  to  behold  the 
native  soil,  where  many  years  before  had  roamed 
wild  animals  and  Indians,  cultivated  by  the  civil- 
ized whites  and  teeming  with  settlements.  Upon 
coming  to  Illinois'  his  rich  experience  enabled  him 
at  once  to  grasp  the  duties  of  the  pioneer,  which  he 
performed  in  a  manner  worthy  his  high  character 
and  the  principles  which  had  ruled  his  life.  He  was 
a  citizen  who  enjoyed  in  a  marked  degree  the  re- 
spect of  those  around  him,  and  of  whom  still  fur- 
ther mention  is  made  in  the  biography  of  his  sons. 


„.,  LEXANDER  YEXLEY. 
Oil    made    his   first   advent 


\ 


This  gentleman 
into    Champaign 

County  thirty  years  ago,  in  1857.  He  is 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  vicissitudes 
of  pioneer  life,  having  had  a  rare  experience  with 
the  difficulties  of  a  new  country,  his  first  experi- 
ence having  been  when  he  was  a  boy  in  the  Buck- 
eye State,  to  which  he  had  emigrated  with  his  par- 
ents from  his  native  city  of  Quebec,  Ontario, 
Canada.  There  he  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light 
on  the  24th  of  May,  1  834.  His  father,  Alexander 
Yexley,  Sr.,  was  born  in  the  city  of  London,  En- 
gland, where  he  grew  to  manhood,  was  married, 
and  soon  afterward  emigrated  to  America.  He 
was  a  horse-trainer  by  profession,  which  he  followed 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1835.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Mary  J.  Brown,  also  a  native  of  London. 
Their  son,  our  subject,  was  but  a  year  old  when  his 
father  died. .  The  mother  was  subsequently  mar- 
ried to  W.  Wood,  and  they  removed  to  New  York 
State,  where  they  lived  for  a  short  time,  thence 
going  to  Toledo,  Ohio,  and  afterward  into  Defiance 
County,  that  State,  where  Mrs.  Wood  still  lives. 
Mr.  Yexley  of  our  sketch  was  but  a  child  when 


i  his  mother  became  a  resident  of  Defiance  County, 
Ohio.  They  located  on  the  present  site  of  Hicks- 
ville,  which  was  then  a  wilderness,  and  the  boy  as- 
sisted in  clearing  a  farm  and  establishing  a  comf  orta- 
able  home,  remaining  with  his  mother  until  eight- 
een years  old,  when  he  paid  his  stepfather  $30  for 
his  time,  and  started  out  for  himself.  He  com- 
menced working  for  $8  a  month,  but  his 
wages  were  raised  as  his  usefulness  increased,  never, 
however,  going  over  $14.  When  twenty-one  years 
old  he  commenced  dealing  in  stock,  in  which  he 
was  occupied  until  1857.  In  that  year  he  decided 
to  tiy  his  fortunes  in  the  farther  West,  and  made 
the  journey  overland  into  Illinois,  bringing  with 
him  four  horses  and  selling  three  after  his  arrival. 
Coming  into  this  county  he  commenced  to  break- 
prairie  at  $20  per  month  and  during  the  summer 
season  worked  in  the  harvest  field.  In  December 
of  that  year  he  returned  to  Ohio  and  resumed  his 
stock  operations,  to  which  he  also  added  that  of  a 
lively  trade  in  furs. 

In  1863  Mr.  Yexley  returned  to  this  county  and 
purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. Its  condition,  however,  is  now  widely  differ- 
ent from  that  in  which  he  found  it.  There  was 
then  a  house  of  one  room,  very  little  of  the  land 
was  enclosed,  and  but  a  few  acres  had  been  turned 
by  the  plow.  The  passing  traveler  now  descries  an 
attractive  homestead  with  shapely  and  substantial 
farm  buildings,  and  the  land  under  a  good  state  of 
cultivation.  Everything  about  the  premises  de- 
notes the  supervision  of  the  intelligent  modern 
farmer. 

The  lady  who  has  been  the  sharer  of  the  labors 
and  successes  of  our  subject,  and  to  whom  he  was 
married  Nov.  28,  1857,  was  formerly  Miss  Jane 
Ham.  She  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  May 
23,  1841,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Bartholomew  and 
Lucinda  Ham,  natives  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Ham  re- 
moved from  his  native  State  to  Ohio  at  an  early 
period  in  the  settlement  of  Fayette  County,  where 
he  was  one  of  the  first  pioneers.  He  cleared  a  farm 
from  the  wilderness  and  built  a  comfortable  home 
which  he  occupied  for  many  years.  In  1851  he 
came  to  Illinois,  locating  first  in  Piatt  County,  and 
after  operating  there  five  years  on  rented  land  en- 
tered a  claim  in  Condit  Township,  this  county,  ' 


t 


t 


t 


230 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


which  bfcaiiie  his  home  until  about   18GO.     He  is 
now  :i  ivsiilent  of  Fisher. 

.Mr.  anil  Mrs.  Yexley  have  become  the  parents  of 
live  children,  namely:  Lillie  V.,  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam .1'orter.  of  Merrick  County,  Neb.;  Alta  M., 
Tina  15.,  George  A.  and  Katie  M.  Mrs.  Y.  is  con- 
nected with  the  Methodist  Church  ;  our  subject  po- 
litically is  a  supporter  of  Republican  principles. 


LEXANDER  P.  WI1ITMORE  owns  and 
occupies  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  Philo 
Township,  which  is  located  on  section  4, 
and  invariably  attracts  the  attention  of  the 
passing  traveler  on  account  of  the  beauty  of  its 
location,  the  tasteful  and  imposing  residence,  and 
the  substantial  barn  situated  in  the  midst  of  fine 
grounds,  everything  indicating  the  cultivated  tastes 
and  ample  means  of  the  proprietor.  Our  subject 
purchased  his  present  homestead  in  1873.  but  did 
not  take  possession  until  four  years  later.  It  com- 
prises 164  acres  drained  by  500  rods  of  tile,  in- 
closed with  substantial  fencing  and  cultivated  by 
means  of  the  most  improved  machinery. 

Mr.  Whitmore  has  been  a  resident  of  Champaign 
County  since  1865,  arriving  here  on  the  14th  of 
April,  the  day  made  memorable  by  the  assassination 
of  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  located  in  the  city  of 
Champaign,  of  which  he  remained  a  resident  until 
1871,  when  he  removed  to  a  farm  in  Homer  Town- 
ship, which  he  occupied  until  the  removal  to  Philo. 
In  the  former  township  he  became  proprietor  of 
150  acres,  which  he  secured  solely  through  his  own 
industry  and  by  the  exercise  of  the  closest  econo- 
my, as  he  started  out  in  the  world  poor  in  pocket, 
with  no  possessions  but  his  rare  good  sense  and 
willing  hands.  His  subsequent  career  has  been  a 
fine  illustration  of  what  may  be  accomplished  by 
energy,  industry  and  prudence.  The  birth  of 
Alexander  P.  Whitmore  took  place  in  Rutland 
County,  Vt.,  April  15,  1834.  He  resided  in  his 
native  State  until  reaching  years  of  manhood,  and 
thence  removed  to  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  lo- 
cating at  Ft.  Ann,  where  he  remained  until  coming 
to  Illinois.  He  was  married,  Dec.  9,  1861,  to  Miss 
Susan  J.  Bourne,  a  native  of  his  own  town  in  Ver- 


mont,  where  she  grew  to  womanhood,  receiving  a 
common-school  education.  Of  this  union  there 
were  born  four  children:  Susie  became  the  wife 
of  Rev.  George  W.  Morrow,  who  is  now  attending 
the  Christian  Church  College  on  the  Hudson  at 
Stanford  ville,  N.  Y.,  completing  his  studies  for  the 
ministry;  the  younger  daughter,  May,  is  at  home 
with  her  parents.  Two  died  in  infancy  unnamed. 
The  Whitmore  family  were  originally  from  New 
England,  the  father  of  our  subject,  Perley  Whit- 
more, having  been  born  in  Rhode  Island,  where  the 
first  representatives  of  the  family,  who  were  of 
English  descent,  settled  at  an  early  day.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Marbury  Stafford,  of  Rutland  County, 
Vt.,  who  descended  from  the  German.  They  lo- 
cated in  Granville,  N.  Y.,  where  the  father  died  in 
1850,  when  sixty  years  of  age.  The  mother,  who 
afterward  remained  a  widow,  came  to  Illinois  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  her  days  with  one  of  her 
sons,  Thomas  S.,  in  Champaign,  departing  this  life 
in  1884,  when  eighty-seven  years  of  age. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Whitmore  were  also  of  New 
England  birth.  Her  father,  Orson  Bourne,  de- 
parted this  life  in  Hubbardton,  Vt.,  in  1885,  when 
about  seventy-five  years  old.  The  mother,  who  was 
formerly  Miss  Susan  Sherman,  died  in  New  York 
near  the  Vermont  State  line,  about  the  year  1859. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitmore  have  come  honestly  by 
every  penny  of  their  possessions.  Their  beautiful 
home  with  its  surroundings  is  the  result  of  many 
years  of  industry  and  economy,  the  wife  working 
side  by  side  with  her  husband  in  the  endeavor  to 
place  themselves  in  a  worthy  and  honored  position 
in  the  community.  Their  efforts  have  been  amply 
rewarded,  and  their  later  years  witness  them  enjoy- 
ing the  fruits  of  their  labors,  and  the  esteem  of  all 
who  know  them. 


J-  OHN  K.  BARD  WELL,  of  Hensley  Township, 
was  born  in   Shelburne,  Franklin  Co.,  Mass., 
March  9, 1 835.     His  father,  Ebenezer  Bard- 
1    well,  and   his  grandfather,  Zenas,  were  born 
on  the  same  farm.     The  Bard  wells  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  that  section  of  the  country,  the 
farm  having  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son 
for   several   generations;    it    is  now  owned    by  a 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


231 


brother  of  our  subject.  Ebene/.er  Bard  well  spent 
his  entire  life  on  the  farm  where  he  first  opened  his 
eyes,  and  died  there  hi  about  1872.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  early  manhood  to  Miss  Clarinda  Rice,  who 
was  born  in  Conway,  Franklin  Co.,  Mass..  and  was 
the  (laughter  of  Daniel  Rice,  whose  ancestors  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  there.  The  mother  of 
our  subject  died  on  the  old  homestead  in  1844. 
There  the  latter  was  reared,  and  received  his  early 
education  in  the  district  schools.  He  afterward 
pursued  his  studies  in  the  academy  at  Bernardstown, 
and  after  his  school  days  were  over  engaged  at 
fanning.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until  1860, 
when  he  came  West  and  purchased  land  in  Critten- 
den  Township,  this  county,  which  he  occupied  four 
years,  and  then  purchased  his  present  farm.  This 
he  has  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation,  has 
erected  a  commodious  frame  barn,  and  is  now 
building  a  handsome  house. 

Mr.  Bardwell  was  married,  in  August,  1860,  to 
Miss  Levilla  Kellogg,  who  was  a  native  of  his  own 
town  in  Massachusetts,  and  the  daughter  of  Elam 
and  Betsey  (Dole)  Kellogg,  both  also  natives  of 
Shelburne.  Elam  Kellogg  held  the  office  of  Deacon 
in  the  Congregational  Church  of  Franklin  County, 
Mass.,  for  a  period  of  over  fifty  years,  and  was  one 
of  three  who  voted  the  Free-Soil  ticket  at  its  birth , 
in  Shelburne.  lie  was  widely  known  as  Deacon  Kel- 
logg. Of  the  union  of  our  subject  and  his  wife 
there  have  been  born  seven  children,  three  living 
— Ellen,  Julia  and  Faith.  Four  died  in  infancy,, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  and  two  of  their  children  are  con- 
nected with  the  Congregational  Church  at  Cham- 
paign. Our  subject  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and 
greatly  interested  in  the  success  of  the  Prohibition 
party. 


ILLIAM  H.  JOHNSON  is  proprietor  of 
520  acres  of  improved  land,  embracing  the 
greater  part  of  section  12  in  Sadorus 
Township.  As  a  man  of  great  force  of  character, 
who  arose  from  a  humble  position  in  life  to  become 
one  of  the  most  important  factors  of  a  wealthy  and 
prosperous  community,  he  presents  an  example  of 
courage  and  resolution  which  is  highly  worthy  of 
emulation  by  the  young  man  of  to-day,  who  is  so 


situated  that  if  he  rises  at  all  it  must  be  through 
his  own  efforts. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  born  in  the  city  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  Sept.  14,  1825,  and  was  the  twelfth  child  in 
a  family  of  thirteen,  of  whom  he  is  the  only  surviv- 
ing member.  His  parents,  Enoch  and  Lydia  John- 
son, were  also  natives  of  the  Bay  State,  and  pos- 
sessed but  a  moderate  amount  of  this  world's 
goods.  When  William  H.  was  ten  years  of  age  he 
started  out  to  do  for  himself.  He  had  in  his  pocket 
a  cash  capital  of  $1.50,  which  he  had  earned  pick- 
ing currants,  and  which  he  spent  in  paying  his  fare 
to  New  York  City.  He  had  formed  large  ideas  of 
the  metropolis  from  the  stories  recited  by  his 
young  associates,  and  entered  its  gates  with  high 
hopes.  His  bright,  open  and  intelligent  face  com- 
mended him  to  those  from  he  sought  employment, 
and  he  found  a  berth  in  Lovejoy's  Hotel,  where  he 
remained  for  over  three  years.  In  the  meantime, 
with  the  natural  impulse  of  youth  to  be  gay  and 
foolish,  he  became  surrounded  by  a  group  of  young 
men,  who  began  to  lead  him  astray.  His  good  sense 
saved  him,  however,  and  breaking  away  from  them 
he  left  his  situation  and  sought  work  elsewhere.  A 
year  later  he  left  the  city  in  company  with  a  jour- 
neyman printer,  and  wandered  up  the  river,  first  to 
Albany  and  thence  to  Troy,  where  he  bound  him- 
self to  Thomas  Henderson,  an  iron-nail  maker,  for 
a  period  of  four  years,  but  remained  with  him  only 
three  years,  when  he  married,  Nov.  20, 1842,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  years  and  two  months. 

After  this  event  his  employer  gave  him  his  time, 
and  he  commenced  work  at  journeyman's  wages. 
Having  a  sensible  and  economic  wife  he  was  ena- 
bled to  save  some  money,  and  one  year  later  in- 
vested in  real  estate,  purchasing  two  lots  in  the  city 
of  Troy,  where  he  built  a  two-story  house,  of  which 
he  rented  a  part,  and  occupied  the  balance  with  his 
family.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Catherine 
Leagle,  and  was  only  fourteen  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  her  marriage.  The  first  year  of  their  union 
there  was  born  a  daughter,  Adaline  A.,  and  two 
years  later  a  boy,  whom  they  named  William.  In 
1847  another  daughter  was  added  to  the  household, 
whom  they  named  Sarah.  When  little  Sarah  was 
ten  months  old  her  mother  was  taken  away  by  the 
cholera,  which  swept  over  the  Eastern  States,  and 


1 


t 

*-•-* 


232 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  life  of  Willie  was  saved  only  by  the  most  des- 
perate remedies.  This  occurred  in  1848,  when  our 
subject,  was  but  twenty-three  years  of  age. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife  Mr.  Johnson  em- 
ployed a  housekeeper,  and  attempted  to  keep  his 
little  family  together.  This  proved  anything  but 
satisfactory,  and  he  then  placed  his  children  to 
board  while  he  left  them  to  toil  for  their  support. 
His  burden  of  sorrow  was  soon  added  to  by  the 
death  of  his  only  son,  from  the  measles,  about  six 
months  after  the  death  of  the  mother. 

These  afflictions  had  the  effect  of  causing  the 
father  to  lose  his  interest  in  the  old  scenes  and  sur- 
roundings, and  placing  his  two  little  girls  in  the 
hands  of  his  brother-in-law  in  the  country,  near  by, 
he  accepted  a  proposition  from  a  company  of  nail- 
makers,  to  go  to  Cuba  and  construct  and  operate  a 
nail-mill  there.  lie  arrived  in  the  West  Indies  in 
the  fall  of  1849,  and  located  the  site  of  the  mill  at 
Regains  near  Havana,  where  he  put  up  the  first 
nail  and  iron  mill  on  the  Island,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  (Jueen  of  Spain,  who  gave  his  com- 
pany the  exclusive  right  of  manufacture,  and  for- 
bade the  importation  of  spikes  or  nails  to  the  Island 
for  a  long  period  of  years. 

Mr.  Johnson  remained  in  Cuba  a  little  over  two 
years,  and  while  there  was  married  to  Mrs.  Cather- 
ine Louisa  Hartman,  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany. 
After  suffering  a  spell  of  the  j'ellow  fever  he  was 
again  forced  to  face  another  cholera  scourge,  but 
determined  to  evade  its  dangers  by  returning 
North  until  the  trouble  was  over.  Before  he  could 
get  away,  however,  his  wife  was  stricken  down,  but 
after  a  desperate  struggle  for  her  life,  finally  recov- 
ered. The  first  husband  of  Mrs.  Johnson  died  from 
cholera  very  suddenly  at  Havana,  being  taken 
down  one  Sunday  morning  while  they  were  pre- 
paring for  church.  Of  this  union  there  was  born 
one  son,  Frederick,  who  now  makes  his  home  with 
his  mother  and  stepfather. 

After  his  wife  was  able  to  travel  Mr.  Johnson  re- 
turned to  Troy,  N.  Y.,  remaining  unemployed  there 
until  the  danger  was  over.  In  the  meantime  nearly 
all  his  friends  and  acquaintances  had  been  carried 
off  by  the  dreadful  epidemic,  and  as  he  had  lost  all 
his  property  he  left  there,  determined  never  to  re- 
turn, lie  accordingly  engaged  in  the  butchering 


business  in  Troy,  which  he  followed  four  years,  and 
then  abandoned  this  to  engage  in  the  grocery  trade-. 
Two  years  later  ill-health  compelled  him  to  give  up 
business  entirely  and  receive  treatment  for  con- 
sumption, which  seemed  to  have  taken  hold  upon 
i  his  constitution.  Not  experiencing  any  relief  he 
concluded  to  go  West. 

After  reaching  Chicago,  in  1856,  upon  his  west- 
ern venture,  Mr.  Johnson  concluded  to  remain 
there  for  a  time,  and  put  up  at  the  Massasoit  House, 
near  the  Central  Depot.  Shortly  afterward,  however, 
he  started  out  with  a  company  of  speculators  to 
view  the  land  in  Central  Illinois.  He  was  greatly 
pleased,  and  purchased  eighty  acres  on  section  12, 
in  Piatt  County.  Returning  to  Chicago  he  pur- 
chased two  horses,  some  farming  implements,  and 
seed  potatoes,  and  returning  to  his  purchase, 
planted  his  potatoes  on  a  piece  of  sod  that  had  been 
broken  on  his  land,  unintentionally,  by  a  man  who 
owned  land  adjoining  and  supposed  that  his  prop- 
erty included  this  strip  also.  Mr.  Johnson  raised  a 
fine  crop  of  "murphies,"  and  the  people  came 
for  miles  around  to  buy  them.  He  found  himself 
unable  to  turn  the  sod  with  the  team  he  had,  and 
returning  to  Chicago,  bought  another  horse  and 
hired  a  trusty  man  to  come  to  the  farm  with  him. 
About  this  time,  his  wife  who  had  remained  in 
Troy,  wrote  that  her  little  boy,  who  >  had  suf- 
fered severely  with  the  measles,  was  still  in  feeble 
health,  and  he  returned  home,  to  find  that  the  De- 
stroyer had  again  invaded  his  household.  He  ar- 
rived there  just  as  the  funeral  was  leaving,  but 
with  a  sorrow  born  of  despair,  set  himself  mechan- 
ically about  the  arrangements  for  the  future  com- 
fort of  his  remaining  family. 

Mr.  Johnson  now  sold  out  all  his  possessions  in 
Troy,  and  returned  to  the  West  with  his  family.  At 
Toledo  he  purchased  lumber  for  a  house  and  shipped 
it,  together  with  his  household  goods,  to  Bement 
on  the  Wabash  Railroad,  which  had  just  been  put 
in  operation.  Upon  arriving  at  his  farm  and  estab- 
lishing .his  family  in  a  house  near  by,  he  proceeded 
to  the  woods  and  cut  the  timbers  for  the  frame  of 
his  projected  dwelling,  which  in  due  time  was 
completed  and  the  family  moved  in.  As  will  be 
seen,  Mr.  Johnson  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the  art 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


233 


of  farming,  and  he  conquered  it  only  by  the  hard- 
est work  and  long  continued  efforts. 

Providence  now  smiled  upon  the  efforts  of  our 
subject,  and  he  remained  upon  the  farm  which  he 
had  built  up  until  18G2.  In  the  meantime  his  own 
child  and  the  child  of  his  wife  by  her  former 
husband  were  growing  up,  and  he  determined  to 
give  them  the  advantages  of  a  better  education 
than  they  could  secure  in  Sadorus  Township.  He 
accordingly  rented  his  farm  and  moving  to  the  city 
of  Quincy,  placed  the  children  in  school,  and  re- 
mained there  until  they  had  completed  their  stud- 
ies, in  1865.  Then  all  returned  to  the  farm,  which 
had  been  occupied  by  the  husband  of  his  daughter, 
James  Gilman.  While  in  (Quincy  Mr.  J.  employed 
his  time  operating  in  grain,  of  which  business  he 
made  a  success.  Upon  returning  to  the  farm  he  put 
up  a  fine  residence,  into  which  his  family  moved  in 
the  fall  of  1865,  and  which  our  subject  has  since 
occupied.  The  beautiful  dwelling,  situated  in  the 
midst  of  choice  fruit  trees  and  surrounded  by  hand- 
some grounds,  with  stately  and  substantial  out- 
houses, and  the  fields  stretching  away  on  either 
side,  presents  a  picture  of  one  of  the  finest  home- 
steads in  Central  Illinois.  The  career  of  Mr. 
Johnson  as  a  man  and  citizen,  has  been  one  of  which 
his  children  will  be  proud  to  read  in  years  to  come. 

During  his  residence  on  the  farm  Mr.  Johnson 
opened  a  station,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  which  is 
now  known  as  Ivesdale.  For  a  period  of  fifteen 
years  he  conducted  general  merchandising  in  con- 
nection with  the  grain  trade,  while  at  the  same  time 
he  officiated  as  Postmaster,  Station  Agent  and  Ex- 
press Agent,  and  was  in  fact,  with  his  employes,  al- 
most a  village  by  himself.  The  post-office  was 
opened  in  18GC,  and  remained  in  his  hands  until  he 
sold  out  his  stock  of  merchandise.  He  had  also  es- 
tablished on  the  farm  a  nursery,  which  was  man- 
aged by  John  Blocker,  a  native  of  Sweden,  and  a 
man  well  posted  in  his  business.  Mr.  B.  had  charge 
of  this  for  sixteen  years.  After  retiring  from  his 
other  business  Mr.  Johnson  was  able  to  give  this 
branch  more  of  his  time. 

Our  subject  might  live  in  luxury  the  balance  of 
his  days,  without  raising  a  finger  to  labor,  but  his 
natural  habits  of  life  have  been  such  that  it  is  im- 
possible for  him  to  remain  idle.  His  mind,  at 


least,  is  actively  engaged  in  projects  that  will  en- 
hance the  beauty  of  his  homestead,  and  in  this  way 
reflect  credit  on  his  county.  He  spends  his  winters 
mainly  in  the  South,  returning  to  the  farni  in  the 
spring,  and  while  not  lavish  in  his  outlays  for  the 
convenience  and  comfort  of  himself  and  his  family, 
wisely  assists  in  the  circulation  of  the  "  legal  tender," 
benefiting  the  industrial  and  trade  interests  about 
him  equally  with  himself.  He  takes  no  active  part 
in  politics,  and  to  the  repeated  solicitations  to  be- 
come an  office-holder,  has  steadily  turned  a  deaf 
ear. 

Of  the  five  children  born  to  William  II.  and 
Catherine  L.  Johnson,  two  little  boys  (twins)  died 
in  infancy;  William  married  Mary  C.,  daughter  of 
Elijah  and  Mary  Centers,  and  lives  in  Chicago;  he 
is  employed  on  the  Wabash  Railroad  as  engineer, 
and  is  the  father  of  five  children — Etta  M.,  Will- 
iam II.,  Mary  Louisa,  Charles  and  Freddie,  all  liv- 
ing; Miss  Mayola  Johnson  is  at  home  with  her  par- 
ents; Charles  is  deceased. 


\7  EMUEL  CRAWFORD,  an  esteemed  mcm- 
^  ^ne  farmm§'  community  of  Pesotum 
Township,  is  pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  his 
way  as  a  successful  agriculturist  on  120  acres  of 
good  land  in  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  22. 
Here,  with  the  members  of  his  family  who  are  at 
home,  and  those  who  are  married  and  living  not 
far  away,  he  is  enjoying,  as  he  deserves,  the  good 
things  of  life  and  the  friendship  of  his  fellow-citi- 
zens. 

The  childhood  and  youth  of  Mr.  Crawford  were 
spent  in  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  born 
on  Independence  Day  in  1829.  He  was  the  tenth 
child  of  Benedict  and  Catherine  (Arnold)  Craw- 
ford, the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
latter  of  Jefferson  County.  Ohio.  They  lived 
quiet  and  unassuming  lives  as  agriculturists  on  the 
moderately  sized  farm,  and  Lemuel  remained  un- 
der the  home  roof  with  his  brothers  and  sisters  un- 
til attaining  his  twentieth  year.  The  young  men 
of  those  days  formed  marital  and  domestic  ties 
earlier  in  life  than  at  the  present,  and  at  the  age 
mentioned  our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  with 


•  >     234 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Miss  S;iruli  Henderson,  a  native  of  Maryland. 
Mrs.  C.  was  the  sixth  child  of  John  and  Lavina 
(Henderson)  Henderson,  the  father  a  native  of  Ire- 
land and  the  mother  of  Maryland. 

After  marriage  our  subject  and  wife  located 
upon  a  farm  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  whence  they 
removed  six  years  later  to  Tuscarawas  County, 
where  Mr.  Crawford  purchased  seventy-five  acres 
of  improved  land  and  followed  farming  there 
for  about  seven  years.  He  then  sold  out  for 
the  purpose  of  coming  to  Illinois.  He  located  first 
in  McLean  County,  where  he  was  a  resident  five 
years,  engaged  in  farming  and  operating  a  corn- 
shelter.  Thence  in  1869  he  came  to  this  county, 
and  purchasing  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Pesotum 
Township,  occupied  his  time  successfully  in  its  cul- 
tivation and  improvement.  He  afterward  added 
forty  acres  and  erected  a  good  set  of  frame  build- 
ings. He  has  the  requisite  machinery,  and  ^he 
farm  is  moderately  stocked  with  good  grades  of  the 
domestic  animals. 

The  seven  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford 
which  still  constitute  a  family  circle  unbroken  by 
the  Destroyer  are  located  as  follows :  John  married 
Miss  Anna  Nelson,  and  is  engaged  as  a  grain  buyer 
and  general  merchant  in  the  village  of  Pesotum, 
being  associated  with  J.  E.  Davis  under  the  firm 
name  of  Crawford  &  Davis;  Sanford  married  Miss 
Callie,  daughter'  of  Charles  Johnson,  of  Pesotum 
Township,  and  lives  on  the  Mills  farm  near  his  par- 
ents; Lavina  married  J.  E.  Davis,  the  partner  of 
her  brother  and  the  young  and  prosperous  mer- 
chant heretofore  mentioned ;  Amanda  is  the  wife  of 
David  Mix,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  which  he  is  now 
following,  but  who  also  understands  farming  and 
now  resides  in  Pesotum ;  Hulda  is  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam Carringer,  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  and  they  re- 
side in  iSeymore,  111. ;  Cynthia  and  Grant,  the  two 
remaining,  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  Crawford  has  frequently  served  his  town- 
ship as  School  Director  and  Road  Commissioner 
but  has  never  had  political  aspirations.  He  is  a 
Democrat  of  the  old  faith  and  of  long  standing. 
With  his  excellent  wife  he  united  with  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church  many  years  ago,  and  is  looked 
upon  affectionately  as  one  of  its  chief  pillars  and 
supporters.  Although  never  having  been  the  hero 


of  any  thrilling  event  he  has  performed  with  fidel- 
ity the  duties  in  life  assigned  him,  and  exerted  a 
good  influence  over  those  around  him.  Could 
this  be  said  of  the  world  in  general,  that  happy 
time  designated  as  the  Millenium  would  be  consid- 
ered as  not  far  away. 


-HH-  •«- 


BRAM  CRIST.  Upon  sectioir  33,  Cham- 
paign Township,  lies  a  fine  tract  of  240 
acres,  the  property  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  which  is  chiefly  devoted  to  grain 
and  stock  raising,  besides  forming  one  of  the  most 
attractive  homesteads  in  Champaign  Township. 
Mr.  C.  took  possession  of  this  land  in  18C9,  but  its 
condition  then  bears  no  comparison  with  what  it  is 
at  present.  The  estate  as  it  now  stands  is  under  fine 
cultivation,  with  handsome  and  substantial  farm 
buildings,  and  all  the  appliances  for  the  carrying  on 
of  agriculture  in  a  first-class  manner,  besides  those 
which  constitute  the  perfect  home.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  the  proprietor  is  a  man  of  en- 
terprise and  resolution,  who  takes  delight  in  labor 
and  in  the  effects  produced  by  industry  and  fore- 
thought. 

Mr.  Crist  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Ohio, 
April  20.  1844,  and  is  the  son  of  Hiram  Crist,  who 
was  born  in  the  same  county.  His  grandfather, 
Abram  Crist,  Sr.,  and  his  great-grandfather,  Jacob, 
were  natives  of  Germany.  The  latter  emigrated  to 
America  when  a  young  man  and  located  in  the 
Buckeye  State  at  an  early  period  in  its  history.  He 
engaged  in  farming  and  there  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  His  son  Abram  was  for  some  years  a 
trader  on  the  river,  shipping  produce  on  flatboats 
for  the  plantations  South  and  at  New  Orleans. 
Later  he  operated  a  flourmill  on  the  Miami  River 
in  Western  Ohio,  and  spent  his  entire  life  in  that 
Stafe.  He  married  and  reared  a  family,  among 
whom  was  Hiram,  the  father  of  our  subject. 

Hiram  Crist  commenced  business  with  his  father 
on  the  flatboat  when  but  a  small  boy,  and  before 
twenty-one  years  of  age  was  established  in  trade  on 
his  own  account.  He  often  exchanged  his  load  of 
northern  produce  for  sugar  and  molasses,  which  he 
would  load  on  his  flatboat,  have  it  towed  up  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


235 


I 


river,  and  dispose  of  his  goods  at  the  country 
stores.  After  marriage  he  purchased  a  farm  in 
Montgomery  Count}',  Ohio,  which,  however,  he  did 
not  cultivate  himself,  but  continued  employed  at 
his  trading  until  184G.  That  year  he  sold  out  his 
river  interests,  and  coming  to  Illinois  located  in 
Tremont,  Tazewell  County,  where  he  kept  a  hotel 
for  a  number  of  years.  Thence  he  removed  to 
Bloomington,  and  was  engaged  in  the  same  busi- 
ness there  three  years.  Afterward  he  rented  a  farm 
at  Mosquito  Grove,  west  of  Bloom ington,  which  he 
operated  two  years,  and  removed  from  there  to 
Stout's  Grove,  where  for  a  few  years  he  farmed  on 
rented  land,  and  then  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
three  miles  south.  This  included  1 60  acres,  forty 
only  of  which  were  improved.  He  placed  the  bal- 
ance under  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  put  up  a 
substantial  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  made  his 
home  there  until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  Au- 
gust, 1869.  The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Clarinda  Brown,  who  was  born 
in  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  and  by  her  union 
with  Hiram  Crist  became  the  mother  of  nine  chil- 
dren. She  is  now  living  in  Danvers,  McLean  Co., 
111. 

Abram  Crist,  Jr.,  was  but  two  years  old  when  he 
came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents.  He  remained 
under  the  home  roof  until  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
and  then  started  out  for  himself,  purchasing  first  a 
part  of  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies. 
To  this  he  afterward  added,  and  has  been  uniformly 
successful  in  his  business  and  farming  operations. 
He  was  married,  Oct.  2,  1869,  to  Miss  Mary  F. 
Perry,  who  was  born  in  Danvers  Township,  McLean 
Co.,  111.,  Dec.  4,  1848.  Her  father,  Nathaniel 
Perry,  was  a  native  of  Jessamine  County,  Ky.,  and 
her  grandfather,  John  Perry,  was  born  in  Wales. 
The  latter  when  a  young  man  came  to  this  country, 
and  locating  in  Kentucky  resided  there  until  1835. 
He  then  came  north  into  Danvers  Township.  Me-  , 
Lean  County,  where  he  improved  a  farm  and  es- 
tablished a  comfortable  homestead,  which  he  occu- 
pied the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  youngest  son, 
Samuel,  is  now  in  possession  of  the  homestead.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Crist  was  nineteen  years  old  when 
his  parents  became  residents  of  this  State.  He  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof  until  his  marriage, 


when  he  settled  in  Allin  Township,  McLean  Coun- 
ty, where  he  improved  a  farm  and  now  lives.  His 
wife,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  C.,  was  formerly  Miss 
Polly  Margaret  McCulloiigh,  also  a  native  of  Jes- 
samine County,  Ky.,  and  the  daughter  of  Peter 
McCullough,  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Mc- 
Lean County,  this  State.  He  became  a  resident  of 
that  county  in  1830,  and  put  up  the  first  log  cabin 
at  Dry  Grove.  This  he  afterward  converted  into 
a  hotel,  and  served  as  "  mine  host "  for  many  years. 
Both  he  and  his  excellent  wife  died  in  Dry  Grove 
Township,  and  their  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in 
McCullough  Cemetery. 

Of  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crist  there  have 
been  born  two  children — Hiram  and  Charles.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Christian  Church,  and  greatly  respected  by 
all  who  know  them  for  their  personal  worth  as 
members  of  society,  and  having  a  good  influence 
upon  the  community  around  them.  Politically  Mr. 
Crist  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party. 


J-~~  ESSE  NEWTON  DICK,  one  of  the  most  en- 
terprising young  farmers  of  Philo  Town- 
ship, is  at  present  devoting  his  attention  to 
the  cultivation  of  a  fine  farm  of  320  acres, 
pleasantly  located  on  section  20,  which  comprises 
one  of  the  choicest  bodies  of  land  in  Champaign 
County.  Of  this  our  subject  took  possession  April 
5,  1878,  proceeding  first  to  bring  it  to  a  good  state 
of  cultivation  by  thorough  draining  with  tile.  The 
soil  soon  responded  to  its  excellent  care  and  culture, 
and  now  yields  in  abundance  the  choicest  products 
of  the  Prairie  State.  The  famil}'  residence  and 
out-buildings  are  shapely  and  of  substantial  charac- 
ter ;  the  fences  and  machinery  are  kept  in  good  re- 
pair, and  the  stock  well  fed  and  sheltered.  Every- 
thing about  the  farm  indicates  the  supervision  of 
the  intelligent  and  progressive  modern  agricult- 
urist. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  in  Jackson 
Township,  Tippecanoe  Co.,  Ind.,  Dec.  7,  1857.  He 
is  the  son  of  Ely  and  Jane  (Meharry)  Dick,  na- 
tives of  Maryland  and  Indiana  respectively.  Ely 
Dick  in  former  years  was  one  of  the  most  extensive 
, •»» 


236 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


land-owners  of  Champaign  County,  and  is  also  the 
possessor  of  500  acres  in  Indiana.  The  parental 
family  included  three  children,  of  whom  two  are 
deceased ;  Kllen  became  the  wife  of  Richard  N. 
Cording,  and  was  formerly  a  resident  of  Tippeca- 
noe  County,  Ind.,  occupying  the  old  homestead  in 
Jackson  Township;  she  died  in  Decatur,  111.,  while 
under  treatment,  April  20,  1887. 

Jesse  N.  of  our  sketch  spent  his  boyhood  days 
under  the  home  roof  and  attended  the  public 
schools.  He  was  not  quite  twenty-one  years  old 
when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois.  The 
year  following,  on  the  15th  of  April,  1879,  he  was 
married,  in  Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  to  Miss 
Harriet  E.,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Charlotte  (Mar- 
tin) Lnse.  Mrs.  Dick  was  born  Feb.  22,  1857. 
Her  parents  were  natives  respectively  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Indiana,  and  are  both  now  living  near 
Crawfordsville,  Montgomery  County,  the  latter 
State,  where  for  many  years  Mr.  L.  carried  on 
farming  in  a  highly  successful  manner. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dick  have  one  child  only,  a  daugh- 
ter, Estella  Pearl,  born  Aug.  6,  1881.  Our  sub- 
ject politically  is  a  reliable  Democrat,  fearless  in 
the  expression  of  his  views  and  honest  in  Jiis  con- 
victions. He  is  frank  and  outspoken,  noted  for  his 
kindly  impulses,  and  is  highly  esteemed  among 
those  who  know  him  best  as  a  citizen,  a  business 
man  and  a  friend. 


AMUEL  H.  LYONS,  a  highly  respected  citi- 
zen of  Mahomet  Township,  came  to  Illinois 
with  his  parents  in  1849.  They  located  in 
the  above-named  township,  of  which  he 
has  been  a  resident  since  that  time  and  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  es- 
tate, comprising  2GO  acres  of  land  under  a  good 
state  of  cultivation,  with  substantial  and  convenient 
buildings,  well  stocked,  and  provided  with  all  the 
accessories  of  a  comfortable  rural  home. 

Mr.  Lyons  was  born  in  Lewis  County,  Ky.,  April 
15,  1831,  and  is  the  son  of  William  D.  and  Sarah 
(Hampton)  Lyons,  the  former  a  native  of  New  En- 
gland, and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  After  coming  to 
Illinois  they  remained  residents  of  Mahomet  Town- 


ship until  their  decease.  Our  subject  was  the  fourth 
of  eight  children,  and  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  he  had  attained  his  majority.  He  was 
married  in  Newcomb  Township,  Feb.  3,  185G,  to 
Miss  Martha  M.  Newell,  of  New  York,  where  she 
was  born  in  1831.  They  have  become  the  parents 
of  four  children — William  B.,  Laurie  B.,  Wyinan 
II.  and  D  wight.  Wyinan  II.  died  when  about  ten 
years  old. 

Mr.  Lyons  has  held  the  various  minor  offices  of 
his  township,  and  votes  the  Democratic  ticket.  He 
has  always  been  busily  engaged  with  his  own  affairs, 
to  which  he  has  given  the  strictest  attention,  with 
little  time  to  investigate  those  of  his  neighbors. 


ERNEST  L.  DUNLAP.  The  gentleman  whose 
biography  we  briefly  note  below  is  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  business  interests 
of  Sa\oy  as  a  merchant  and  grain-buyer,  in  which 
he  established  himself  Dec.  1,  1886.  Mr.  D.  is  a 
native  of  the  Prairie  State,  and  was  born  in  Cook 
County,  June  25,  1851.  He  is  the  sixth  child  and 
fifth  son  of  M.  L.  and  Emeline  Dnnlap,  a  sketch  of 
whom  will  be  found  in  another  part  of  this  work. 
When  our  subject  was  a  lad  of  seven  years  his  par- 
ents removed  to  Champaign  County,  of  which  he 
has  been  a  resident  since  that  time.  He  received 
his  early  education  at  the  district  schools,  which 
was  completed  under  private  tutors  in  Tuscola  and 
Champaign,  and  by  an  attendance  of  several  terms 
at  the  State  University  at  Urbana. 

Mr.  Dunlap  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  and 
after  the  death  of  his  father  took  charge  of  the  nur- 
sery business  which  the  latter  had  conducted,  and 
in  due  time  closed  out  the  stock.  In  1885  he  pur- 
chased a  part  of  the  old  homestead,  which  was  lo- 
cated on  section  36,  in  Champaign  Township,  and 
which  he  still  owns.  He  still  superintends  the  cul- 
tivation of  his  land,  the  proceeds  of  which  yield 
him  a  handsome  income.  In  1886  he  succeeded  his 
brother,  Albert,  in  his  present  business,  which  is 
steadily  increasing,  and  in  which  he  has  met  with 
uniform  success. 

The  marriage  of  Ernest  L.  Dunlap  and  Miss  Fan- 
nie I).  Bet/c  took  place  Aug.  30,  1*7  I.  Mrs.  1).  was 


UERA3Y 
OF  THE 
/  cF  UINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


239 


born  in  Circle  ville,  Ohio,  July  20,  1853,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Solomon  and  Catherine  (Dunkle) 
Betz,  both  natives  of  Lewisburg,  Pa.  They  re- 
moved from  there  to  Ohio,  in  October,  1839,  and 
purchased  a  farm  in  Pickaway  County,  five  miles 
from  Circleville.  The  mother  died  there  in  1864, 
and  four  years  later  the  father  came  to  Illinois  and 
purchased  a  farm  on  section  36,  Champaign  Town- 
ship, which  he  cultivated  and  occupied  until  his 
death,  in  1882.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  have  four  chil- 
dren —  Gertie,  Fred,  Lela  and  Nora  M. 


ylLLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON.  One  fine 
spring  morning  in  1836  there  started  out 
from  Pleasant  Township,  in  Madison 
County,  Ohio,  two  families,  equipped  with  ox-teams 
for  a  journey  overland  to  the  prairies  of  Illi- 
nois. One  of  these  was  our  subject,  who,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife  and  child,  had  decided  to  seek 
his  fortunes  in  the  farther  west.  The  thoroughfare 
in  those  days  could  scarcely  be  dignified  by  the 
name  of  a  road,  being  merely  a  wagon  track,  over 
which  at  times  they  were  compelled  to  wade  through 
mud  and  water  to  the  waist  and  to  urge  on  the 
poor  beasts,  who  had  no  western  aspirations,  and 
could  not  understand  why  they  were  leaving  the 
more  substantial  soil  of  the  Buckeye  State. 

The  travelers  finally  passed  the  boundary  line  be- 
tween Indiana  and  Illinois,  and  coming  into  Mont- 
gomery County  our  subject  contracted  to  remain 
with  his  employer,  Samuel  Haller,  the  balance  of 
the  year.  He  was  engaged  in  breaking  prairie  and 
hauling  various  commodities  to  and  from  the  near- 
est market,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles  with  ox-teams. 
Two  months  before  his  time  was  up,  on  account  of 
his  honesty  and  industry,  his  employer  gave  him 
the  balance  of  the  year  to  work  for  himself.  He 
had  in  the  meantime  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
wild  land,  and  now  set  about  breaking  the  sod  on 
his  own  property.  He  was  thus  occupied  in  its 
improvement  for  a  year  following.  Then,  selling 
forty  acres,  he  returned  to  Ohio,  being  afflicted 
with  an  attack  of  home-sickness,  from  which  it 
took  him  twelve  years  to  recover. 

In  the  meantime  our  subject  sold  the  remaining 


forty  acres  of  his  land  in  Montgomery  County,  111., 
and  his  father  having  died  in  Ohio,  himself  and  his 
brother  attempted  to  buy  out  the  other  heirs  of  the 
estate.  In  this  they  failed,  however,  on  account  of 
ill-health,  and  lost  much  time  and  money.  Our  sub- 
ject now  concluded  to  return  to  Illinois,  and  com- 
ing into  Coles  County,  pre-empted  forty  acres,  for 
which  he  afterward  paid  $3.40  per  acre.  He  put 
up  a  small  house,  as  a  temporary  shelter  for  his 
family,  rented  a  tract  of  improved  land  on  the  El- 
lars"  farm,  in  the  meantime  improving  his  own,  as 
time  permitted,  and  was  finally  enabled  to  purchase 
eighty  acres  more.  In  1863  he  sold  out  at  a  profit 
of  more  than  $2,000. 

The  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  now  induced  Mr. 
Harrison  to  lay  aside  his  personal  interests,  and  he 
volunteered  as  a  Union  soldier  to  assist  in  the  sub- 
jection of  the  Confederates.  Becoming  a  member  of 
Co.  H,  25th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  he  marched  with  his 
comrades  to  the  scene  of  conflict,  but  after  six 
months  was  discharged,  very  much  against  his  own 
wishes,  on  account  of  ill-health.  He  was  then  com- 
pelled to  return  to  where  he  had  left  his  family, 
and  soon  afterward  purchased  160  acres  of  land  on 
section  28,  in  Sadorus  Township,  which  constitutes 
a  part  of  the  present  homestead.  To  this  he  after- 
ward added  forty  acres,  so  that  he  has  now  200 
acres,  all  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
Being  now  seventy-five  years  of  age,  the  farm  is 
principally  managed  by  his  son,  while  Mr.  Harrison 
has  practically  retired  from  the  active  labors  of  life. 

The  early  years  of  our  subject  were  spent  in 
Pleasant  Township,  near  London,  the  county  seat 
of  Madison  County,  Ohio,  where  his  birth  took 
place  Nov.  7,  1812.  He  was  the  seventh  of  the 
thirteen  children  of  Jonathan  and  Amelia  (Wal- 
lace) Harrison,  natives  of  Maryland,  and  born 
across  the  Bay,  in  Baltimore,  where  they  spent  their 
childhood  and  youth.  Jonathan  Harrison  was  a 
substantial  farmer,  and  emigrated  from  his  native 
State  to  Ohio  during  its  early  settlement,  when  In- 
dians and  wild  animals  were  more  plentiful  than 
white  men.  He  cleared  ten  acres  from  the  forest, 
and  for  his  first  crop  raised  four  acres  of  corn.  He 
never  became  an  extensive  land-owner,  but  was 
content  with  a  few  acres,  well  tilled. 

William  Henry  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
i •» 


t 


240 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1    go* 
rec 

« 


until  after  reaching  his  majority,  in  the  meantime 
gaining  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  pioneer  life,  which  bred  within 
him  the  spirit  of  perseverance  and  self-reliance 
which  served  him  so  well  in  after  years.  In  laying 
his  plans  for  the  future,  he  selected  for  his  wife 
Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Catherine 
(Hempleman)  Pucket,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
the  spring  of  1834.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  H.  were 
natives  of  Adams  County,  Ohio,  and  spent  their 
entire  lives  in  that  State.  Soon  after  their  marriage, 
Mr.  Harrison  with  his  young  wife  settled  upon  a 
tract  of  land  in  Pleasant  Township,  where  he 
pursued  farming  on  his  own  account  for  four  years, 
after  which  he  began  making  preparations  for  a 
change  of  location.  The  results  of  this  we  have 
already  indicated. 

The  blooming  family  which  grew  up  around  the 
hearthstone  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  with  the 
exception  of  two,  Benjamin  E.  and  Elizabeth,  have 
passed  to  the  silent  land.  Nine  times  there  was 
made  a  place  in  the  country  churchyard,  over 
which  the  parents  bowed  with  sorrowing  tears, 
while  a  child  was  hidden  from  their  sight.  Their 
living  son,  Benjamin,  married  Miss  Martha  J., 
daughter  of  Ely  and  Emily  (Shupp)  Cook,  and 
with  his  family  occupies  the  homestead  of  his 
father.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Benjamin  Harrison 
were  natives  of  this  State  and  are  now  deceased. 
Elizabeth,  the  only  remaining  daughter  of  our  sub- 
ject, is  the  widow  of  Charles  B.  Monroe,  and  lives 
on  a  farm  in  the  northern  part  of  Douglas  County, 
111.  Mr.  Monroe  departed  this  life  on  the  4th  of 
May,  1887,  leaving  a  family  of  six  children,  four 
sons  and  two  daughters,  with  means  for  their  proper 
training  and  education. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  many  3^ears  ago,  since  which 
time  they  have  been  consistent  and  active  mem- 
bers, doing  good  as  they  have  opportunity,  and 
working  faithfully  for  the  Master.  Although  never 
a  zealous  politician,  Mr.  Harrison,  formerly  a  Whig, 
is  now  a  cordial  supporter  of  Republican  princi- 
ples, believes  in  universal  freedom,  and  cheerfully 
supports  every  measure  calculated  for  the  most 
good  to  the  greatest  number.  He  has  built  up  n 
record  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen,  arid 


receives  his  abundant  reward  in  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 

It  is  with  pleasure  we  present  the  portrait  of  Mr. 
Harrison  in  this  connection,  and  as  a  fitting  com- 
panion picture  that  of  his  wife.  For  over  fifty- 
three  years  they  have  lived  together,  and  during 
that  time  have  worthily  fulfilled  all  the  duties  of 
life,  living  up  to  the  noble  principles  which  for  so 
many  years  they  have  professed. 


THOMAS  ENNIS,  of  Philo  Village,  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  family  whose  first  representative 
in  this  country  emigrated  from  Ireland. 
His  grandfather.  Thomas  Ennis,  who  descended 
from  an  excellent  family,  was  educated  for  an 
Episcopal  minister,  which,  however,  was  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  tastes,  and  he  made  a  decided 
change  in  his  life  occupation  by  learning  the  trade 
of  a  saddler.  This  greatly  displeased  his  parents, 
who  were  strongly  opposed  to  his  leaving  the 
Church,  and  caused  a  rupture  between  him  and 
them.  He  was  a  youth  of  rare  intelligence,  how- 
ever, and  a  colleague  of  Robert  Emmett,  the  cele- 
brated Irish  patriot,  whom  it  will  be  remembered 
was  executed  during  the  struggle  for  freedom'more 
than  a  century  ago  in  that  oppressed  country. 

About  this  time  Thomas  Ennis  decided  to  leave 
a  land  which  promised  little  for  the  future,  and 
emigrating  to  the  United  States  located  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  and  became  the  founder  of  the  family 
in  this  country.  He  was  married  in  the  Quaker 
City,  Oct.  22, 1795,  to  Miss  Lydia  Cassell,  who  had 
been  reared  and  educated  in  the  Society  of  Friends 
and  possessed  in  a  marked  degree  their  excellent 
characteristics.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ennis  established  themselves  in  Baltimore,  Md., 
where  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  pursued  his 
occupation  as  a  saddler,  and  became  the  father 
of  a  son,  William,  who  was  born  Sept.  28,  1801. 
After  a  few  years  they  returned  to  Philadelphia, 
where  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  became 
prominent  in  the  affairs  of  that  locality,  and  \v;is 
lard  inspector  for  the  city  of  Philadelphia  and  .1 
part  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  died  in  Philadelphia  on  the  same  day 
•» 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


241 


\ 


that  Lafayette  made  his  visit  to  that  city  in  1824. 
He  had  reared  a  family  of  nine  children,  three  sons 
and  six  daughters.  Of  these  four  are  still  living 
in  Philadelphia,  all  being  over  seventy-five  years 
of  age. 

William  A.  Ennis,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
the  eldest  of  his  parents'  children.  He  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  umbrella  frames  during  his 
earlier  years  and  followed  this  until  forty-five  years 
old,  most  of  the  time  being  established  in  business 
for  himself.  He  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Sayre,  who 
was  the  descendant  of  an  old  New  England  family, 
and  whose  father,  uncles  and  grandfathers  were  all 
seafaring  men  of  considerable  importance.  Of  this 
marriage  there  were  born  eight  children,  of  whom 
our  subject  alone  survives.  The  last  member  of 
the  family  who  died  was  a  son,  Sayre,  who  had  en- 
listed during  the  late  war  in  the  2d  Illinois  Cavalry, 
and  died  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  father  died 
in  Philo,  111.,  Dec.  23,  1881.  The  mother's  death 
took  place  at  the  home  of  her  son  in  Philo  Town- 
ship, March  29,  1885.  Both  parents  were  active 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  them.  William 
A.  Ennis  before  the  war  was  a  supporter  of  the 
Democratic  party  but  afterward  became  a  stanch 
Republican. 

Thomas  Ennis  of  our  sketch  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, April  25,  1827,  and  remained  a  resident  of 
his  native  city  until  twenty-nine  years  of  age.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  learned  the 
trade  of  his  father,  and  early  in  life  set  out  to  earn 
his  own  livelihood.  His  marriage  with  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Charlton  took  place  'in  the  Quaker  City,  Feb. 
24,  1851.  Mrs.  E.  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Feb. 
24,  1834,  of  English  parentage  and  ancestry,  and 
lived  at  home  until  her  marriage.  She  became  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  the  record  of  whom  is 
as  follows:  Cornelia  became  the  wife  of  James 
Marquette.  now  deceased;  she  has  two  children, 
and  makes  her  home  with  her  father  in  Philo; 
William  A.,  Jr.,  was  first  married  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Buxton,  who  died  in  Philo,  and  he  was  then  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Lillie  Crosier;  he  is  a  tinner  by  trade 
and  a  resident  of  Seward  County,  Neb.  Mercy 
C.,  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Morrison,  is  a  resident  of  Gol- 
conda,  111. ;  her  husband  is  a  professor  of  music. 


Susannah  C.,  an  engraver  by  profession,  is  at  pres- 
ent at  Birmingham,  Ala. ;  Mary  and  Betty  are  at 
home  with  their  parents.  The  first  daughter,  who 
was  named  Mary,  is  now  deceased. 

A  few  years  after  his  marriage  Mr.  Ennis  came 
with  his  family  to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  on  section  4,  in  Philo  Township,  which  had 
belonged  to  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  But  on 
account  of  sickness  and  misfortune  he  returned  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  until  1861.  In 
that  year  he  returned  to  the  West  and  engaged  in 
farming  in  Philo  Township  until  1872.  He  then 
purchased  the  hardware  business  of  Frank  L.  Van 
Vleck.  which  is  now  one  of  the  largest  establish- 
ments of  the  kind  in  the  town.  Besides  his  stock 
and  store  he  owns  good  village  property,  and  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  most  valued  citizens  of  Philo. 
He  has  held  the  various  offices  of  the  township  and 
is  accounted  a  representative  business  man  and 
valuable  member  of  the  community.  Before  the 
war  he  was  Democratic  in  politics  but  since  that 
time  has  been  a  warm  supporter  of  Republican 
principles. 


J"~  H.  CLARK,  a  leading  farmer  and  land- 
owner of  Philo  Township,  is  the  possessor 
of  eighty  acres  on  section  2,  and  100  on  sec- 
tion 3.  His  land  is  thoroughly  drained  and 
under  a  fine  state  of  cultivation,  well  stocked  with 
good  grades  of  horses,  cattle  and  swine.  Our  sub- 
ject located  here  in  1866,  since  which  time  he  has 
labored  for  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  home, 
and  in  his  business  and  farming  operations  has  been 
remarkably  successful.  He  is  a  native  of  West 
Virginia,  born  in  Morgan  County  in  January,  1836. 
His  father,  Isaac  Clark,  was  a  native  of  the  same 
State  and  followed  farming  pursuits.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Morgan  County  to  Miss  Mary  Ambrose,  a 
native  of  the  same  county  as  her  husband,  where 
she  was  reared  and  educated  by  her  parents,  who 
occupied  a  good  position  among  the  people  of  that 
section. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  lived  to  a  good  old 
age  and  were  greatly  respected  and  beloved  by  a 
host  of  friends.  They  connected  themselves  with 
the  United  Brethren  Church  early  in  life,  and  were 


242 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


its  cheerful  and  liberal  supporters  from  that  time. 
The  father,  in  early  life,  politically  was  an  old-Hue 
Whig,  but  after  the  abandonment  of  that  party 
identified  himself  with  the  Republicans.  He  died 
in  Ohio  in  1884.  The  mother  is  still  living  in  Cham- 
paign County,  Ohio,  and  is  about  eighty  years  old. 

Young  Clark  spent  his  childhood  and  3'outh  un- 
der the  parental  roof,  receiving  a  fair  education  in 
the  public  schools,  and  when  he  removed  from  his 
native  State  became  a  resident  of  Ohio.  He  lo- 
cated near  the  city  of  Urbana,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming,  and  in  due  time  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Margaret  Evilsizor,  the  wedding  taking 
place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents.  Mrs. 
Clark  was  born  at  Urbana,  Ohio,  in  1844,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  William  and  Nancy  (Jenkins) 
Evilsizor.  The  mother  died  in  middle  life.  The 
father  is  still  living  and  a  resident  of  Ohio.  Al- 
though nearly  eighty  years  of  age  lie  is  still  hale 
and  hearty  and  remarkably  active. 

Of  the  union  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  there 
were  born  seven  children,  four  sons  and  three 
daughters,  of  whom  three  are  deceased.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died  at  the  home  of  her 
husband  in  Philo  Township,  in  1875.  The  present 
wife  of  Mr.  Clark,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  the 
latter-named  township,  April  13,  1876,  was  Miss 
Malinda  Stout,  who  was  born  in  Orange  County, 
Ind.,  in  1845.  Of  this  marriage  there  have  been 
born  four  sons,  two  living — George  and  Eldo  J. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  are  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Christian  Church,  and  our  subject,  politi- 
cally, is  an  uncompromising  Republican. 


[  ACOB  F.  HUFFMAN.  This  gentleman,  who 
is  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  Hensley 
Township,  may  be  properly  classed  among 
_  the  self-made  men,  who,  starting  in  life  at  the 
foot  of  the  ladder,  have  by  their  own  resolution 
made  their  way  slowly  but  surely  to  a  good  posi- 
tion among  their  fellow-citizens,  socially  and  finan- 
cially. Our  subject  commenced  the  struggle  of  life 
with  a  cash  sum  of  15.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  a 
fine  homestead,  comprising  197  acres  of  land,  a 
handsome  and  substantial  farm  residence,  a  good 


barn  and  plenty  of  stock  and  farm  machinery.  His 
land  is  thoroughly  drained  with  tile  and  produces 
in  abundance  all  the  crops  for  which  the  Prairie 
State  is  noted.  Our  subject  has  accumulated  his 
possessions  by  honest  toil  and  is  not  ashamed  to 
own  it. 

Mr.  Huffman  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County, 
Pa.,  Jan.  1,  1830,  and  comes  of  substantial  Penn- 
sylvania stock,  his  grandfather,  George  Huffman, 
having  been  born  in  New  York  State,  from  which 
he  emigrated  to  the  western  border  of  Pennsylva- 
nia when  the  latter  was  considered  quite  the  front- 
ier, and  where  he  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers. 
He  was  a  man  of  remarkable  industry,  and  opened 
up  three  farms  in  that  section,  which  was  afterward 
included  in  Westmoreland  County,  and  where  he 
spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  There  also  he  reared 
his  family. 

John  George  Huffman,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  but  a  child  when  his  parents  became  residents 
of  Westmoreland  County,  where  he  was  reared  to 
manhood,  and  during  the  War  of  1812  left  home  to 
become  a  soldier  of  the  army.  When  peace  was 
again  declared,  he  was  married  and  established 
himself  with  his  bride  in  a  log  cabin,  in  Westmore- 
land County.  This  humble  dwelling  was  covered 
with  clapboards,  there  being  no  sawmills  in  that 
country,  and  these  were  held  in  place  with  "weight 
poles."  The  floor  was  of  puncheon,  and  the  chim- 
ney was  built  outside  with  mud  and  sticks.  Within 
this  humble  abode  our  subject  was  born,  before  the 
days  of  either  railroads  or  canals,  when  the  country 
developed  slowly  and  the  settlers  were  constantly 
annoyed  by  Indians  and  wild  animals.  John  G. 
Huffman  had  learned  the  trade  of  wagon-maker  and 
carried  on  business  at  the  cross-roads  near  Harrison 
City,  where  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Martha  Fink,  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
County,  and  still  lives  there  on  the  old  homestead. 

When  Jacob  F.  Huffman  was  fourteen  years  of 
age  he  commenced  to  learn  the  shoemaker's  trade,  to 
which  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  three  years. 
He  worked  as  a  "  jour  "  fourteen  years  in  different 
places  in  his  native  State,  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Vir- 
ginia, locating  finally  in  North  Middleton,  Ky., 
where  he  opened  a  shop,  and  did  custom  work  until 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


243 


1858.  That  year  he  came  to  Illinois  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm,  only  a  few  acres 
of  which  were  broken,  and  the  only  building  on  it 
was  a  small  frame  shanty.  He  at  once  commenced 
the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  his  purchase, 
with  the  result  as  above  stated. 

The  same  year  in  which  he  came  to  Illinois  Mr. 
Huffman  was  united  in  marriage,  April  7,  1858, 
with  Miss  Rebecca  Stivers.  She  was  born  in  Bour- 
bon County,  Ky.,  Sept.  5, 1835,  and  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Rozelle  P.  Stivers,  a  native  of  Fayette  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  and  the  son  of  Reuben  Stivers.  The  latter 
was  a  cooper  by  trade.  He  served  in  the  War  of 
1812,  and  was  wounded  in  battle  at  the  time  St. 
Clair  was  defeated.  After  leaving  the  arm}'  he  re- 
turned to  Kentucky  and  spent  his  last  days  in 
Bourbon  County.  The  father  of  Mrs.  H.,  who  was 
a  natural  mechanic,  also  learned  the  trade  of  a 
cooper,  and  could  make  almost  anything  that  could 
be  fashioned  out  of  wood.  He  followed  his  trade 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  and  died  near  North 
Middletown,  Ky.,  in  1856.  He  was  married  in 
early  manhood  to  Miss  Nancy  A.  Bargar,  who  was 
born  in  Culpeper,  Va.  She  died  in  Bourbon  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  before  her  husband. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Huffman  have  four  children:  Ed- 
ward L.,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  William  T. ;  Mattie 
A.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Sherman  Stivers,  of 
Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  and  George  F.  The  two 
sons  are  living  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  H. 
is  Democratic,  and  is  held  in  high  regard  as  a  citi- 
zen, business  man  and  member  of  society. 


tral 


OHN  C.  PARRY.  The  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy became  a  resident  of  Philo  Town- 
ship in  1861,  at  which  time  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  from  the  Illinois  Cen- 
Railroad Company,  to  which  he  afterward 
added  forty  acres,  and  which  was  then  in  a  wild 
and  unbroken  state.  By  years  of  persevering  in- 
dustry he  has  converted  it  into  a  beautiful  farm, 
and  established  one  of  the  most  complete  home- 
steads in  Champaign  County.  The  quality  and  con- 
dition of  the  land  in  its  original  state  required  the 
exercise  of  more  than  ordinary  good  judgment  and 


industry,  but  Mr.  Parry  was  equal  to  the  emergency, 
and  in  a  few  years  had  reduced  the  barren  soil  to 
cultivated  fields  and  smiling  meadows.  The  laud 
is  well  drained  with  tile,  and  its  proprietor  has 
planted  an  orchard  of  the  finest  fruit,  while  the 
grounds  around  the  residence  are  beautified  with 
handsome  shade  trees  and  flowering  shrubs.  His 
agricultural  operations  include  the  breeding  of  fine 
stock,  consisting  of  Norman  horses  and  high-grade 
cattle.  His  machinery  and  farm  buildings  are  of 
first-class  description,  and  kept  in  good  repair,  and 
everything  about  the  premises  indicates  the  enter- 
prise and  intelligence  of  the  proprietor. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  was  born  in  Manlius  Township,  Dec.  26, 
1826.  He  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  mother's 
house,  and  completed  his  education  in  the  High 
Schools  of  his  native  county.  He  is  the  eldest  son 
of  John  and  Abigail  (Cutting)  Parry,  natives  re- 
spectively of  England  and  Vermont.  John  Parry, 
Sr.,  was  born  in  1801,  and  came  to  this  country 
when  a  young  man,  locating  in  Manlius,  N.  Y., 
where  he  met  the  lady  who  subsequently  became 
his  wife.  After  their  marriage  they  located  on  a 
farm  in  Onondaga  County,  where  the  mother  of 
our  subject  died  in  1869,  after  becoming  quite 
aged. 

Mr.  Parry  of  our  sketch  when  of  age  started  out 
for  himself.  In  1846  he  went  to  North  Carolina, 
where  he  was  engaged  as  a  machinist  and  engineer 
for  thirteen  years  following.  In  June,  1861,  he 
came  north  to  Illinois  and  located  on  his  present 
farm.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been  married,  in 
Randolph  Count}',  N.  C.,  to  Miss  Jane  Craven,  the 
daughter  of  Lawrence  and  Mary  Craven,  who  was 
born  in  that  State  and  county,  Feb.  28,  1840,  and 
became  a  wife  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  Her  par- 
ents were  also  natives  of  North  Carolina,  and  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  Randolph  Township.  She  re- 
ceived a  limited  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
the  South. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parry  became  the  parents  of  six 
children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows :  Mary 
L.  is  at  home  with  her  parents;  John  F.,  a  plumber 
by  trade,  married  Miss  Helen  Reinhard,  and  resides 
in  Champaign  City:  Fidelia  died  when  two  and 
one-half  years  old ;  George,  Joseph  L.  and  Frank 


f 


-•'- 

't 


244 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


arc  lit  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Parry  has 
proved  in  all  respects  the  worthy  companion  of  her 
husband,  and  their  beautiful  and  tasteful  home  is 
the  result  of  their  united  efforts.  Mr.  P.  has  been 
Supervisor  and  Collector  of  his  township  two  years 
each,  and  has  held  various  other  offices  of  trust. 
He  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and  as  a  business  man 
and  a  citizen  has  contributed  his  full  share  to  the 
progress  and  welfare  of  the  community  in  general. 
Both  our  subject  and  his  wife  attend  quite  regu- 
larly the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Tolono. 


J.  NASH,  proprietor  of  Pleasant  Hill  Farm, 
is  pleasantly  located  on  section  9,  which 
embraces  some  of  the  best  land  in  Philo 
Township.  In  the  scale  of  assessment  it 
ranks  second  to  none.  The  farm  is  finely  laid  out, 
with  a  view  to  both  beauty  and  convenience  in  the 
carrying  on  of  its  various  departments.  The  fences 
and  buildings  are  in  prime  order,  and  the  resi- 
dence is  a  handsome  structure,  finished  and  fur- 
nished in  the  most  modern  style,  the  whole  giving 
evidence  of  refinement  and  wealth. 

Mr.  Nash  was  the  first  man  to  introduce  a  sys- 
tem of  drainage  in  Philo  Township.  He  possesses 
more  than  ordinary  intelligence,  and  keeps  himself 
well  posted  upon  everything  pertaining  to  general 
agriculture,  so  that  he  may  take  advantage  of  mod- 
ern invention  and  improvements.  As  a  stock- 
breeder he  ranks  among  the  first  in  Champaign 
County,  dealing  in  Hambletonian  and  draft  horses, 
high-grade  cattle  and  Poland-China  swine.  His 
operations  in  this  department  of  agriculture  have 
secured  for  him  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  breeder 
of  fine  stock.  He  has  had  an  experience  of  twelve 
years  thereat  and  takes  pride  in  the  production  of 
his  farm  and  stables.  At  the  county  fairs  of  Cen- 
tral Illinois  he  has  carried  off  scores  of  blue  rib- 
bons, and  his  stock  has  obtained  an  enviable  notori- 
ety at  the  State  fairs  of  this  and  other  States.  His 
hogs  include  about  200  head,  the  chief  of  the  herd 
being  Nash's  Star,  sired  by  Reveal  Star,  regis- 
tered No.  180.  He  also  owns  Bravo  Nash  and 
Bravo  Perfection,  bred  by  Kidgley,  of  White 


Heath,  111.  The  most  prominent  of  his  dams  are 
Lady  Grant,  of  Pleasant  Hill  Farm,  and  Minnie 
Palmer,  bred  by  McWilliams  of  Knightstown,  Ind. 
Several  of  the  fine  animals  which  belong  to  this 
herd  are  familiarly  known  throughout  this  section. 

Pleasant  Hill  Farm  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Nash 
in  the  fall  of  1867,  and  he  located  on  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  indus- 
triously engaged  in  superintending  its  improve- 
ment and  remodeling  and  enlarging  the  buildings. 
The  land  is  finely  located  and  yields  in  abundance 
the  richest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State. 

Mr.  Nash  is  a  native  of  Erie  County,  Pa.,  born 
Dec.  5,  1831.  His  father,  Justin  J.  Nash,  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  of  New  England  parentage, 
born  Nov.  20,  1797.  The  Nash  family  were  prin- 
cipally connected  with  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
widely  known  throughout  New  England.  The  fa- 
ther of  our  subject  removed  to  Pennsylvania  just 
after  the  War  of  1812,  and  about  the  time  of  the 
destruction  by  fire  of  the  city  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  He 
was  married,  in  Erie  County,  Pa.,  to  Miss  Maria 
Underwood,  who  was  also  of  New  England  birth 
and  parentage.  After  some  years  they  removed  to 
Sturgis,  Mich.,  where  the  mother  died  in  January, 
1868,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  The  father  after- 
ward returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and  died  in  Erie 
County  in  1873,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  youngest  of 
two  sons  and  three  daughters  included  in  the 
household  circle.  Of  these  Sylvester  married  Miss 
Lina  Wilson,  and  they  reside  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  Erie  Count}',  Pa.,  retired  from  active  la- 
bor; Julia  became  the  wife  of  Stewart  Crawford,  of 
Reading  Township,  Hillsdale  Co.,  Mich.  These 
and  our  subject  are  the  only  surviving  children. 
Young  Nash  spent  his  childhood  upon  the  farm  in 
his  native  county,  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age 
removed  with  his  father's  family  to  Lockport,  Pa., 
and  thence  to  Springfield,  where  he  completed  his 
education. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  Kane  County,  111., 
Sept.  27,  1855,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Antoinette  C.  Francisco,  a  native  of  Michigan,  who 
was  born  at  Grass  Lake,  Jackson  County,  June  12, 
1835.  Her  father,  Heniy  A.  Francisco,  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  of  New  England  birth  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


245 


Scottish  ancestry,  and  married  Miss  Catherine 
O  vcrrafker.  After  marriage  they  settled  first  in  New 
York  State,  thence  removed  to  Michigan,  and  later 
the  father  with  his  children  came  to  this  Stat«,  locat- 
ing in  Kane  County  in  1853.  The  mother  had  died  in 
Grass  Lake,  Mich.  Mr.  F.  finally  came  to  Cham- 
paign County  and  died  iu  Philo  Township,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1875,  when  nearly  eighty-three  years  old. 
He  served  as  a  soldier  iu  the  War  of  1812,  for 
which  he  was  awarded  a  land  grant  in  Grass  Lake. 
He  was  politically  a  Free-soiler.  He  also  served 
as  Associate  Judge  at  Jackson,  Mich.,  for  twelve 
years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nash  became  the  parents  of  three 
children,  one  of  whom,  Frank  H.,  died  when  six 
j-ears  of  age  ;  Lydia  L.  is  the  wife  of  John  Savage, 
Deputy  County  Clerk,  and  resides  at  Urbana; 
Martha  E.,  an  intelligent  and  accomplished  young 
lady,  is  living  at  home  with  her  parents.  All  were 
born  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  and  both  daughters 
were  educated  at  the  Urbana  High  School.  Our 
subject  and  his  family  are  active  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Nash,  formerly 
a  Democrat,  now  affiliates  with  the  Republican 
party. 


ANIEL  A.  FISHER,  deceased,  formerly 
an  honored  resident  of  Philo  Township, 
passed  from  the  scene  of  his  earthly  labors 
on  the  2Cth  of  November,  1886.  His 
death  occurred  on  the  homestead  which  lie  had  la- 
bored many  years  to  establish  and  beautify,  and 
was  the  cause  of  regret  both  far  and  near,  as  he 
had  been  an  honest  man,  a  good  citizen,  and  one  un- 
selfishly devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  community. 
Our  subject  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  Aug. 
14,  1821,  and  was  the  son  of  John  and  Jane  Fisher, 
natives  of  North  Carolina.  John  Fisher  followed 
farming  until  late  in  life  and  finally  removed  to 
Union  City,  near  which  he  had  lived  for  several 
years,  and  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six. 
His  death  was  the  result  of  an  accident,  he  having 
fallen  and  broken  his  hip,  from  the  effects  of  which 
lie  died  about  two  months  later.  His  wife's  maiden 
name  was  Miss  Jane  Starbnck,  and  they  lived  to 
celebrate  their  golden  wedding.  Their  married 


life  had  been  blest  with  mutual  affection  and  pros- 
perity, John  Fisher  being  worth  about  $35,000, 
upon  the  interest  of  which  they  lived  in  comfort 
and  luxury  during  their  declining  years.  The 
Fisher  family  were  Quakers  in  religious  belief,  and  of 
Scotch  origin.  The  mother  of  our  subject  departed 
this  life  in  about  1873,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
seventy-eight  years.  John  Fisher  was  a  man  of 
strong  views  and  a  hearty  supporter  of  Republican 
principles. 

Daniel  A.  Fisher  was  the  eldest  of  his  parents' 
children,  and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  on  the 
farm,  receiving  a  fair  education  in  the  district 
schools.  He  was  first  married  in  Wayne  County, 
Ind.,  March  18,  1846,  to  Miss  Luzena  Baldwin,  a 
native  of  that  county,  born  Aug.  10,  1824.  She 
survived  her  marriage  only  nine  years,  dying  at 
her  home  in  Randolph  County,  Ind.,  May  23, 
1855.  She  was  of  an  amiable  Christian  character, 
and  the  offspring  of  an  old  Quaker  family  of  good 
standing  and  members  of  the  farming  community. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Fisher  was  cele- 
brated in  Randolph  County,  Ind.,  with  Miss  Eunice 
E.  Sherman,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  Township, 
that  county,  Nov.  20,  1837.  She  is  the  third 
daughter  and  fourth  child  of  Pardon  and  Mary 
(Parks)  Sherman,  natives  of  New  York  State,  and 
who  were  born,  reared,  and  married  in  Greene 
County.  They  likewise  engaged  in  farming  pur- 
suits, and  after  the  birth  of  two  children,  removed 
to  Miami  County,  Ohio,  where  their  third  child  was 
born.  Thence  they  removed  to  Franklin  County, 
Ind.,  settling  upon  an  unbroken  tract  of  timber 
land,  in  Franklin  Township,  and  which  they  im- 
proved and  brought  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation, 
building  a  fine  homestead,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives  in  well-earned  comfort. 
There  the  mother  died  Jan.  22, 1882,  when  seventy- 
six  years  old,  and  the  father  011  the  8th  of  Febru- 
ary, following,  aged  eighty-one.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  many 
years,  and  devoted  Christian  people,  revered  bv 
all  who  knew  them.  Mr.  Sherman  politically!  was 
a  solid  Republican  and  took  a  genuine  interest  in 
the  prosperity  of  the  country  at  large.  Their  six 
children  included  one  son  and  five  daughters,  of 
whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  Larwon  W.  mar 


T 


f 


246 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


• 


ried  Miss  Mary  Ollen,  and  is  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising in  Randolph  County;  Julia  C.  M.  is  the  wife 
of  William  Simpson,  and  resides  in  Excelsior,  111. ; 
Mary  A.  became  the  wife  of  Westley  Mann,  a  far- 
mer of  Douglas  County,  Minn.;  the  wife  of  our 
subject  was  the  fourth  child  ;  Emily  H.  married  J. 
Pucket,  who  died  in  the  army  during  the  late  war, 
and  her  deatli  occurred  in  1864;  Eliza  died  when 
five  years  of  age. 

Mrs.  Fisher  was  reared  by  her  parents,  with 
whom  she  remained  until  her  marriage,  which  oc- 
curred Oct.  16. 1856.  After  this  event  she  and  her 
husband  lived  for  eight  years  in  Randolph  County, 
lud..  whence  after  the  war  they  came  to  this  county, 
where  Mr.  Fisher  purchased  160  acres  on  section  6 
in  Philo  Township.  To  this  he  added  until  the 
homestead  included  200  acres,  which  Mr.  F.  by  his 
industry  and  energy  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cul- 
tivation. In  addition  to  this  are  320  acres  on 
section  36  in  Scott  Township,  and  400  acres  in 
Champaign  Township,  on  sections  28  and  29,  all 
highly  improved,  and  supplied  with  commodious 
and  substantial  farm  buildings. 

Of  the  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Fisher  there  were 
bora  four  children,  of  whom  one  son,  James,  is  de- 
ceased ;  Rachel  is  the  wife  of  James  Morrow,  and 
resides  on  a  farm  in  Douglas  County,  this  State ; 
Dillon  B.  is  at  home;  Hannah  M.,  the  wife  of 
George  W.  Johnson,  resides  with  her  husband  in 
Weldon,  111.  The  present  Mrs.  Fisher  by  her 
union  with  our  subject  became  the  mother  of  one 
child,  Nathan  C.,  who  died  when  nearly  five  years 
old,  on  the  3d  of  May,  1864.  Mrs.  F.  was  reared 
in  the  doctrines  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Mr. 
F.  was  at  different  times  entrusted  with  the  various 
township  offices,  and  in  the  duties  of  each  acquitted 
himself  creditably  and  with  satisfaction  to  all  con- 
cerned. 


eHARLES  W.  CRAW.     This  honored    citi- 
zen  of  Colfax    Township   was  one  of,  the 
pioneer  settlers  who  came  to  this  county  in 
the   spring   of  1865.     He  took  possession  of  350 
acres  on  section  2,  and  for  a  period  of  twenty  years 
thereafter  industriously  pursued  his  chosen  calling 
as  a  farmer.     He  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County, 


Vt.,  born  March  4,  1828,  and  the  son  of  Allen  and 
Lucy  (Griswold)  Craw,  also  natives  of  Vermont. 
When  he  was  a  lad  of  ten  years  old  his  parents 
emigrated  to  the  Prairie  State,  locating  in  White 
Hall,  Greene  County,  where  our  subject  grew  to 
manhood,  receiving  excellent  home  training  and 
a  common-school  education.  He  assisted  his  father 
in  tilling  the  soil  and  remained  an  inmate  of  the 
parental  home  until  several  years  after  attaining 
his  majority. 

In  1856  Mr.  Craw  took  unto  himself  a  wife  and 
helpmeet  in  the  person  of  Miss  Lucy,  daughter  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  Rives,  who  were  natives  of 
Kentucky,  whence  they  removed  to  Illinois  and  lo- 
cated in  Greene  County  in  the  pioneer  days.  Mrs. 
Craw  was  born  in  Greene  County,  111.,  Dec.  21, 
1838,  and  remained  with  her  parents  until  her  mar- 
riage. Our  subject  at  that  time  was  the  owner  of 
200  acres  of  land  which  he  had  brought  to  a  good 
state  of  cultivation,  and .  in  addition  to  this  also 
leased  a  tract  and  carried  on  farming  until  1860. 
He  then  decided  to  change  his  occupation,  and  pur- 
chasing a  stock  of  merchandise,  took  possession  of 
a  store  building  at  Greenfield,  in  the  same  county. 
He  was  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  at  that  point 
until  about  1863,  when  he  disposed  of  his  stock  of 
goods  and  other  property ;  he  came  into  this  county 
in  1865,  locating  upon  the  land  which  he  now  oc- 
cupies. Since  that  time  he  has  given  his  principal 
attention  to  agriculture,  with  the  exception  of  five 
years,  during  which  he  carried  on  a  general  store 
at  Sadorus. 

Mr.  Craw  has  been  greatly  prospered  in  his  farm- 
ing and  mercantile  pursuits,  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  550  acres  of  land  in  Colfax  Township,  all  of 
which,  which  the  exception  of  100  acres,  is  included 
in  the  home  farm.  He  owns  over  1,300  acres  in 
Kansas — 991  in  Barber  County,  and  324  in  Harper 
County.  His  land  is  largely  devoted  to  stock- 
raising,  and  he  exhibits  some  of  the  finest  horses, 
cattle  and  hogs  to  be  found  in  the  country.  In 
addition  to  his  farm  property  Mr.  C.  is  the  owner 
of  houses  and  lots  in  both  Sadorus  and  Tolono. 

Our  subject,  politically,  has  endorsed  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Republican  party  since  its  organization.' 
He  has  steadily  declined  to  become  an  office-holder, 
having  enough  private  business  to  occupy  his  time 


RESIDENCE  OF  MORRIS  E.  JONES  ,  SEC.  2 9.,  Co ND IT  TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE  OF  JACOB  MS/CLOSKEY  ,SEC.35.,URBANA   TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCEOF  JOSEPH  DECKER,  SEc.22.,EAsr  BENDTOWNSHIP. 


OF  THE 
"'  UF   LLIMOIS 


hr 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


249    t  , 


and  attention.  He  has  been  an  active  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church  for  many  years,  and  has  con- 
tributed liberally  and  cheerfully  for  its  advance- 
ment and  maintenance.  He  was  trained  from  a 
child  in  the  doctrines  of  this  church,  and  takes 
great  satisfaction  in  thus  doing  honor  to  his  excel- 
lent parents,  who  were  also  firm  believers  in  and 
followers  of  the  Methodist  faith. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craw  have  eight  children  living, 
namely :  Fannie,  the  wife  of  D.  W.  Smith,  of 
Greene  County,  111. ;  Nellie,  Sylvester,  James  W., 
Elmer,  Lidia  J.,  William  G.  and  John  W.  Ada 
died  when  ten  months  old.  Our  subject  commenced 
life  without  a  dollar  in  capital,  and  received  very 
little  assistance  afterward.  He  had  been  trained  to 
habits  of  industry  and  economy,  and  was  naturally 
wide-awake,  ambitious,  and  always  willing  to  work. 
He  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  has  al- 
ways given  his  creditors  abundant  time  and  made 
allowance  for  misfortune  and  sickness.  He  is 
naturally  of  a  very  kind  and  generous  disposition, 
willing  to  "  live  and  let  live." 

The  Craw  family  in  Vermont  were  widely  and 
favorably  known  and  represented  by  a  large  fol- 
lowing. Allen  Craw,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  Feb.  21,  1798,  and  departed  this  life  at 
Sadorus,  111,  on  the  23d  of  March,  1887.  When 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  he  married  in  his  native 
State  Miss  Lucy  Griswold,  who  was  also  born  in 
Vermont,  in  1800.  She  is  still  living,  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Sadorus.  The  fathers  of  both  parents 
served  in  the  Eevolutionary.  War,  and  were  cap- 
tured by  the  British.  Allen  Craw  and  his  wife, 
Lucy,  lived  together  harmoniously  for  a  period  of 
sixty-eight  years  and  nineteen  days.  Their  union 
was  blest  by  the  birth  of  six  children,  of  whom  the 
eldest  daughter,  Polly,  died  in  1835,  and  is  buried 
in  Vermont;  the  second  one,_George  B.,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Sadorus,  this  county;  Lucinda  married 
John  H.  Waller;  she  is  deceased  and  is  buried 
in  Greene  County ;  Jane  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead ;  the  youngest  son,  Edmond,  died  at  the  home 
of  his  father  in  this  county,  and  his  remains  were 
laid  to  rest  in  Craw  Cemetery,  near  Sadorus,  he 
being  the  first  one  buried  there.  Samuel  lives  near 
Sadorus.  A  brother  of  Allen  Craw  lived  to  be 
ninety-six  years  old  and  another  ninety-three. 


The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  man  greatly  re- 
spected wherever  known,  and  his  funeral  was  at- 
tended by  a  large  concourse  of  people  who  had 
gathered  from  different  parts  of  the  township  to 
show  respect  to  his  memory.  He  became  a  resident 
of  White  Hall  in  1837,  and  resided  there  until 
1865,  cultivating  a  farm  of  300  acres.  He  was 
converted  when  twenty-two  years  of  age  at  a  camp- 
meeting  in  Vermont,  which  meetings  he  was  very 
fond  of  attending  and  never  lost  an  opportunity  of 
being  present  when  possible.  His  home  was  a  stop- 
ping-place for  the  itinerant  preachers,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  after  settling  in  Greene  County,  111.,  di- 
vine services  were  held  in  his  pioneer  cabin.  His 
name  is  held  in  affectionate  remembrance  by  his 
wife  and  children,  as  well  as  his  friends  outside  the 
family  circle.  He  accumulated  a  goodly  amount 
of  this  world's  goods,  and  in  his  declining  years 
lived  at  ease  and  in  contentment,  as  the  just  reward 
of  his  labors. 


J-~-  OIIN   FRANKLIN  PHILLIPPE,  -youngest 
son  of  John  and  Susan  J.  (Bnsey)  Phillippe 
(see  sketch),  was  born  in  Coudit  Township, 
this  county,  Oct.  29,  1852.     He  was  reared 
on  a  farm  and  pursued  his  primary  studies  in  the 
district  schools,  his  education  afterward    being  ad- 
vanced  by  an  attendance  at  Asbury,  now  DePew 
University,    at   Greencastle,    Ind.      When    not    in 
school   he  assisted   in  the  duties  of  the  farm,  and 
made  his   home   with  his   parents   until   1875.     In 
that  year  he  was  married,  and  settled  on  the  farm 
which   he   now  owns  and  occupies,  located  on  sec- 
tion 3,  Hensley  Township. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  includes  175  acres 
of  choice  land,  all  enclosed  and  improved,  and  sup- 
plied with  a  good  set  of  buildings.  He  also  has 
twenty  acres  of  timber.  He  was  reared  to  habits 
of  industry,  and  early  in  life  evinced  those  quali- 
ties which  have  since  constituted  him  a  good  citi- 
zen and  an  excellent  business  man.  He  has  con- 
ducted the  management  of  his  farm  with  ability 
and  success,  and  is  rated  among  the  representative 
and  progressive  agriculturists  of  one  of  the  wealth- 
iest counties  in  the  State.  The  farm  buildings,  ma- 


t 


•250 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


chinery  and  stuck  arc  well  oared  for,  and  every- 
thing about  the  place  indicates  the  exercise  of  cul- 
tivated tastes  and  ample  means. 

Mr.  Phillippe  was  married,  in  April,  1875,  to 
Miss  Ella  Herriott,  who  was  born  in  Fayette  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Ephrairn  and  Eliza- 
beth (Washington)  Herriott.  Of  this  union  there 
have  been  born  four  children — John  II.,  Matthew 
A.,  Marah  F.  and  William.  Mr.  P.,  as  an  enter- 
prising citizen,  interested  in  the  welfare  of  his 
county  and  community,  was  elected  Commissioner 
in  1«8G.  for  a  term  of  three  years.  Politically  he 
is  Republican,  and  uniformly  casts  his  vote  and  in- 
fluence in  support  of  the  principles  of  his  party. 


1 


US.  EUNICE  MINER,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Franklin,  and  widow  of  Charles  Miner,  oc- 
cupies a  fine  homestead  of  320  acres  on 
section  19,  Hensley  Township.  She  was 
born  in  Vigo  County,  Ind.,  Aug.  17,  1823.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  New  York,  born  it  is  be- 
lieved in  Ontario  County.  Her  grandfather,  Benja- 
min Franklin,  was  bom  in  Connecticut,  and  her 
great-grandfather,  Jehial  Franklin,  who  it  is  sup- 
posed was  a  native  of  the  same  State,  descended  from 
excellent  English  ancestry.  He  became  a  resident  of 
Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  in  the  early  settlement  of 
that  region,  and  there  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life.  There  also  his  family  was  reared,  and  Benja- 
min, one  of  the  sons,  established  a  homestead  among 
the  pioneers  before  the  day  of  either  canals  or  rail- 
roads, and  when  the  emigrants  traveled  slowly  with 
wagons  over  the  country  to  their  various  destina- 
tions. 

The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Miner  removed  from 
Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  to  Indiana  in  1820,  and 
settled  among  the  pioneers  of  Vigo  County,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days.  Among  the 
members  of  his  family  was  Thomas,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  M.,  who  was  reared  in  the  Empire  State,  where 
he  was  married  and  resided  until  1820.  Then,  with 
his  wife  and  four  children,  he  joined  his  parents  and 
emigrated  with  them  to  Indiana.  He  also  purchased 
a  tract  of  timber  land  in  Vigo  County,  and  in  the 


midst  of  the  wilderness  erected  a  log  house  in  which 
his  daughter,  Eunice,  was  born.  He  toiled  indus- 
triously some  years,  opening  up  a  fine  farm  and  be- 
coming quite  extensively  engaged  in  raising  grain 
and  stock.  His  death  occurred  there  in  about  1845. 
He  had  been  married  in  early  manhood  to  Miss 
Annie  Reeves,  a  native  of  Essex  County,  N.  .1. 
This  lady  survived  her  husband  eight  years,  and 
died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  M.,  in 
Heusley  Township,  Aug.  21,  1853. 

Mrs.  Miner  received  careful  home  training  at  the 
hands  of  her  excellent  parents,  and  a  fair  education 
in  the  common  schools.  She  remained  with  her 
parents  until  her  marriage,  assisting  her  mother  in 
the  various  duties  of  the  household,  and  became 
quite  an  expert  in  spinning  and  knitting.  She  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Charles  Miner,  at  the  home 
of  her  parents,  in  Vigo  County,  Ind.,  April  30, 
1850.  Mr.  M.  was  a  native  of  Fayette  County, 
Ky.,  born  March  29,  1808.  He  was  the  son  of 
Rufus  Miner,  of  Stonington,  Conn.,  and  the  grand- 
son of  .Rufus  Miner,  Sr.,  who  had  received  an  ex- 
cellent education,  and  for  many  years  taught  school 
in  Stontngton,  where  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life.  His  son,  Rufus,  removed  from  Connecticut 
to  Kentucky  in  1799,  being  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
the  Blue  Grass  region.  He  was  there  married  to 
Miss  Betsey  White,  who  was  born  in  Virginia,  and 
was  the  daughter  of  Charles  and  Sarah  (Monroe) 
White.  In  1811  they  removed  to  Highland  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  during  its  curly  settlement,  and  there  re- 
mained residents  for  many  years.  In  1852  they 
bade  adieu  to  old  friends  and  associations,  and 
coming  to  this  State  located  in  Shelby  County, 
where  their  lives  terminated. 

The  Miner  family  was  noted  for  its  education 
and  intelligence,  and  the  son,  Charles,  inherited  the 
excellent  qualities  of  both  parents.  His  mother, 
while  spinning  at  the  old-fashioned  wheel,  taught 
him  the  rudiments  of  the  common  English  branches, 
which  lessons  his  father  continued  at  night  by  the 
light  of  a  hickory-bark  fire.  Even  tallow  candles 
in  those  days  were  luxuries,  and  the  lamp  of  the 
present  was  entirely  unknown.  Aside  from  this, 
three  weeks'  schooling  in  the  log  house  was  all  the 
instruction  Charles  Miner  received.  He  was  natur- 
ally, however,  a  bright  and  observing  boy,  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


251 


through  his  own  efforts,  by  reading'  and  study  as  he 
had  opportunity,  became  possessed  of  a  practical 
business  education,  and  was  well  informed  upon  all 
matters  of  general  interest.  When  nineteen  years 
of  age  he  went  to  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  where 
he  spent  four  years  working  on  a  farm  and  making 
an  occasional  trip  down  the  river  on  a  flatboat 
loaded  with  produce,  which  he  disposed  of  at  New 
Orleans  and  other  points  along  the  Mississippi.  He 
spent  two  or  three  seasons  in  Louisiana,  chopping 
cord  wood  for  steamboats.  Although  his  wages 
were  small,  he  receiving  a  part  of  the  time  but  $8 
per  month,  he  saved  a  good  portion  of  his  earnings, 
and  in  1837  went  up  into  Indiana  and  purchased  a 
small  farm  in  Vigo  County.  This  land  lay  about 
eleven  miles  north  of  Terre  Haute.  In  1849  he 
purchased  several  Mexican  land  warrants,  and  com- 
ing to  Illinois  entered  land  with  these  warrants  on 
sections  1 1)  and  20  of  what  is  now  Hensley  Township. 
The  year  following  he  removed  his  family  hither, 
the  journey  being  made  overland  with  wagons. 
After  they  were  comfortably  established  he  com- 
menced the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  his 
farm. 

This  part  of  the  county  was  very  thinly  settled 
at  that  time,  there  being  but  one  house  between  the 
farm  of  Mr.  Miner  and  what  is  now  the  city  of 
Champaign.  The  house  stood  on  the  State  road, 
and  for  some  time  Mr.  M.  disposed  of  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  produce  to  emigrants  passing  westward. 
He  was  prospered  in  his  business  and  farming  op- 
erations, and  lived  to  see  the  country  around  him 
opened  up  and  improved  by  a  good  class  of  people. 
He  watched  with  keen  interest  its  various  stages  of 
development,  and  as  time  and  opportunity  afforded, 
contributed  his  quota  toward  its  growth  and  pros- 
perity. The  primitive  dwelling  of  the  settler  after 
the  lapse  of  years  was  replaced  by  a  handsome, 
modern  farm-house,  with  a  fine  barn  and  all  other 
necessary  out-buildings.  He  was  an  honest  man 
and  a  good  citizen  to  the  fullest  extent  of  the 
term,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  friends 
and  neighbors  among  whom  he  had  lived  for  over 
thirty  years.  After  a  useful  and  unostentatious 
life  he  pased  to  his  final  rest,  on  the  21st  of  July, 
1885.  The  widowed  mother  with  her  sons  rer 
mained  on  the  homestead,  the  business  of  which 


Mrs.  Miner  has  conducted  since  the  death  of  her 
husband  with  rare  good  sense  and  ability. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miner  became  the  parents  of  eight 
children — Thomas,  Ellen,  Charles,  Daniel,  Monroe, 
Grant,  John  and  Seth.  The  three  children  by  a 
former  marriage  of  Mr.  Miner  are  Annie,  Elizabeth 
and  Frank.  The  eldest  son  of  Mr.  Miner  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  late  war  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier 
in  the  25th  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  first  in  Mis- 
souri and  Arkansas,  and  later  with  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland.  He  participated  in  many  important 
battles,  and  was  wounded  at  Chickamauga.  After 
suffering  seven  months  he  attempted  the  journey 
home,  but  did  not  live  to  reach  his  destination,  dy- 
ing at  the  Doan  House  in  Champaign  Cit}',  April 
11,  1864. 

Charles  Miner  afterv  becoming  a  resident  of  this 
section,  and  as  the  country  gradually  settled  up, 
became  an  important  factor  among  its  business  and 
agricultural  interests.  His  good  sense  and  intelli- 
gence commanded  ready  recognition,  and  he  was 
appointed  to  various  offices  within  the  gift  of  his 
townsmen.  He  was  School  Treasurer  for  a  period 
of  sixteen  years,  and  was  the  first  Justice  of  the 
Peace  elected  after  the  organization  of  Hensley 
Township.  During  the  existence  of  the  Whig  party 
he  was  its  stanch  adherent,  hut  later  cordially  en- 
dorsed the  principles  of  the  Republicans,  and  upon 
the  abandonment  of  the  old  party  uniformly  sup- 
ported the  principles  of  the  new,  of  which  he  was  a 
member  for  the  space  of  nearly  thirty  years. 


ENRY  CLAY  WEST.  In  1855  the  traveler 
through  Hensley  Township,  then  an  unset- 
tled stretch  of  country,  might  have  descried 
a  lonely  cabin  situated  on  the  open  prairie 
with  but  few  dwellings  in  sight.  This  humble 
abode  was  the  original  home  of  our  subject,  who 
came  to  this  county  when  a  young  man,  deciding  to 
here  establish  a  permanent  home.  The  courage  re- 
quired to  thus  practically  isolate  himself  from  his 
fellow-men,  as  it  were,  in  order  to  carry  on  the 
plans  which  he  had  in  view  may  be  better  imagined 
than  described.  Mr.  West^however,  possessed  an 
inherent  independence  and  resolution  which  pre- 


i 

f 


t 


252 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


vented  him  from  looking  back  when  he  had  once 
pl.-icod  liis  hand  to  the  plow,  and  he  settled  down 
in  his  pioneer  cabin,  determined  to  stay,  to  labor 
and  wait  for  results.  Considering  the  fine  home- 
stead whose  doors  he  now  hospitably  opens  to  his 
old  friends,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  his 
labors  and  patience  have  been  richly  rewarded. 
The  log  cabin  has  been  replaced  by  a  handsome 
and  commodious  dwelling,  and  the  once  unfenced 
prairie  upon  which  lie  laid  claim  has  been  trans- 
formed into  smiling  fields  of  green  meadows  and 
growing  grain.  Everything  about  the  homestead 
indicates  thrift  and  prosperity,  and  is  a  forcible  il- 
lustration of  what  may  be  accomplished  by  steady 
perseverance  and  unflagging  industry. 

Mr.  West  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky., 
Aug.  9,  1831.  His  father,  Russell  W..  and  his 
grandfather,  William  West,  were  both  natives  of 
Virginia.  Russell  West  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  State  and  was  there  first  married.  His  wife 
lived  but  a  few  years,  and  soon  after  her  death  he 
removed  to  Kentucky  in  about  1826,  settling  in 
Bourbon  Count}",  where  he  became  *a  foreman  on 
a  large  plantation.  There  also  he  married  Mrs. 
Margaret  (Herriott)  Carter,  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject. In  1 847  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Scott  County, 
Ky.,  which  he  occupied  until  1854,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Champaign  County,  settling  in  Mahomet 
Township.  He  also  purchased  land  in  Piatt  County. 
He  remained  a  resident  of  Mahomet  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  Jan.  26,  1861,  and  his  re- 
maii.s  are  buried  in  a  pleasant  spot  on  the  old  farm. 
The  mother  died  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  Nov.  7, 
1835,  and  was  buried  in  the  Cane  Ridge  Church- 
yard. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  reared  in  his  na- 
tive State  and  educated  in  the  subscription  schools. 
After  his  father  purchased  land  he  assisted  in  its 
improvement  and  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  twenty-one  years  of  age.  InSeptember,  1851, 
he  started  for  Illinois  on  horseback,  riding  the  en- 
tire distance  in  this  manner.  He  stopped  here 
three  months,  then  saddled  his  horse  and  started 
for  his  old  home  in  Kentucky,  which  he  reached 
after  a  twelve  days'  journey.  He  remained  with 
his  father  on  the  farm  0416  year,  and  in  1 853  returned 
to  this  county.  He  was  still  a  single  man  and  se- 


cured  employment  by  the  month  with  one  of  the 
pioneer  farmers.  The  following  August  he  was 
married  in  Hensley  Township,  and  started  South 
once  more,  this  time  accompanied  by  his  bride. 
They  made  the  journey  with  an  outfit  of  two  horses 
and  a  covered  wagon.  After  reaching  the  old 
home  they  visited  with  his  father's  family  and 
friends  until  November,  then  started  for  the  West 
once  more,  and  spent  the  following  winter  in  Condit 
Township. 

In  the  spring  of  1854,  Mr.  West  rented  land  in 
Hensley  Township.  They  spent  the  fall  of  that 
year  with  the  father  of  Mrs.  W.  on  section  28,  and 
on  the  17th  of  April,  1855,  located  on  the  farm 
which  they  have  occupied  continuously  since,  but 
which  as  we  have  seen  was  very  far  from  being  a 
farm  when  they  took  possession  of  it.  There  was 
little  then  but  open  prairie  on  all  sides,  especially 
the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  Most  of  the 
people  who  there  located  and  improved  farms,  have 
sold  out  and  gone  to  other  parts  of  the  country,  or 
to  their  long  home.  Mr.  West  is  now  the  oldest 
settler  in  this  part  of  the  township,  and  is  tacitly 
accorded  that  reverence  and  respect  due  to  ,one 
who  looked  upon  the  prairie  in  its  virgin  state  and 
assisted  in  its  transformation. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
Aug.  11,  1853,  was  formerly  Miss  Harriett  E.  Gra- 
ham, also  a  native  of  Bourbon  County,  Ky.  Her 
father,  James  M.  Graham,  was  a  native  of  Bath 
County  in  the  Blue  Grass  State,  and  her  grand- 
father, James  Graham,  Sr.,  a  native  of  Virginia, 
was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Kentucky,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  spent  his  last  years  in 
Bath  County.  His  son,  James  M.,  was  also  reared 
to  farming  pursuits,  and  then  began  to  teach  a  sub- 
scription school.  He  then  went  into  the  general 
merchandise  and  commission  business,  and  remained 
in  his  native  State  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  this 
county,  and  purchased  land  on  section  28,  in  Hens- 
ley  Township.  He  opened  up  a  good  farm  and  re- 
mained a  resident  of  the  township  until  1885,  when 
he  removed  to  Kansas  and  is  now  living  there  in 
Republic  County.  He  was  a  man  of  much  force 
of  character,  prominent  in  local  affairs,  and  held 
the  various  offices  of  trust  within  the  gift  of  his 

S 

fellow-citizens,  among  them  being  that  of  Super- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


visor,  which  he  filled  very  satisfactorily  for  sev- 
eral terms.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  West  before  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Margaret  Herriott,  also  a  native 
of  Kentucky.  She  died  when  Mrs.  West  was  but 
three  years  old. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  have  six  children  living: 
Margaret  became  the  wife  of  L.  P.  Wamacks,  and 
lives  in  Hensley  Township;  .Susan  E.,  Mrs.  John 
P.  Grindley,  lives  in  Mahomet  Township;  George 
C.  took  to  wife  Miss  Rosetta  Bell,  of  Champaign 
Township,  and  resides  on  the  homestead ;  Sarah 
A.,  the  wife  of  John  Jordan,  resides  in  Hensley 
Township;  Thomas  and  William  are  on  the  old 
homestead,  and  single.  These  children,  who  have 
inherited  in  a  marked  degree  the  excellent  traits 
of  character  possessed  by  their  parents,  are  greatly 
respected  as  citizens  and  members  of  society.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  became  connected  with  the  Presby- 
terian Church  at  Champaign  in  1854,  our  subject 
being  one  of  the  three  charter  members  now  liv- 
ing who  assisted  in  its  organization,  the  other  two 
being  ladies. 

«*-5— $ p<sMJ||])lHe->° — -^    i<* 

\  EV.  DAVID  CRAWFORD,  who  was  con- 
nected  with  the  ministry  of  Northwestern 
Indiana  Conference  for  many  years,  has 
i)since  1872  employed  himself  in  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  owns  and  occupies  a  fine  farm  on  sec- 
tion 31,  in  Philo  Township,  where  he  has  built  up  a 
comfortable  home,  and  enjoys  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  his  friends  and  neighbors. 

Mr.  Crawford  was  born  in  Salem,  Washington 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  23,  1811,  and  is  the  son  of  James 
Crawford,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  and  of 
Scotch  ancestry.  He  was  bred  to  farming  pursuits, 
in  which  he  was  occupied  during  his  youth  and 
early  manhood,  and  was  married  in  his  native  coun- 
ty to  Miss  Mary  Graham,  a  native  of  New  York 
State.  They  located  on  a  farm  in  Washington 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  accumulated  a  competency. 
They  were  excellent  Christian  people,  and  widely 
known  for  their  hospitality  and  kindness  to  the  af- 
flicted and  distressed.  Both  parents  had  been  fairly 
educated,  and  were  above  the  average  in  intelli- 
gence. They  spent  their  entire  lives  in  Washing- 
ton County,  the  mother  dying  in  middle  life,  and 
the  father  at  an  advanced  age. 


253 


Of  the  nine  children  in  the  parental  family,  con- 
sisting of  three  daughters  and  six  sons,  one  daugh- 
ter and  two  sons  only  are  now  living.  Of  these  the 
record  is  as  follows:  John,  who  followed  farming 
pursuits,  after  arriving  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight 
years,  departed  this  life  in  1885;  William  died 
when  a  young  man  before  leaving  home;  he  was  a 
youth  of  great  promise  and  much  beloved  by  his 
family  and  a  large  circle  of  friends;  Martha  became 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Rice,  and  died  near  East  Cam- 
den,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  when  about  seventy  years 
old ;  Isaac,  who  was  a  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  many  years,  died  in  Indiana, 
leaving  a  wife  and  three  children ;  David,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  next  in  order  of  birth;  a  daughter 
died  in  infancy ;  James,  who  was  connected  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  the  greater  part  of 
his  life,  died  at  Hope,  Bartholomew  Co.,  Ind.,  in 
1872,  leaving  a  wife  and  two  sons;  Thomas  C.  is 
living  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  actively  engaged  as 
a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church;  he 
has  a  wife  and  seven  children;  Mary  E.,  the  widow 
of  Mr.  Jameson,  is  a  resident  of  Rising  Sun,  Ohio 
Co.,  Ind.,  having  two  children  who  maintain  her  in 
ease  and  comfort,  her  son  being  a  practicing  physi- 
cian in  that  city. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  educated  princi- 
pally at  Casenovia,  N.  Y.,  and  Kent's  Hill,  Me.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Williamstown  Con- 
ference in  New  York,  July  4,  1840,  and  later  ad- 
mitted on  trial  during  the  Annual  Conference  at 
Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  in  1840.  He  was  appointed  tq 
Knightstown  Circuit  by  Bishop  R.  R.  Roberts;  his 
labors  also  included  the  Morrisville  Circuit.  He 
was  ordained  Deacon  by  the  Indiana  Annual  Con- 
ference, Nov.  21,  1842,  by  Bishop  Thomas  A.  Mor- 
ris. Afterward  he  was  transferred,  at  his  own  re- 
quest, to  the  Arkansas  Conference,  by  which  he  was 
ordained  Elder  in  November  following,  at  its  ses- 
sion at  Little  Rock.  Three  years  later,  desiring  to 
go  to  Iowa,  Mr.  Crawford  was  transferred  to  the 
Iowa  Conference,  and  labored  in  the  vineyard  there 
for  a  period  of  six  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
met  with  a  severe  affliction  in  the  loss  of  his  excel- 
lent wife.  This  lady  was  formerly  Miss  Elizabeth 
Toner,  who  was  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  married 
to  our  subject  at  Shelby  ville,  that  State.  She  pos- 


254 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


M •.->(.•< I  all  womanly  virtues,  and  was  ever  the  active 
sympathizer  and  helper  of  her  husband  in  his  relig- 
ious work.  The  one  child  born  to  them  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Crawford  took  place 
at  Pleasant  Hill,  Montgomery  Co.,  Ind.,  Aug.  23, 
1854.  His  wife,  Miss  Mary  A.  Meharry,  was  the 
daughter  of  James  Meharry,  the  latter  horn  in  Ad- 
ams County,  Ohio,  of  Scottish  parentage.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Margaret  Francis,  of  Irish  and  Scotch  de- 
scent, in  1827.  In  the  spring  of  1828  they  removed 
from  Ohio  to  Fountain  County,  Ind.,  and  thence 
three  years  later  to  Montgomery  County,  where  the 
father  followed  farming,  and  where  both  parents 
spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Their  four  chil- 
dren consisted  of  two  daughters  and  two  sons,  of 
whom  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  the  eldest: 
Green  C.  is  farming  in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.; 
he  married  Miss  Letitia  Meharry,  of  Canada;  Cor- 
nelia B.  is  the  wife  of  James  Hickman,  a  farmer  of 
Iroqnois  County,  111. ;  A.  W.,  a  mute,  lives  with  his 
sister,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  Mrs.  Crawford  was 
reared  and  educated  mostly  in  Montgomery  and 
Allen  Counties,  Ind.,  completing  her  studies  at  the 
Ft.  Wayne  Methodist  Episcopal  College.  After- 
ward she  returned  to  her  parents  and  remained  with 
them  until  her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our 
subject  there  have  been  born  ten  children,  of  whom 
three — Charles  G.,  M.  L.  and  an  infant — are  de- 
ceased. Those  surviving  are  C.  M.,  Jessie  C.  E., 
Ella  M.  F.,  Allen  J.,  Anna  L.,  Emma  G.  and  John 
W.  W.  All  these  are  at  home  with  the  exception 
of  Allen,  who  is  attending  college  at  Ouarga. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  soon  after  their  marriage 
settled  in  Crown  Point.  Ind.,  where  our  subject  had 
charge  of  a  congregation  one  year.  He  was  thence 
removed  to  Pine  Village,  and  afterward  to  Pleasant 
Hill.  He  was  placed  on  the  superannuated  list  four 
years  before  coming  to  Illinois.  Since  1872  he  has 
given  his  time  principally  to  farming,  and  is  the 
possessor  of  over  1,000  acres  of  land,  half  of  it  be- 
ing in  Indiana.  His  homestead  in  Philo  Township 
is  finely  improved,  with  good  buildings,  and  the 
land  is  under  an  advanced  state  of  cultivation. 
His  stock  and  farm  implements  compare  favorably 
with  those  of  the  other  prosperous  and  intelligent 
farmers  of  Champaign  County. 


A  VII)  F.  BROWN.  One  of  the  best  con- 
ducted farms  in  Champaign  County  is  lo- 
cated in  Hensley  Township  on  section  20, 
and  invariably  attracts  the  eye  of  the  pass- 
ing traveler  as  indicating  on  every  hand  the  super- 
vision of  a  proprietor  with  cultivated  tastes  and 
abundant  means.  This  beautiful  and  valuable  home- 
stead is  the  property  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
who  became  its  occupant  in  1867.  From  the  time 
of  taking  possession  he  has  industriously  labored 
for  its  improvement  and  beautification,  until  there 
is  little  lacking  that  could  be  reasonably  desired. 
Mr.  B.  is  essentially  a  self-made  man,  who  was  fortu- 
nate in  securing  an  admirable  wife  and  helpmeet, 
and  they  together  have  built  up  one  of  those  envia- 
ble homes  which  so  materially  assist  in  defining  the 
status  of  a  iieighborhood  or  community. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  native  of  Highland  County,  Ohio. 
He  was  born  Jan.  15,  1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry 
Brown,  who,  with  his  father,  Nathan  Brown,  was  a 
native  of  Virginia.  The  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject removed  with  his  family  from  the  Old  Domin- 
ion to  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  being  among  the  pio- 
neers of  Highland  County,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  and  where  his  remains  are  bur- 
ied. His  son  Henry,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
reared  to  manhood  and  married  in  Highland  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  and 
cleared  a  farm,  which  he  occupied  until  1826.  He 
then  sold  out,  and  with  his  wife  and  seven  children 
started  overland  for  what  was  then  called  the 
frontier,  but  is  now  the  important  State  of  Indiana. 
Their  road  lay  through  the  wilderness,  and  in  many 
places  they  had  to  cut  a  passage  with  their  axes. 

After  reaching  the  boundaries  of  Putnam  Count}' 
Henry  Brown  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  mostly 
timber,  a  few  acres  being  partially  cleared,  and  sup- 
plied with  a  log  cabin.  He,  however,  possessed  the 
genuine  pioneer  spirit,  and  was  not  the  man  to  turn 
back  from  an  undertaking  that  had  any  prospect  of 
success.  .He  unloaded  his  family  and  their  limited 
supply  of  household  goods,  and  with  them  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  cabin  and  at  once  set  about  the 
improvement  of  his  purchase.  In  due  time  the 
timber  gave  way  to  cultivated  fields,  and  the  prim- 
itive cabin  to  a  pretentious  and  substantial  log 
house,  supplemented  by  a  barn  of  the  same  de- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


255 


scription.  In  that  pioneer  home,  whose  occupants 
at  that  time  felt  rich,  the  father  of  our  subject  re- 
sided until  his  death,  in  May,  1838.  He  had  mar- 
ried, in  early  life,  Miss  Rachel  Clearwater,  a  native 
of  South  Carolina,  and  the  daughter  of  Jacob  Clear- 
water,  who  proved  a  faithful  and  companionable 
wife  and  mother,  sharing  cheerfully  the  difficulties 
and  hardships  of  settlement  in  a  new  country. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband  she  made  her  home 
with  her  son,  our  subject,  dying  in  Hensley  Town- 
ship, Oct.  5,  1872. 

Of  the  children  of  Henry  and  Rachel  Brown,  nine 
in  number,  David  F.  of  our  sketch  was  the  fifth  in 
order  of  birth.  He  was  but  three  years  old  when 
his  parents  journeyed  overland  from  Ohio  to  Indi- 
ana, and  was  there  reared  in  Putman  County,  that 
State,  receiving  a  limited  education  in  the  sub- 
scription schools.  He  was  fifteen  years  old  when 
his  father  died,  and  remained  with  his  mother  until 
twenty-two,  when  he  returned  to  his  native  county 
and  engaged  as  a  stock-dealer  the  following  year. 
He  then  joined  his  mother's  family  in  Indiana, 
where  he  worked  at  farming  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  operated  on  rented  land  until  1846.  That 
year  he  provided  himself  with  a  stock  of  clocks  and 
Yankee  notions,  and  coming  over  into  the  Prairie 
State,  peddled  first  on  commission  for  another  man 
and  afterward  for  himself. 

Two  years  later  our  subject  returned  to  Indiana, 
and  purchased  120  acres  of  partially  improved  land 
in  Montgomery  County.  This  he  improved  and 
cultivated  for  several  years  thereafter,  then  rented 
his  farm,  and  returning  to  Illinois,  purchased  600 
acres  of  unimproved  prairie  in  Blue  Ridge  Town- 
ship, Piatt  County.  He  soon  afterward  put  up  a 
house,  commenced  the  improvement  of  his  pur- 
chase, and  after  a  residence  there  of  a  few  years, 
removed  to  De  Witt  County,  and  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  near  Farmer  City.  This  he  also  improved 
and  occupied  four  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time  he  returned  to  his  property  in  Piatt  County, 
which  he  occupied  until  1867.  Then  leaving  this 
in  charge  of  a  tenant  he  came  to  this  county  and 
purchased  eighty  acres  in  Hensley  Township,  which 
is  now  included  in  his  present  farm.  He  retained 
his  Piatt  County  farm  until  1872,  when  he  sold  it. 
He  has  added  to  his  first  purchase  in  this  count}' 


until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  818  acres,  besides  val- 
uable tracts  of  timber  elsewhere.  He  has  also  en- 
larged his  house  and  barn,  and  vastly  improved  the 
original  condition  of  his  purchase.  His  land  is 
finely  adapted  to  grain  and  stock-raising,  to  which 
of  late  years  he  has  principally  turned  his  attention, 
and  has  met  with  remarkable  success. 

The  first  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  July  19,  1849,  was 
formerly  Miss  Rachel  Pierce,  who  was  born  in 
Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  May  28,  1827.  Mrs. 
B.  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Gatral) 
Pierce,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  This  lady 
became  the  mother  of  two  children,  both  now  de- 
ceased, and  departed  this  life  Dec.  2,  1851.  The 
present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was- mar- 
ried in  1853,  wa's  Miss  Elizabeth  Bailey,  a  native 
of  Kentucky,  born  Nov.  2,  1829.  She  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  Bailey,  who  was  born  in  Hanover, 
Plymouth  Co.,  Mass.,  and  the  granddaughter  of 
Charles  Bailey,  Sr.,  a  native  of  the  same  place  and 
of  excellent  English  parentage  and  descent.  He 
met  his  death  by  being  crushed  under  the  walls  of 
a  burning  building  in  his  native  town.  His  father, 
the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Brown,  also  died  in 
that  town.  Charles  Bailey,  Jr.,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Brown,  became  a  resident  of  Indiana  when  it  was  a 
Territory.  He  was  a  machinist  by  trade,  and  put 
in  the  apparatus  of  a  carding-mill  at  Brookville, 
Franklin  County,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  that  local- 
ity. From  there  he  went  to  Kentucky,  and  in  1 837 
back  to  Indiana,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  in 
Montgomery  County,  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  dying  Aug.  28,  1868.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Brown,  was  formerly  Miss  Cather- 
ine Vanhook;  of  Bourbon  County,  Ivy.,  and  the 
daughter  of  Archibald  Vanhook,  who  was  born  in 
South  Carolina,  and  was  of  Holland  parentage  and 
ancestry.  He  removed  from  the  South  at  an  early 
day,  and  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Bourbon 
Country.  Mrs.  Catherine  Bailey  departed  this  life 
in  September,  1861,  in  Crawfordsville,  Ind. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  have  nine  children  living, 
of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows :  Alice,  the  wife 
of  George  Rising,  is  a  resident  of  Hensley  Town- 
ship; Willard  lives  in  Woodbury  County,  Iowa; 
Mary,  Mrs.  Emerson  W.  Womacks,  lives  in  Og- 


.  k    256 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


den  Township,  this  county;  Frances  is  the  wife  of 
Luther  Lindsey,  of  Hensley  Township;  Olive,  El- 
ery,  F.  Lincoln,  Ida  May  and  Florence  Josephine 
are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  Brown  during  the  existence  of  the  old  Whig- 
party  was  a  warm  sympathizer  with  its  principles, 
but  when  the  old  party  was  abandoned,  heartily  en- 
dorsed the  Republican  party,  and  is  now  a  Prohi- 
bitionist. He  has  always  taken  a  lively  interest  in 
local  and  general  matters,  and  keeps  himself  well 
posted  upon  current  events.  He  has  been  promi- 
nent in  the  counsels  of  his  fellow-townsmen,  and  in 
1875  served  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors. 

Mrs.  B.  is  a  lady  of  more  than  ordinary  intel- 
ligence, and  for  a  period  of  more  than  thirty  yeais 
has  assisted  her  husband  in  every  worthy  enter- 
prise, and  has  been  his  sympathizer  and  helper  in 
his  undertakings,  whether  they  were  for  the  benefit 
of  the  family  or  the  public  at  large. 


J  "JEFFERSON  TROTTER,  a  gentleman  promi- 
nent in   the  affairs  .of  Champaign   County 
I    since  he  became  a  resident  in  1859,  has  been 
'    distinguished  for  more  than  ordinary  energy 
and  enterprise  in  the  pursuit  of  his  occupation  as 
an  agriculturist,  and  of  late  years  as  a  breeder  of 
fine  stock.     He  is  essentially  a  self-made  man,  hav- 
ing commenced  humbly  in  life,  but  is  now  one  of 
the  most  important  factors  in  the  agricultural  and 
business  interests  of  this  section. 

Mr.  Trotter  was  born  in  Frederick  County,  Va., 
Dec.  19,  1825,  and  is  the  son  of  Matthew  Trotter, 
a  native  of  the  same  State  and  county,  who  was  the 
son  of  Matthew  Trotter,  Sr.  The  latter  was  born 
in  Ireland  in  1717,  and  emigrated  to  America  at  an 
early  period  in  the  history  of  the  country,  taking 
up  his  abode  in  Frederick  County,  Va.,  where  he 
opened  up  a  farm,  and  upon  it  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  His  son  Matthew,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  born  May  5,  1786.  He  was 
reared  on  the  farm  in  Frederick  County,  Va.,  and 
after  reaching  manhood  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Elizabeth  Kcdy,  a  native  of  the  same 
county,  and  of  German  ancestry.  After  the  birth 


of  six  children,  they  emigrated  to  Ohio  in 
locating  in  Clarke  Count}'.  The  journey  was  made 
overland  with  wagons,  and  they  camped  and  cooked 
by  the  way.  After  a  four  years'  residence  in  the 
latter-named  county  they  removed  further  West- 
ward to  Indiana,  locating  in  Tippecanoe  County, 
and  from  there  went  to  Clinton  County,  where 
Matthew  Trotter  purchased  an  improved  farm.  He 
only  occupied  this,  however,  a  few  years,  and  then 
returned  to  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  where  he 
spent  the  last  days  of  his  life.  The  mother,  in  her 
declining  years,  lived  with  one  of  her  sons  in 
Champaign  Township,  this  county. 

Of  the  seven  children  comprising  the  parental 
household,  Jefferson  Trotter  of  this  sketch  was  the 
fourth  in  order  of  birth.  He  was  but  four  years 
old  when  his  parents  removed  to  Ohio,  and  eight 
years  of  age  when  they  became  residents  of  Indi- 
ana. He  attended  the  district  schools  in  the  latter 
State  as  opportunity  offered,  and  when  not  thus  oc- 
cupied assisted  his  father  ori  the  farm.  He  was 
fond  of  his  books,  however,  and  after  he  had  grown 
to  manhood  earned  money  with  which  to  advance 
his  education.  In  due  time  he  entered  the  Farm- 
ers' Institute  in  Wayne  Township,  Tippecanoe 
County,  where  he  studied  for  one  year,  and  after- 
ward attended  Wabash  College.  For  a  few  years 
following  he  engaged  in  teaching  six  months  in  the 
year,  and  worked  at  farming  the  remainder.  In 
1859  he  purchased  160  acres  of  wild  prairie  in 
Champaign  Township,  this  county,  in  company 
with  his  brother,  J.  W.  Trotter.  They  farmed  to- 
gether harmoniously  for  more  than  twenty  years, 
in  the  meantime  adding  to  their  first  purchase  until 
they  became  the  owners  of  480  acres,  which  they 
brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation.  In  1880 
they  divided  the  property.  Our  subject  has  since 
added  to  his  share,  and  his  possessions  now  aggre- 
gate 200  acres,  all  in  Champaign  Township.  Upon 
it  he  has  erected  handsome  and  substantial  modern 
farm  buildings,  and  this,  together  with  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  cared  for,  makes  the  homestead  one 
of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  landscape  of 
this  section. 

The  marriage  of  Jefferson  Trotter  and  Miss  Eliza 
C.  Kirkpatrick  took  place  in  LaFayette,  Ind.,  May 
20,  1879.  Mrs.  T.  is  the  daughter  of  George  W. 


,.  . 

•A  •  • 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


and  Catherine  (Porter)  Kirkpatrick,  the  former  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  1796,  and  the  latter  of 
Ohio,  born  in  1801.  The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  T., 
Samuel  Kirkpatrick  by  name,  descended  from  ex- 
cellent Scottish  ancestry,  and  emigrated  to  this 
country,  locating  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  son,  George 
W.,  grew  to  manhood  in  Ohio,  where  he  was  mar- 
ried and  resided  until  about  1827,  when  he  removed 
to  Indiana,  and  was  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
Tippecanoe  County.  He  purchased  a  tract  of  un- 
improved prairie  land  in  Wea  Township.  Here 
he  opened  up  a  farm,  and  remained  a  resident  of 
that  township  until  his  death.  The  mother  of  Mrs. 
T.  was  of  Irish  parentage,  and  was  born  in  Ohio, 
of  which  State  her  parents  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers,  locating  there  while  it  was  yet  a  Territory. 
Mrs.  T.  has  a  distinct  recollection  of  the  privations 
and  hardships  encountered  in  the  settlement  of  a 
new  country,  amid  whose  wild  scenes  her  native 
strength  of  character  was  developed,  and  where  she 
became  fitted  for  the  suitable  wife  and  helpmeet  of 
such  a  man  as  her  husband.  She  is  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Christian  Church.  Politically 
Mr.  Trotter  uniformly  casts  his  vote  with  the  Dem- 
ocratic party,  and  is  a  firm  supporter  of  the  present 
administration. 


IRAM  TROTTER,  a  gentleman  of  South- 
ern birth  and  parentage,  who  is  well  known 
and  highly  respected  throughout  Newcomb 
Township,  where  he  carried  on  farming  for  a 
period  of  thirty  years,  in  1884  abandoned  active 
labor  and  retired  to  the  village  of  Fisher,  where  he 
is  now  living  upon  a  competency  secured  mainly 
by  his  own  efforts.  Besides  his  fine  property  in 
the  village,  consisting  of  a  handsome  residence,  set 
in  the  midst  of  ample  grounds,  ornamented  with 
shade  trees  and  choice  shrubbery,  he  has  a  farm  of 
270  acres  on  sections  14  and  lf>,  in  Newcomb 
Township,  which  is  now  operated  by  his  son  John. 
Mr.  Trotter  is  the  third  child  of  William  and 
Barbara  (Dick)  Trotter,  natives  of  West  Virginia. 
They  located  after  their  marriage  in  Frederick 
County,  whence  they  emigrated  to  Clinton  County, 


Ind.,  and  after  a  residence  there  of  seven  years 
came  in  1854  to  Piatt  County,  111.,  where  they 
spent  the  remainder  of  their  days,  occupied  in 
farming  pursuits.  Their  family  consisted  of  six 
sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  Hiram  of  onr 
sketch  was  born  Jan.  22,  1813.  He  remained  a 
resident  of  the  Old  Dominion  until  1850,  removing 
thence  to  Clinton  County,  Ind.,  with  his  parents, 
and  six  years  later  became  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign County,  locating  on  a  tract  of  land  in  New- 
comb  Township,  where  he  engaged  successfully  in 
farm  pursuits  until  his  retirement  in  1884.  Dur- 
ing the  period  of  over  thirty  years  in  which  he  has 
gone  in  and  out  among  the  people  of  this  vicinity, 
he  has  distinguished  himself  as  an  honorable  and 
upright  citizen,  and  a  skillful  and  thorough  farmer. 
He  has  always  been  ready  to  assist  in  any  enter- 
prise calculated  to  benefit  his  community,  and  is 
possessed  of  that  wise  judgment  and  temperance  of 
counsel  which  has  commended  him  to  his  fellow- 
citizens  as  an  important  factor  in  their  delibera- 
tions, and  a  man  whose  opinions  it  were  wise  to 
follow. 

The  first  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in 
his  native  county,  the  maiden  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Susan  Stotler,  who  became  his  wife  in  the 
summer  of  1835.  The  three  children  born  of  this 
marriage  were  Peter,  Mary  and  Susanna.  The 
first  mentioned  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Yeager,  of 
Indiana,  and  is  a  successful  farmer  of  Newcomb 
Township;  Mary  married  Andrew  McBride,  who 
died  shortty  after;  she  is  a  resident  of  Clinton 
County,  Indiana;  Susanna  died  in  Piatt  County, 
this  State,  when  twenty-five  years  of  age.  Mrs. 
Susan  Trotter  departed  this  life  in  Frederick 
County,  Va.,  in  1839,  and  her  remains  were  laid 
to  rest  near  the  place  of  her  birth. 

Mr.  T.  was  again  married,  in  Virginia,  to  Miss 
Lydia  M.  Allemang,  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Do- 
minion, and  who  by  her  marriage  with  our  subject 
became  the  mother  of  ten  children,  seven  now  liv- 
ing, namely,  Nathan,  Elizabeth,  Virginia,  John,  Al- 
bert, Barbara  and  Jane.  Nathan,  who  married 
Miss  Merrill,  is  farming  in  Iowa;  Elizabeth,  the 
wife  of  Capt.  J.  B.  Lester,  whose  biography  ap- 
pears elsewhere  in  this  ALBUM,  is  a  'resident  of 
Newcomb  Township;  Virginia,  Mrs.  David  Ins- 


t. 


4 


260 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


keep,  resides  in  Iowa;  John  married  Miss  Eliza- 
beth ,1.  Funston,  and  is  farming  in  Newcomb 
Township;  Albert  married  Miss  Carrie  Dorr,  and 
resides  in  Piatt  County,  this  .State,  as  does  also 
Barbara,  the  wife  of  George  Teats;  Jane  is  the  wife 
of  Oscar  Mulvain,  and  they  are  living  in  Newcomb 
Township;  three  children  died  in  infancy.  Mrs. 
Lydia  M.  Trotter  died  at  the  home  of  her  husband 
in  Newcomb  Township  in  1 880. 

Our  subject,  on  the  1 1th  of  May,  1882,  was  mar- 
ried to  Mrs.  Mary  A.  (Starling)  Sehoppell,  daughter 
of  William  and  Eliza  (Wallace)  Starling,  and  widow 
of  Jackson  Sehoppell,  who  died  in  Mahomet  Town- 
ship in  1864.  By  her  first  marriage  this  lady  be- 
came the  mother  of  eight  children,  viz.,  Ann  E., 
Mary  J.,  Martha,  Susan  E.,  Rose,  Sarah,  Charlie 
and  Oliver.  Ann  married  George  T.  Pearce,  and 
they  reside  in  McLean  County,  this  State;  Martha 
is  the  wife  of  D.  W.  Stewart,  of  Michigan;  Susan 
E.  died  in  infancy ;  Rose,  the  wife  of  Al  Hinton,  re- 
sides on  a  farm  with  her  husband  in  Newcomb 
Township;  Sarah,  Charlie  and  Ollie  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  in 
Picka way  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  26,  1827.  Of  her 
union  with  our  subject  there  have  been  no  chil- 
dren. 

While  living  in  Newcomb  Township  Mr.  Trotter 
served  as  Highway  Commissioner  for  nine  years  in 
succession,  and  held  the  minor  offices.  He  is  Dem- 
ocratic in  politics,  and  with  his  wife  a  member  in 
good  standing  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
at  Fisher. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  we  present  the  portrait 
of  Mr.  Trotter  in  this  connection,  as  being  that  of 
a  representative  and  honored  citizen  of  Newcomb 
County. 


„.,  LFRED    N.     LOVELESS,    of    Newcomb 
Oil    Township,  is  the  son  of  Isaac  N.  and  Louisa 


M.  (Pawley)  Loveless,  who  were  natives 
respectively  of  Clinton  and  Boone  Coun- 
ties, Ind.,  and  of  Irish  descent.  After  their  mar- 
riage they  first  located  in  Clinton  County,  Ind., 
whence  they  removed  to  Harrison  County,  Mo.,  and 
engaged  in  fanning.  They  subsequently  returned 
to  Indiana  and  after  a  residence  there  of  about 


fifteen  years  moved  to  Champaign  County,  111., 
where  they  lived  about  three  years.  They  then  re- 
turned to  Harrison  County,  Mo.,  where  they  still 
live. 

Their  eight  children  included  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  of  whom  Alfred  N.,  of  our  sketch,  was 
the  eldest.  He  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  Ind., 
June  15,  1858,  becoming  a  resident  of  Champaign 
County,  111.,  when  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  with 
the  exception  of  three  or  four  years  spent  with  his 
parents  in  Missouri,  has  resided  here  since  that  time. 
He  is  the  proprietor  of  a  good  farm  on  section  3,  in 
Newcomb  Township,  which  consists  of  eighty  acres, 
and  is  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 

Our  subject  was  married  at  the  residence  of  the 
bride's  parents,  in  Newcomb  Township,  Nov.  24, 
1879,  to  Miss  Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  David  and 
Mahala  Naylor,  of  whom  a  sketch  appears  else- 
where in  this  work.  Mrs.  Loveless  was  born  in 
Adams  County,  Ohio,  Sept.  20,  1856,  and  by  her 
union  with  our  subject  has  become  the  mother  of 
three  .children  —  Olin  D.,  Jesse  P.  and  Ida  G.  Mr. 
L.  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  in  all  respects  is 
fulfilling  his  obligations  as  a  good  citizen. 


EHU  DAVIS.     Not  quite  twenty-five  years 
ago  the  subject  of  the  following  history  took 
the  first  steps  in  inaugurating  the  splendid 
}    homestead  which  forms  one  of  the  most  at- 

^zs/ 

tractive  spots  in  Pesotum  Township.  It  is  finely 
located,  and  the  central  feature,  the  handsome 
residence,  with  its  adjacent  out-buildings,  com- 
mands an  extended  view  of  the  surrounding 
country.  The  estate  includes  356  acres  of  some 
of  the  most  valuable  land  in  the  locality,  finely 
improved,  and  stocked  with  graded  animals.  The 
building  up  of  this  homestead  has  comprised  the 
labor  of  years  and  the  outlay  of  thousands  of  dol- 
lars, but  the  result  cannot  be  otherwise  than  emi- 
nently satisfactory  to  the  proprietor.  Nature  en- 
dowed him  with  rare  persistence,  almost  exhaust- 
less  energy  and  excellent  judgment.  These  IIMVC 
all  been  called  into  action,  and  the  result  is  no  less 
a  matter  of  pride  to  the  neighboring  farmers  than 
to  our  subject  and  his  family.  The  reputation  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


a  township  or  community  depends  upon  the  charac- 
ter of  its  citizens,  and  Pesotum  Township  is  proud 
to  claim  within  her  borders  a  man  of  the  character 
and  capacities  of  Jehu  Davis. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion,  born 
in  Monongalia  County,  Dec.  29,  1822.  He  lived 
in  his  native  county  until  eleven  years  of  age  and 
then,  accompanied  by  his  uncle,  Jehu,  migrated  to 
Indiana,  in  which  State  he  lived  until  a  young  man 
about  twenty-two  years  of  age.  His  occupation 
was  mostly  farming,  but  he  had  also  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade  in  the  little  city  of  New  Castle, 
whence  he  removed  to  Clinton  County,  Ohio, 
and  on  the  23d  of  November,  1848,  became  the 
husband  of  Miss  Susie  Hanley,  a  native  of  that 
county.  They  remained  in  that  locality  about  six- 
teen years,  three  of  which  were  spent  on  the  farm 
and  the  balance  of  the  time  occupied  principally 
by  Mr.  Davis  in  carrying  on  a  gristmill.  Upon 
coming  to  the  West  in  1866,  he  purchased  a  quarter 
section  of  land  in  Pesotum  Township,  on  section 
26,  and  at  once  entered  vigorously  upon  its  im- 
provement. He  broke  the  sod,  fenced  the  fields, 
and  was  prospered  in  his  efforts  from  the  start.  He 
selected  the  wisest  manner  in  which  to  invest  his 
surplus  funds,  namely,  real  estate,  and  which  re- 
mains to  his  children  the  fairest  heritage  which  a 
father  could  bequeath  in  the  matter  of  property. 

The  nine  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  were  as 
follows:  Christopher  B.,  born  June  10,  1850,  died 
Aug.  8,  1851 ;  James  E.,  born  Nov.  9,  1851 ;  Mary 
E.,  born  Aug.  9,  1853,  died  the  same  day;  William, 
born  Oct.  27,  1855,  died  Jan.  20,  1881;  Frank,' 
born  July  7,  1858;  Jehu,  born  Dec.  5,  1861,  died 
Dec.  25,  1863;  Ralph,  born  April  29,  1860,  died 
Jan.  9,  1861 ;  Fanny  B.,  born  April  28,  1864;  Wal- 
ter S.,  born  Feb.  25,  1867,  died  Nov.  8,  1868; 
James  E.  married  Miss  Lavina  Crawford,  of  this 
county,  and  is  carrying  on  general  merchandising 
in  Pesotum.  Frank  married  Miss  Emma  Ervin,  of 
Clinton  County,  Ohio,  and  occupies  a  part  of  the 
homestead.  Fannie  B.  is  the  wife  of  Eli  Starkey, 
formerly  of  Clermont  County,  Ohio.  He  is  carry- 
ing on  merchandising  in  Parksville,  this  county. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  William  Davis,  was  a 
native  of  Delaware,  whence  he  moved  to  AVest 
Virginia  in  his  youth.  He  married  Miss  Sarah 


Pride,  and  was  occupied  in  farming  in  the  Old  Do- 
minion until  1850,  when  he  moved  to  Ohio,  and 
retiring  from  active  labor  made  his  home  with  his 
son,  Jehu,  until  his  decease,  which  occurred  in  the 
spring  of  1855.  The  wife  and  mother  departed 
this  life  over  a  score  of  years  before  her  husband, 
her  death  taking  place  before  the  removal  to  Ohio, 
in  1832.  William  Davis  served  in  the  War  of 
1812,  as  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Regiment. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Davis  removed  from  New 
York  to  Ohio  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of 
the  latter  State,  taking  up  'their  abode  in  Clermont 
County.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  but  six 
years  of  age,  in  1833.  The  mother  survived  until 
1870,  making  her  home  with  her  oldest  daughter, 
Hannah,  the  wife  of  James  Brunson,  of  Clermont 
County,  Ohio. 

Mr.  Davis,  politicalh',  as  in  all  other  respects, 
prefers  principle  to  men,  and  refuses  to  be  con- 
trolled by  party  factions.  He  has  taken  a  deep  in- 
terest in  the  success  of  the  temperance  movement, 
being  an  ardent  Prohibitionist,  and  improving  every 
opportunity  to  announce  his  opposition  to  the  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  ardent  spirits.  Both  he  and  his 
excellent  wife  are  valued  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  of  Pesotum,  and  as  oppor- 
tunity permits  endeavor  to  adorn  their  profession 
by  evincing  a  Christian  kindness  and  character  and 
encouraging  the  cause  of  morality  and  religion. 


§~HOMAS  RUCKMAN,  located  on  section  28, 
in  Brown  Township,  since   1877.   has  been 
" 
cultivating   a   quarter   section    of   land    to 

which  he  has  an  undisputed  title,  and  which  is 
without  encumbrance.  He  is  a  native  of  Fairfield 
County,  Ohio,  and  born  March  1C,  1836,  whence 
he  emigrated  when  a  young  man  twenty-two  years 
old  to  Illinois.  His  parents,  Thomas  and  Christena 
(Staw)  Ruckman,  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  subsequently  settled  in  Ohio.  They  came  to  the 
Prairie  State  two  years  before  their  son,  and  locating 
in  Will  County,  remained  there  until  the  death  of 
the  father  in  1863.  The  mother  afterward  removed 
with  her  family  to  Ford  County,  where  her  death 


i 

f 


262 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


took  place  in  the  winter  of  188-2.  The  parental 
family  included  eight  children. 

Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  Civil  Wai- 
young  Ruckman,  then  a  resident  of  Will  County, 
111.,  enlisted  in  the  100th  Illinois  Infantry,  serving 
with  Company  E  for  a  period  of  nearly  three 
years.  Upon  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  he 
returned  to  Will  County,  remaining  there  until  the 
spring  of  1877.  He  then  came  to  this  county  and 
took  up  his  abode  in  Brown  Township,  where  he 
has  since  lived.  At  the  time  of  coming  here  he 
was  accompanied  by  a  small  family,  having  on  the 
1st  of  January.  1868,  been  married  to  Miss  Amanda 
McGowan,  who  was  born  in  Lockport,  111.,  March  2, 
1842,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Brown)  McGowan,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Scotland.  Four  children  were  added  to  the  family 
circle  after  Mr.  R.  and  his  wife  took  up  their  resi- 
dence in  this  county,  making  six  in  all,  who  are 
named  as  follows:  Charles  W.,  Frederick,  Harry, 
Nellie,  Christena  and  Thomas. 

Mr.  Ruckman  has  been  School  Director  for  nine 
successive  years,  and  Commissioner  of  Highways 
two  years.  Politically  he  is  Republican,  and  so- 
cially belongs  to  Van  Wert  Post  No.  300,  G.  A. 
R.,  at  Fisher. 


EDWARD  MARSHALL.  On  section  15, 
in  Ludlow  Township,  where  he  owns  160 
acres,  lies  the  well-cultivated  and  valuable 
farm  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  where  since  1866 
he  has  been  industriously  tilling  the  soil  and  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  the  breeding  of  fine  stock.  He 
is  what  may  be  truly  termed  a  self-made  man,  hav- 
ing commenced  life  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  with- 
out means  or  influential  friends.  His  present  pos- 
sessions have  been  accumulated  by  his  own  industry 
which,  with  other  excellent  traits  of  character,  has 
gained  him  the  respect  of  all  who  know  him.  He 
is  ranked  among  the  representative  citizens  and 
business  men  of  his  township,  and  has  contributed 
his  full  share  in  building  up  its  agricultural  inter- 
ests. 

Mr.  Marshall  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in 
Erin's  green  isle,  County  Limerick,  Nov.  20,  1834. 
His  parents  were  John  and  Catherine  (Garvin) 


Marshall.  His  paternal  great-grandfather,  a  native 
of  France,  emigrated  from  there  to  Ireland  and 
bought  a  large  estate  in  County  Limerick.  The 
title  to  this,  however,  was  defective,  and  after 
spending  a  large  sum  of  money  in  trying  to  adjust 
the  matter  in  the  courts  he  lost  the  greater  part  of 
his  property.  He  settled  down  upon  the  remain- 
der and  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life,  and  the  es- 
tate reverted  first  to  his  son  and  then  to  his  grand- 
son, the  father  of  our  subject. 

Mr.  Marshall  during  his  childhood  and  youth  at- 
tended school  quite  steadily,  and  when  seventeen 
years  of  age  set  sail  from  Liverpool  for  the  New 
World.  After  a  voyage  of  four  weeks  and  five 
days  he  landed  in  New  York  City  and  made  it  his 
first  business  to  secure  employment.  In  this  he 
succeeded,  and  commenced  as  a  brick  and  plaster 
mason  in  New  York.  After  working  in  the  cities 
of  Brooklyn,  Boston  and  Lebanon  Springs,  he 
turned  his  face  toward  the  West,  and  coming  into 
this  State  located  in  Warren  County,  where  he 
worked  by  the  month  until  his  marriage.  After- 
ward he  took  up  a  tract  of  land  which  he  cultivated 
for  three  years  following.  He  then  removed  to 
Cold  Brook  Township,  where  he  lived  until  1868, 
and  during  that  year  came  to  this  county,  and  with 
the  money  which  he  had  saved  by  close  economy 
purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. Upon  it  at  the  time  was  a  small  frame  house 
which  needed  many  repairs,  and  which  he  fitted  up 
for  the  reception  of  his  family  temporarily.  In 
due  time  this  was  replaced  by  a  substantial  farm 
dwelling.  Mr.  M.  planted  hedge,  and  fruit  and 
shade  trees,  and  has  combined  beauty  and  utility 
in  the  most  happy  manner.  Everything  about  the 
place  is  kept  in  good  repair,  and  the  stock  and  ma- 
chinery are  well  sheltered  by  the  snug  barn  and 
other  out-buildings,  which  he  has  put  up  for  the 
purpose. 

Mr.  Marshall  was  married  at  Monmouth,  111., 
Sept.  28,  1858,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Bradley,  a  native 
of  Mercer  County,  Pa.,  and  born  July  8,  1842. 
Mrs.  M.  is  the  daughter  of  David  and  Sarah  (Gil- 
lespie)  Bradlej',  the  former  a  native  of  Beaver 
County,  Pa.,  and  the  latter  of  Kittauning,  Arm- 
strong County,  the  same  State.  Her  paternal 
grandfather,  John  Bradley,  also  a  native  of  Ire- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


263 


land,  was  the  son  of  Robert  Bradley,  who  partici- 
pated in  the  Rebellion  of  1798,  in  that  country. 
He  emigrated  to  America  in  1800,  and  located  in 
Beaver  County,  Pa.,  during  the  first  settlement  of 
that  section.  He  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  for 
which  he  received  a  land  warrant,  and  spent  his 
last  days  in  Beaver  County.  The  father  of  Mrs. 
Marshall  was  reared  and  married  in  Beaver  County, 
whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Veuango  County, 
and  from  there  to  Warren  County,  111.,  where  his 
death  took  place  in  1857.  The  mother  afterward 
removed  to  Oregon,  where  she  is  still  living.  The 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Marshall  was  a  soldier  in  the 
French  and  Indian  War,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
struggle  settled  down  in  Venango  County,  where 
he  lived  many  years  and  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  days,  living  to  be  one  hundred  and  two  years 
old. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshall,  eleven 
in  number,  are  John  W.,  Emma  C.,  Sarah,  Mary, 
Charles,  Frank,  George,  Ida,  Harry  and  Harvey 
(twins)  and  Edna.  The  parents  and  four  children 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  M.  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket  until  1876,  and  since  that  time  has  identified 
himself  with  the  Greenbackers  and  Prohibitionists. 


TEPHEN  NORTON.  The  fine  farm  which 
lies  mainly  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 1 2  and  southeast  quarter  of  section  1 
in  Pesotum  Township,  and  which  consists 
of  240  acres  of  the  choicest  land  in  that  locality, 
was  accumulated  by  degrees  by  the  gentleman 
whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  The 
homestead  with  its  buildings  is  the  result  of  years 
of  labor  and  the  just  reward  of  enterprise  and  in- 
dustry. Mr.  Norton  is  widely  and  favorably  known 
as  a  representative  farmer,  a  business  man  of  rare 
judgment,  and  a  citizen  who  has  contributed  his 
full  quota  in  building  up  and  sustaining  the  repu- 
tation of  Pesotum  Township  as  the  abiding-place  of 
an  intelligent  and  prosperous  community. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  and 
was  born  in  Onondaga  County  June  17,  1826.  He 
was  the  eldest  son  and  child  of  Harvey  and  Sallie 


(Merry)  Norton.  The  father,  a  native  of  Sherbnrne 
County,  N.  Y.,  was  born  in  1805,  but  while  he  was 
quite  young  his  parents  removed  to  Onoudaga 
County,  locating  on  a  farm  near  Spafford,  where  the 
mother  departed  this  life  in  1839,  leaving  a  family 
of  four  children.  Our  subject  was  then  but  a  lad 
of  thirteen  years.  His  father  five  years  later  was 
married  to  Miss  Betsey  Ilaight,  of  Geauga  County, 
Ohio,  to  which  place  he  had  removed  in  about 
1844.  He  still  followed  farming.  The  second  wife 
died  in  1871,  and  the  father  of  our  subject  after- 
ward made  his  home  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Cath- 
erine Merritt,  in  Pesotum  Township,  where  his 
death  occurred  on  the  13th  of  February,  1886. 

After  the  death  of  his  mother  Stephen  Norton, 
his  father  having  given  Up  housekeeping,  was  em- 
ployed by  the  farmers  in  that  neighborhood  during 
the  summer  and  attended  school  in  the  winter.  He 
remained  there  until  twenty  years  of  age  and  then 
followed  his  father  to  Ohio,  where  he  spent  six 
years  on  the  farm.  When  he  felt  that  his  means 
and  prospects  would  justify  the  step,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Abigail  Moffett,  the  wedding 
taking  place  on  the  7th  of  June,  1852,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  the  bride's  parents.  Mrs.  Norton  was  the 
fourth  child  of  James  W.  and  Margaret  (Neal) 
Moffett,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York  and  the 
latter  of  Connecticut.  They  passed  the  greater  part 
of  their  lives  in  Ohio,  but  the  death  of  the  mother 
took  place  in  Michigan  in  1878.  The  father  died 
four  years  later,  in  1882.  The  parents  after  their 
marriage  located  in  Kent  County,  Mich.,  upon 
ninety  acres  of  timber  land,  where  the  father  cleared 
a  home  from  the  wilderness  and  remained  a  period 
of  eleven  years.  In  1863,  desiring  a  change  of  lo- 
cation and  climate,  our  subject  came  to  this  county 
and  purchased  forty  acres  in  Pesotum  Township, 
which  is  included  in  his  present  farm. 

The  household  circle  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  was 
completed  by  the  birth  of  the  following  children : 
Cyrena  C.,  James  M.,  Laura  B.,  Harvey  J.,Eva  A., 
Kate  M.,  Frank  M.  (a  twin)  and  Albert  E.  The 
eldest,  daughter,  Cyrena,  is  the  wife  of  D.  W.  Adair, 
who  owns  a  farm  near  that  of  his  father-in-law; 
James  M.  married  Miss  Viola  C.  Merry,  and  owns 
a  good  farm  in  Pesotum  Township  near  our  subject; 
Harvey  J.,  a  successful  agriculturist,  with  a  farm  of 
-*»~. 


264 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


his  own,  married  Miss  Cynthia  B.  Roddick;  Eva 
A.  is  the  wife  of  Nelson  Gordy,  and  moved  the 
farthest  of  any  from  her  parents,  her  husband 
owning  a  farm  five  miles  distant.  The  remaining 
children  are  at  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  have  been  connected  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Tolono  for  over  fifteen 
years.  Our  subject  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
members  of  the  Republican  party  in  this  locality 
whom  his  brethren  can  rely  upon  implicitly.  He 
carries  this  quality  of  honesty  and  integrity  into  all 
his  transactions  in  life,  both  socially  and  in  a  busi- 
ness point  of  view,  and  his  word  is  considered  as 
good  as  his  bond. 


EWIS  A.  McLEAN  is  the  well-known  and 
talented  associate  editor  of  the  Champa  tyn 
County  Herald.  His  family  is  one  of  the 
oldest  among  the  pioneers  of  Illinois.  Mr.  McLean 
was  born  in  Grafton,  111.,  May  5,  1843,  and  re- 
moved to  Urbana  with  his  mother,  Mrs.  Mary  B. 
Vanderveer,  and  stepfather,  Cornelius  Vanderveer, 
from  Vermilion  County,  111.,  April  15,  1853.  His 
father  was  Dr.  John  H.  McLean,  a  physician,  who 
died  in  1844  at  Carlyle,  111.  His  mother,  Mrs.  Mary 
B.  Webber,  is  a  resident  of  this  city,  and  is  well 
known  by  the  old  settlers  of  the  county. 

Mr.  McLean  received  his  education  at  the  public 
schools  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  two  years  of 
which,  1857  and  1858,  were  spent  at  the  4th  dis- 
trict High  School  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  La. 
In  December,  18G2,  he  entered  the  office  of  the  Cir- 
cuit Clerk  and  Recorder  of  this  county,  as  deputy 
of  W.  H.  Somers,  who  was  then  serving  his  second 
term,  and  retained  that  position  for  seven  3'ears; 
he  was  then  for  a  time  Deputy  United  States  As- 
sessor. From  187-2  to  1879  he  was  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile pursuits.  In  the  fall  of  1879  he  accepted 
the  position  of  book-keeper  and  assistant  editor  of 
the  Champaign  Gazette,  which  he  creditably  -filled 
until  Oct.  9,  1882.  when  he  took  his  present  posi- 
tion as  associate  editor  with  M.  W.  Mathews,  the 
proprietor  of  the  Clunii/inii/ii  County  Herald.  .That 
he  is  a  man  remarkably  well  adapted  to  literary 
pursuits  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that  the  success 


of  the  paper  has  been  phenomenal  in  the  newspa- 
per history  of  the  county,  and  it  is  only  just  to 
say  that  as  its  business  manager  and  local  editor  he 
is  entitled  to  much  credit  for  its  unusual  growth  and 
rapidly  increasing  circulation. 

Mr.  McLean  was  married,  May  12,  1864,  to  Miss 
Jennie  E.  Russell,  daughter  of  Dr.  E.  L.  Russell, 
now  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  She  is  a  member  and 
an  active  worker  in  the  Baptist  Church.  Their 
children  are:  Nellie,  who  is  in  her  senior  year  at  the 
University  of  Illinois,  and  Albert  H.  and  Clare  F., 
who  are  both  at  home,  attending  school.  In  1863 
Mr.  McLean  united  with  the  Baptist  Church,  and 
for  over  twenty  years  has  been  connected  with  the 
Sabbath-school  as  Superintendent  or  Assistant  Su- 
perintendent. He  is  actively  interested  in  Church 
and  Sunday-school  work,  and  has  served  three  years 
as  Secretary  of  the  Champaign  County  Sunday- 
School  Association.  He  is  also  Secretary  of  the 
Old  Settlers'  Association  of  the  county,  in  which  he 
is  vigilant  and  active  in  rescuing  from  oblivion  ev- 
ery fact  relating  to  the  old  settlers  of  the  county. 
In  politics  Mr.  McL.  is  a  Republican.  He  cast  his 
first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1864,  and  since 
that  time  has  been  actively  identified  with  the  Re- 
publican party. 


JOHN  HALBERSTADT.    Among  the  promi- 
nent and  successful  farmers  of  the  township 
of    Philo,  is    the    subject  of  this    personal 
notice,  who  is  located  on  a  good  homestead 

of  160  acres  on  section  26.  He  came  into  posses- 
sion of  this  in  the  fall  of  1866,  and  since  that  time 
has  been  industriously  engaged  in  improving  and 
beautifying  what  he  determined  from  the  first  should 
be  his  permanent  home.  A  small  portion  of  the  sod 
had  been  broken  when  he  located  here,  but  the 
whole  is  now  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and 
admirably  adapted  to  the  raising  in  abundance  of 
the  various  rich  crops  of  the  Prairie  State.  Besides 
the  homestead  Mr.  H.  is  the  owner  of  400  acres  in 
Ottawa  County,  Kan.,  which  is  also  under  the  plow, 
and  being  intelligently  operated  by  his  children. 

Mr.  Halberstadt  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County, 
Ind.,  born  Oct.  13,  1820.    His  father,  John  Ilalber- 


.t 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


26.5 


stadt,  Si-.,  was  born  and  reared  in  Philadelphia, 
where  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  seven  years 
fit  shoemaldng.  When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he 
removed  with  his  father  to  Indiana.  The  latter, 
Anthony  Halberstadt,  was  born  in  Russia,  and  came 
to  the  United  States  during  the  Revolutionary  War 
as  a  Hessian  soldier.  He  fought  in  the  British 
army  for  some  time,  but  his  sympathies  were  finally 
turned  toward  the  American  people,  and  deserting 
the  ranks  of  the  English,  he  went  over  to  the  Col- 
onists and  became  a  driver  for  one  of  the  Generals 
in  the  Continental  army.  This  gentleman  way  the 
original  progenitor  of  the  family  in  the  United 
States.  After  the  independence  of  the  Colonies 
had  been  established  he  retired  to  civil  life,  married 
an  English  lady,  and  became  the  father  of  four 
children. 

Anthony  Halberstadt  finally  emigrated  to  Indi- 
ana, and  settled  in  what  was  afterward  Franklin 
County,  before  the  advent  of  any  white  people  in 
that  locality.  Indians  and  wild  game  were  plenti- 
ful, but  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  man 
of  great  courage  and  endurance  and  took  up  his 
residence  there  to  stay.  He  established  a  comfortable 
home  for  those  days,  in  the  wilderness,  where  he 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  was  buried 
upon  the  farm  where  he  had  lived  for  fifty  years  or 
more.  His  wife  had  previously  returned  to  Ken- 
tucky with  her  son-in-law,  and  there  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  Their  son  John,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  assisted  his  father  in  the  clearing  of  the 
timber  from  their  claim  in  Franklin  County,  Ind. 
The  Queen  City  of  Ohio  was  at  that  time  but  a 
hamlet,  and  for  years  was  their  nearest  trading-post. 
John  Halberstadt  afterward  removed  to  Sullivan 
County,  Ind.,  where  he  died  when  over  eighty-five 
years  old.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  who  before 
her  marriage  was  Miss  Mary  Truslcy,  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, removed  with  her  parents  to  Indiana  also 
during  the  first  settlement  of  the  territory.  She 
survived  her  husband  some  years,  and  passed  her 
last  days  with  her  children  in  Philo  Township,  this 
county. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  the  eldest  of  nine 
children  who  completed  the  parental  household. 
His  early  life  was  spent  in  Franklin  County,  Ind., 
where  he  was  educated,  and  upon  reaching  manhood 


was  married  to  Miss  Ruth  Peterson,  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  that  county.  Her  parents  were  reared  and 
married  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  whence  they  emigra- 
ted to  Indiana  after  the  birth  of  several  children. 
They  remained  residents  of  Franklin  County  until 
their  daughter,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  came  to  Illi- 
nois, when  they  accompanied  her,  spent  their  last 
days  in  Philo  Township,  and  were  buried  at  Linn 
Grove.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  were  married  in 
Indiana,  and  have  become  the  parents  of  twelve 
children,  four  now  deceased.  The  record  is  as  fol- 
lows: Catherine  married  Mead  Bottsferd,  a  farmer 
of  Critteuden  Township,  this  county ;  Jane,  the 
wife  of  Alex  Welsh,  lives  on  a  farm  in  Ottawa 
County,  Kan. ;  Anna  is  at  home  with  her  parents; 
Edith  married  John  Copely,  and  lives  in  Ottawa 
County,  Kan.,  where  her  husband  is  carrying  on 
farming;  Hattie  is  at  home  with  her  parents;  Jerome 
married  Miss  Ella  Brown,  and  is  farming  in  Kan- 
sas; Franklin  married  Miss  Fannie  Toler,  and  with 
his  brother.  Wilbur,  lives  in  Ottawa  County,  Kan. ; 
Wilson  was  accidentally  killed  by  the  discharge  of 
a  gun  in  the  hands  of  a  cousin ;  Larion  Roscoe  was 
thrown  from  a  wagon  by  a  runaway  team,  and 
instantly  killed ;  one  infant  died  unnamed;  Charles 
M.  died  of  rheumatism  when  twelve  years  old.  Our 
subject,  with  his  wife  and  several  of  their  children, 
is  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Mr.  II.  is  a  solid  Republican,  and  a  warm  supporter 
of  the  principles  of  his  party. 


LINDSEY.  This  honored  pioneer 
of  Champaign  County  and  township,  is  the 
oldest  settler  now  residing  within  its  limits, 
and  is  accordingly  held  in  more  than  ordinary  re- 
spect as  one  who  ventured  upon  the  soil  unturned 
by  the  plowshare  and  before  the  march  of  civiliza- 
tion had  brought  to  this  locality  any  of  its  con- 
veniences or  pleasures.  He  is  a  native  of  West 
Middletown,  Washington  Co.,  Pa.,  and  was  born 
July  8,  1 820.  His  father,  Thomas  Lindsey,  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  county  as  his  son,  was  born  Jan. 
13,  1791.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  also 
named  Thomas  Lindsey,  who  was  born  in  Eastern 
Pennsylvania,  in  Lancaster  County,  it  is  believed 
was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Washington 


••^ 


266 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


County,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  timbered 
land  eleven  miles  from  where  West  Middletovvn 
was  subsequently  located,  cleared  a  farm  and  es- 
tablished a  homestead,  upon  which  he  passed  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  There  with  his  excellent 
wife  he  reared  a  line  family,  among  whom  was 
Thomas,  Sr.,  the  father  of  our  subject.  The  latter 
in  early  youth  learned  the  cabinet-maker's  trade, 
which  he  followed  nearly  all  his  life.  He  became 
a  resident  of  West  Middletown  during  his  declin- 
ing years,  and  died  there  April  1,  1835. 

Thomas  Lindsey,  Jr.,  attended  school  quite 
steadily  until  eighteen  years  of  age  and  then,  like 
his  father  before  him,  commenced  to  learn  the 
trade  of  a  cabinet-maker  with  his  uncle,  John  Boyd, 
at  West  Middletown,  where  he  served  a  thorough 
apprenticeship  and  worked  at  that  and  carpenter- 
ing for  several  years.  In  the  fall  of  1841  he  re- 
solved to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  great  West.  He 
came  to  this  locality  with  limited  means,  most  of 
the  way  on  foot,  and  being  twenty-two  days  on 
the  road.  He  first  stopped  at  Urbana,  which  at 
that  time  was  but  a  hamlet,  and  Champaign  had 
not  even  begun.  He  soon  secured  employment  at 
his  trade,  remaining  at  Urbaua  during  the  winter. 
The  following  summer  he  spent  at  Mahomet,  and 
in  the  fall  of  1842,  returning  to  Urbana,  set  up  a 
shop  and  started  in  business  for  himself.  He  manu- 
factured furniture  in  the  winter,  which  his  wife 
sold  during  the  summer  season  while  he  worked 
out  at  his  trade  and  as  a  carpenter  and  joiner.  He 
was  a  natural  mechanic  and  became  the  favorite 
builder  of  that  time.  He  put  up  about  thirty 
school-houses  in  Champaign  County  alone.  As 
time  passed  on  his  business  increased,  his  means 
also  accumulating,  and  he  added  undertaking  to 
his  business.  He  carried  this  on  for  seven  years, 
making  colflns  by  hand.  Many  times  he  worked 
at  the  bench  all  night  while  his  wife  held  the  can- 
dle for  him. 

The  success  of  the  pioneers  of  those  days,  in 
many  instances,  was  due  in  a  large  measure  to  the 
industry  and  good  management  of  their  wives. 
In  his  life  companion  Mr.  Lindsey  was  peculiarly 
fortunate,  having  for  his  partner  a  true  helpmeet 
and  sympathizer,  one  who  aided  him  by  her  coun- 
sel and  sympathy  as  well  as  by  her  industry  and 


wise  judgment.  Mr.  Lindsey,  in  1862,  found  him- 
self on  the  high  road  to  a  competency,  and  by  his 
excellent  personal  worth  had  fully  established  him- 
self in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors 
and  acquaintances.  He  concluded  that  the  most 
sensible  way  in  which  lie  could  invest  his  savings 
would  be  in  real  estate,  which  could  not  be  carried 
off  to  Canada  by  a  defaulting  cashier.  He  accord- 
ingly purchased  a  farm  on  section  24,  in  Cham- 
paign Township,  to  which  he  removed  with  his 
family,  and  while  his  sons  managed  the  farm  Mr. 
L.  carried  on  business  in  town.  He  was  thus  oc- 
cupied for  several  years  until  failing  health  com- 
pelled him  to  retire.  He  spent  the  winter  of 
1885-86  in  Florida. 

The  maiden  name  of  Mrs.  Lindsey  was  Martha 
A.  Bruer.  She  was  born  in  Urbana,  April  26, 
1829,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Ashel  and  Martha 
(Day)  Bruer,  who  came  to  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try at  an  early  day.  Mr.  B.  was  born  in  Mason 
County,  Ky.,  whence  he  afterward  removed  to 
Bracken  County,  that  State,  and  afterward  to  Illi- 
nois, locating  three  miles  from  the  present  site  of 
Urbana.  After  the  latter  town  was  started  he  be- 
came one  of  its  residents  and  put  up  the  first  hotel 
in  the  city,  which  he  operated  for  many  years.  He 
died  there  in  1879,  having  arrived  at  the  advanced 
age  of  nearly  ninety  years.  The  mother,  who  was 
born  in  Bracken  County,  Ky.,  also  departed  this 
life  at  Urbana  in  about  1875. 

Of  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Liudsey  there 
were  born  the  following  children :  William  is 
a  resident  of  Humboldt,  Kan^ ;  Cornelia  became  the 
wife  of  W.  S.  McWilliams  and  lives  in  Ft.  Scott., 
Kan.;  James  and  Charles  are  residents  of  Urbana; 
Laura  Belle  married  James  Thornton,  and  lives  at 
Yellow  Springs,  Ohio ;  George  and  Thomas  E.  oc- 
cupy, the  homestead.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  farms  in  Champaign  County,  and  gives 
evidence  in  all  its  appointments  of  cultivated 
tastes  and  ample  means.  The  farm  buildings  and 
machinery  are  kept  in  good  repair,  the  stock  is 
well  cared  for,  and  the  residence  of  the  family  is 
all  that  heart  could  wish. 

Politically  Mr.  Lindsey  was  an  adherent  of  the 
Democratic  party  until  after  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war.  Since  that  time  he  has  cast  his  lot  with 


RESIDENCE  OF  C.E.WRIGHT,  SEC. 21. ,NCWCOMB  TOWNSHIP. 


RES.OF  J OH N  A .OSBO RN  ^.(BREEDER  OFTHOROUSHBKC.D  POLAND  CHINA  5w//vf)lSEC.6.( R.IO.E^^ANTOU  ifo WNSH  i p. 


RES. or  JAMES  W.VANSCHOYCK.SEC 


L. 


1 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


269 


the  Republicans,  and  uniformly  gives  his  influence 
and  vote  to  the  support  of  its  principles.  He  is 
not  connected  with  any  religious  organization  but 
is  a  regular  attendant  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Permelia  Williams,  and  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, March  1,  1789.  She  departed  this  life  at 
her  home  in  West  Middletown,  Pa,  Nov.  24,  1835, 
when  our  subject  was  but  a  youth.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  conducted  in  the  log  school-house  of 
the  pioneer  days  with  its  puncheon  floor  and  slabs 
for  seats  and  writing-desks.  The  teacher  was  em- 
ployed upon  the  subscription  plan.  The  building 
and  the  course  of  instruction  in  those  days  were 
widely  different  from  those  of  the  present  time,  but 
the  inconveniences  and  difficulties  under  which  the 
children  of  the  pioneers  labored  developed  in  them 
that  hardy  and  self-dependent  character  which  was 
the  secret  of  their  success  in  their  later  lives,  and 
by  which  they  made  names  for  themselves  which 
their  children  were  glad  to  own.  Socially  Mr. 
Lindsey  is  a  member  of  Urbana  Lodge  No.  139. 


'  NDREW  D.  RICKETTS,  grain  dealer  and 
shipper  of  stock  at  Fisher,  became  a  resi- 
dent of  the  village  in  1878,  to  which  he 
removed  from  Ford  County,  this  State. 
He  is  the  son  of  John  C.  and  Catherine  (Duncan) 
Ricketts,  the  latter  a  sister  of  the  Confederate  Gen- 
eral, Duncan,  who  commanded  the  forts  at  New 
Orleans  during  the  siege  of  that  city  by  the  Union 
troops.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the 
mother  of  Pennsylvania.  After  marriage  they 
located  in  the  Buckeye  State,  and  Mrs.  Ricketts 
died  in  Hancock  County,  in  1855.  The  father  of 
our  subject  is  still  living,  and  a  resident  of  Lincoln, 
Neb. 

The  parental  household  comprised  five  sons  and 
one  daughter,  Andrew  D.  being  the  eldest.  His 
birth  took  place  in  Hancock  County,  Ohio,  Jan.  29, 
1843,  where  he  was  reared  and  pursued  his  studies 
in  the  common  school  with  the  intention  of  enter- 
ing college.  This  plan,  however,  was  frustrated 
by  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war,  the  patriotism  of 


young  Ricketts  inducing  him  to  lay  aside  his  per- 
sonal interests  to  assist  in  the  preservation  of  the 
Union.  He  enlisted  directly  after  the  first  call  for 
troops  in  April,  1861,  becoming  a  member  of  Co. 
F,  21st  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  and  serving  with  the  three- 
months'  men.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  he 
re-enlisted  in  the  sauie  company  and  -regiment,  do- 
ing duty  in  the  field  until  the  fall  of  1864. 

During  this  time  our  subject  participated  in 
many  of  the  important  battles  of  the  war,  being 
present  at  the  siege  in  front  of  Petersburg  and 
Richmond,  which,  as  is  well  known,  engaged  the 
troops  for  the  summer  of  1864,  when  they  were 
constantly  under  fire.  While  many  of  his  com- 
rades were  falling  around  him,  however,  our  sub- 
ject escaped  unharmed,  and  at  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  service,  received  his  honorable  dis- 
charge. Returning  to  Ohio  he  engaged  in  buying 
and  shipping  stock  until  the  spring  of  1873,  when 
he  came  to  McLean  County,  this  State,  and  after 
residing  at  Saybrook  one  year,  removed  to  a  farm 
in  Ford  County,  upon  which  he  operated  four 
years.  Not  quite  satisfied,  he  then  came  to  Fisher 
and  engaged  in  his  present  business.  His  elevator 
here  has  a  capacity  of  15,000  bushels,  and  being  in 
constant  use  is  the  source  of  a  good  revenue.  Be- 
sides this  property  he  also  has  526  acres  of  finely 
improved  land  in  Brown  Township,  much  of  it  ad- 
joining Fisher,  and  chiefly  devoted  to  grain  and 
pasturage. 

Mr.  Ricketts  is  always  full  of  business,  and  when 
not  engaged  in  his  own  affairs  is  looking  about  to 
do  some  good  turn  to  a  neighbor  or  his  commu- 
nity. He  and  his  wife  are  active  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Mr.  Ricketts  being 
Superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  and  working 
in  many  other  ways  for  the  good  of  the  cause  and 
the  prosperity  of  the  Church  society.  He  is  Re- 
publican in  politics,  and  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  belonging  to  Fisher  Lodge 
No.  704. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  the 
town  of  Findlay,  Ohio,  Sept.  3,  1867,  when  Miss 
Nancy  J.  Taylor,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Agnes 
(Haverfield)  Taylor,  became  his  wife.  Mrs.  Rick- 
etts was  born  in  Findlay,  Ohio,  Jan.  16,  1844.  In 
due  time  there  came  to  the  household  thus  estab- 


f 


t 


. 


<  i    270 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


lished  seven  children,  :ill  living  anil  bearing  the 
following  names:  ( 'harles  K.,  Howard  T.,  Gilbert, 
Dolly,  .John  T.,  Clifton  and  Clara.  The  family 
residence  is  pleasantly  located,  and  our  subject- and 
liis  wife  .-ire  numbered  among  the  first  citizens  of 
the  village. 


I 


S  M(  CLINTOCK.  This  worthy  cit- 
izen of  Crittenden  Township  first  opened 
his  eyes  to  the  light  beyond  the  sea  in 
County  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  on  the  4th  of  April, 
1835.  Ill's  parents  were  Alexander  and  Barbara 
(Wyley)  McClintock,  who  had  a  family  of  five 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Of  these  our  subject 
was  the  fourth,  and  the  only  one  who  left  his  na- 
tive land  to  locate  in  the  United  States.  He  con- 
tinued a  resident  of  his  native  county  until  1859, 
when  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  and  then 
set  sail  from  Liverpool,  after  a  safe  voyage  landing 
in  New  York  City  in  the  early  part  of  May.  From 
there  he  proceeded  to  Center  County,  Pa.,  where 
he  was  employed  as  a  laborer  one  year.  Thence 
he  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  remaining  a'  resident 
of  the  Queen  City  until  August.,  1861,  when  he  en- 
gaged to  do  the  baking  for  K.  B.  Field,  for  a  sec- 
tion of  the  Union  army.  He  was  similarly  cm- 
ployed  until  after  the  war  and  into  the  spring  of 
1867,  when  he  determined  to  remove  further  west- 
ward, and  coming  to  this  State  located  first  in 
Will  County,  where  he  carried  on  fanning  one 
year,  and  then  removed  to  Champaign  County 
and  settled  where  he  now  resides. 

When  our  subject  first  took  possession  of  the 
land  which  he  now  owns,  it  was  in  an  uncultivated 
condition  with  no  improvements.  He  has  now  275 
acres  under  the  plow  and  productive  of  the  choic- 
est crops  of  the  Prairie  State.  Of  late  years  his 
land  has  been  devoted  mainly  to  grain  and  stock 
raising.  He  began  as  a  land-holder  in  a  modest 
way,  at  first  purchasing  but  eighty  acres,  to  which 
he  added  as  time  progressed  and  his  means  justi- 
fied. His  energy  and  industry  have  met  with  a 
just  reward,  and  he  has  fully  established  himself  in 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Mr.  McClintock  was  married,  at  Chicago,  111.,  in 


the  spring  of  18(11,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Freeh,  a  na- 
tive of  Bavaria,  Germany.  Of  this  union  there 
were  born  eleven  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy. Those  living  are,  Mary  Alice,  Robert  J., 
Alex  W.,  The  mas  II.,  John  W.,  Alfred  E.,  Barbara 
A.,  Charles  P.,  Estella  K.  and  Oscar  E.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  our  subject  is  duly  proud  of 
his  fine  family,  and  that  they  are  being  trained  to 
those  habits  of  industry  and  principles  of  honor 
which  have  made  their  honored  father  successful 
in  life,  and  placed  him  in  a  good  position  among 
his  fellow-men. 

Politically  Mr.  McClintock  usually  supports  Re- 
publican principles,  but  will  vote  for  a  Democrat 
if  he  considers  that  he  is  the  proper  man  for  the 
oflice.  He  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  and 
School  Director  three  terms,  and  has  also  been 
School  Trustee  and  Road  Commissioner. 


ARVIN  READ,  of  Champaign  Township, 
is  a  son  of  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of 
this  county,  his  father  having  emigrated 
to  Illinois  the  year  following  its  admission 
into  the  Union  as  a  State.  He  is  a  native  of  On- 
tario County,  N.  Y.,  and  was  born  in  Phelps  Town- 
ship, April  28,  1817.  His  father,  Joseph  Read, 
was  a  native  of  North  Adams.  Berkshire  Co.,  Mass.. 
and  his  paternal  grandfather,  who  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  War,  was  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  North  Adams,  where  he  spent 
the  last  years  of  his  life,  and  died  in  1838,  at  a 
good  old  age.  His  son  Joseph,  in  early  life, 
learned  the  trade  of  a  saddler  and  harness-maker, 
and  emigrated  from  Massachusetts  to  New  York 
State  in  1812.  He  first  located  in  Canajoharie, 
Montgomery  County,  whence  he  removed  two 
years  later  to  Ontario  County,  of  which  he  was 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers.  This  was  before  the 
days  of  canals  or  railroads,  and  the  nearest  market 
was  miles  away. 

Joseph  Read  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land,  a 
part  of  which  he  cleared  and  cultivated  until  181 'J, 
then  pushed  on  further  westward  into  Illinois,  mak- 
ing his  first  purchase  of  land  in  the  Military  Tract. 
He  soon  afterward  set  out  to  bring  his  family  to 


*m 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


271    ,  , 


his  new  location,  but  was  attacked  with  fever,  died, 
and  was  buried  among  strangers.  He  left  a  widow 
with  four  children.  The  mother  before  her  mar- 
riage was  Miss  Lorinda  Eddy,  also  a  native  of 
North  Adams,  Mass.  Her  father  removed  to  New 
York  State  in  about  1 820,  and  settled  in  Farmington, 
Ontario  County,  where  he  died  in  1831.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  kept  her  children  together, 
although  left  without  means  of  support.  She  was 
a  woman  of  great  industry  and  energy,  and  proved 
herself  equal  to  the  emergency,  and  with  the  as- 
sistance of  her  children,  purchased  a  small  tract  of 
land  in  Ontario  with  a  log  house  upon  it,  into 
which  the  family  removed  and  which  remained 
their  home  for  ten  years  following.  Here  the 
mother  died  in  1834.  The  record  of  her  four  sons 
is  as  follows:  Hulbert  emigrated  to  Michigan  and 
located  in  Lapeer  County  at  an  early  period  in  its 
history,  1836;  Carlos  went  to  live  with  an  uncle 
at  Palatine  Bridge,  where  he  married  and  died, 
leaving  two  children;  Henry  removed  from  Mich- 
igan to  Minnesota,  and  died  there  about  18G5;  our 
subject  was  the  fourth. 

Marvin  Read,  the  youngest  child  of  his  parents, 
was  but  two  years  old  when  his  father  died.  After 
his  mother  purchased  her  little  tract  of  land,  he  as- 
sisted his  brothers  in  clearing  the  farm,  and  re- 
mained with  his  mother  until  her  death.  He  then 
started  for  the  far  West,  via  the  Erie  Canal  to 
Buffalo,  intending  to  go  from  there  by  the  lakes 
to  Michigan,  On  account  of  rough  weather,  how- 
ever, the  boat  was  obliged  to  put  in  at  Ashtabula, 
Ohio,  and  young  Read,  with  live  others,  started  on 
foot  for  Michigan.  After  a  long  and  roundabout 
journey,  our  subject  reached  Lapeer  County,  where 
he  engaged  in  chopping  wood.  He  saved  what  he 
could  of  his  moderate  earnings,  and  the  following 
year  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in  the  "  oak 
openings,"  for  which  he  paid  11.25  per  acre.  In 
1840  he  received  $100  from  his  grandfather's  es- 
tate, and  with  it  entered  eighty  acres  of  land  ad- 
joining his  first  possessions. 

Mr.  Read's  circumstances  now  seemed  to  justify 
him  in  thinking  about  the  establishment  of  a  future 
home  and  domestic  tics,  and  accordingly,  in  1842, 
he  took  unto  himself  a  wife  and  helpmeet.  The 
young  couple  settled  in  a  frame  "  house  "  which 


he  had  erected  on  his  land,  and  with  hope  and 
courage  began  the  battle  of  life  together.  In  the 
summer  season  Mr.  Read  devoted  his  time  to  the 
improvement  and  cultivation  of  his  land,  and  in 
the  winter,  with  two  yoke  of  oxen,  worked  in  the 
timber  region  seven  miles  distant,  going  to  the 
woods  on  Monday  morning  and  returning  Satur- 
day night,  the  brave  young  wife  in  the  meanwhile 
being  left  with  but  few  neighbors  in  sight  and  very 
little  opportunity  to  discuss  "  the  fashions." 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  occupied  their  primi- 
tive home  in  Michigan  until  1850.  He  had  been 
prospered  in  his  operations  and  had  added  to  his 
first  purchase  until  he  became  the  owner  of  224 
acres  of  cultivated  land,  besides  1 1 5  acres  of  pine 
timber.  In  the  year  mentioned  he  sold  his  posses- 
sions in  Michigan  and  started  in  the  month  of 
February  with  his  wife  and  four  children  for  Illi- 
nois. Their  outfit  consisted  of  a  span  of  horses 
and  a  large  sleigh  with  a  double  canvas  covering 
in  which,  among  other  things,  they  placed  a  small 
stove.  The  journey,  a  distance  of  500  miles,  was 
completed  in  twelve  days.  Corning  into  Cham- 
paign Township,  Mr.  Read  purchased  forty  acres 
of  land,  which  is  now  included  in  the  city  limits, 
and  commenced  farming.  Their  residence  was 
within  the  corporation,  and  they  lived  there  about 
four  years,  then  removed  to  their  present  home- 
stead. Here  Mr.  Read  has  erected  "a  shapely  and 
substantial  set  of  farm  buildings,  planted  fruit  and 
shade  trees,  and  otherwise  beautified  his  premises. 
He  has  320  acres  of  valuable  land,  a  part  of  which 
is  devoted  to  pasture.  He  mostly  raises  grain  and 
stock,  the  latter  including  graded  Short-horn  cattle. 

The  first  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Jan.  31,  1842,  was  Miss  Theodora  Alver- 
son,  who  was  born  in  Warsaw,  Wyoming  Co.,  N. 
Y..  in  November,  1 825.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Lewis  and  Finie  Alverson,  who  removed  from  the 
Empire  State  to  Michigan  at  an  early  day,  settling 
in  Washtenaw  County.  From  there  he  moved  in 
1834,  to  Almont,  Lapeer  County,  and  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits.  Detroit,  fifty  miles  distant, 
was  then  the  nearest  market,  to  which  the  grain 
was  hauled  with  ox-teams.  Mrs.  Theodora  Read, 
after  becoming  the  mother  of  six  children,  departed 
this  life  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Champaign, 


272 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


on  the  14th  of  May,  1858.  Two  of  their  children 
died  in  childhood;  Alfred  lives  in  San  Diego,  Cal. ; 
Caroline,  who  became  the  wife  of  S.  K.  Hiker,  and 
Emelinc,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Hamilton,  both  live  in  Cham- 
paign Township. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  1861,  Mr.  Read  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Kate  (Loper)  IIuft\ 
This  lady  was  born  in  Camden,  N.  J.,  in  1828,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  David  II.  and  Matilda  (Huston) 
Loper,  of  New  Jersey.  She  was  first  married  to 
Charles  M.  Huff,  of  New  Jersey,  and  they  re- 
moved to  Champaign  County,  this  State,  where 
Mr.  Huff  died.  Of  this  union  there  were  two  chil- 
dren: Sallie  II.  married  L.  W.  Ambrose,  and  lives 
in  Galesburg,  this  State ;  Charles  M.  is  a  resident 
of  Tolono  Township.  The  two  children  of  the 
present  marriage  of  our  subject  are  Josie  and 
Addie  F. 

Mr.  Read  politically,  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and 
cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Gen.  Harrison  in 
the  days  before  the  old  Whig  was  abandoned  by 
llie  organization  of  the  Republican  party.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Read  arc  both  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  with  which  our 
subject  became  connected  while  he  lived  in  Michi- 
gan. In  this  he  has  held  the  offices  of  Trustee  and 
Steward,  and  has  contributed  liberally  and  cheer- 
fully to  the  support  of  the  Gospel  for  many  years. 


AMUEL  WILLS,  who  is  located  on  section 
20,  Newcornb  Township,  came  to  Cham- 
paign County  from  McHenry  County,  111.,  ' 
in  1870.  He  first  located  in  Colfax  Town- 
ship, whence  in  the  spring  of  1876  he  removed  to 
the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  This  includes  370 
acres  of  good  land,  all-of  which  is  under  cultiva- 
tion, and  improved  with  suitable  farm  buildings. 
He  is  engaged  in  mixed  husbandry,  and  raises  and 
handles  considerable  stock. 

Mr.    Wills    was   born    in    Devonshire,   Eno-land, 

• 

May  21,  1836,  and  is  the  sou  of  John  and  Nancy 
( Partridge)  Wills,  also  natives  of  the  same  shire ; 
they  were  farmers  by  occupation.  Our  subject  em- 
i grated  to  America  July  15,  18C>G,  and  stopped 
with  his  brother  at  Chicago  for  a  while,  thence  go- 


ing to  Mcllenry  County.  He  has  all  his  life  been 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  He  was  married  in 
England,  June  10,  I860,  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Austin, 
the  daughter  of  James  and  Drusella  Austin,  and  a 
native  of  his  own  country.  Since  becoming  a  nat- 
uralized citizen  Mr.  Wills  has  uniformly  voted  with 
the  Republican  party.  While  residing  in  their  na- 
tive land  he  and  his  wife  became  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 


ENRV  FISHER,  an  extensive  farmer  of  To- 
lono Township,  is  the  owner  of  320  acres  of 
finely  cultivated  land  on  section  15.  Of 
this  he  came  into  possession  on  the  1st  of 
May,  1870,  and  since  that  time  has  been  indus- 
triously engaged  in  beautifying  and  improving  his 
property.  The  land  is  thoroughly  drained  with 
tile,  and  produces  in  abundance  the  choicest  crops 
of  the  Prairie  State.  His  residence  and  other  farm 
buildings  are  of  first-class  description,  and  the 
homestead  in  all  its  appointments  presents  one  of 
the  most  attractive  spots  in  the  landscape  of  this 
section. 

Mr.  Fisher  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Ind.,  Oct. 
10,  1831,  and  is  the  son  of  Frederick  and  Sarah 
(Fouts)  Fisher,  natives  of  Indiana.  In  1832, 
Frederick  Fisher  with  his  family  came  to  Illinois 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Fulton  County,  where  he 
died  on  the  5th  of  July,  187G.  The  mother  sur- 
vived until  February,  1887.  Our  subject  was  the 
fourth  of  the  twelve  children  comprising  the  par- 
ental household.  He  received  a  good  common- 
school  education,  and  was  reared  to  farming  pur- 
suits. When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  in  Fulton  County,  which  he 
cultivated  industriously  until  his  marriage  in  185U, 
and  in  the  meantime  had  laid  the  foundations  for  a 
good  home  and  a  competency.  The  lady  of  his 
choice  was  Miss  Naomi  E.  Shields,  a  native  of  Ful- 
ton County,  111.,  and  the  daughter  of  Andrew  J. 
and  Margaret  (Reed)  Shields.  Mr.  Fisher  contin- 
ued on  his  farm,  which  consisted  of  200  acres,  until 
1868,  then  removed  to  Canton,  in  Fulton  County, 
and  in  company  with  his  brother  David,  engaged  in 
the  livery  business.  The  year  following  they  sold 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


273 


out  and  David  came  to  Champaign  County.  He 
was  greatly  pleased  with  the  prospects  in  this  re- 
gion, and  persuaded  our  subject  to  move  here  also. 
The  latter  then  purchased  the  land  which  he  now 
owns  and  occupies.  He  has  brought  about  vast  im- 
provements since  taking  possession  of  it.  as  .it  had 
then  been  practically  untilled. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  have  become  the  parents  of 
ten  children — Elmer,  Minnie,  Walter,  John,  Elsie, 
Zell,  Naomi,  Grace,  Scott  and  Claude.  Our  sub- 
ject takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  .State  and  Na- 
tional affairs,  and  casts  his  vote  in  support  of  Re- 
publican principles.  He  has  never  desired  office, 
as  his  private  business  engages  all  his  time  and  at- 
tention. He  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  socially  belongs  to  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  Tolouo  Lodge  No.  321. 


OIIN  W.  DAY.  One  day  in  1870  there 
started  out  on  foot  from  McLean  County, 
111.,  a  traveler  with  a  limited  amount  of 
money,  seeking  a  location  and  the  best  land 
to  be  obtained  for  the,  cash  which  he  had  in  hand. 
After  coming  into  East  Bend,  this  county,  he  found 
160  acres  of  unimproved  prairie,  within  his  means, 
which  he  at  once  contracted  for,  and  which  is  now 
included  in  his  present  homestead.  The  land  is 
now  enclosed  with  neat  fences,  thoroughly  drained 
with  tile,  supplied  with  a  shapely  and  convenient 
set  of  frame  buildings,  and  in  all  respects  illustrates 
the  enterprise  and  industry  of  its  proprietor. 

Mr.  Day  was  born  near  Green  Pond,  N.  J., 
March  5,  1824.  This  was  also  the  birthplace  of 
his  father,  Cornelius  Day.  His  grandfather,  Thomas 
Day,  was  a  native  of  France,  whence  he  emigrated 
to  America  in  the  Colonial  days,  and  served  as  a 
soldier  on  the  side  of  the  Colonies  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  After  being  mustered  out  he  located 
in  New  Jersey,  where  his  family  was  reared  and 
where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  His 
son,-  Cornelius,  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 
State  until  reaching  manhood,  and  was  married  to 
Miss  Nancy  Wetherholt,  of  New  Jersey.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  John  Wetherholt,  who  was  born  in 


Germany,  came  with  his  parents  to  America  when 
.  eleven  years  old,  and  afterward  fought  in  the  War 
of  the  Revolution,  and  in  the  interests  of  the  Colo- 
nies. After  the  close  of  this  struggle,  he  lived  in 
New  Jersey  until  about  1830,  then  removed  to 
Ohio,  locating  at  Galena,  eleven  miles  from  Colum- 
bus, and  was  there  drowned  in  Elm  Creek,  when 
eighty-two  years  of  age.  He  received  a  pension 
from  the  Government  during  the  last  years  of  his 
life. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  in  1828,  removed  to 
Ohio  and  located  in  Franklin  County,  twelve  miles 
east  of  Columbus.  The  father  rented  a  tract  of 
land  which  he  cultivated  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
and  in  1862  died  at  the  home  of  his  son,  our  sub- 
ject. The.  mother  survived  her  husband  seven 
years,  dying  in  1869.  John  W.  was  a  lad  of  not 
quite  five  years  old  when  his  parents  became  resi- 
dents of  the  young  and  rapidly  growing  Buckeye 
State.  The  opportunities  for  an  education,  how- 
ever, in  his  vicinity  were  extremely  limited  and  he 
was  obliged  to  go  three  miles  to  pursue  his  studies. 
As  soon  as  old  enough  he  commenced  to  assist  his 
parents  on  the  farm.  During  the  winter  season 
when  not  in  the  harvest  field,  he  chopped  wood 
and  split  rails,  receiving  for  the  former  twenty -five 
cents  per  cord,  and  for  the  latter  fifty  cents  a  hun- 
dred. He  worked  by  the  day  and  month  until 
1861,  and  became  famous  as  a  cradler  of  grain, 
cutting  down  one  year  eighty-five  acres  of  wheat. 
When  in  his  prime  six  acres  was  an  average  day's 
work.  At  the  date  mentioned  he  had  saved  quite 
a  little  sum  of  money  and  with  it  purchased  twenty- 
one  acres  of  good  land  five  miles  from  Columbus, 
Ohio.  From  this  he  cleared  the  timber,  put  up  a 
house  and  barn,  and  remained  there  four  years.  In 
1865  he  came  into  Cumberland  County,  this  State, 
and  purchased  160  acres  of  heavy  timbered  land 
which,  however,  he  never  settled  upon,  but  rented 
land  in  Woodford  and  McLean  Counties  until  he 
had  accumulated  enough  means  to  buy  something 
more  suited  to  his  business.  In  1870  the  time  came 
when  his  hopes  were  realized. 

Mr.  Day,  was  married  in  Ohio,  Oct.  5,  1861,  to 
Miss  Emma  Ilouck,  a  native  of  Fairfield  Count37, 
that  State,  and  born  Feb.  22,  1836.  Her  father, 
Solomon  Houck,  was  of  German  ancestry  and  par- 


•271 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


eentage.  He  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  was  married,  and  soon  afterward  removed  to 
Ohio,  locating  in  Fail-field  County,  where  he  re- 
mained until  J839.  He  then  started  with  his  family 
overland  for  Illinois,  and  arrived  upon  the  present 
site  of  Metamora,  Woodford  County.  His  family, 
however,  was  soon  prostrated  with  fever  and  ague, 
and  becoming  dissatisfied  they  retraced  their  steps 
to  their  old  home  in  Ohio,  where  the  father  died 
soon  after  his  return.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  J.  was 
formerly  Miss  Sarah  Gawthroup,  who  was  born 
Nov.  14,  1783,  in  Maryland.  After  the  death  of 
her  husband  she  made  her  home  with  her  daughter, 
the  wife  of  our  subject,  and  died  in  McLean 
County,  this  State,  on  the  8th  of  February,  1873. 
She  was  a  most  excellent  and  worthy  lady,  born  of 
English  parents,  and  was  left  an  orphan  when  ten 
years  of  age.  After  her  marriage  she  became,  with 
her  husband,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Mrs.  Day  received  a  good  education  in 
her  youth,  and  when  eighteen  years  old  commenced 
teaching,  which  she  followed  quite  steadily  until 
her  marriage. 

The  children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  four 
in  number,  are,  Pearl  W.,  Dwight,  Ella  M.  and 
Harry.  The  eldest  son,  Pearl,  lost  his  hearing 
from  sickness  when  four  years  old.  Two  years 
later  he  entered  the  Jacksonville  Institute  for  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb,  where  he  graduated  in  June,  1884, 
and  afterward  attended  Kendall  Green  College,  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  Mr.  John  W.  Day  is  a  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


„.,  BRAHAM  P.  MEHARRY,  of  Crittenden 
LUI    Township,  is  one  of  the  well-known  resi- 


dents  and  land-owners  who  have  assisted 
materially  in  advancing  the  agricultural 
and  industrial  interests  of  this  section.  He  came  to 
this  county  in  18(J5,  and  took  possession  of  the 
land  which  his  father  had  given  him,  comprising  an 
entire  section,  and  upon  which  he  now  resides. 
This  excellent  parent  at  the  same  time  presented 
his  sou  with  12,000  iu  cash,  so  that  he  began  life 


with  abundant  means,  and   to  his  credit  it  may  be 
said  he  has  taken  good  care  of  what  was  given  him. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Montgomery  County, 
Ind.,  Feb.  10,  1842,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Unity  (Patton)  Meharry  (see  sketch  of  Jesse  Me- 
harry)>  from  whom  he  received  careful  training  and 
a  good  common-school  education.  He  remained  a 
member  of  the  parental  household  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  came  to  this 
county,  as  we  have  stated.  Soon  afterward  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother  Jesse,  and 
they  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  until 
1879,  extensively  and  successfully.  After  dissolv- 
ing partnership  with  his  brother  our  subject  took 
unto  himself  another  partner,  namely,  Miss  Martha 
J.  McMillin.  of  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  to  whom 
he  was  married  on  the  3d  of  June  of  that  same 
year.  Mrs.  M.  was  born  Nov.  23,  1846,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  John  K.  and  Sarah  E.  (Stafford)  McMil- 
lin, the  former  of  whom  is  a  prominent  farmer  of 
Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  and  is  widely  known 
throughout  that  section  as  an  extensive  stock-raiser 
and  shipper.  The  wife  and  mother  departed  this 
life  in  1885,  at  the  home  of  our  subject  while  on  a 
visit.  Mrs.  Meharry  received  an  academic  educa- 
tion, and  resided  in  her  native  county  until  her 
marriage. 

After  this  event  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  took  up  their 
location  on  their  present  farm,  which  has  been 
greatly  improved  since  that  time.  The  land  has 
been  thoroughly  drained  with  tile  and  supplied  with 
good  buildings.  Their  first  dwelling  will  soon  be 
abandoned  by  the  removal  of  the  family  into  the 
fine  residence  which  is  now  being  erected  and  which 
will  bear  comparison  with  anything  of  the  kind  in 
this  part  of  Champaign  County.  Besides  the  home 
farm  Mr.  M.  afterward  purchased  100  acres  on  sec- 
tion 7.  His  land  is  mostly  devoted  to  stock-rais- 
ing, which  he  has  followed  the  principal  part  of  the 
time  since  taking  possession  of  it.  His  cattle  are  of 
the  Polled-Angus  breed,  and  he  exhibits  some  of 
the  finest  specimens  of  the  kind  along  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley. 

Our  subject  and  wife  became  the  parents  of  two 
children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy;  the  other, 
a  son,  Charles,  was  born  March  11,  1885.  Mr.  M., 
politically,  is  a  warm  supporter  of  Republican  prin- 


•215    *  ' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ciples,  but  has  steadily  declined  to  become  an  of- 
fice-seeker, having  all  he  can  possibly  attend  to  in 
the  management  of  his  extensive  farming  interests. 
He  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the  advancement  of 
his  community,  religiously,  morally  and  intellect- 
ually. 


RS.  LUCY  M.  NELSON.  This  lady  is 
well  known  among  the  intelligent  residents 
of  Condit  and  highly  respected  by  all.  She 
comes  of  an  excellent  New  England  family 
and  was  born  in  Guilford.  Windham  Co.,  Vt., 
March  5,  1826.  Her  father,  Arad  W.  Lynde,  was 
a  native  of  the  same  town,  and  the  son  of  Lemuel 
Lynde,  a  highly  respected  farmer  whose  land  la}7 
near  the  town  limits.  He 'was  reared  to  farming 
pursuits,  and  when  a  young  man  also  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade  in  Guilford  Village.  Subse- 
quently he  built  a  shop  on  his  father's  homestead, 
and  carried  on  the  business  there  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  in  May,  1827.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  N.,  before  her  marriage  was  Miss 
Mary  Bolster,  also  a  native  of  Guilford.  When  her 
husband  died  she  was  left  with  three  children.  She 
purchased  a  lot  in  Green  River  Village,  upon  which 
she  built  a  house  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of 
her  life. 

Lucy  M.  Nelson,  of  our  sketch,  remained  with 
her  mother  until  her  marriage  in  January,  1844,  to 
Myron  E.  Nelson.  Mr.  N.  was  a  native  of  Colcrain, 
Franklin  Co.,  Mass.,  and  born  Dee.  20,  1821.  His 
parents  were  Obed  and  Elizabeth  (Sturtevant)  Nel- 
son, who  owned  and  occupied  a  farm  in  Colerain, 
and  with  whom  he  resided  until  his  marriage.  He 
received  a  good  education  and  engaged  in  teaching 
in  Massachussetts  and  Vermont,  and  for  a  brief 
time  in  Cook  County,  111.,  after  coming  to  the 
West. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  settled 
on  a  farm  of  Mr.  N.  was  part  owner,  in  Colerain 
Township,  Mass.  After  two  years  they  removed 
to  Green  River,  where  they  kept  a  hotel  for  a  brief 
season  and  then  removed  to  Colcrain.  In  1856 
they  started  westward,  and  coming  to  this  State  lo- 


cated  first  in  Cook  County,  where  Mr.  Nelson  was 
engaged  four  years  at  farming,  and  the  following 
four  years  kept  a  boarding-house  six  miles  west  of 
the  County  Court-IIouse.  In  1864  they  removed 
to  this  county.  Mr.  N.  had  previously  visited  this 
locality  and  purchased  160  acres  of  railroad  land 
in  Condit  Township.  This  had  never  been  broken, 
and  upon  removing  to  this  place  he  rented  a  farm, 
upon  which  he  raised  crops  of  broom  corn  for  two 
years.  In  the  meantime  he  worked  upon  his  wild 
land  as  he  had  opportunity.  He  put  up  a  house 
upon  this  in  1866,  into  which  he  removed  with  his 
family,  and  fora  number  of  years  was  industriously 
engaged  in  the  improvement  of  his  new  farm.  He 
erected  a  good  set  of  frame  buildings,  planted  fruit 
and  shade  trees,  and  established  a  permanent  and 
pleasant  home,  where  his  death  took  place  Dec.  29, 
1884. 

The  children  of  this  household  who  now  survive, 
four  in  number,  are  Myron  E.,  Ahi  S.,  Charles  C. 
and  Benjamin  F.  The  only  daughter,  May  Eliza- 
beth, died  when  one  year  and  seven  months  old. 
Mr.  Nelson  was  a  good  citizen  in  the  broadest 
sense  of  the  term,  and  took  a  genuine  interest  in 
the  welfare  and  advancement  of  his  community. 
He  was  a  warm  supporter  of  Republican  principles 
and  greatly  respected  by  his  fellow-townsmen. 


L.  TABLER,  a  successful  lumber  dealer  of 
Philo  Village,  is  one  of  its  most  energetic 
business  men  and  a  representative  citizen  of 
Champaign  County.  He  became  a  resident 
of  this  locality  in  1868,  and  passed  his  first  three 
years  as  clerk  in  a  general  store.  Early  in  life  he 
displayed  good  judgment  and  business  capacity, 
and  saw  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  lumber- 
yard at  Philo,  by  which  he  could  supply  the  sur- 
rounding community  with  building  material,  which 
would  be  a  convenience  not  only  to  his  fellow-citi- 
zens, but  a  benefit  to  himself  financially.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1871,  he  began  business  in  a  modest  way, 
meeting  with  success  from  the  start,  and  finall}" 
building  up  a  profitable  trade. 

Mr.  Tabler  is  a  native  of  Martinsburg,  W.  Va., 
and  was  born  May  15,  1849.     He  descended  from 


f 


'  .    276 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I 


excellent  German  ancestry,  and  the  family  history 
in  this  country  dates  back  to  about  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century.  His  father,  Christian  Tab- 
ler,  was  born  and  reared  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  where 
he  met  Miss  Sarah  R.  Lyeth,  who  became  his  wife 
in  1848.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  and 
reared  in  Maryland.  Her  parents  were  also  of 
American  birth  but  of  Scottish  ancestry.  They  re- 
mained in  Maryland  some  time  after  their  marriage, 
then  removed  to  Martinsbnrg,  W.  Va.,  where  their 
only  child,  our  subject,  was  born.  The  father  died 
six  years  later,  in  1854.  The  mother  was  left  with 
small  means,  but  she  possessed  a  brave  and  cour- 
ageous spirit,  and  set  about  maintaining  herself  and 
her  boy,  at  the  same  time  training  him  to  habits  of 
industry  and  principles  of  honor.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood with  a  strong  affection  for  this,  his  best 
friend,  and  became  her  comfort  and  support  in  her 
declining  years.  Late  in  life  she  rejoined  him  in 
the  Prairie  State,  and  died  at  his  home  in  Philo, 
Aug.  2,  1885. 

Mr.  Tabler  began  in  early  life  to  lay  his  plans  for 
the  future,  and  applied  himself  diligently  to  what- 
ever he  undertook.  By  his  own  efforts  he  secured 
a  practical  knowledge  of  business  matters,  becom- 
ing his  own  book-keeper  and  gaining  a  good  insight 
into  business  methods.  After  having  been  estab- 
lished two  years  at  Philo  he  returned  to  his  old 
home  in  West  Virginia,  and  was  there  married  to 
Miss  Mary  H.  Rankin,  on  the  7th  of  June,  1870, 
Mrs.  T.  was  born  in  Stan  ton,  W.  Va.,  in  1852, 
and  yielded  up  her  life  at  the  birth  of  her  first 
child,  Feb.  14,  1873,  at  Martinsburg  in  her  native 
State.  The  loss  of  this  excellent  lady,  an  affection- 
ate wife,  was  a  sore  bereavement  to  our  subject, 
and  he  was  further  afflicted  in  the  death  of  his  lit- 
tle child,  six  months  later.  On  the  26th  of  Au- 
gust, 1875,  he  was  again  married,  to  Miss  Belle  L. 
Campbell,  a  native  of  Coshocton  County,  Ohio, 
born  in  1848,  and  the  accomplished  daughter  of 
Patrick  and  Rachel  (Mitchel)  Campbell.  This  lady 
was  orphaned  at  an  early  age  and  afterward  re- 
ceived into  the  home  of  her  uncle  in  Ohio.  She 
pursued  her  first  studies  in  the  common  schools 
and  subsequently  took  a  course  in  the  college  at 
West  Lebanon,  Ohio.  She  came  to  Illinois  before 
her  marriage  with  some  of  her  relatives,  locating 


with  them  in  Sydney  Township.  She  has  become  the 
mother  of  four  children,  of  whom  two  died  in  in- 
fancy. Those  living  are  Clyde  L.  and  Virginia  C. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tabler  are  members  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  our  subject,  po- 
litically, affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  He 
has  served  his  township  as  Supervisor  for  several 
terms,  and  has  held  other  local  offices  within  the 
gift  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


IIILL1P  McLENNAN.  Among  the  quiet, 
unobtrusive  workers  and  the  law-abiding 
citizens  of  Pesotum  Township,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  is  spoken  of  with  the  re- 
spect due  his  course  of  conduct  in  looking  after  the 
affairs  of  his  homestead  and  providing  for  the 
wants  of  his  family.  He  owned  a  snug  farm  of 
130  acres  in  McLean  County  until  1882,  and  then 
on  account  of  failing  health  sold  out  and  moved 
into  the  town  of  Pesotum,  this  county,  where  he 
put  up  a  good  residence  and  provided  the  other 
conveniences  of  a  modern  home,  which  he  now  en- 
joys with  his  family.  He  is  not  at  present  engaged 
in  any  business,  his  labors  in  earlier  life  having  en- 
abled him  to  put  by  a  snug  sum  for  a  rainy  day. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  and  was  born  near  Montreal,  June  11, 
1848.  He  is  the  sixth  child  of  Alexander  and  Jane 
(Bicket)  McLennan,  natives  of  Scotland,  who  came 
to  the  Western  Continent  with  their  parents  during 
their  early  childhood.  Alexander  McLennan,  who 
had  been  bred  to  farming  pursuits,  owned  about 
100  acres  of  land  near  Montreal,  whose  cultivation 
he  superintended  and  where  he  passed  the  later 
years  of  his  life.  He  was  a  man  who  attended 
strictly  to  his  own  concerns,  and  while  keeping 
himself  well  posted  upon  Governmental  affairs, 
never  participated  in  any  of  the  agitations  which 
periodically  attack  the  Dominion. 

Our  subject  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
until  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  coming  to  the 
States  located  first  at  Danville,  111.,  where  he  worked 
as  a  carpenter  about  three  years,  and  thence  re- 
moved to  Bloomfield,  where  he  engaged  in  farming. 
After  two  years  thus  occupied  in  Edgar  County  he 


L     .: 

•    .  _ 

Y  i  •    '.LINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


279 


came  to  Champaign  County,  began  the  establish- 
ment of  a  home,  and  placed  at  the  head  of  his  do- 
mestic affairs  the  young  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Miss  Sarah  lluggins,  the  daughter  of  Washing- 
ton and  Saphronia  (Johnson)  lluggins,  formerly  of 
Ohio.  Into  the  household  thus  formed  there  came 
in  due  time  seven  children,  one  of  whom  died  in 
infancy  unnamed.  The  others  were  —  James  Edwin, 
Frank,  Alexander,  Jessie,  George  and  Fred. 

Mr.  McLennan  has  usually  voted  independently 
of  party,  but  is  strongly  inclined  to  Republican 
principles,  and  now  gives  his  support  to  the  party 
representing  these.  He  has  mingled  but  little  jn 
public  affairs,  preferring  the  retirement  of  his  home, 
and  expects  after  two  or  three  years  of  life  in  town 
to  return  to  the  farm,  and  in  the  employments  and 
enjoyments  of  rural  life  to  probably  spend  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days. 


i; 


ESSE  R.  GULICK,  a  resident  of  Newcomb 
I  Township,  and  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Eliza 
(Hilleary)  Gulick,  is  a  native  of  Pickawa}- 
County,  Ohio,  and  was  born  Dec.  8,  1840. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and  his  mother 
of  Ohio.  They  settled  in  Pickaway  County,  the 
latter  State,  soon  after  marriage,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  Champaign  County,  111.,  in  1858.  The 
elder  Gulick  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  After 
coming  into  this  county  they  first  located  in  Con- 
dit  Township,  whence  in  1860  they  removed  to 
Piatt  County,  this  State,  of  which  the}-  remained 
residents  for  seven  years  following.  In  the  fall  of 
1867  they  removed  to  Jasper  County,  Mo.,  where 
they  still  reside. 

The  parental  household  included  twelve  chil- 
dren, six  sons  and  six  daughters,  of  whom  Jesse  R. 
of  our  sketch  was  the  second  of  the  family. 
He  came  to  Champaign  County  with  his  parents 
and  remained  with  them  until  twenty-one  years  old. 
He  had  for  three  years,  however,  been  engaged  in 
teaching  during  the  winter  season.  In  the  fall  of 
1862  he  entered  Asbury  University,  at  Greencastle, 
Ind.,  where  he  remained  for  three  years,  in  the 
meantime  furnishing  by  his  own  labors  the  money 
necessary  for  his  expenses.  This  course,  however, 


had  a  serious  effect  upon  his  health  and  he  was 
obliged  to  abandon  his  studies  before  graduating. 

Returning  to  Piatt  County,  our  subject  worked 
on  the  farm  in  the  summer  and  taught  school  in 
the  winter.  His  tastes,  however,  inclined  to  the 
legal  profession,  and  in  the  summer  of  1866  he  en- 
tered the  law  office  of  Coler  &  Smith,  under  whose 
instruction  he  pursued  his  studies  for  one  year.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1867,  and  at  once 
opened  an  office  in  the  city  of  Champaign,  where 
he  followed  his  profession  for  two  years,  and 
thence  removed  to  Vandalia,  111.  He  built  up  a 
good  practice  in  the  latter  place,  but  in  1872,  on 
account  of  failing  health,  was  obliged  to  abandon 
it.  He  was  School  Commissioner  pro  tern  for  about 
three  months,  and  was  also  tendered  the  office  of 
Prosecuting  Attorney,  which  he  declined.  He 
once  more  resumed  briefly  his  farm  life,  returning 
to  his  profession  when  able,  in  the  meantime  vary- 
ing its  duties  by  dealing  in  live  stock  until  the 
spring  of  1875.  He  then  returned  to  Champaign,  and 
followed  his  profession  until  1878,  when  he  virtually 
abandoned  the  practice  of  law  and  took  possession 
of  his  present  farm  in  Newcomb  Township,  which 
he  has  since  occupied.  This  comprises  630  acres, 
most  of  which  is  tillable,  and  upon  which  he  has 
erected  a  fine  modern  dwelling,  with  all  the  other 
accessories  of  a  first-class  farm  estate.  He  has  been 
remarkably  successful  in  his  fanning  and  business 
operations,  and  ranks  among  the  representative 
citizens  of  the  township,  who  began  life  in  a  mod- 
est way,  and  have  by  their  own  efforts  attained  to 
a  good  position,  both  socially  and  financially. 

Mr.  Gulick  was  married  in  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign, Dec.  17,  1867,  to  Miss  Louisa  L.  Everett, 
a  native  of  Newcomb  Township,  born  Dec.  4, 
1848.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  T.  and  Je- 
mima (Piper)  Everett,  who  were  natives  of  Lewis 
County,  Ky.,  and  a  sketcli  of  whom  appears  in  the 
biography  of  David  L.  Yancy,  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children — Edward  E.,  Joseph  P., 
Roscoe  E.,  Clyde  D.,  Maggie  G.,  an  infant  de- 
ceased, and  Wilber  L.  While  living  in  Mahomet 
Mr.  Gulick  served  as  Police  Magistrate,  and  he 
has  been  School  Director  in  Newcomb  Township. 
Socially  he  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Mr.  and 


i   i 

f 


* 


['  '280 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Mrs.   G.   are  both  members  of  Hie  Baptist  Church. 

While  Mr.  Gulick  has  always  been  a  stanch  Dem- 
ocrat, and  1ms  contributed  in  a  large  measure  to 
the  success  of  the  party  in  the  county,  yet  he  has 
never  sought  office  for  himself  but  has  preferred  to 
assist  his  friends  in  their  ambition  for  party  or 
political  honors,  and  he  numbers  among  his  friends 
many  of  the  prominent  men  of  both  the  dominant 
parties  in  the  county,  as  well  as  in  his  old  home  at 
Vandalia  and  other  counties  in  this  section  of  the 
State.  As  a  lawyer  during  his  practice  he  brought 
to  bear  on  the  duties  of  his  profession  a  mind  well 
trained  in  that  most  difficult  and  exacting  of  all 
professions.  He  was  a  pleasing  and  graceful 
speaker,  and  a  strong  and  vigorous  thinker,  and  his 
pleadings  and  legal  papers  were  prepared  with  that 
degree  of  accuracy  and  legal  acumen  which  charac- 
terizes the  well-informed  lawyer. 

Mr.  Gulick  is  a  gentleman  of  large  stature,  good 
appearance  and  pleasing  address,  and  it  is  with 
pleasure  that  we  present  to  our  numerous  readers 
his  portrait,  together  with  a  view  of  his  handsome 
and  elegant  country  home. 


ffi  AMES  P.  MITCHELL  became  a  resident  of 
Raymond  •  Township  in  1877.  although  his 
first  entrance  into  the  Prairie  State  was  made 
fifteen  years  before.  He  first  located  in 
Sidney  Township,  this  county,  where  he  farmed  on 
eighty  acres,  but  afterward  disposed  of  this  prop- 
erty to  take  possession  of  his  present  homestead  in 
Raymond  Township,  on  section  3.  Mr.  Mitchell 
was  born  in  Parke  County,  Ind.,  Oct.  14,  1830. 
His  parents,  James  and  Nancy  (Burton)  Mitchell, 
were  both  natives  of  Virginia,  as  was  also  his  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  William  Mitchell,  who  served 
as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  after- 
ward drew  a  pension.  After  retiring  from  the 
army  he  engaged  in  farming  and  lived  to  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-eight  years.  His  wife,  the 
grandmother  of  our  subject,  was  ninety  -one  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  They  removed  from 
the  Old  Dominion  to  Indiana  and  reared  a  family 
of  eleven  children.  Both  died  in  Parke  County,  Ind. 
James,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  the  young- 


cst  child,  and  was  married  in  Kentucky,  where  his 
four  oldest  children  were  born.  After  crossing  the 
line  into  Indiana  he  settled  on  the  Wabash  River 
when  there  was  scarcely  a  white  man  to  be  seen  in 
that  part  of  the  State.  He  was  compelled,  how- 
ever, to  leave  this  locality  011  account  of  sickness, 
whence  he  removed  to  Parke  County,  and  from 
there  in  1833,  to  Woodford  County,  111.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  that  locality,  and 
opened  up  a  farm  from  the  uncultivated  soil,  upon 
which  he  remained  until  his  advanced  age  rendered 
labor  no  longer  practicable.  He  finally  removed 
with  his  wife  into  the  village  of  Eureka,  where  he 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  and  the 
mother  two  years  later,  aged  seventy-seven.  Of  their 
ten  children,  two  died  in  childhood.  The  remaining 
eight  lived  to  attain  their  majority,  and  the  record 
is  as  follows:  William  and  Josephus  are  farming 
in  Woodford  County;  Elizabeth  married  John  E. 
Craton,  and  is  now  deceased ;  Frederick  is  engaged 
in  the  hardware  trade  at  Chicago,  111.;  John  is  de- 
ceased ;  James  P.  is  our  subject ;  Mary  Ann  became 
the  wife  of  William  S.  Bullock,  a  successful  stock- 
raiser  of  Woodford  County;  Eliza,  who  was  mar- 
ried to  John  Foster  of  Woodford,  is  now  deceased. 

Our  subject  was  but  three  years  old  when  his 
father's  family  came  to  Illinois.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood on  the  farm  in  Woodford  County,  and  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  parental  household  until 
1855,  when  he  set  out  to  farm  for  himself  and  was 
fairly  successful  in  his  business  and  agricultural 
operations.  The  present  fine  residence  which  he 
occupies  with  his  family  was  erected  in  1880.  It 
is  a  shapely  and  commodious  two-story  structure 
and  the  only  brick  residence  in  the  township.  The 
premises  on  all  sides  indicate  the  enterprise  and  in- 
dustry of  the  proprietor,  who  has  done  good  service 
in  building  up  a  valuable  homestead  and  advancing 
the  agricultural  interests  of  his  township. 

The  marriage  of  James  P.  Mitchell  and  Miss 
Alice  McElroy  took  place  in  1881.  Mrs.  Mitchell 
was  born  near  Marietta,  Ohio,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Franklin)  McElroy.  Of  this 
union  there  have  been  born  four  children,  of  whom 
two,  twins,  died  in  September,  1880.  Those  sur- 
viving are  Henry  W.  and  Mary  A.  Our  subject, 
politically,  is  a  decided  Democrat,  but  in  local  mat- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ters  supports  the  candidate  whom  he  thinks  best 
qualified  for  office.  He  has  been  quite  contented 
to  remain  as  a  private  citizen,  with  no  desire  for 
official  honors.  He  joined  the  Christian  Church 
when  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  has  remained  faith- 
ful to  its  doctrines  since  that  time. 


EORGE  STUART,  a  native  of  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the 
28th  of  June,  1817,  became  a  resident  of 
Champaign,  this  county,  in  the  spring  of  1865. 
He  is  comfortably  located  on  section  4,  where  he 
owns  eighty  acres  of  good  land  which  lies  on  a 
pleasant  ridge  overlooking  a  large  stretch  of  coun- 
try. The  father  of  our  subject,  Nathaniel  Stuart, 
was  a  native  of  Danbury,  Conn.,  born  in  Decem- 
ber, 1786.  When  three  years  of  age,  his  father  re- 
moved with  the  family  to  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Joseph  Stuart, 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  At 
the  close  of  this  struggle  and  after  the  removal  to 
New  York  State,  Nathaniel  was  reared  upon  a  farm 
in  Saratoga  County.  Upon  reaching  manhood  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Keziah  Toby,  who  was  born 
in  Saratoga  County  in  May,  1795.  After  marriage 
they  located  upon  a  small  farm,  but  Mr.  Stuart  be- 
ing afflicted  with  asthma,  was  able  to  do  but  little 
manual  labor.  He  was  not  idle,  however,  but 
served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  of  the  county  and  also  as 
Assessor  and  Tax  Collector.  They  remained  in 
Saratoga  County  until  1836,  then  removed  to 
Union  County,  Ohio,  where  they  took  possession  of 
a  farm  and  where  the  mother  died  on  the  21st  of 
August,  1859. 

The  parental  household  included  twelve  children, 
eleven  of  whom  survived  the  mother.  Of  these 
the  record  is  as  follows:  Ephraim  is  a  retired 
farmer  of  Mechanicsburg,  Ohio;  Eliza  A.,  Mrs. 
Green,  resides  in  Union  County,  that  State;  Isaac 
is  carrying  on  the  business  of  a  woolen  factory  in 
Carthage,  Ind.  ;  Orlando  died  in  Marysville,  Ohio, 
in  1881;  Lucinda  became  the  wife  of  Nathaniel 
Raymond,  of  this  county;  she  had  formerly  been 
married  to  Dr.  Crew,  of  Logan  County,  Ohio. 
George,  of  our  sketch;  Melissa,  deceased,  was  the 


first  wife  of  Nathaniel  Raymond ;  Adeline,  Mrs. 
Monroe,  is  a  resident  of  Allen  County,  Ohio;  Jane, 
Mrs.  Wilkins,  resides  in  Union  County,  Ohio,  and 
her  son,  Beriah  Wilkins,  is  a  Member  of  Congress 
from  Zanesville  district,  Ohio;  Mary,  Mrs.  Hender- 
son, and  Joseph,  are  living  in  Olathe,  Kan. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Stuart,  with  the 
exception  of  two  years,  during  which  time  he  vis- 
ited among  his  children  in  Illinois,  continued  to 
reside  in  Ohio  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  12th  of  October,  1872.  He  was  a  stanch  sup- 
porter of  the  Democratic  party,  and  took  a  lively 
interest  in  State  and  National  affairs.  He  was  also 
a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
although  not  wealthy,  accumulated  a  fair  amounf 
of  this  world's  goods. 

George  Stuart,  of  our  sketch,  passed  his  child- 
hood and  youth  on  the  homestead  in  his  native 
county,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  that  day.  He  removed  with  the  family  to  Ohio 
in  1836,  and  seven  years  later,  on  the  6th  of  April, 
1843,  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  Fisher,  a  na- 
tive of  Ross  County,  Ohio.  After  becoming  the 
mother  of  two  children,  Mrs.  Stuart  departed  this 
life  on  the  10th  of  October,  1853.  Her  eldest  son, 
Ephraim,  died  in  Texas,  April  11,  1887.  William 
is  a  resident  of  Corsicana,  that  State. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Jan.  17,  1855,  was  formerly  Miss  Mary  A. 
Vail,  a  native  of  Coshocton  County,  Ohio,  and 
born  Sept.  8,  1832.  Her  parents  were  Isaac  and 
Julia  (Richards)  Vail,  the  former  a  native  of  Rich- 
land  County,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Lancaster 
County,  Pa.  Mr.  Stuart  gave  his  entire  attention 
to  agricultural  pursuits  until  1859.  then  engaged  in 
general  merchandising  in  Newton,  Ohio,  which  he 
carried  on  in  connection  with  farming  until  1864. 
The  year  following  he  came  to  this  State,  locating 
first  in  Vermilion  County,  whence  after  a  residence 
of  one  year,  he  removed  to  Champaign  City,  and 
was  there  occupied  as  a  merchant  until  1870.  In 
that  year  he  purchased  the  homestead  which  he 
has  since  occupied. 

Of  the  three  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stuart, 
one  daughter,  Grace,  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 
Those  surviving  are,  Fannie,  a  teacher  in  Cham- 
paign, and  Frank,  a  real-estate  and  loan  agent  in 


I 


t 


•   282 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Kansas.  Mr.  Stuart  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and 
has  held  various  offices  in  the  township.  He  be- 
came connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  18o6,  of  which  he  has  since  been  an  act- 
ive and  consistent  member. 


DHILLIP  SHAFFER,  in  the  fall  of  1868,  be- 
came a  resident  of  Newcomb    Township, 

this  county,  starting  out  in  a  modest  man- 
ner and  working  thereafter  faithfully  and 
industriously  until  he  acquired  possession  of  his 
present  farm,  which  is  now  unincumbered,  pro- 
vided with  good  buildings,  and  under  a  fine  state 
of  cultivation.  His  family  consists  of  his  wife  and 
six  children,  the  latter  constituting  a  bright  and 
interesting  group,  who  are  being  well  reared  and 
receiving  the  benefits  of  the  admirably  conducted 
free  school  system. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Knox  County,  Ohio, 
and  the  tenth  of  eleven  children  born  to  his  parents, 
Valentine  and  Nancy  (Taylor)  Shaffer,  natives 
respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and  West  Virginia. 
The  mother  was  of  German  and  Irish  ancestry,  and 
after  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shaffer  located  in  Knox 
County,  Ohio,  where  they  spent  the  greater  part  of 
their  lives.  In  1872  they  disposed  of  their  prop- 
erty in  the  Buckeye  State,  and  came  West  to  live 
among  their  children.  The  father  died  at  the  home 
of  his  son  Paul  in  Condit  Township  in  1880.  The 
mother  still  survives,  making  her  home  with  her 
children. 

The  parental  household  included  seven  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Phillip,  of  our  sketch,  attended 
school  only  until  he  was  about  thirteen  years  of 
age,  and  then  began  assisting  his  father  and  brothers 
on  the  farm,  remaining'there  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  old,  when,  starting  out  for  himself  he  worked 
by  the  month  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  a  year  after- 
ward, and  in  the  fall  of  1868,  commenced  working 
in  Newcomb  Township,  this  county,  being  thus 
employed  three  years.  He  lived  economically  and 
saved  his  earnings,  and  at  the  expiration  of  this 
time  got  together  the  necessary  implements  and 
commenced  farming  on  rented  land.  Two  years 


later  he  purchased  fifty-seven  and  one-half  acres  on 
section  24,  in  Newcomb  Township,  which  is  in- 
cluded in  his  present  homestead;  it  now  comprises 
120  acres. 

In  January,  1873,  Mr.  Shaffer  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Irene  Fisher,  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  Mahomet.  Mrs.  S.  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jonathan  and  Ziphora  Fisher,  and  was  born 
in  Condit  Township,  Dec.  12,  1851.  Their  union 
resulted  in  the  birth  of  seven  children,  of  whom 
one  died  in  infancy.  Those  surviving  are  Alberta 
B.,  Cora  E.,  Elza  J.,  Lillie  G.,  Maude  and  Bessie  M. 
Mr.  Shaffer  from  a  humble  position  in  life,  by  his 
honest  industry  and  moral  worth,  lias  arisen  to  a 
worthy  place  among  his  fellow-citizens,  who  re- 
gard him  with  confidence  and  esteem.  In  the  spring 
of  1880  he  was  elected  Supervisor  of  Newcomb 
Township,  which  office  he  held  until  the  spring 
of  1887.  He  holds  strong  views  upon  the  temper- 
ance question,  being  a  decided  Prohibitionist,  and 
gives  his  support  to  Democratic  principles.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  are  members  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


ENRY  W.  STEPHENSON,  one  of  the  most 
enterprising  ^oung  farmers  of  Hensley 
Township,  is  pleasantly  located  on  a  good 
farm  on  section  15.  He  belongs  to  a  fam- 
ily well  and  favorably  known  in  this  section,  be- 
ing the  son  of  Leonidas  and  Nancy  Stephenson,  of 
whom  a  sketch  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
Our  subject  was  born  in  Center  Township,  Boone 
Co.,  Ind.,  Oct.  4,  1844,  and  commenced  his  educa- 
tion in  the  subscription  schools  of  his  native  town- 
ship. He  afterward  attended  the  free  schools,  and 
being  a  bright,  ambitious  boy,  acquired  a  good 
fund  of  useful  information.  He  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  after  the  removal  of  the  fam- 
ily to  this  State. 

Our  subject's  marriage  occurred  in  Indiana  on 
the  same  day  they  started  for  Illinois.  He  first  lo- 
cated in  Logan  County,  purchasing  a  tract  of  land 
near  that  of  his  father,  in  East  Lincoln  Township. 
This  was  unimproved,  but  he  was  the  son  of  a  pio- 
neer, and  knew  just  what  steps  to  take  in  opening 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


283 


I 

l\ 


up  a  farm.  He  operated  there  successfully  a  few 
years,  and  became  quite  a  speculator  in  land,  buy- 
ing and  selling  at  different  times  until  1878.  In 
the  spring  of  that  year  he  took  possession  of  his 
present  farm.  This  is  under  a  good  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  supplied  with  all  necessary  farm  build- 
ings and  machinery.  Mr.  Stephenson  possesses  in 
a  marked  degree  the  industry  and  system  which 
have  always  characterized  the  transactions  of  his 
father,  and  is  on  the  road  to  prosperity. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried in  February,  1865,  was  formerly  Miss  Cynthia 
Abbott,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  Ind.,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Annie  (Dunn)  Ab- 
bott. Their  four  children  are,  Albert,  Annie,  Le- 
onidas  and  George  W.  The  homestead  is  pleas- 
antly located,  and  presents  a  picture  of  peaceful 
country  life  never  found  within  the  confines  of  the 
crowded  metropolis,  or  in  a  community  lacking  in 
thrift  and  intelligence. 


GRACE  HAZEN,  the  proprietor  of  260 
acres  of  choice  land  in  Newcomb  Township^ 
became  a  resident  of  this  county  in  Febru- 
ary, 1876,  and  took  possession  of  a  part  of 
his  present  homestead.  His  birth  occurred  in  the 
Green  Mountain  State,  July  13,  1823,  where  he 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  obtained  a  common- 
school  education.  He  remained  a  resident  of  his 
native  State  until  1853,  then  emigrated  to  Ohio, 
and  shortly  afterward  to  Woodford  County,  111., 
where  he  lived  until  becoming  a  resident  of  this 
county.  He  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
which  he  has  followed  all  his  life,  and  in  which  he 
has  been  uniformly  successful. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Hazen  took  place  in  Stowe, 
Vt.,  on  the  2d  of  June,  1847,  Miss  Sarah  A.  Kel- 
logg becoming  his  wife.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  H. 
were  Warner  and  Jennie  (Gregg)  Kellogg,  also  na- 
tives of  Vermont.  Of  this  union  there  were  born 
eight  children:  Alma  and  Ellen  M.  died  when  quite 
young;  George  K.  married  Miss  Emma  Ellis,  and 
resides  in  Fisher,  111.;  Fred  married  Miss  Lelia 
lionner,  and  is  a  resident  of  Newcomb  Township; 
Pearl  married  Miss  Addie  Jayne,  and  lives  in 


Brown  Township;  Mark  married  Miss  Cora  Funs- 
ton,  and  is  farming  in  Newcomb  Township;  Dan  is 
a  resident  of  Woodford,  111.,  and  Ed  resides  at 
home.  Mr.  Hazen,  politically,  uniformly  supports 
the  principles  of  the  Republican  party. 


ILTON  J.  FRAME.  This  gentleman,  one 
of  the  successful  farmers  of  Hensley  Town- 
ship and  also  a  skilled  mechanic,  is  pleas- 
antly located  on  section  22.  Here  he  has 
a  snug  homestead,  with  160  acres  of  land  under  a 
good  state  of  cultivation,  and  a  convenient  set  of 
frame  buildings.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  this 
township  since  1876,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
important  factors  of  the  agricultural  interests  in 
this  locality. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Montgomery  County, 
Ind.,  born  April  30,  1829.  His  father,  William 
Frame,  of  Kentucky,  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Blue 
Grass  State,  where  he  was  married.  Thence  he 
removed  to  Indiana  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
pioneers  of  Montgomery  County.  He  purchased  a 
tract  of  heavy  timber  land,  in  the  midst  of  which 
was  a  log  cabin,  into  which  he  removed  with  his 
family.  He  cleared  a  part  of  the  land  and  in  due 
time  erected  a  brick  dwelling  which  remained  his 
home  until  his  death.  The  mother  of  our  subject 
before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Susan  Davis,  of  Vir- 
ginia. The  fourteen  children  of  the  parental  house- 
hold all  grew  to  mature  years.  Of  these  our  sub- 
ject was  the  youngest  and  was  but  seven  years  old 
when  his  father  died.  After  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band the  mother  kept  the  family  together  until 
they  were  old  enough  to  start  out  in  life  for  them- 
selves. Her  death  occurred  in  Des  Moines  County, 
Iowa,  in  about  1862.  Milton  J.  Frame  lived  with 
his  mother  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  old,  then 
started  West  to  seek  his  fortune.  He  went  to  Iowa, 
locating  in  Kossuth,  Des  Moines  County,  and  there 
carried  on  farming,  together  with  blacksmithing 
and  wagon-making,  until  the  outbreak  of  the  late 
war.  In  December,  1863,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  K, 
14th  Iowa  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  until  the  close. 
He  was  present  at  the  battles  of  Pleasant  Hill,  Old 
Oaks,  Mentotock,  Miss.,  and  participated  in  various 


i 


284 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


minor  engagements  and  skirmishes.  lie  escaped 
wounds  and  imprisonment,  and  in  August,  18G5, 
received  his  honorable  discharge.  He  returned 
to  Kossuth,  Iowa,  and  resumed  his  trade  until  1876, 
when  lie  sold  out,  and  coming  into  this  county, 
purchased  the  farm  in  Hensley  Township  which  he 
now  owns  and  occupies. 

The  marriage  of  Milton  J.  Frame  and  Miss  Maria 
Allen  took  place  in  Indiana  in  1 852.  Mrs.  F.  was 
born  in  Fleming  County,  Ky.,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Sullivan)  Allen  (see 
sketch  of  Joseph  Allen).  Of  the  seven  children 
born  to  them,  six  are  now  living:  Mary,  Mrs. 
Seeds,  and  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Bandy,  live  in  Des 
Moines  County,  Iowa;  Susan,  Mrs.  Rogers,  is  a 
resident  of  Butler  County,  Kan. ;  William,  Robert 
and  Mattie  are  at  home ;  Julia  became  the  wife  of 
Charles  Wright,  and  died  in  Hensley  Township, 
Nov.  1 4,  1 884,  aged  twenty-two  years. 

Politically  Mr.  Frame  is  a  warm  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability  and  keeps  himself  well  posted  upon 
the  current  events  of  the  day.  His  opinions  are 
those  of  a  man  decided  in  his  views  and  whose 
counsels  it  will  be  usually  safe  to  follow.  He  has 
been  successful  in  his  business  and  farming  opera- 
tions and  both  as  a  business  man  and  a  citizen  is 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  who  know  him. 


J"~  OHN  G.  CAMPBELL,  who  is  Postmaster  of 
Dewey,  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  of  East 
Bend  Township,  of  which  he  became  a  resi- 
dent in  1857,  and  locating  upon  a  tract  of 
wild  prairie  land,  commenced  its  improvement  and 
cultivation,  having  in  view  from  the  first  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  permanent  home.     In  due  time  his 
labors  met  with  their  just  reward  and  he   occupied 
the  farm  thus  opened  up  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years.     He    then    practically    retired    from    active 
labor  and  made  his  home  with  his  oldest  son  three 
years.     In    1885   he  took   up  his  abode  in  Dewey, 
where   he  has  since  lived,    being  appointed  Post- 
master in  the  fall  of  that  year. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  born   in  Cumberland  County, 


Pa.,  April  1,1818.  His  father,  James  Campbell, 
was  a  native  of  the  same  count}',  and  his  grand- 
father, who  was  born  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  was  a 
descendant  of  Scottish  ancestry.  The  first  repre- 
sentative of  the  family  came  to  this  country  and 
located  in  Cumberland  County,  Pa.,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  ar.d  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
Upon  this  farm  James  Campbell  was  born  and 
reared,  seven  miles  from  the  town  of  Carlisle. 
After  reaching  manhood  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  French,  a  native,  of  the  same  county  as 
her  husband,  where  they  remained  until  1827. 
They  then  determined  to  remove  to  Indiana,  and 
started  with  a  four-horse  team  for  Pittsburgh,  Pa., 
where  they  embarked  on  a  river  steamer  said  to  be 
the  first  of  the  kind  that  ever  ploughed  the  Ohio. 
They  located  in  Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  among 
the  earliest  settlers,  and  the  elder  Campbell  rented 
land  the  first  year.  The  next  spring  he  purchased 
a  farm  in  Cotton  Township,  the  same  county,  in 
the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  which  he  was 
engaged  until  his  death,  in  1802.  The  wife  and 
mother  departed  this  life  two  years  later. 

Of  their  thirteen  children,  eleven  grew  to  mature 
years,  and  the  record  is  as  follows:  Joseph  taught 
school  for  a  number  of  years,  and  when  last  heard 
from  was  at  Walla  Walla,  Wash.  Ty. ;  Robert  died 
in  Switzerland  County,  Ind.;  Jane,  the  wife  of 
Abraham  Atkinson,  lives  in  Dearborn  County,  Ind. ; 
Eliza,  Mrs.  David  Weaver,  is  a  resident  of  Atchisou 
County,  Kan.;  William  died  in  New  Orleans;  John 
G.  of  our  sketch  was  the  sixth  child  -r  James  lives  in 
Switzerland  County,  Ind,;  Samuel  in  Lamonte, 
Pettis  Co.,  Mo. ;  Oliver,  now  deceased,  located  at 
Pensacola,  Fla.,  and  during  the  Rebellion  was  con- 
scripted into  the  rebel  army;  Caroline  married 
Henry  Faubra,  and  lives  in  Switzerland  County, 
Ind. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Amsley  Morrison,  lives  in 
Jennings  County,  Ind. 

Our  subject  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  in 
the  manner  common  to  the  sons  of  pioneers,  receiv- 
ing a  limited  education  in  the  subscription  schools, 
which  were  conducted  in  the  typical  structure 
built  of  logs,  and  covered  with  clapboards  held  in 
place  by  weight-poles.  The  benches  and  writing- 
desks  were  made  by  splitting  a  small  log,  turning 
the  flat  side  upward,  and  putting  in  wooden  pins 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


285 


, 


for  legs.  The  school  was  kept  up  on  the  subscrip- 
tion plan  and  the  teacher  "  boarded  around."  John 
G.  remained  with  his  parents  until  eighteen  years  of 
age,  and  then  started  out  in  life  for  himself.  For 
six  years  following  he  was  variously  employed, 
most  of  the  time  in  flatboating,  taking  produce 
down  the  river,  which  he  sold  at  Natchez,  Vicks- 
burg  or  New  Orleans.  His  time  was  thus  occupied 
until  after  his  marriage,  when  he  rented  a  tract  of 
land  in  Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  upon  which  he 
operated  a  few  years  and  then,  in  company  with 
another  man,  erected  a  set  of  buildings  and  provided 
all  the  appliances  of  a  steam-turning  establishment, 
putting  in  an  engine,  and  had  everything  ready  for 
operation  and  in  good  running  order  when  the 
boiler  exploded  and  the  building  and  machinery 
wore  ruined.  Thus  nearly  the  entire  capital  of 
Mr.  Campbell  was  destroyed  and  a  radical  change 
of  plans  ensued.  He  engaged  as  a  laborer  in  the 
Madison  &  Indianapolis  Railroad  Shops  for  three 
years,  and  afterward  became  a  traveling  salesman 
for  the  firm  of  Clark  &  Mooney,  remaining  with 
them  also  three  years.  In  1857  he  came  to  this 
county  to  sell  fanning-mills.  The  face  of  the 
country  pleased  him  greatty  and  he  determined  to 
locate,  which  resolve  he  put  in  execution  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  and  renting  a  farm  in  Champaign 
Township,  established  himself  upon  it  with  his 
family.  The  next  year  he  removed  to  East  Bend, 
where  he  purchased  the  land  upon  which  he  perma- 
nently settled. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  married  in  Switzerland  County, 
Ind.,  in  the  spring  of  1842,  to  Miss  Ruby  Peabody, 
a  native  of  that  county,  and  born  Dec.  15,  1821. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  Stephen  G.  Peabody,  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  who  became  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Switzerland  County,  whence  he  removed  in  1855 
to  Champaign  County,  111.  Here  he  purchased 
1,000  acres  of  land,  all  in  P^ast  Bend  Township,  and 
in  1858  took  possession  of  it,  but  finally  removed 
to  the  city  of  Champaign,  where  his  death  occurred. 
Of  six  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  the 
record  is  as  follows:  Oliver  A.  is  a  resident  of 
Riintuul Township,  this  county;  James  is  a  member 
of  the  Nebraska  Legislature,  elected  in  188(5;  he 
served  four  years  as  Clerk  of  Sarpy  County,  and  is 
a  resident  of  Papillion,  the  county  seat;  Mary  be- 


came the  wife  of  John  Strouse,  who  is  farming  in 
Coudit  Township;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  William 
Wagoner,  lives  in  Columbus,  Kan. ;  John  R.  is  farm- 
ing in  Rantoul  Township,  this  county  ;  Artemus  W. 
is  a  resident  of  and  the  Sheriff  of  Sarpy  County, 
Neb.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Politically  our  sub- 
ject is  Democratic,  and  represented  his  township  in 
the  Board  of  Supervisors  six  years. 


>ILLIAM  McMILLEN.  The  subject  of  the 
following  history,  a  resident  of  Champaign 
Township,  and  one  of  the  honored  pioneers 
of  the  Prairie  State,  is  widely  and  favorably  known 
throughout  this  county  as  a  man  revered  alike  for 
his  genial  and  social  qualities  and  his  value  as  a 
citizen,  and  has  done  much  to  advance  the  interests 
of  his  adopted  county  and  township.  He  comes  of 
excellent  ancestry,  and  was  born  in  Highland 
County,  Ohio,  in  November,  1809.  It  has  been 
his  lot  to  witness  the  remarkable  growth  of  a 
country  which  was  comparatively  in  its  infancy 
when  he  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light.  lie 
remembers  the  time  when  the  canal  was  considered 
a  fine  medium  of  transportation,  and  when  a  rail- 
road project  was  considered  a  wild  and  improbable 
scheme.  The  remarkable  changes  which  have  oc- 
curred since  he  became  old  enough  to  note  the 
development  of  the  resources  of  the  country  have 
been  witnessed  by  him  with  that  satisfaction  always 
felt  by  the  intelligent  man  who  has  a  genuine  and 
patriotic  regard  for  the  land  which  gave  him  birth. 
The  father  of  our  subject,  Thomas  McMillen, 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood in  the  Keystone  State,  whence  after  his  mar- 
riage, he  removed  to  Ohio  and  was  among  the  first 
settlers  of  Highland  County.  He  purchased  land 
in  the  Military  Tract  and  erected  a  log  cabin  in 
the  midst  of  the  heavy  timber.  He  cleared  100 
acres,  and  established  a  comfortable  homestead 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  wife, 
the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  formerly  Miss  Jane 
Irving.  After  the  death  of  her  husband,  she  be- 
came a  resident  of  Cass  County,  Ind..  where  she 
died  in  about  1839.  She  kept  her  children  together 
until  they  were  old  enough  to  do  for  themselves. 
• .*. 


I 


286 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


T 


William  McMillcu  first  saw  the  light  of  day  in 
the  humble  cabin  erected  by  his  father  in  the 
woods  of  Highland  County,  Ohio,  and  was  only 
ten  years  of  age  when  the  latter  died.  He  re- 
mained with  his  mother,  assisting  his  elder  brothers 
in  the  improvement  of  the  farm,  and  continued  a 
member  of  the  family  until  he  had  arrived  at  years' 
of  manhood.  He  still  remembers  seeing,  in  his 
childhood,  the  deer  and  wolves  that  scampered 
through  the  timber,  and  the  howling  of  the  latter  at 
night  around  their  cabin  home.  Before  his  mar- 
riage he  had  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  and  after 
this  event  he  erected  a  log  house  to  which  he 
proudly  conveyed  his  young  wife,  and  they  entered 
upon  their  future  life  with  hope  and  happiness. 

In  1859  Mr.  McMillen  disposed  of  his  real  estate 
in  Cass  County,  Ind.,  and  started  overland  for  the 
Prairie  State.  His  outfit  consisted  of  three  horses 
and  a  wagon  of  his  own,  in  addition  to  which  he 
hired  another  wagon  and  team  to  accompany  him 
and  his  family.  They  traveled  after  the  manner  of 
the  emigrants  of  those  days,  camping  and  cooking 
by  the  wayside,  and  upon  their  arrival  in  this 
county,  Mr.  McMillen  purchased  the  farm  which 
he  now  occupies.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say 
that  he  has  greatly  improved  its  original  condition, 
and  that  it  compares  favorably  with  the  other 
beautiful  and  comfortable  homesteads  which  are 
scattered  so  plenteously  through  one  of  the  richest 
counties  of  Illinois.  It  is  located  about  four  miles 
from  town,  and  the  familiar  form  of  its  proprietor 
is  always  greeted  with  pleasure  as  he  travels  back 
and  forth  through  the  section  of  country  which  he 
first  looked  upon  nearly  thirty  years  ago. 

The  marriage  of  William  McMillen  and  Miss 
Rosanna  Henderson  took  place  at  the  residence  of 
the  bride's  parents  in  Cass  County,  Ind.,  in  1835. 
The  death  of  this  esteemed  lady  occurred  at  the 
home  of  her  husband  in  Champaign  Township,  in 
January,  1886.  Of  the  children  which  came  to 
bless  the  household  six  are  now  living,  of  whom 
the  record  is  as  follows:  Lucinda  became  the  wife 
of  William  Bell,  and  lives  in  Pratt  County,  Kan. ; 
Susan  married  Frank  Gothshall,  and  their  home  is 
in  Logansport,  Ind. ;  Newton  is  engaged  in  mining 
in  Mexico;  Isabel,  Mrs.  Thomas  Graham,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Nebraska;  Joseph  lives  in  New  Salem, 


Kan.,  and  Fremont  carries  <>u  the  business  of  the 
homestead  for  his  father  in  Champaign  County. 
Mrs.  McMillen  became  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  soon  after  her  marriage,  and  Mr. 
McM.  in  1868.  In  politics  he  is  Republican. 


r;ILLIAM  ELLARS  came  to  this  county  in 
1850,  comparatively  a  poor  man,  when 
thirty-four  years  of  age.  He  is  now  the 
owner  of  1,300  acres  of  the  finest  farming  land  in 
Sadorus  Township,  where  he  has  an  elegant  resi- 
dence, with  a  fine  barn  and  other  substantial  out- 
buildings, a  valuable  assortment  of  live-stock, 
costly  and  modern  farm  machinery  and  all  the  ap- 
pliances of  a  first-class  country  estate.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  to  accomplish  this  has  required 
persistent  labor,  with  rare  good  management  of  his 
farming  operations  and  a  wise  investment  of  sur- 
plus funds.  His  home  stands  prominently  as  one 
of  the  most  attractive  features  in  the  landscape  of 
Central  Illinois,  the  fairest  monument  that  could 
be  reared  to  the  resolution  and  energy  of  its  pro- 
prietor. 

Mr.  Ellars  was  introduced  to  life  audits  responsi- 
bilities among  the  hills  of  Ross  County,  Ohio,  on 
the  16th  of  July,  1816,  and  was  the  sixth  child 
of  Benjamin  and  Eunice  (Taylor)  Ellars,  natives  of 
Delaware,  where  the  father  followed  farming,  and 
where  both  parents  spent  their  entire  lives.  The 
mother,  however,  was  called  away  from  her  family 
of  little  ones  when  our  subject  was  but  a  boy  twelve 
years  of  age.  His  father  married  a  second  time, 
and  William  left  home  to  carve  out  his  own  fortune, 
from  the  vicissitudes  of  a  sometimes  unfriendly 
world.  Going  to  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  he  entered 
upon  an  apprenticeship  to  the  tailor's  trade,  to 
which  his  father  had  bound  him.  He  became  dis- 
satisfied, however,  and  after  eighteen  months  ran 
away  to  Washington,  in  Fayette  County,  where  he 
worked  at  whatever  his  hands  could  find  to  do,  un- 
til twenty-one  years  of  age,  most  of  his  time,  how- 
ever, being  spent  in  the  tailor  shop. 

Our  subject's  health  now  began  to  fail,  and  he 
found  that  he  could  no  longer  endure  the  confine- 
ment involved  in  following  his  trade,  and  abandon- 


f 


RESIDENCE  OF  F.  B.  B  ATTLE5 





D J5EC.28.HARWOOD    TP 

___ 


RESIDENCE     OF     W.  S  .  CO  R  LI  S  ,  5  EC  .  25,  5  I  DN  EY    TOWNSHIP 


RESIDENCE    OF   MINERVA    PUTNAM  ,SEC.4  .CT-20-N-).  OGDEN   TP. 


ffi 


•V  V   7 
'     THE 

'  i  r  ''.LINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


289    ' 


ing  it,  engaged  as  a  farm  laborer.  He  worked  by 
the  month  for  five  years  following,  sowing,  reap- 
ing, plowing  and  mowing,  there  being  little  farm 
machinery  in  those  days,  and  recovered  his  health, 
so  that  he  felt  fully  competent  to  provide  for  a 
family.  His  heart  had  already  been  captured  by 
Miss  Eliza  Jane,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Coon)  Harrison,  natives  of  Ohio,  and  they  were 
married  in  the  fall  of  1 842.  Mr.  Ellars,  then  feel- 
ing quite  independent,  proceeded  to  rent  a  farm 
and  begin  agriculture  on  his  own  account.  He  was 
thus  employed  in  Madison  County  for  eight  years 
following,  his  father  in  the  mean  time  having  joined 
.  him  there,  and  making  his  home  with  his  son. 

In  1850  Mr.  Ellars  decided  to  find  out  for  him- 
self about  the  truthfulness  of  the  reports  coming 
from  the  Prairie  State,  which  was  offering  great  in- 
ducements to  the  enterprising  emigrant.  Getting 
his  family  and  household  goods  together  he  jour- 
neyed into  this  county,  and  located  on  a  tract  of 
wild  land  in  Sadorus  Township,  which  embraced 
190  acres  and  was  located  on  section  34.  His  in- 
tention had  been  to  enter  land  from  the  Govern- 
ment, but  the  day  after  his  arrival,  Sept.  20,  1850, 
the  United  States  laud  office,  at  Vandalia,  was 
closed,  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  the  Central 
Illinois  Company  to  choose  their  territory,  which 
was  to  be  each  alternate  section,  on  a  strip  of  land 
fifteen  miles  wide,  through  the  center  of  which  the 
tract  was  to  pass.  Thus  cut  off  from  entering  laud, 
Mr.  Ellars  was  obliged  to  content  himself  with 
what  he  could  purchase  and  cultivate.  He  pro- 
ceeded with  his  improvements,  fencing  his  ground 
and  putting  up  suitable  buildings,  and  added  to  his 
landed  interests  .by  degrees  until  the  result  was  ob- 
tained which  we  now  behold.  Although  the  neces- 
sity for  arduous  labor  on  his  part  has  long  gone  past, 
he  still  retains  the  same  active  oversight  of  his 
affairs  as  ever,  and  exercises  his  uniformly  good 
judgment  in  all  important  matters. 

During  the  first  years  of  their  resolute  and  per- 
sistent labor,  there  came  into  the  household  of  our 
subject  and  his  wife  a  family  of  eight  little  ones, 
of  whom  seven  are  still  living  to  administer  to  their 
joy  and  comfort.  Their  children  were  named  re- 
spectively, James,  John,  Catherine,  Sarah,  Martin, 
Melissa,  Emma  and  Martha.  Their  eldest  sou  first 


married  Miss  Jane  Moore,  who  departed  this  life  in 
1885,  leaving  two  children;  the  second  wife  was 
Miss  Jane  Bye,  and  they  are  residents  of  Douglas 
County ;  John  married  Miss  Mary  Quick,  and  is  a 
resident  of  Bement,  Piatt  County;  Catherine  is  the 
widow  of  James  Webster,  and  is  living  in  Philo ; 
Sarah  became  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Hunter,  a  farmer 
of  Douglas  County,  and  died  in  1881,  leaving  a 
child,  Anna,  whom  her  grandparents  took  to  their 
hearts  and  home  when  she  was  but  four  days  old, 
and  are  now  raising  her  as  their  own;  Martin  mar- 
ried Miss  Ella  Hess;  he  is  now  Postmaster  of  Philo, 
and  is  also  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  there; 
Melissa  is  the  wife  of  W.  Collins,  a  prosperous  far- 
mer of  Douglas  County;  Emma  and  Martha  are  at 
home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  Ellars.  as  a  citizen  having  extensive  interests 
in  the  real  estate  of  Sadorus  Township,  could  not 
evade  a  portion  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  a  citi- 
zen of  more  than  ordinary  ability  as  a  business  man, 
and  a  member  of  an  intelligent  community.  He  has 
represented  the  township  in  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors several  times,  and  his  influence  has  been  sen- 
sibly felt  in  the  ranks  of  the  Democratic  party  in 
this  locality.  His  enterprise  has  furnished  an  ex- 
ample which  others  have  sought  to  emulate,  and 
the  result  has  been  that  the  homesteads  around  him 
have  attained  to  a  higher  degree  of  perfection,  by 
the  mere  force  of  the  example  set  before  them  in 
the  beauty  of  the  Ellars  estate,  in  the  cultivation  of 
its  soil,  and  the  care  which  has  been  exercised  in 
its  entire  management. 


HILIP  HUMMEL.  This  gentleman,  who 
is  widely  and  favorably  known  through- 
out the  township  of  P^ast  Bend,  came  to 
this  section  in  the  pioneer  days,  and  has 
been  one  of  its  most  industrious,  intelligent  and 
public-spirited  citizens.  He  owns  a  good  farm  on 
section  28,  besides  property  in  the  present  village 
of  Dewey,  where  he  proposes  to  retire  in  due  time 
and  spend  his  declining  years  in  the  ease  and  com- 
fort which  he  has  justly  earned. 

Mr.  H.  is  a  fine  representative  of  the  substantial 
German  element   which  has  assisted  so  greatly  in 


i     r 

f 


t 


290 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


building  up  the  western  country.  He  was  born  in 
Hesse-Darmstadt,  June  13,  1815,  and  :it  an  early 
age  commenced  attending  the  public  schools,  con- 
tinuing his  studies  until  fifteen  years  old.  After- 
ward he  remained  with  his  father  for  some  years, 
working  on  the  farm  of  the  latter,  and  in  1853 
took  possession  of  a  tract  of  land  which  he  inher- 
ited from  the  parental  estate.  In  the  meantime  he 
had  been  married  and  become  the  father  of  three 
children,  and  believing  that  he  could  better  his 
condition  and  that  of  his  family  in  the  New  World, 
he  sold  his  property  in  Germany  and  set  sail  from 
Havre  for  the  United  States.  He  landed  with  his 
family  in  New  York  City  on  the  4th  of  July,  1853, 
after  a  voyage  of  thirty-nine  days.  He  proceeded 
directly  westward,  and  after  reaching  Kane  County, 
this  State,  was  employed  as  a  laborer  for  two 
years  following,  in  the  meantime  having  purchased 
a  home  in  Kaneville,  where  his  family  were 
comfortably  located.  At  the  expiration  of  this 
time  he  rented  a  tract  of  laud  which  he  operated 
on  until  1859. 

During  the  latter-named  year  Mr.  Hummel  came 
to  this  county  and  purchased  120  acres  on  section 
28,  in  East  Bend  Township,  which  are  iiow  included 
in  his  present  farm.  The  laud  at  that  time  was  un- 
enclosed and  uncultivated,  and  the  embryo  town 
of  Rautoul  was  the  nearest  trading-post.  Deer  and 
wolves  still  roamed  over  the  prairie,  which  was  un- 
settled, save  here  and  there,  where  a  lonely  cabin 
would  be  seen.  Mr.  Hummel,  however,  with  true 
pioneer  courage  set  about  the  improvement  of  his 
laud,  which  in  due  time  responded  generously  to 
his  labor  and  yielded  excellent  crops.  He  had  the 
land  enclosed  with  good  fences  and  put  up  all  nec- 
essary farm  buildings.  He  also  added  to  his  estate 
as  his  means  accumulated,  and  is  now  the  owner  of 
320  acres  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 

Mr.  Hummell  was  first  married,  in  18-13,  to  Miss 
Lizzie  Kell,  a  native  of  his  own  Province  in  Ger- 
many, and  they  became  the  parents  of  two  children 
—Philip,  now  living  in  East  Bend  Township,  and 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Frank  Brush,  a  resident  of  Ore- 
gon. The  mother  of  these  children  died  at  the 
home  of  our  subject  in  Germany,  in  1848.  His 
second  wife,  who  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss  Kate 
Bloss,  was  also  a  native  of  Hesse-Darmstadt.  Of 


this  later  marriage  there  were  born  five  children,  of 
whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  Henry  is  a  resident 
of  East  Bend  Township;  Dora  married  John  Clark, 
a  farmer  of  Rantoul  Township;  Christian  lives  with 
his  sister  Dora;  William  is  at  home  with  his  father, 
and  Annie,  the  youngest,  also  resides  in  Rantoul 
with  her  sister.  Mrs.  Kate  Hummel  died  in  East 
Bend  Township  in  1872. 

Our  subject  was  again  married,  the  following 
year,  to  Mrs.  Amelia  Hcrzbe.g.  Mrs.  Hummel 
was  born  in  Prussia,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Fred- 
erick Rusch,  a  native  of  the  same  country,  and  she 
was  first  married  there,  in  1861,  to  Herman  Herz- 
berg,  with  whom  she  came  to  the  United  States  five 
years  later.  They  located  in  Bloomington,  111., 
where  Mr.  H.  died  in  1870.  The  children  of  her 
first  marriage  were  Frank,  now  a  resident  of  Bloom- 
ington, and  Hannah,  who  lives  with  her  mother. 
Mr.  Hummel  is  a  decided  Republican,  politically, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Luth- 
eran Church.  He  is  a  wide-awake  citizen,  having 
contributed  $1,000  toward  securing  the  narrow- 
gauge  railroad,  and  also  having  with  a  few  others 
put  up  the  school  building  in  his  neighborhood. 


ON.  FIELDING  L.  SCOTT,  deceased.  The 
name  of  this  late  esteemed  resident  of  Ma- 
.  hornet  was  well  and  favorably  known  in 
past  years  among  the  business  men  and  so- 
cial circles  of  this  locality,  as  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  business  talent  and  personal  worth.  He 
became  connected  with  the  affairs  of  Champaign 
County  at  an  early  day,  coming  with  his  wife  and 
child  from  Kentucky  in  1830.  He  endured  with 
his  brother  pioneers  the  difficulties  and  hardships 
of  settlement  in  a  new  section  and  contributed  his 
full  share  toward  its  growth  and  development. 

Judge  Scott  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky., 
Jan.  27,  1807.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Washing- 
ton County,  Pa.,  of  Scotch  ancestry,  and  his  mother 
was  born  in  Ireland.  The  latter  came  to  America 
with  her  parents  when  a  child.  In  1778  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  in  company  with  his  own  and 
about  twenty  other  families,  emigrated  from  Penn- 
sylvania to  Kentucky  and  located  in  Bourbon 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


291 


County,  where  be  died  in  1 S06,  leaving,  among  other 
members  of  his  family,  F.  L.  Scott,  the  father  of  our 
subject.  The  latter  remained  in  Bourbon  County, 
where  he  married  and  reared  a  family. 

Fielding  L.  Scott,  the  subject  of  this  biography, 
remained  under  the  home  roof  until  he  reached  his 
majority  and  was  married,  Sept.  18,  1827,  to  Miss 
Julia  A.  Herriott.  Three  years  later  he  emigrated 
with  his  wife  aad  child  to  this  State,  as  we  have 
stated.  They  located  in  Vermilion  County,  whence 
after  a  residence  of  six  years  they  came  to  Cham- 
paign County  and  settled  upon  the  farm  in  Ma- 
homet Township  which  is  now  owned  by  Jacob 
Bellinger.  Our  subject  carried  on  the  cultivation 
and  improvement  of  his  land  for  a  period  of  over 
forty  years,  and  departed  this  life  Nov.  16,  1877. 
He  was  a  man  greatly  respected  in  his  community; 
a  Republican  of  the  strictest  type,  and  religiously 
a  Missionaiy  Baptist.  During  the  late  war  he  was 
a  vigorous  supporter  of  the  Union  cause  and  en- 
couraged the  enlistment  of  two  of  his  sons  in  the 
army.  One  of  these  met  his  death  at  the  battle  of 
Kennesaw  Mountain;  the  other,  Thomas  J.,  is  ex- 
Sheriff  of  Champaign  County. 


ILLIAM  SADORUS,  in  honor  of  whose 
father  the  township  bearing  this  name  was 
called,  has  been  a  continuous  resident  on 
section  1  for  a  period  of  sixty-three  years,  and  is 
now,  with  his  two  brothers,  among  the  oldest  sel- 
lers of  Champaign  County.  His  father,  Henry,  in 
the  journey  from  Indiana  to  this  State  was  accom- 
panied by  the  celebrated  Mormon,  Joe  Smith,  and 
his  family.  They  reached  Big  Raccoon  Creek  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Wabash  River,  and  in  the 
early  spring  set  out  for  Illinois  equipped  with 
several  yoke  of  oxen  and  cows.  During  the  entire 
journey  they  required  not  even  an  ear  of  corn  for 
/their  cattle,  but  fed  them  on  the  rich  grass  that 
grew  by  the  way.  On  account  of  the  rough 
condition  of  the  thoroughfare  they  were  obliged  at 
times  to  put  all  the  cattle  to  one  wagon  in  order  to 
pull  through. 

Mr.    Smith    settled   in    Sadorus   Township,    this 


county,  and  spent  the  summer  in  clearing  and  fenc- 
ing his  land,  but  in  the  fall  became  discouraged  and 
gave  Mr.  Sadorus  all  his  improvements,  together 
with  7,000  rails,  on  condition  of  Mr.  S.  hauling  one 
load  of  household  goods  to  Peoria.  This  now 
flourishing  city  was  then  a  small  French  village, 

i  giving  little  promise  of  its  future  importance.  Our 
subject  in  his  prime  was  considered  one  of  the 
most  skillful  hands  with  a  gun  in  the  country,  and 
prided  himself  on  his  record  as  a  deer  hunter,  hav- 
ing killed  hundreds  of  these  animals  before  they 
were  frightened  or  destroyed  by  the  march  of  a 
later  civilization.  For  nearly  forty  years  he  battled 
with  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness  before  the 
railroad  was  built  and  he  could  safely  say  he  had  a 
neighbor. 

William  Sadorus  is  a  native  of  Allegheny  County, 
Pa.,  born  July  4,  1812,  and  was  the  eldest  child  of 
Henry  and  Mary '(Titus)  Sadorus,  also  of  the  Key- 
stone State,  but  of  German  extraction.  He  remained 
at  home  with  his  parents  until  nearly  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  and  on  the  llth  of  March,  1838,  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Moore,  a  na- 
tive of  Kentucky  and  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Hannah  Moore,  who  were  also  born  in  the  Blue 
Grass  regions.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  seven 
children,  namely,  George  W.  B.,  Henry  YV.,  Marga- 
ret E.,  Samuel  S.,  Sarilda  J.,  Sarah  S.  and  John  T. 
In  the  summer  of  1851,  Mrs.  Mary  Sudorus.  the 
affectionate  wife  and  mother,  yielded  up  her  life, 
after  having  been  the  companion  of  her  husband 
thirteen  years.  In  September  following  Mr.  Sa- 
dorus was  married  to  Miss  Quincy  Ann  Brunnley, 
of  Kentucky,  and  of  this  union  there  were  born 
two  children,  Mary  E.  and  John  A.,  both  now  de- 
ceased. The  mother  died  Oct.  9,  1877.  On  Octo- 
ber 7  of  the  following  year  our  subject  was  married 
to  Mrs.  Charity  Hastings,  daughter  of  Bailey  and 

i  Mary  A.  (Henson)  Phillips,  natives  of  South  Caro- 
lina. The  one  child  of  this  union,  a  daughter,  Ida, 
is  now  away  at  school. 

Previous  to  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Sadorus,  in 
1 834.  purchased  eight3r  acres  of  land  in  this  town- 
ship, upon  which  he  moved  and  engaged  in  its  im- 
provement and  cultivation.  He  was  successful 
from  the  start,  and  in  due  time  added  to  his  prop- 

!   erty  until  he  was  possessed  of  a  good  farm   of  3t>0 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


acres.  This  he  has  since  divided  among  his  chil- 
dren, having  now  but  104  acres,  located  on  section 
1,  Sadorus  Township.  His  son,  George  W.  B., 
married  Miss  Phebc  J.  Brown,  and  is  farming  in 
Tolono  Township;  Henry  married  Miss  Marvilla  F. 
Padgett,  and  lives  on  a  farm  near  his  father;  Mar- 
garet E.  is  the  wife  of  O.  C.  MeConney,  a  retired 
farmer  now  living  in  the  village  of  Sadorus;  Samuel 
was  married  in  Utah,  where  he  has  spent  many 
years  as  a  minister  in  the  Mormon  Church;  Sarilda, 
Mrs.  T.  M.  Hixson,  lives  on  a  farm  in  Missouri; 
Sarah  married  Charles  E.  Mills,  who  is  engaged  in 
railroading  at  Pana,  111.;  John  T.,  John  A.  and 
Mary  E.  are  deceased.' 

Politically  Mr.  Sadorus  is  an  uncompromising 
Democrat,  and  a  fearless  advocate  of  the  doctrines 
of  his  party.  He  has  for  many  years  been  connected 
with  the  Baptist  Church,  of  which  his  wife  is  also  a 
member.  He  has  never  been  desirous  of  political 
distinction  and  uniformly  declines  to  run  for 
office,  although  he  maintains  a  warm  interest  in 
State  and  National  affairs.  He  is  one  of  the  hon- 
ored landmarks  of  this  section,  who  will  be  held  in 
kind  remembrance  by  numbers  of  its  people  long 
after  he  shall  have  been  gathered  to  his  fathers. 


OSEPII  M.  IIARNIT.  The  people  of  Lud- 
low  Township  made  the  acquaintance  of 
this  gentleman  in  the  fall  of  1864,  when  he 
came  to  this  county  with  his  father  and  set- 
tled on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  7.  Of 
this  forty-five  acres  were  broken,  which  constituted 
its  only  improvement.  The  land  to-day  with  its 
appurtenances  presents  one  of  the  finest  country 
estates  in  this  section.  The  fields  are  enclosed  with 
neat  hedges  and  supplied  with  a  fine  set  of  frame 
buildings,  the  whole  constituting  a  monument  of 
what  may  be  accomplished  by  the  energy  and  in- 
genuity of  one  man  alone.  Our  subject  occupied 
this  fine  farm  until  1876,  and  after  living  upon  an 
adjoining  one  for  a  year,  removed  to  Ludlow  Vil- 
lage where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law.  He  became  a  member  of  the  legal 
profession  in  1877,  and  since  that  time  has  devoted 
the  greater  part  of  his  efforts  to  his  law  business 


and  oHieial  duties,  lie  has  been  Supervisor  of 
Ludlow  Township  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years  and 
also  held  the  office  of  Assessor  and  Collector,  while 
at  the  same  time  serving  as  a  member  of  the  School 
Board,  and  giving  his  time  to  every  worthy  enter- 
prise calculated  to  advance  the  moral  and  intellect- 
ual welfare  of  his  community.  He  cast  his  first 
vote  on  Culpeper  Plains  on  the  march  in  Virginia, 
for  Governor  and  other  officers  of  Ohio,  and  sup- 
ported the  principles  of  the  Republican  party  until 
the  nomination  of  Peter  Cooper  as  Presidential 
candidate  of  the  Greenback  party,  since  which  time 
he  has  given  his  support  to  that  political  organiza- 
tion. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  near  Enou 
Station,  Beaver  Co.,  Pal,  May  20,  1842.  His  father, 
Samuel  Harnit,  a  native  of  the  same  county,  was 
born  Feb.  9,  1804.  His  grandfather,  a  native  of 
Wales,  emigrated  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
man  and  located  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  soon 
afterward  took  to  himself  a  wife  in  the  person  of 
Miss  Anna  B.  Lutzenheizer,  who  was  a  native  of 
Westmoreland  County,  Pa.  Grandfather  Harnit 
was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  built  a  shop  upon  a 
small  tract  of  land  which  he  had  purchased  and 
which  he  cleared  from  the  timber,  carrying  on 
farming  and  his  trade,  and  also  mining  the  coal 
which  he  used  as  fuel  in  his  shop  and  house.  He 
met  his  death  in  the  coalmine,  which  caved  in  upon 
htm  with  fatal  results  before  he  could  be  extricated. 
This  occurred  in  December,  1803,  two  mouths  be- 
fore the  birth  of  his  son,  Samuel,  the  father  of  our 
subject.  The  family  then  consisted  of  five  chil- 
dren, who  were  all  obliged  to  assist  their  mother  in 
the  maintenance  of  the  family  as  soon  as  old 
enough  to  work.  Young  Samuel  learned  the  trade 
of  a  wheelwright,  which  he  followed  until  about 
1852,  then  purchased  a  flouring-mill  in  Lawrence 
County,  to  which  he  devoted  his  time  for  ten  years 
following.  He  was  quite  successful  in  his  business 
and  mill  operations,  and  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life  retired  from  active  labor  and  in  the  enjoyment 
of  a  competency.  His  last  residence  was  in 
Youngstowu,  Mahoning  Co.,  Ohio,  where  he  yielded 
up  his  life  on  the  4th  of  February,  1886,  after 
reaching  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss 


i 

f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


293 


Sarah  Corey,  who  was  born  in  Beaver  Countv,  Pa., 
and  after  becoming  the  mother  of  ten  chilflren, 
died  there  in  1848. 

Mr.  Harnit  of  our  sketch,  who  was  the  eighth 
child  and  youngest  son  of  the  household,  was  ten 
years  old  when  his  father  moved  to  Lawrence 
County.  Four  years  later  he  yvent  to  Columbiana 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  two  years,  and 
from  there  to  Marion  County,  of  which  he  remained 
a  resident  until  1861.  That  year  will  long  be  re- 
membered by  every  patriot  as  the  time  when  both 
young  and  middle-aged  men  were  called  from  home 
and  the  bosoms  of  their  families  to  fight  for  the 
protection  of  those  homes  and  families.  Young 
Harnit  was  one  of  the  first  to  respond  to  the  call 
for  troops,  and  on  the  17th  of  April  became  a  mem- 
ber of  Co.  K,  4th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  which  was  or- 
ganized under  the  call  for  three-months'  men.  Six 
weeks  later  he  re-enlisted  for  the  three  years'  serv- 
ice in  the  same  company  and  regiment,  with  which 
he  remained  until  finally  mustered  out,  June  23, 
1864.  He  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Rich  Moun- 
tain, Petersburg,  Winchester,  Antictam,  Fredericks- 
burg,  Chanccllorsville,  Gettysburg,  the  Wilderness 
and  Spottsylvania,  being  under  fire  for  a  period  of 
thirty  days,  from  the  Wilderness  to  Cold  Harbor, 
in  May  and  June,  1864.  During  the  weary  marches 
and  all  other  hardships  incident  to  a  soldier's  life, 
he  never  evaded  his  duty,  and  at  the  close  received 
his  honorable  discharge  and  tlje  commendation  of 
his  superiors.  After  becoming  a  citizen  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Marion  County,  Ohio,  and  worked  in  the 
harvest  field  on  his  uncle's  farm  the  following  sum- 
mer, and  in  the  fall  of  1864  made  his  first  advent 
into  Champaign  County  His  subsequent  course 
we  have  already  detailed. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
on  the  10th  of  January,  1871,  was  Miss  Libby, 
daughter  of  John  Newlin,  who  was  born  in  Mont- 
gomery County,  Ind.,  May  24,  1852.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  to  which 
State  her  grandfather  Newlin  removed  at  an  early 
period  in  its  history.  His  son  John  was  reared  in 
his  native  county,  whence  he  removed  to  Indiana, 
and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Cynthia  Fleming, 
who  was  born  near  Middletown,  Ohio,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Fleming,  of  Pennsylvania. 


The  parents  of  Mrs.  II.  removed  from  the  Keystone 
State  to  Putnam  County,  111.,  in  about  1854,  where 
the  father  died  three  years  later.  Mrs.  Newlin  is 
still  living,  and  makes  her  home  with  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  H. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
four  interesting  children,  namely,  William,  Claude 
E.,  Jessie  L.  and  Joseph  M.  Mr.  Harnit  socially  be- 
longs to  Pera  Lodge  No.  >574,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of 
which  he  became  a  member  in  December,  1866,  and 
served  eight  years  as  W.  M.  He  was  the  first  Com- 
mander of  Ord  Post  No.  372,  G.  A.  R. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Harnit,  who  was 
a  native  of  Switzerland,  located  in  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania when  a  young  man,  whence  he  removed 
later  across  the  mountains  to  Westmoreland  Count}'. 
After  marriage  he  removed  to  Beaver  County  dur- 
ing the  early  settlement  of  that  region,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 


OSEPH  T.  GRIMES,  who  was  born  and 
|  reared  among  the  hills  of  New  Castle  Coun- 
ty in  the  State  of  Delaware,  is  now  num- 
bered among  the  highly  respected  citizens 
of  Tolono  Township,  of  which  he  became  a  resi- 
dent in  1866.  He  owns  eighty  acres  of  improved 
land,  which  is  thoroughly  drained  and  enclosed 
with  good  fences,  and  '  upon  which  stands  a 
model  farm-house  "and  all  necessary  out-buildings. 
Although  perhaps  his  farming  operations  have  not 
covered  as  much  ground  as  some  of  his  neighbors, 
he  has  adhered  to  the  theories  of  Horace  Greeley 
and  taken 'good 'care  of  his  snug  estate.  P^very 
acre  is  made  available  either  for  pasture  or  the  rais- 
ing of  farm  produce,  and  the  premises  present  the 
picture  of  comfort  and  contentment,  with  plenty 
on  every  hand. 

The  birth  of  Mr.  Grimes  occurred  on  the  1st  of 
October,  1841,  and; he  is  the  son  of  John  and  Sally 
Ann  (Sharp)  Grimes,  also  natives  of  the  State 
of  Delaware,  whence  they  removed  to  Ohio  in 
1852.  They  selected  a  location  in  Butler  Count}', 
but  subsequently  removed  ^  to  Hamilton  County, 
the  same  State,  where  John  Grimes  followed  farm- 
ing until  1869.  He  then  removed  with  his  family 


294 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


to  Illinois,  and  after  a  residence  of  three  years  in 
Champaign  County,  took  up  his  abode  in  Marion 
County,  Kan.,  where  lie  now  lives,  and  has  arrived 
at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  The  mother  died 
in  August,  1879,  when  a  little  over  sixty-three 
years  old.  The  household  circle,  which  was  com- 
pleted by  the  birth  of  eight  children,  was  broken 
by  the  death  of  one  daughter  in  childhood.  Seven 
are  yet  living,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  eldest. 
The  others  are  Levi;  Mary  Ann,  now  Mrs.  John 
Dole;  John  A.;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Hiram  Beck; 
Robert,  and  Narcissa,  Mrs.  H.  Smith. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  spent  his  childhood 
and  youth  amidst  the  peaceful  surroundings  of 
farm  life.  He  was  eleven  years  old  when  his  par- 
ents removed  from  Delaware  to  Ohio,  and  re- 
mained with  them  the  greater  portion  of  the  time 
until  his  marriage,  which  took  place  on  the  30th  of 
November,  1865.  The  maiden  of  his  choice,  Miss 
Mary  Grace  Louks,  was  a  native  of  Hamilton 
County,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
(McLain)  Louks.  Her  father  is  now  a  resident  of 
Tolono.  Mrs.  G.  was  born  on  the  24th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1848,  and  received  careful  home  training  and 
a  fair  education  in  the  common  schools.  She  was 
instructed  in  all  needful  household  duties  and  re- 
mained a  member  of  her  father's  family  until  her 
marriage.  A  year  afterward  Joseph  Grimes  and 
his  young  wife  set  out  for  Illinois  and  located  in 
this  county  upon  the  homestead  where  the}'  now 
reside.  Their  union  has  been  blest  by  the  birth  of 
three  children,  all  daughters — Ada  Florence,  Ida 
Blanche  and  Lena  Ethel.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  are 
worthy  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
our  subject  politically  is  a  hearty  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party. 


^ILLIAM  II.  SWAYZE,  ore  of  the  honored 
pioneers  of  East  Bond  Township,  was  born 
in  AVyandot  County,  Ohio,  June  28, 
1840.  His  grandfather,  James  Swayze,  a  native  of 
New  Jersey,  emigrated  to  Ohio  in  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  State,  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land 
in  Wyandot  County,  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life  in  its  improvement  and  cultivation.  With 


scores  of  others  in  that  vicinity  he  labored  indus- 
triously for  years  in  cutting  down  the  forest  trees 
and  preparing  the  land  for  the  raising  of  fa>-m  prod- 
uce. This  with  the  limited  conveniences  at  hand 
would  seem  to  the  people  of  the  present  day  an 
Herculean  task,  but  the  men  of  that  period  pos- 
sessed a  rugged  industry  which  laughed  at  all  ob- 
stacles and  knew  no  such  word  as  "fail."  James 
Swayze  possessed  these  qualities  in  a  remarkable 
degree,  and  they  have  been  transmitted  to  his  chil- 
dren and  grandchildren. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Bescherer  Swayze,  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  and  was  a  young  child  when  his 
parents  made  the  journey  overland  to  the  Buckeye 
State.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  Wyandot  County, 
and  among  the  maidens  of  that  region  chose  for  his 
wife  Miss  Matilda  Hunt,  a  native  of  his  own  State, 
who  had  removed  to  Ohio  with  her  parents  about 
1820.  Her  father,  William  Hunt,  located  on  a 
farm  in  Wyandot  County,  Ohio,  where  he  die,d 
in  about  1840.  Bescherer  Swayze  in  1863  came  to 
this  county,  where  he  purchased  120  acres  of  land 
which  was  partly  improved,  and  later  added  to  his 
estate  240  acres  more.  He  became  very  successful 
in  farming  and  stock-raising  and  accumulated  a 
competency.  He  departed  this  life  Feb.  5,  1867. 
The  mother  survived  him  over  nine  years,  and 
died  at  Rantoul,  Sept.  20,  1876. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  second  of  ten 
children.  His  early  education  was  conducted  in 
the  district  schools,  and  when  but  a  boy  he  com- 
menced to  assist  his  father  on  the  farm.  He  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  home  circle  until  1861, 
and  on  the  17th  of  September  of  that  year,  the 
Civil  War  being  in  progress,  he  enlisted  in  the  1 1th 
Ohio  Artillery  and  served  for  three  years  and  three 
months.  He  marched  with  his  comrades  through 
the  States  of  Missouri,  Mississippi,  Alabama,  Louis- 
iana, Florida,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  participat- 
ing in  many  of  the  important  battles  of  the  war. 
He  escaped  wounds  and  imprisonment,  and  after 
his  honorable  discharge  joined  his  p/irents  in  East 
Bend  Township,  this  county,  of  which  he  has  since 
been  a  resident. 

Mr.  Swayze  took  possession  of  his  present  farm 
in  the  spring  of  1870.  Considering  that  he  now 
had  a  firm  foothold  on  the  road  to  prosperity  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


295 


a  competence,  and  finding  no  pleasure  in  working 
for  himself  alone,  he  proffered  his  hand  and  fortune 
to  the  only  Indy  whom  he  desired  to  share  them,  this 
being  Miss  Mary  McJilton,  and  they  were  united 
in  marriage  Sept.  15,  1870.  Mrs.  S.  is  a  native  of 
Woodford  County,  this  State,  born  Dec.  8,  1854, 
and  the  daughter  of  John  T.  and  Elizabeth  (Shaf- 
fer) McJilton.  To  this  household  there  came 
seven  children,  viz.,  Delia  Maj',  Barbara  Belle,  Jay 
T.,  Lora  Alice,  Nira  Edith,  Myrtle  Edna  and  Clara 
Elizabeth. 

The  homestead  includes  160  acres  of  finely  im- 
proved land,  with  a  tasteful  farm  residence  and 
good  out-buildings.  Mr.  Swayze  and  his  family 
are  held  in  high  respect  by  the  community.  He 
has  performed  all  the  duties  of  a  good  citizen,  and 
although  never  an  office-seeker,  has  taken  a  genu- 
ine interest  in  placing  the  best  men  where  they 
could  do  the  inost  good,  not  confining  himself  to 
party  lines  but  voting  independently. 


I 


iHEODORE  FRY.  The  subject  of  the  fol- 
lowing sketch  is  the  proprietor  of  a  beauti- 
ful farm  homestead  in  Champaign  Town- 
ship, on  section  17,  where  since  1865  he  has  been 
industriously  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil 
and  the  various  duties  of  farm  life.  He  is  de- 
scended from  excellent  German  ancestry,  and  the 
first  representative  of  the  family  in  this  country 
was  his  great-grandfather,  who  located  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
His  son  John,  also  born  in  Germany,  was  quite 
young  when  his  parents  came  to  this  country.  He 
was  reared  to  farm  pursuits,  which  he  prosecuted 
mostly  near  the  homestead  of  his  father  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  near  Har- 
rodsburg.  He  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  charac- 
ter, self  educated,  and  of  more  than  ordinary 
ability.  He  represented  his  county  in  the  State 
Legislature,  and  took  an  active  interest  in  the  af- 
fairs of  his  State  and  Nation  at  large.  His  son 
Cornelius,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  reared  on  the  farm,  and  trained  in 
those  habits  of  industry  and  principles  of  honor  for 
which  the  family  has  always  been  distinguished. 


When  quite  young  he  entered  the  army  and  served 
in  the  War  of  1812. 

In  1815,  after  his  marriage,  Cornelius  Fry  re- 
moved with  his  wife  and  child  to  Ohio,  locating  in 
Butler  County.  The  removal  was  made  on  a  flat- 
boat  down  the  Ohio  River  to  Cincinnati,  and  thence 
overland  to  Butler  County,  where  Mr.  Fry  arrived 
with  but  $1.25  in  his  pocket.  He  at  once  com- 
menced working  at  whatever  he  could  find  to  do, 
and  was  emplo3red  by  the  day  or  month  at  small 
wages.  His  wife  possessed  a  spinning-wheel,  and 
with  the  aid  of  this  manufactured  the  cloth  for  the 
family  wear.  By  the  closest  economy  Mr.  Fry 
was  in  due  time  enabled  to  save  money  enough  to 
buy  a  team  which,  in  182C,  he  utilized  in  remov- 
ing to  Preble  County,  where  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  timber  land  on  time.  One  acre  of  this 
was  cleared,  and  upon  it  stood  a  small  log  cabin,  of 
which  the  family  took  possession,  and  the  father 
immediately  set  about  clearing  more  of  the  land 
and  placing  it  under  cultivation.  For  his  first 
crop  of  wheat  he  received  thirty-three  and  one- 
half  cents  per  bushel.  He  progressed  slowly  but 
surely,  and  in  time  was  enabled  to  clear  the  little 
farm  of  debt.  Upon  the  homestead  which  he  thus 
established  after  many  years  of  toil,  he  passed  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  In  the  meantime  the  log 
cabin  was  replaced  by  a  substantial  hewed  log 
house,  after  which  a  barn  was  put  up  and  an  orchard 
planted. 

Cornelius  Fry,  after  a  goodly  and  pleasant  life, 
closed  his  eyes  upon  earthl}'  scenes  on  the  21st  of 
October,  1850,  amid  the  universal  regret  of  the 
friends  whom  he  made  by  his  straightforward  and 
honest  life  and  kindly  Christian  character.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Catherine  Sliafer,  was  also  of  German  an- 
cestry and  a  native  of  the  Keystone  State.  Of  her 
union  with  Cornelius  Fry  there  were  borji  five  chil- 
dren, the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows:  Eliza  A. 
became  the  wife  of  Robert  McDivitt,  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Preble  County,  Ohio;  John  lives  in  New 
Boston,  Mercer  Co.,  111.;  Thompson  died  in  D.irke 
County,  Ohio,  when  about  sixty-two  years  of  age ; 
Theodore  of  our  sketch  was  the  fourth  child ;  An- 
drew served  in  the  Union  army  during  the  late 
war,  and  has  not  been  heard  from  since  its  close. 


,  >    29C 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on  a  farm 
in  his  native  county  in  Ohio,  and  pursued  his 
early  studies  in  the  subscription  schools.  As  soon 
as  old  enough  he  went  out  to  work  at  very  small 
wages,  receiving  the  summer  before  his  fourteenth 
birthday  but  $4  per  month  and  board.  As  his 
usefulness  increased  his  wages  were  raised,  and 
three  years  later  he  was  considered  worth  $16  per 
month  during  the  summer  season.  He  was  occu- 
pied in  this  manner  until  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
and  then  determined  to  seek  a  new  location  for  his 
future  efforts.  Going  westward  into  Indiana  he 
rented  land  in  Tippccanoe  County,  which  he  cul- 
tivated for  the  following  fifteen  years.  He  had 
been  successful  in  his  business  and  farming  opera- 
tions, and  now  found  himself  possessed  of  sufficient 
means  to  purchase  a  tract  of  land  in  the  same 
county.  There  was  upon  it  a  small  frame  house, 
and  twelve  acres  were  cleared.  He  cleared  thirty 
acres  additional  and  erected  a  good  set  of  frame 
buildings,  also  planting  an  orchard  and  adding 
other  improvements.  After  a  residence  there  of 
five  years  he  exchanged  for  a  prairie  farm  of  eighty 
acres  in  Perry  Township.  This  he  sold  two  years 
later,  and  purchased  another  farm  not  far  away,  lo- 
cating in  Sheffield  Township.  Before  removing 
upon  this  he  sold  it,  making  $700  by  fhe  operation. 
He  then  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Fail-field 
Township,  which  he  took  possession  of  and  occu- 
pied until  1865,  then  traded  it  for  land  in  Cham- 
paign County.  In  October  of  that  year,  gathering 
together  his  family  and  household  effects,  he 
started  with  an  outfit  of  four  teams  for  Illinois. 
He  did  not,  however,  settle  upon  the  land  he  had 
purchased,  but  traded  for  that  which  constitutes 
his  present  homestead.  There  was  upon  it  at  the 
time  a  small  frame  house  and  another,  structure 
dignified  by  the  name  of  a  stable,  -rije  family 
took  possession  of  the  former,  and  Mr.  Fry  began 
in  earnest  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
land.  In  due  time  the  first  rude  dwelling  gave 
place  to  a  handsome  and  modern  structure,  and  the 
stable  to  a  barn  of  goodly  proportions.  Mr.  Fry 
also  planted  a  variety  of  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and 
by  other  means  beautified  his  premises  until  they 
became  both  attractive  and  valuable. 

The  marriage  of  Theodore  Fry  and  Miss  Lucy 


A.  Dryer  took  place  in  Indiana  on  the  18th  of 
October,  184G.  Mrs.  Fry  was  born  near  Nobles- 
ville,  Hamilton  Co.,  Ind.,  in  1823.  Her  father, 
Edward  M.  Dryer,  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
and  her  grandfather,  also  a  native  of  New  En- 
gland, removed  from  there  to  New  York  State  at 
an  early  day,  and  spent  the  last  days  of  his  life  in 
Cattaraugus  County.  His  son.  Edward  M.,  was 
quite  young  when  the  family  became  residents  of 
the  Empire  State,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  re- 
ceived a  good  education,  and  adopted  the  pro- 
fession of  a  teacher,  which  he  followed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life.  When  twenty -one  years  of  age  he 
located  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  where  he  married 
and  lived  until  early  in  1823.  Thence  he  removed 
to  a  point  near  Noblesville,  Ind.,  from  which  a 
year  afterward  he  returned  to  the  Buckeye  State. 
Five  years  later  he  came  back  to  Indiana  and  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Sheffield  Township,  Tippecanoe 
County,  where  he  established  a  permanent  home 
and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  decease 
occurred  on  the  7th  of  April,  1836. 

The  maiden  name  of  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Fry 
was  Margaret  M.  Gregory.  She  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, July  24,  1792.  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  an- 
cestry. She  departed  this  life  in  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  Nov.  19,  1878.  The  maternal  grand- 
parents of  Mrs.  Fry  were  both  natives  of  Virginia, 
whence  they  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  after  a 
short  residence  there  took  up  their  abode  in  the 
Buckeye  State.  These  removals  were  made  before 
the  days  of  wagon-roads,  their  goods  being  trans- 
ported upon  pack  horses.  The  grandmother,  then 
a  young  woman,  rode  one  horse  and  carried  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  F.,  then  a  little  child,  together  with 
a  large  bundle  of  household  goods.  They  located 
in  Butler  County,  and  were  among  the  earliest  sct- 
tl^rs  of  that  region.  The  grandfather,  in  company 
with  others,  erected  a  fort  in  which  they  all  lived 
secure  from  the  Indians.  No  one  went  into  the 
fields  without  being  armed,  as  the  redskins  were 
plenty  in  those  days.  The  grandfather  became 
possessed  of  a  large  extent  of  land  and  passed  the 
last  years  of  his  life  in  Butler  County. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  was 
blest  by  the  birth  of  six  children,  of  whom  the  rec- 
ord is  as  follows:  John  D.  is  a  resident  of  Cham- 


LIBRARY 

.tf  THE 
1  •'<-    M.INOIS 


I 

T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


299 


paign;  Edward  is  farming  in  Scott  Township; 
Margaret  Catherine  became  the  wife  of  John  W. 
King,  and  resides  in  Newman,  Douglas  Co.,  111. ; 
Alonzo  lives  in  Scott  Township;  Jay  in  Ludlow 
Township,  and  Hiram  G.  on  the  old  homestead. 
Mr.  Fry  during  his  early  life  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party,  but  upon  the  organization  of  the 
Republican  changed  his  views,  and  has  since  cast 
his  vote  in  support  of  the  principles  of  the  latter. 


-i 


~l  AMES  GOUDIE,  deceased.  The  name  of  this 
gentleman  can  scarcely  be  forgotten  for  rnanjs 
years  to  come,  as  he  has  left  one  of  the  fin- 
est homesteads  in  Pesotum  Township,  which 
will  remain  a  monument  to  his  enterprise  and  skill 
long  after  the  present  generation  has  begun  to  go 
down  the  other  side  of  the  hill.  This  beautiful  coun- 
try seat  is  located  on  section  5,  and  forms  one  of  the 
most  attractive  spots  in  the  landscape.  Its  broad 
acres  stretch  away  on  either  side  from  the  hand- 
some and  substantial  buildings,  and  the  green  fields, 
with  the  yellow  grain,  form  in  the  summer  season  a 
picture  delightful  to  the  eye. 

He  who  thus  effected  the  elimination  of  a  home- 
stead from  the  uncultivated  prairie  was  a  native  of 
Eastern  Pennsylvania,  born  in  1815,  and  the  son  of 
James  and  Mary  (Alexander)  Goudie.  They  were 
also  natives  of  the  Keystone  State,  where  they  re- 
mained until  after  their  marriage,  and  whence,  in 
1819,  they  removed  to  Franklin  County,  Ind. 
There  the  father  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  which 
he  cultivated  industriously,  and  which  both  parents 
occupied  until  called  from  life  and  its  labors. 

James  Goudie  was  a  child  of  two  years  when  his 
parents  removed  from  his  native  State  to  Indiana, 
lie  remained  with  them  until  after  resiling  his  n 
jority  and  then  set  out  for  himself.  About  the  fi 
important  step  was  his  marriage  with  Miss  Susanna.. 
Mathewsou,  which  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1839. 
Mrs.  G.  was  the  second  daughter  of  James  and 
Mary  (Edgar)  Mathewson,  natives  of  Ireland,  who 
crossed  the  ocean  to  this  country  when  their  daugh- 
er,  Susanna,  was  a  little  girl  eight  years  of  age. 


They  located  in  the  East,  but  shortly  afterward  re- 
moved to  Indiana  and  settled  upon  a  farm.  Their 
daughter  remained  under  the  parental  roof  assisting 
her  mother  in  household  duties,  receiving  careful 
parental  training  and  a  fair  education  in  the  com- 
mon school. 

Soon  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  lo- 
cated upon  the  quarter  section  of  land  in  Franklin 
County,  Ind.,  which  our  subject  had  purchased  and 
upon  which  he  labored  until  it  was  brought  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  There  most  of  the  children 
were  born,  and  there  they  remained  residents  for  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years.  In  1863  Mr.  Goudie 
became  desirous  of  changing  his  location,  and  com- 
ing to  this  county  entered  a  tract  of  land  in  Peso- 
tum Township,  to  which  he  added  by  purchase 
from  time  to  time  until  he  became  the  owner  of 
several  hundred  acres.  This  came  into  his  hands 
wholly  unimproved,  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  to 
say  that  it  required  years  of  labor  to  bring  it  to  its 
present  state.  His  farm  was  his  pride,  however, 
and  he  spared  no  pains  to  make  it  one  of  the  finest 
in  the  county.  He  received  a  rich  reward  in  the 
products  of  the  soil,  and  in  the  income  which  ena- 
bled him  to  make  the  improvements  he  so  much  de- 
sired. In  his  later  years  he  was  enabled  to  rest  and 
look  around  him  upon  the  work  of  his  hands,  and 
truly  had  reason  to  feel  that  his  labors  had  not  been 
in  vain.  His  death  took  place  in  this  township  in 
1885,  when  he  had  reached  the  ripe  old  age  of  sev- 
enty years.  The  farm  is  now  carried  on  by  his 
sons,  with  whom  the  mother  remains,  an  excellent 
and  worthy  lady  held  in  the  highest  respect  by  all 
who  know  her.  Mr.  Goudie  was  not  an  active  poli- 
tician, nor  did  he  ever  seek  political  preferment. 
He  was  a  careful  reader,  however,  and  kept  himself 
well  posted  upon  State  and  National  affairs,  and 
when  casting  his  vote  gave  his  support  to  the  can- 
didate whom  he  esteemed  best  qualified  for  the 
>fflce. 

The  twelve  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goudie 
were  named  respectively  Mary  E.,  John  A.,  Sarah 
J.,  iOamuel  F.,  Ida  B.,  Eddie  G.,  Rachel  G.,  Re- 
bcjbca  A.,  Joseph  B.,  James  M.,  Aaron  E.  and  Ar- 
thur N.  Of  these  but  six  are  living.  John  mar- 
ried Miss  Rowena  Sclmltz,  of  Indiana:  Mary,  the 
wife  of  James  Barnard,  and  Sarah,  Mrs,  Archie 


9  4nrt 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Allen,  are  also  residents  of  the  above  (State;  Joseph, 
on  account  of  ill-health,  is  traveling  in  California; 
Aaron  E.  and  Arthur  N.  are  at  home  with  their 
mother. 

The  accompanying  portrait  of  Mr.  Gondie  will 
be  looked  upon  with  pleasure  by  all  who  enjoyed 
his  acquaintance,  and  will  go  down  to  posterity  as 
the  features  of  a  man  who  aimed  to  do  all  the  good 
possible,  and.  who  in  all  the  relations  of  life  was 
honorable  and  upright. 


xp^EORGE  W.  JOHNSTON.  The  subject  of 
(If  (=1  the  following  sketch  occupies  a  prominent 
^^S)  position  among  the  representative  business 
men  and  farmers  of  Hensley  Township,  of  which  he 
has  been  a  resident  since  1859.  In  that  year  he 
emigrated  from  the  town  of  his  birth  in  the  old 
Granite  State,  and  soon  afterward  purchased  180 
acres  of  land  on  section  4  of  what  is  now  Hensley 
Township.  Upon  this  there  was  a  log  cabin,  and 
100  acres  were  broken.  Aside  from  this  the  land 
was  practically  in  its  original  condition.  During 
many  years  of  industry  and  forethought  Mr.  John- 
ston has  brought  about  the  transformation  which  is 
now  so  pleasant  to  contemplate.  The  smiling  fields 
are  in  a  fine  state  of  cultivation,  enclosed  with 
beautiful  hedge  fencing,  and  Mr.  J.  has  planted 
shade  and  other  ornamental  trees  around  the  resi- 
dence and  farm  buildings.  He  has  also  drained  the 
soil  with  about  three  miles  of  tiling.  His  original 
purchase  has  been  added  to  until  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  320  acres,  all  of  which  is  under  a  good 
state  of  cultivation. 

The  birthplace  of  our  subject  was  Haverhill, 
N.  H.,  and  the  date  thereof  June  4,  1836.  His 
father,  George  Johnston,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of  the 
same  town,  where  he  spent  his  entire  life,  and  died 
there  in  1837,  when  our  subject  was  but  a  child  lit- 
tle over  a  year  old.  The  latter  remained  on  the 
homestead  with  his  mother,  and  after  becoming  of 
suitable  age  attended  school,  assisted  in  the  labors 
of  the  farm,  and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in 
a  manner  common  to  country  boys.  In  1859  he 
left  his  native  State  and  came  to  this  county,  lo- 
cating in  Condit  Township,  whither  his  brother 


had  preceded  him.  There  he  lived  with  the  latter 
until  he  established  himself  on  a  homestead  of  his 
own. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Susan  Atkinson,  a  native  of  Boscawen. 
N.  H.,  where  she  was  educated  and  lived  on  the  old 
homestead  with  her  mother  for  some  years.  To 
this  she  returned  after  the  death  of  her  husband, 
and  there  spent  the  last  years  of  her  life,  dying  in 
March,  1887,  after  having  reached  the  advanced  age 
of  seventy-nine  years. 

Mr.  Johnston  was  married  in  this  county,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  to  Miss  Sarah  C.  Shearer,  a  native  of 
Delaware  County,  N.  Y.,and  the  daughter  of  Arad 
Shearer.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Franklin 
County,  Mass.,  where  he  followed  farming  pursuits 
and  spent  his  entire  life.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  John- 
ston, before  her  marriage,  was  Miss  Nancy  Olin,  a 
native  of  Vermont.  She  died  at  the  home  of  her 
husband  in  Colerain,  in  1857. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnston,  four  in 
number,  are  Lee,  Jessie  L.,  Herbert  and  Harley  T. 
Mr.  J.  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  They  are  highly  respected  in 
their  community,  and  have  done  much  in  shaping 
its  moral  sentiment  and  aiding  in  its  general  welfare 
and  prosperity. 


ULIUS  CRANSTON,  one  of  the  honored 
pioneers  of  East  Bend  Township,  is  a  native 
of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in  Champaign 
County,  Oct.  26,  1833.  His  father,  Stephen, 
and'his  grandfather,  John  Cranston,  were  natives 
of  Rhode  Island,  the  former  born  in  Foster,  Oct.  1, 
1793;  the  latter  was  an  immediate  descendant  of 
Scottish  ancestry,  and  the  first  representatives  of 
the  family  in  this  country  located  in  Rhode  Island 
during  the  Colonial  days.  From  there  John  Crans- 
ton; in  1813,  emigrated  to  Ohio  to  Union  County. 
He  purchased  a  large  tract  of  timber  land,  where 
he  opened  up  a  farm,  and  upon  it  remained  until 
his  death.  The  journey  from  Rhode  Island  to 
Olyp  was  made  overland  with  horses  and  wagons. 
The  father  of  our  subject  grew  to  manhood  in  his 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


301 


native  State,  received  a  limited  education  in  the 
subscription  schools,  and  was  bred  to  farming  pur- 
suits. He  was  twenty  years  of  age  when  the  fam- 
ily removed  to  Ohio,  and  six  years  later  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Esther  Hammond,  their  wed- 
ding occurring  July  25,  1819.  Mrs.  Cranston  was 
born  in  Canterbury,  Conn.,  Jan.  1,  1802.  The 
young  people  located  upon  land  which  the  father 
had  purchased,  where  they  resided  for  many  years, 
but  finally  removed  to  a  timber  tract  in  Union 
County,  from  which  Stephen  Cranston  cleared  a 
farm  which  he  occupied  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  10th  of  May,  1884.  The  mother  is 
still  living  upon  the  old  homestead.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  one  of  the  early  Abolitionists,  and 
his  house  an  important  depot  of  the  underground 
railroad.  Through  his  assistance  many  a  fugitive 
was  helped  on  to  freedom.  He  was  a  sincere, 
whole-souled  gentleman,  and  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

The  seven  sons  and  two  (laughters  of  the  paren- 
tal family  all  lived  to  become  men  and  women,  and 
are  located  as  follows :  George  is  a  resident  of  this 
State;  John  occupies  the  old  homestead  in  Cham- 
paign County,  Ohio;  James  and  Stephen  are  resi- 
dents of  Union  County,  that  State ;  Edwin  is  mer- 
chandising in  Hardin  County,  Ohio;  William  died 
in  the  Union  army  during  the  late  war;  Phebe  be- 
came the  wife  of  Hiram  Benton,  and  was  herself  a 
minister  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  but  is  now 
deceased;  Melissa  married  a  minister  who  was  of 
the  Methodist  persuasion;  she  was  well  educated 
and  is  now  a  practicing  physician  at  Topeka,  Kan. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  fourth  son  of 
his  parents,  and  remained  with  his  brothers  and 
sisters  on  the  farm,  pursuing  his  primary  studies  in 
the  district  schools.  He  completed  his  education 
in  the  seminary  at  Mechanicsburg.  After  reach- 
ing his  majority  he  was  employed  as  a  canvasser, 
mostly  in  Virginia.  In  1855  he  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  first  at  Clinton,  and  engaging  as  a  laborer 
in  a  brickyard.  Two  years  later  he  came  into  tnis 
county,  having  previously  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  in  East  Bend  Township,  which  he  located  upon 
and  still  occupies.  In  1868  he  sold  his  land  and 
purchased  a  farm  in  Ford  County,  which  he  culti- 
vated for  a  period  of  eight  years,  then  returWd 


and  took  possession    of    his    present    homestead. 

Mr.  Cranston  was  married,  on  the  1st  of  May, 
1859,  to  Miss  Artemesia  R.  Atwood.  Mrs.  Crans- 
ton was  a  native  of  Stowe,  Lamoille  Co.,  Vt.,  born 
Feb.  6,  1839,  and  the  daughter  of  Luke  Atwood,  a 
native  of  Woodstock,  Windsor  Co.,  Vt.,  born  May 
4,  1801.  He  was  married  in  the  town  of  Stowe, 
Oct.  13,  1828.  to  Miss  Eoxanna  Kelsey,  the  latter 
also  a  native  of  Stowe,  bom  Feb.  3,  1808.  They 
located  near  that  town,  where  they  lived  until 
1851,  and  then  emigrated  to  Ohio,  settling  in 
Champaign  County.  Three  years  later  they  again 
gathered  together  their  household  goods  and 
started  overland  for  the  Prairie  State.  Their  out- 
fit consisted  of  four  horses  and  two  wagons,  and 
they  traveled  after  the  manner  of  the  emigrants  of 
those  days,  carrying  with  them  their  provisions, 
cooking  by  the  wayside  and  sleeping  in  their  wag- 
ons at  night.  Mr.  Atwood  purchased  land  in 
Penola  Township,  Woodford  County,  which  he  oc- 
cupied with  his  family  until  1864,  then  sold  and 
purchased  a  farm  on  section  6  of  East  Bend  Town- 
ship in  this  county.  He  proceeded  with  the  culti- 
vation of  the  soil,  erected  a  frame  house,  and  built 
up  a  comfortable  home,  where  he  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  His  death  occurred  Dec.  5, 
1875.  Mrs.  Atwood  resides  on  the  old  homestead. 
Mr.  Atwood,  religiously,  was  a  Universalist  in  be- 
lief. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
the  following  children,  namely,  Leslie  A.,  Clara  J., 
Mary  E.,  Lucy  R. ;  Phebe  M.,  now  deceased; 
Stephen  C.,  Grace  A.  and  Artie  F.  Leslie  grad- 
uated from  Antioch  College,  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio, 
in  June,  1887,  and  Mary  is  now  a  student  in  that 
institution.  Mr.  Cranston  is  a  pronounced  Re- 
publican. His  first  ballot  was  cast  for  Fremont, 
and  all  subsequent  ballots  for  Republican  nominees. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Protestant  Church. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Cranston,  Luke 
Atwoodjlifiy  name,  was  born  in  Middleboro,  Vt., 
and  on  her  mother's  side,  her  grandfather,  Nathan 
P.  Kelsey,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  whence  he 
removed  to  Vermont  during  its  early  settlement, 
when  he  was  obliged  to  cut  down  the  trees  and 
burn  them  before  he  could  secure  a  space  large 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


enough  to  build  his  house.  His  father,  Giles  Kcl- 
sey,  was  born  in  Scotland,  whence  he  emigrated  to 
America  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  be- 
came a  soldier  on  the  side  of  the  Colonists.  Mrs. 
Cranston's  great-grandfather,  Jacob  Churchill,  was 
also  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 


ff..,  BRAHAM  ORDEL,  a  successful  farmer  and 
'Ul\  stock-raiser,  is  pleasantly  located  on  section 
35,  in  Philo  Township.  He  came  here  in 
1871,  and  is  in  possession  of  1GO  acres  of 
choice  land,  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and 
supplied  with  convenient  and  substantial  buildings. 
He  became  a  resident  of  the  Prairie  State  when  a 
young  man  twenty-one  years  old,  but  only  remained 
two  years,  when  he  returned  to  Fairfield  County, 
Ohio,  and  was  a  resident  there  until  1871.  His 
birth  took  place  in  Washington  County,  Md.,  Jan. 
8,  1831.  His  father,  George  Ordel,  was  a  native  of 
Germany,  whence  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  early  in  life,  and  settling  in  Maryland,  met 
and  married  Miss  Catherine  Baker,  a  native  of  his 
own  country.  They  remained  for  a  time  in  the 
latter-named  State,  where  the  father  followed  his 
trade  of  a  weaver.  In  1 83G  they  removed  with  their 
children  to  Ohio,  and  settled  on  s.  farm  in  Franklin 
Count}',  where  both  parents  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  lives. 

Upon  first  coming  to  this  State  our  subject  spent 
two  years  in  Edwards  and  Tazewell  Counties,  then, 
returning  to  Ohio,  was  married  in  Fairfleld  County, 
to  Miss  Mary  J.  Hoshor,  who  was  born  there  Feb.  8, 
1833.  Her  parents  were  George  and  Mary  (Litz- 
enberger)  Hoshor,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  but  of 
German  ancestry.  They  removed  to  Ohio  before 
their  marriage,  their  wedding  also  taking  place  in 
Fairfield  County.  The  father  was  born  in  1800, 
followed  fanning  all  his  life,  and  departed  hence  in 
1882.  The  mother  is  yet  living  in  Ohio.  Mrs.  O.  was 
reared  in  her  native  county,  and  remained  with  her 
parents  until  her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our 
subject  there  were  born  nine  children,  two  of  whom, 
M.  Catherine  and  Edward,  are  deceased.  Those 
living  are  Ida  B.  and  George,  married,  and  John, 


Emma   V..,   William    H.,  Samuel   and    Franklin  at 
home. 

After  the  marriage  of  our  subject  he  settled  with 
his  wife  upon  a  farm  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  where 
they  remained  until  their  removal  to  this  State. 
They  became  residents  of  Champaign  County  in 
1871,  operating  on  rented  land  in  Philo  Township 
two  years  before  the  purchase  of  their  present 
homestead.  Both  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  of  Raymond  Township,  of  which 
Mr.  O.  is  Trustee.  Politically  he  uniformly  casts 
his  vote  in  support  of  the  principles  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 


HAZEN,  a  representative  business  man  of 
Philo  Village,  is  engaged  as  a  dealer  in  grain 
and  all  kinds  of  farm  implements,  in  fact 
nearly  everything  pertaining  to  the  carrying  on  of 
agriculture.  He  established  business  here  in  1878, 
and  has  been  uniformly  successful,  building  up  a 
good  patronage  and  securing  for  himself  the  confi- 
.  dence  of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  ships  annually 
about  300,000  bushels  of  grain,  and  in  addition  to 
his  town  business  carries  on  a  good  farm  of  120 
acres,  located  on  section  24  in  Philo  Township. 
His  land  is  well  drained  and  finely  improved,  and 
produces  in  abundance  the  ordinary  farm  crops 
and  vegetables.  Mr.  Hazen  became  a  resident  of 
Champaign  County  in  18GO,  since  which  time  he 
has  lived  in  both  Sidney  and  Philo  Townships.  He 
carried  on  agriculture  during  the  early  part  of  his 
life,  his  first  trade  venture  being  his  present  busi- 
ness. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Hampshire  County, 
Mass.,  June  17,  1849,  and  is  the  son  of  Elbridge 
Hazen,  also  a  native  of  the  Bay  State,  but  of  En- 
glish descent,  tracing  the  history  of  the  family  back 
to  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in  this  coun- 
try. The  grandfather,  Nathan  L.  Hazen,  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  whence  he  removed  to  Massachu- 
setts when  a  young  man,  locating  in  Hampshire 
County.  He  was  there  married  to  Mrs.  Phebe 
Starkweather,  a  lady  of  New  England  ancestry, 
born  and  reared  in  Connecticut.  Her  father  was 
an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  her  grand- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


303 


parents  died  in  Hampshire  County,  both  being 
about  eighty -five  years  old. 

Elbridge  llazen  was  born,  reared,  educated  and 
married  in  Elampshire  County,  Mass.  The  maiden 
of  his  choice  was  Miss  Lucy  Brewster,  a  native  of 
his  own  county,  whose  ancestors  came  from  En- 
gland in  the  Mayflower.  After  marriage  the  young 
people  located  on  a  farm  in  their  native  State, 
where  they  spent  their  entire  lives,  honored  and  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  them.  They  were  noted 
for  their  charities  and  hospitality,  and  were  active 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  fifth  of  eighth 
children  born  to  his  pai-ents,  four  sons  and  four 
daughters.  Five  of  these  are  yet  living.  Elisha 
early  in  life  was  trained  to  habits  of  industry,  and 
when  of  suitable  years  went  to  work  for  himself. 
After  reaching  manhood  he  was  married,  in  Worth- 
ington  Township,  Hampshire  County,  to  Miss 
Helen  E.  Burr,  their  wedding  taking  place  Dec.  13, 
1864.  Mrs.  H.  is  a  native  of  the  same  county  as 
her  husband,  and  was  born  July  1,  1842.  She  is 
the  daughter  of  Amos  Burr,  who  lived  and  died  in 
Massachusetts,  and  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  her  marriage.  Of  this  union  there  have 
been  no  children.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
worthy  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
Mr.  Hazen,  politically,  is  a  warm  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party. 


\|j  AMES  E.  DAVIS,  Postmaster  at  Pesotum, 
and  otherwise  identified  with  its  interests, 
is  one  who  considers  the  welfare  of  his 
township  his  own.  and  is  willing  to  contrib- 
ute generously  of  his  time  and  means  toward  its 
well-being  and  advancement.  He  is  a  native  of 
Clinton  County,  Ohio,  where  he  first  drew  breath 
on  the  9th  of  November,  1851,  and  is  the  second 
child  of  Jehu  and  Susan  (Hanley)  Davis,  of  whom 
a  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  In  de- 
tailing the  personal  character  of  our  subject  the 
fact  that  he  is  the  son  of  one  of  the  most  valued 
citizens  of  Champaign  County  is  sufficient  to  com- 
mend him  to  the  people  of  this  section  of  the  State. 


He  came  here  with  his  parents  in  the  spring  of 
I860,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Rebellion,  and  re- 
mained on  his  father's  farm,  making  himself  useful 
as  opportunity  offered  until  after  reaching  his  ma- 
jority. 

Our  subject  then  took  possession  of  a  farm  ad- 
joining the  parental  homestead,  and  two  years  later, 
on  the  1st  of  October,  1873,  secured  a  partner  of 
his  fortunes  in  the  person  of  Miss  Lavina  C.  Craw- 
ford, who  has  been  the  sensible  presiding  genius  of 
his  domestic  affairs,  and  an  earnest  sympathizer  in 
his  efforts  to  maintain  a  commendable  position  in 
society  and  among  his  fellow-men.  The  brother 
of  this  lady,  John  Crawford,  in  1883  joined  with 
him  in  the  establishment  of  a  tile  factory  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Pesotum,  which  they  operated  successfully 
two  years,  then  sold  out  and  purchased  the  busi- 
ness and  stock  of  S.  M.  Harvey,  who  had  estab- 
lished a  store  of  general  merchandise.  This  then 
consisted  of  all  the  commodities  required  in  town 
and  a  rural  community.  Mr.  Davis  has  since 
added  to  his  transactions  the  purchase  and  sale  of 
coal  and  grain,  in  which  he  has  built  up  a  good 
patronage,  and  from  which  he  realizes  a  handsome 
income. 

Mr.  Davis  commenced  fulfilling  the  duties  of  a 
citizen  soon  after  reaching  his  majority,  and  has 
been  elected  to  office  nearly  every  year.  He  has 
served  as  Assessor,  Collector,  Town  Clerk,  etc.,  and 
the  ease 'and  good  judgment  with  which  he  has  up- 
held the  dignity  of  the  various  positions  to  which 
he  has  been  called  has  become  proverbial.  While 
thoroughly  alive  to  his  own  interests  he  gives  a 
generous  share  of  his  thoughts  to  the  interest  of 
his  community,  and  devotes  much  time  to  the  va- 
rious enterprises  which  are  set  on  foot  tending  to 
this  end.  Although  Democratic  in  politics  he  re- 
serves the  right  of  a  free  American  citizen  to  give 
his  support  to  the  most  worthy  candidate,  regard- 
less of  party  bias.  Both  himself  and  his  business 
partner  are  well  equipped  for  their  undertaking, 
and  are  rapidly  building  up  an  extensive  patron- 
age among  the  best  people  of  Pesotum  Township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  are  the  parents  of  one  child, 
a  son,  Jehu  Everett,  born  in  1874,  and  who  is  at 
home  with  his  parents.  They  are  members  of 
the  Pesotum  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  where 


304 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


their  influence  is  sensibly  felt  both  by  their  gener- 
ous support  of  the  society  and  their  uniform  inter- 
est in  its  maintenance  and  growth. 


J"~  ONATIIAN  T.  SEWELL,  who  resides  with 
his  son  on  a  farm  in  Sadorus  Township,  has 
j  been  a  resident  of  this  county  since  the 
'  spring  of  1868.  He  at  that  time  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  on  section  2,  which,  with  the 
exception  of  a  brief  residence  in  the  village,  has 
since  been  his  home.  Through  his  enterprise  and 
industry  the  land  has  been  brought  to  a  fine  state 
of  cultivation,  yielding  in  abundance  the  rich  prod- 
ucts of  the  Prairie  State. 

Mr.  Sewell  is  a  native  of  Jackson  County,  Ind., 
his  birth  taking  place  Sept.  7,  1819.  He  was  the 
third  child  of  his  mother,  Mrs.  Polly  (Tullis)  Sew- 
ell, and  the  eighth  child  of  Peter  Sewell,  of  Vir- 
ginia, who  was  thrice  married,  and  the  father  of 
three  families  of  children.  In  1826  Peter  Sewell 
removed  with  his  family  from  Indiana  to  Cham- 
paign County,  Ohio,  and  later  to  Iowa,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  days.  Our  subject  re- 
mained a  resident  of  Champaign  County,  Ohio,  un- 
til the  spring  of  1854,  when  he  started  West  in 
company  with  a  brother-in-law,  and  located  in  Ed- 
gar County,  111.,  where  they  contemplated  buying 
land.  They  were  induced,  however,  to  abandon 
the  project  of  buying,  but  remained  in  that  county 
fourteen  years,  engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land. 

In  1868  Jonathan  Sewell  came  to  this  county; 
his  life  thereafter  we  have  already  partially  indi- 
cated. His  marriage  took  place  in  Urbana,  Ohio, 
in  December,  1843,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Martha  T.,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Lucy 
(Wilson)  Wilson.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  S.,  al- 
though of  the  same  name,  were  in  no  wise  related. 
Of  this  union  there  were  born  seven  children,  four 
now  deceased,  viz.,  Mary  E.,  Sarah,  Clayton  and 
Charles  Philander.  Laura  became  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Lawrence,  who  is  now  engaged  as  Principal 
of  the  schools  at  Philo,  and  is  assisted  in  his  duties 
by  his  wife;  they  have  become  the  parents  of  five 
children.  Lucy  married  Thomas  Stevens  and  re- 
sides with  her  husband  on  a  farm  two  miles  north 


of  her  father's  home;  Wilson  W.,  in  1876,  married 
Miss  Ida,  daughter  of  Darwin  and  Penelope 
(Swayze)  White,  who  were  natives  of  Canada; 
this  son  lives  on  the  home  farm  which  his  father 
put  into  his  hands  four  years  ago.  The  latter  then 
removed  to  the  town  of  Sadorus.  where  he  had  pur- 
chased seven  lots,  and  prepared  a  home  for  himself 
and  his  aged  companion,  thinking  to  retire  from 
active  life  and  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in 
the  comfort  which  he  had  so  justly  earned.  In 
1886  his  residence,  with  all  its  contents,  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  and  he  returned  to  the  farm  to  live 
with  his  son  Wilson,  and  where  he  still  remains. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  are  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Sadorusvand 
our  subject  although  not  mixing  actively  in  polit- 
ical affairs,  fulfills  the  duties  of  a  good  citizen  each 
year  at  the  polls,  casting  his  vote  and  his  influence 
with  the  Republican  party. 


<^ps»)  DW1N  H.  SHARPE  owns  eighty  acres  of 
land  on  section  3,  in  Sadorus  Township, 
which  he  has  carefully  managed  since  lo- 
cating upon  it  in  the  spring  of  1869.  He  has 
strictly  adhered  to  the  theory  that  a  few  acres  well 
cultivated  are  of  more  real  profit  than  a  large  es- 
tate indifferently  cared  for.  He  has  pursued  a 
quiet  and  unobtrusive  life,  looking  well  to  his  bus- 
iness affairs  and  the  comfort  of  his  family,  and  en- 
joying the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
citizens.  He  has  devoted  considerable  attention  to 
the  raising  of  fine  stock,  which  for  a  number  of 
years  consumed  a  larger  part  of  the  products  of 
the  field,  and  in  return,  by  their  salable  value, 
yielded  him  a  handsome  sum  annually.  The  deli- 
cate health  of  his  wife  has  of  late  years  induced  him 
to  abandon  the  more  active  labors  of  the  farm, 
and  content  himself  with  keeping  it  up  in  good 
shape  rather  than  the  accumulation  of  more  property. 
He  has  taken  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  his  township,  holding  its  minor  offices  and  con- 
tributing whenever  he  could  to  the  furtherance  of 
worthy  projects. 

Mr.  Sharpe   is  a  native   of  this  State,  and    was 
born  in  Pike  County,  Jan.  9,  1838.     He  is  the  old- 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


305 


est  child  of  Abisha  P.  and  Fanny  L.  (Hutching) 
Sharpe,  natives  of  Connecticut,  who  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1834.  Since  that  time  they  have  been  resi- 
dents of  Pike  County,  their  property  there  embrac- 
ing 480  acres  of  valuable  land,  a  part  of  which 
Abisha  Sharpe  entered  from  the  Government,  and 
afterward  purchased  the  balance.  The  parents  of 
our  subject  are  most  estimable  people,  and  the 
father  in  his  younger  days  was  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  growth  and  progress  of  Griggsville 
Township,  where  his  farm  is  located.  The  parental 
family  consisted  of  ten  children. 

Our  subject  remained  a  member  of  the  parental 
household  until  over  twenty-nine  years  of  age,  and 
then  assumed  marital  and  domestic  ties,  taking  for 
his  wife  Miss  Eva  Chapman,  the  fourth  child  of 
Wilson  and  Alviua  (Wood)  Chapman,  who  were  na- 
tives of  South  Carolina.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  remained 
on  the  father's  farm  two  years  after  their  marriage, 
our  subject  being  engaged  in  the  raising  of  grain 
and  stock.  He  then  came  to  this  county,  and  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  wild  land  in  Sadorus  Town- 
ship, on  section  3.  His  labors,  extending  over  a 
period  of  twenty  years,  have  resulted  with  great 
credit  to  himself,  his  skill  and  industry  as  a  farmer, 
and  his  good  judgment  in  his  investments. 

In  the  meantime  the  advent  of  five  children  into 
the  family  served  to  increase  its  pleasures  with  its 
responsiblities  also.  These  are  named  respectively 
William,  Iva,  Mattie,  Julia  and  Fannie.  The  life- 
less form  of  the  first-born  was  borne  from  the  sor- 
rowing home  circle,  and  laid  to  rest  in  the  quiet 
country  burying-ground  after  he  had  brightened 
the  household  but  four  years.  Those  surviving  are 
at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharpe, 
with  their  eldest  daughter,  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 


NDREW  JACKSON  DEVORE,  one  of  the 
(s/U\\  earliest  pioneers  of  East  Bend  Township,  is 
the  oldest  one  now  living  who  came  in  at 
that  time.  In  the  storehouse  of  his  mem- 
ory are  treasured  up  hundreds  of  interesting  inci- 
dents of  pioneer  life  and  its  peculiar  experiences, 


which,  if  properly  compiled,  would  make  a  most  in- 
teresting volume.  He  came  to  this  section  when  it 
was  peopled  principally  by  wild  animals,  and  has 
seen  as  many  as  ninety-three  deer  in  a  herd  at  one 
time  roaming  over  the  then  uncultivated  prairie, 
but  which  is  now  smiling  with  fields  of  growing 
grain.  Our  subject  during  his  young  manhood  was 
a  great  hunter  and  very  lively  on  foot,  being  able 
to  travel  over  the  country  at  a  rapid  pace  and  pos- 
sessed of  great  endurance.  He  has  been  a  resident 
of  East  Bend  Township  for  a  period  of  over  thirty 
years,  and  has  noted  with  satisfaction  the  changes 
which  have  transpired  since  he  arrived  here  after 
an  overland  journey  of  ten  days,  made  with  ox- 
teams. 

Mr.  Devore  was  born  in  Owen  County,  Ind., 
April  18,  1826,  and  is  the  son  of  Nicholas  Devore, 
a  native  of  Kentucky.  His  grandfather,  Jerry  De- 
vore, whom  it  is  supposed  was  born  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, passed  the  early  years  of  his  life  in  Kentucky, 
whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Indiana  and  died  in 
Putnam  County,  that  State.  Nicholas  Devore  grew 
to  manhood  and  was  married  in  Kentucky,  and  after 
the  removal  to  Indiana  located  in  Owen  County, 
where  he  became  proprietor  of  a  large  tract  of  tim- 
ber land.  From  this  he  cleared  a  farm,  which  he 
occupied  with  his  family  until  1840,  and  then  set 
out  for  the  Prairie  State.  He  was  accompanied  by 
his  family  which,  with  the  household  goods,  were 
transported  by  means  of  two  wagons  and  four  yoke 
of  oxen.  They  carried  their  provisions  and  camped 
and  cooked  by  the  wayside.  After  reaching  Cham- 
paign County  Nicholas  Devore  made  a  claim  of 
Government  land  on  section  2,  in  what  was  then 
township  22,  range  8,  now  known  as  East  Bend 
Township.  There  was  a  small  log  cabin  near  by 
and  in  this  the  family  lived  temporarily  while  the 
father  proceeded  to  construct  a  hewed-log  house  of 
larger  dimensions. 

When  the  land  came  into  market  Mr.  D.  re- 
paired to  Danville,  secured  his  title,  and  at  once 
commenced  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  his 
property.  Chicago  at  that  time  was  the  nearest 
market  and  Bloomington  the  nearest  trading  point. 
Here  the  father  lived  and  labored  until  one  year 
before  his  death,  when  both  parents  removed  to 
McLean  County  and  died  at  the  home  of  their 


t 


306 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


daugliter,  Mrs.  Joseph  Newton,  the  father  in  1 853, 
and  the  mother  in  1862.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss  Mary  Hardsock, 
was  born  in  either  Kentucky  or  Maryland.  The 
parental  household  included  twelve  children. 

Our  subject  was  fourteen  years  old  when  the  re- 
moval was  made  to  this  State,  and  attended  all  the 
athletic  sports  of  that  day  in  the  surrounding  towns 
after  the  country  began  to  settle  up.  He  became  a 
champion  foot- racer  of  that  section,  which  position 
of  honor  he  retained  until  voluntarily  withdrawing 
from  the  field.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until 
after  his  marriage  and  then,  locating  on  a  part  of 
the  homestead,  remained  until  1852,  when  he  pur- 
chased the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies. 
It  was  new  land  at  the  time  he  took  possession, 
but  after  years  of  industrious  labor  it  has  been 
transformed  into  a  fertile  farm  with  a  good  set  of 
frame  buildings,  neat  and  substantial  fences,  and  all 
the  requirements  essential  to  the  successful  agri- 
culturist. ¥»''-te''£jJ 

I   T        1_o!j/7       '-t 


June  17,  1847,  and  they  have  been  blest  with  four 
children — Sarah,  David  A.,  William  Eldorado  and 
Mary  J.  The  parents  and  all  the  children  are  active 
members  of  the  Protestant  Methodist  Church,  and 
no  family  in  the  community  is  more  highly  re- 
spected than  that  of  Andrew  Devore.  He  is  a  thor- 
ough-bred Republican,  and  never  expects  to  be  any- 
thing else. 


\Ij  SAAC  S.  RAYMOND.  The  subject  of  the  fol- 
lowing biography  is  a  gentleman  highly  es- 
/il  teemed  in  the  farming  community  of  Ray- 
mond Township,  and  favorably  known  throughout 
Champaign  County  as  a  fair  representative  of  its 
progress  and  enterprise.  He  is  a  son  of  Nathaniel 
Raymond,  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  this  county, 
who  emigrated  from  Ohio  to  Illinois  in  1864,  be- 
fore the  organization  of  the  township  which  now 
bears  the  family  name,  given  it  in  honor  of  this 
most  estimable  man  and  citizen. 


T*'-te -JJi'  uiosu  uebuuuuiu  man  aim  cuizen. 

Mr.  Devore  was  married,  June  17,  1J&7/W  Miss   I       'Our  subject  was  born   in  Union  County,  Ohio, 


Susanna  Veatch.  She  was  born,  in 
Ind.,  Oct.  10,  1826,  and  is  the  daughter  of  James 
Veatch,  who  became  a  resident  of  Indiana  in  an 
early  day,  whence  he  removed  to  this  State  in  1837, 
and  located  two  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of 
Mahomet,  where  his  death  occurred  six  years  later. 
He  had  married  in  early  life  Miss  Barbara  Hammer, 
who  survived  him  twenty  years,  and  died  in  Ur- 
bana,  this  county,  in  1865.  The  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject was  eleven  years  of  age  when  her  father's  fam- 
ily came  to  this  State,  and  she  remained  with  her 
mother  until  her  marriage,  assisting  in  the  duties  of 
the  farm  and  household,  learning  to  spin  and  weave, 
and  becoming  an  expert  in  this  as  in  other  employ- 
ments common  to  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the 
pioneers.  She  was  naturally  of  industrious  habits, 
and  when  not  needed  at  home  would  often  earn  a 
little  "  pin  money  "  by  spinning  or  weaving  for  the 
neighbors  at  the  munificent  wages  of  seventy-five 
cents  per  week.  Calico  at  that  time  was  worth 
twenty  cents  per  yard,  and  other  "  store  goods"  in 
proportion.  Mr.  Devore  says  that  the  first  time  he 
called  upon  his  future  wife  she  wore  a  dress  of  her 
own  manufacture,  having  done  the  spinning,  weav- 
ing, cutting  and  sewing.  Their  wedding  took  place 


i.  29,  1849.  His  mother  was  formerly  Miss 
Melissa  Stewart,  of  that  State.  He  resided  with 
his  parents  in  Ohio  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  and 
since  that  time  has  been  a  resident  of  this  county. 
Here  he  completed  his  primary  education,  and 
when  the  State  University  at  Urbana  was  opened 
for  the  reception  of  students,  he  was  among  the 
first  to  enter.  After  a  thorough  course  of  three 
years  he  returned  to  the  farm  and  assisted  his  par- 
ents in  tilling  the  soil.  He  was  thus  occupied  until 
his  marriage,  in  1875.  At  that  time  he  united  his 
fortunes  with  those  of  Miss  Edith,  daughter  of  Lu- 
cius and  Lucy  Eaton,  who  were  among  the  early 
pioneers  of  Philo  Township. 

After  their  marriage,  the  young  people  located 
in  Raymond  Township  on  section  8,  upon  a  tract 
of  land  which  our  subject  had  purchased  previ- 
ously, and  which  comprised  160  acres,  partially 
improved.  He  resided  upon  and  occupied  this 
until  November,  1884,  in  the  meantime  having 
brought  the  land  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation, 
and  embellished  it  with  a  fine  set  of  farm  buildings. 
At  this  time  he  traded  farms  with  his  father  and 
now  owns  and  occupies  the  old  Raymond  home- 
stead. This  includes  360  acres  of  choice  land, 


UMMV 

OF  THE 

of  ILLWOK 


*'     J 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


309 


well  drained,  and  supplied  with  good  farm  build- 
ings. Of  late  years  he  has  given  most  of  his  at- 
tention to  the  raising  of  graded  stock. 

Two  children  came  to  bless  the  union  of  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife,  namely,  John  and  Ruth,  who  are 
still  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Raymond  is 
connected  with  the  Congregational  Church,  and  a 
lady  of  much  refinement,  greatly  respected  for  her 
personal  worth  and  kindly  disposition.  She  was 
born  in  Monmouth  County,  N.  J.,  Sept.  1,  1853, 
and  came  with  her  mother  to  Illinois  two  years 
later,  her  father  having  already  located  in  Philo 
Township,  this  county.  Her  education  was  com- 
pleted in  the  public  schools  of  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign and  the  State  University.  She  taught  a 
country  school  for  six  years,  and  afterward  pre- 
sided over  one  of  the  village  schools  at  Philo. 

Mr.  Raymond,  politically,  casts  his  vote  with  the 
Democratic  party.  He  has  served  as  School 
Trustee  in  his  township  for  a  period  of  fourteen 
years,  and  with  his  excellent  wife  takes  an  active 
interest  in  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of 
institutions  of  learning.  He  was  also  Collector  of 
the  township  four  years,  and  has  been  the  encour- 
ager  and  supporter  of  everything  pertaining  to  its 
progress  and  welfare.  The  home  of  our  subject 
and  his  family  is  the  abode  of  peace  and  refinement, 
and  they  enjoy  the  society  of  the  most  cultivated 
people  of  their  locality. 


4 


-=£^^=-#— = 

GUIS  REINHART.  This  substantial  and 
ghly  respected  German  citizen  of  Pesotum 
was  born  in  Alsace-Lorraine  in  1837,  his 
birthplace  then  being  a  Province  of  France.  He 
drew  his  first  breath  in  the  month  of  April,  and  re- 
mained in  his  native  land  until  a  boy  six  years 
of  age,  when  his  parents  resolved  to  emigrate  to 
America.  With  their  family  they  embarked  on  a 
sailing-vessel  at  Havre,  and  after  a  voyage  of 
.  several  weeks,  landed  at  New  Orleans.  Thence  they 
followed  the  river  up  to  the  city  of  Peoria,  where 
the  father  of  our  subject  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land  and  commenced  farming  after  the  primitive 
style  of  those  days.  Their  neighbors  were  neither 
numerous  nor  troublesome.  The  elder  Reinhart 


broke  the  first  sod  on  his  embryo  farm  and  pros- 
pered in  his  labors.  In  due  time  he  doubled  his 
first  purchase  and  finally  had  a  comfortable  home- 
stead, where  he  passed  his  later  years  in  peace  and 
quiet,  and  folded  his  hands  for  his  final  rest  in  1878. 
The  mother  is  now  living  with  her  son,  Anthony, 
in  Crittenden  Township,  having  arrived  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-eight  years.  She  was  a  woman 
of  splendid  constitution  and  is  still  hale  and  hearty, 
retaining  her  mental  faculties  to  a  remarkable  de- 
gree. 

Two  years  after  reaching  his  majority,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  history  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  Eisenraenger,  of  Peoria  County,  but  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  R. 
were  natives  of  the  same  Province  a's  her  husband, 
and  came  to  this  country  in  1836.  The  parents  of 
both  our  subject  and  his  wife  were  quiet,  unassum- 
ing people,  performing  faithfully  their  duties 
around  their  home  and  to  their  children,  and  were 
greatly  respected  by  their  neighbors.  When  they 
first  settled  in  Peoria  County  there  were  few  people 
around  them  and  they  may  be  properly  classed 
among  the  earliest  pioneers.  Land  at  that  time  in 
the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  a  flourishing  city  could 
be  purchased  at  $3  per  acre. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Reinhart  pursued  farm- 
ing in  Peoria  County  for  five  years.  From  there 
he  went  into  Marshall  County,  and  three  years  later 
came  to  Pesotum  Township,  this  county,  where  he 
first  purchased  eighty  acres  oji  section  24.  This  is 
now  included  in  his  present  farm.  His  course  from 
the  beginning  was  uniformly  prosperous,  and  he 
added  to  his  first  estate  until  he  became  the  owner 
of  200  acres,  all  of  which  he  has  brought  to  a  fine 
state  of  cultivation  and  supplied  with  good  build- 
ings. The  residence  is  a  two-story  frame,  finished 
lid  furnished  in  excellent  style,  and  finely  located, 
he  barn  is  a  shapely  and  substantial  structure, 
and  our  subject  has  a  good  assortment  of  the  better 
grades  of  live  stock,  including  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs. 

In  January,  1882,  Mr.  Reinhart  met  with  a  severe 
affliction  in  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  had  been  his 
affectionate  companion  for  nearly  twenty-two 
years.  The  children  born  of  this  marriage  were 
Catherine,  Peter,  Joseph,  George,  Edward,  Weudel 


f 


310 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


fj 


(now  deceased,)  Annie,  Matilda  and  Louis.  Cath- 
erine is  the  wife  of  Richard  Scott,  a  farmer  of  Crit- 
tenden  Township.  In  October,  1882,  Mr.  Reinhart 
was  married  the  second  time,  to  Mrs.  Annie  (Kob- 
ler)  Kennedy.  By  her  former  marriage  Mrs.  R. 
had  :i  daughter.  May,  who  is  still  at  home.  Mrs. 
Reinhart  is  the  daughter  of  John  Kobler,  who  was 
a  native  of  Switzerland,  and  after  emigrating  to  the 
United  States  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican 
War.  He  is  now  truly  termed  a  veteran  and  re- 
ceives a  pension  from  the  Government.  Of  the 
second  marriage  of  our  subject  there  were  born  four 
children — John,  Clara.  Emma  and  Frederick. 

Mr.  R.  has  never  troubled  himself  with  politics 
more  than  to  deposit  his  ticket  at  the  time  of  gen- 
eral elections,  and  then  he  usually  votes  for  a 
Democratic  candidate.  Both  he  and  his  excellent 
wife  are  members  of  the  German  Catholic  Church, 
and  their  home  is  the  resort  of  the  best  people  of 
the  county.  A  lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Reinhart's 
handsome  residence  is  shown  on  another  page  of 
this  work. 


AMUEL  CRAW,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Col- 
fax  Township,  is  a  member  of  the  family 
widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  section 
as  valued  factors  of  the  farming  and  busi- 
ness community.  Our  subject  is  the  owner  of  260 
acres  of  choice  land,  the  greater  part  of  which  is 
devoted  to  stock-raising.  His  residence  in  this 
county  dates  from  1857,  and  he  took  possession  of 
his  present  farm  nine  years  later.  His  birth  took 
place  in  the  State  of  Vermont,  March  4,  1836,  and 
his  parents  were  Allen  and  Lucy  (Griswold)  Craw, 
a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

The  family  came  to  Illinois  in  1837,  settling  first 
in  Greene  County,  where  Samuel  of  our  sketch 
grew  to  manhood  and  was  bred  to  farming  pur- 
suits. In  1858  he  accompanied  his  brother,  George 
B.,  to  Champaign  County,  and  purchased  160  acres 
of  land  in  Colfax  Township.  Upon  this  he  farmed 
for  two  years,  and  in  1 859  was  married  to  Miss  Eve- 
line E.  Brown,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  daughter 
of  Richard  and  Rebecca  Brown.  After  the  birth 
of  two  children  Mr.  C.  disposed  of  his  property  on 


section  24,  and  took  possession  of  his  present  home- 
stead, a  view  of  which  is  shown  in  this  connection. 
The  family  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  consists  of 
four  children — Charlie  A.,  Richard,  George  and 
Eugene.  They  attend  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
our  subject  politically  votes  with  the  Republican 
party.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity. 

When  Mr.  Craw  came  to  this  township  there  were 
only  two  houses  between  his  land  and  the  embryo 
village  of  Champaign.  He  was  the  third  settler  in 
Colfax  Township,  and  is  now  the  oldest  one  living 
of  the  pioneers.  Among  the  few  amusements  which 
the  early  settlers  engaged  in  were  the  deer  hunts, 
which  Mr.  C.  and  one  of  his  neighbors  often  en- 
gaged in,  the  latter  having  a  fine  pack  of  greyhounds 
which  gave  additional  zest  and  excitement  to  the 
chase.  Where  the  fleet-footed  tenants  of  the  wilder- 
ness used  to  roam,  the  iron  horse  now  rushes  from 
cfty  to  city,  and  the  once  untrodden  prairie  is  now 
laid  off  in  beautiful  farms  and  valuable  homesteads. 
Our  subject  has  watched  with  pride  and  satisfaction 
the  march  of  civilization  and  progress,  and  has  con- 
tributed his  full  quota  toward  bringing  about  the 
present  prosperous  condition  of  Champaign  County. 


EDWARD  STYAN,  an  enterprising  young 
farmer  of  Sadorus  Township,  has  a  fine  body 
of  land  lying  on  sections  1  and  2.  He  pos- 
sesses more  than  ordinary  intelligence  and  ability, 
and  it  is  expected  that  in  due  time  he  will  become 
one  of  the  weighty  and  influential  citizens  of  this  lo- 
cality. He  possesses  excellent  habits  and  since  start- 
ing out  in  life  for  himself  has  made  remarkably  good 
progress.  As  one  of  the  finest  representatives  of  the 
foreign' element  which  has  been  of  such  invaluable 
aid  to  this  section,  he  is  regarded  as  an  important 
factor  among  its  business  and  agricultural  interests. 
The  childhood  and  youth  of  Mr.  Styan  were 
spent  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  in  York- 
shire, England,  where  he  first  opened  his  eyes  to 
the  light  on  the  3d  of  February,  1858,  at  Park- 
house,  Newton-on-Ouse,  the  estate  of  the  Hon. 
Payan  Dawnay,  where  he  remained  until  18G2, 
when  his  father  removed  to  Beuingbrough,  under 


311    ,  , 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  same  landlord,  and  here  he  resided  until  his 
advent  to  this  county  in  1881.  Mr.  Robert  Styan 
until  his  coming  to  America,  had  always  lived  on 
the  same  estate,  and  even  his  father,  Seth  Styan, 
and  his  grandfather,  John  Styan,  lived  there  their 
entire  lives,  which  speaks  volumes  for  both  the 
tenants  and  landlord. 

Our  subject  was  the  only  child  of  Robert  and  Ann 
(Jackson)  Styau,  natives  of  the  same  Province  as 
their  son,  and  where  the  mother  passed  from  earth  in 
1858.  Six  years  later  the  father  was  a  second  time 
married,  to  Miss  Ann  Cockerill,  of  Hackness,  near 
Scarborough,  Yorkshire.  Of  this  later  union  there 
were  born  seven  children,  all  living  at  present,  and 
named  respectively,  William,  Edith  M.,  Lizzie  J., 
George  H.,  Beatrice  E.,  Robert  and  Frances  E. 
In  1882  Robert  Styan  left  England  with  his  family 
and  sailed  for  the  United  States.  He  at  once  lo- 
cated in  this  county,  and  now  lives  with  his  son, 
assisting  the  latter  in  the  lighter  labors  around  the 
farm,  and  giving  him  the  benefit  of  his  experience 
and  judgment. 

Edward  Styan  came  to  America  in  1881,  the  year 
before  his  father,  and  proceeding  westward  to  this 
State,  worked  first  on  a  farm  in  this  county,  and 
the  second  year  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  im- 
proved land,  which  constitutes  his  present  home- 
stead. It  is  located  on  sections  1  and  2,  and  bears 
fair  comparison  with  that  of  his  neighbors.  He  has 
become  thoroughly  Americanized,  keeps  himself 
well  informed  in  regard  to  current  events,  and 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


J"l  OHN  T.  J£SSE£.     This  gentleman,  who  is  a 
resident  of   Crittenden   Township,  is  a  na- 
I    tive  of  Russell   County,  Va.,  whctf-H^he  first 
'    opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  on  the  7th  of 
August,   1836.     His  parents,  Joseph  and   Cynthia 
(Smith)  Jessee,  were  natives  of  the  same  county 
and    State  as  their  son,  where  they  resided  after 
their  marriage  on  a  farm   until  the   death   of  the 
father  when  he  was  fifty-two  years  of  age.     The 
mother  is  still  living  in  her  native  county,  having 
now  arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-three 
years,  and  enjoys  remarkably  good  health  for  one 


of  her  age.  Her  mental  facilities  likewise  are 
wonderfully  preserved.  Since  her  eightieth  birth- 
day  she  has  frequently  saddled  a  horse  and  ridden 
over  the  country,  leaping  over  the  fences  as  when 
a  girl.  The  household  circle  was  completed  by 
the  birth  of  eight  children,  who  grew  to  man  and 
womanhood.  Of  these,  Tabitha  is  now  deceased ; 
Timothy  was  a  soldier  in  Co.  A,  29th  Va.  Vol.  Inf., 
C.  S.  A.,  and  in  a  skirmisli  near  Richmond  received 
a  wound  which  caused  his  death;  Mary  became  the 
wife  of  D.  Gilmore ;  Ephraim  K.  was  the  second 
sou:  Sylvesta  married  Mr.  John  Percel;  Eliza  is 
the1  wife  of  John  Browning;  Eunice  married  A. 
Smith ;  John  T.  is  our  subject. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  reared  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters  on  the  homestead,  and  after 
the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  in  1861,  became  a 
soldier  in  the  Southern  army,  enlisting  in  Co.  A, 
29th  Va.  Vol.  Inf.,  in  which  he  served  until  the 
surrender  of  Gen.  Lee.  He  participated  in  the  en- 
gagements at  Cold  Harbor,  Corinth,  Culpeper 
court-house  and  Suffolk,  Va.  Two  days  before  the 
surrender  of  Lee,  he  received  a  gunshot  wound  in 
the  right  foot  which  disabled  him  so  that  he  was 
compelled  to  use  crutches  for  three  years  after- 
ward. After  receiving  his  discharge  he  returned 
to  his  home  in  the  Old  Dominion,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1869,  and  then  came  to  Illinois,  lo- 
cating upon  the  tract  of  laud  in  Crittenden  Town- 
ship, which  constitutes  his  present  homestead. 
Here  he  has  120  acres  lying  on  section  4,  under  a 
good  state  of  cultivation,  and  supplied  with  all  the 
buildings  and  other  appliances  essential  to  a  mod- 
ern farm  estate. 

Before  coming  to  this  county  Mr.  Jessee  was  mar- 
ried, in  the  spring  of  1863,  in  Russell  County,  Va., 
to  Miss  America  E.  Bickley,  who  was  a  native  of 
that  county,  born  in  1853,  and  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Eveline  (Bartec)  Bickley.  Their  six 
living  children,  all  born  in  this  county,  are  as  fol- 
lows: Robert  L.,  Minnie  E.,  Belle,  Grace,  Clarence 
and  Nellie.  The  two  deeea^d  are  John  B.  and 
James  B. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  both  sincere  be- 
lievers in  the  Christian  religion,  and  Mrs.  Jessee  is 
a  worthy  member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr. 
Jessee  politically  supports  the  principles  of  the  ^ 


i 


312 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Democratic  party ;  has  served  as  Supervisor  of  his 
township  one  term,  and  was  School  Trustee  for  a 
period  of  six  years. 


AMES  H.  POLLOCK,  second  child  and  elder 
son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  (Morrow) 
Pollock,  was  born  in  what  is  now  Lawrence 
County,  Pa.,  Oct.  24,  1822.  His  father  was 
a  native  of  Northumberland  County,  Pa.,  and  his 
mother  of  Delaware.  After  uniting  their  fortunes 
for  life,  they  located  on  a  farm  in  Beaver,  afterward 
Lawrence  County,  Pa.,  where  they  lived  worthily 
and  faithfully  until  life's  duties  for  them  were 
ended.  Their  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and 
two  daughters. 

James  H.  of  our  sketch  spent  his  boyhood  and 
youth  on  the  homestead,  receiving  a  good  educa- 
tion, and  at  about  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  be- 
gan to  learn  the  stone-cutter's  trade,  which,  how- 
ever, he  abandoned  for  the  more  congenial  pursuits 
of  teaching  and  farming  alternately.  He  continued 
a  resident  of  his  native  State  until  October,  18G3, 
in  the  meantime  having  assumed  domestic  ties,  and 
then  with  his  wife  and  six  children  started  for  the 
West.  His  first  stopping-place  was  in  McLean 
County,  this  State,  where  he  farmed  in  Old  Town 
Township  for  about  nine  years,  and  then  removed 
to  Brown  Township,  in  this  county.  Here  he  has 
160  acres  of  improved  land  on  section  21,  besides 
village  property  in  Foosland.  His  residence  and 
farm  buildings  compare  favorably  with  those  of  his 
neighbors,  and  his  career  as  a  member  of  the  farm- 
ing community  has  been  eminently  creditable  and 
one  by  which  he  has  secured  the  respect  of  his  fel- 
low-citizens, both  on  account  of  his  industry  and 
enterprise,  and  his  excellent  personal  qualities. 

Mr.  Pollock  has  held  the  offices  of  Township 
Clerk,  Assessor,  Collector  and  Trustee.  He  is  Re- 
publican in  politics,  a  strong  temperance  man  and 
a  Prohibitionist.  In  1864  he  and  his  wife  became 
members  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  of 
which  they  have  since  remained  cheerful  and  liberal 
supporters,  interested  in  everything  pertaining  to 
the  religious  and  moral  welfare  of  the  community. 
During  their  residence  in  Pennsylvania  they  had 


been  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but  on 
removing  here  —  that  church  being  so  far  distant  — 
they  identified  themselves  with  the  Methodist  Prot- 
estant Church. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Darlington,  Beaver  Co.,  Pa.,  Oct.  31,  1850, 
was  formerly  Miss  Lyclia  M.  Phillips,  born  near 
Vershire,  Vt.,  June  25,  1831,  and  the  third  child  of 
Joseph  and  Lydia  (Davis)  Phillips,  al-o  natives  of 
the  Green  Mountain  State,  where  they  were  reared 
and  married  and  where  they  lived  until  1835. 
Thence  they  emigrated  to  what  is  now  Lawrence 
County,  Pa.,  becoming  the  parents  of  three  daugh- 
ters and  four  sons,  and  passing  to  their  final  rest  at 
the  old  homestead  in  the  Keystone  State.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pollock,  eight  in  number, 
were  named  as  follows:  David  W.,  Joseph  P., 
Samuel  II.,  Robert  M.,  Charles  K.,  Milton  D., 
Ulysses  S.  G,  and  Emma  M.  Joseph  married  Miss 
Ida  Ball,  and  is  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Foos- 
laud;  from  1882  to  the  present  he  has  officiated  as 
Postmaster  of  that  place.  Samuel  married  Miss  Jen- 
nie Carlyle,  and  Robert  married  Miss  Jennie  Maltby. 
They  also  are  residents  of  Foosland. 

In  1880  Mr.  Pollock  began  merchandising  with 
his  three  sons  —  Joseph,  Samuel  and  Robert  —  under 
the  firm  name  of  J.  H.  Pollock  &  Sons.  Since  that 
time  David  and  Milton  have  been  admitted  to  the 
firm.  They  carry  a  large  and  well-selected  stock 
of  goods  and  have  built  up  an  extensive  patronage. 
Of  late  they  have  added  grain  and  coal  and  farm 
machinery  of  all  kind. 


ATTHEW  A.  PIIILLIPPE,  an  esteemed 
farm  resident,  located  on  section  3,  Hens- 
ley  Township,  is  a  native  of  this  county, 
having  been  born  in  Condit  Township, 
April  29,  1848.  His  father,  John  Phillippe,  who  is 
now  deceased,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  in 
Wythe  County,  Jan.  13,  1821,  and  his  grandfather, 
John  Phillippe,  Sr.,  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Do- 
minion, was  born  April  22,  1779.  He  followed 
farming  pursuits  in  his  native  State  until  1832,  then 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  Illinois,  the  entire 
journey  being  made  overland  with  horse-teams. 


i 

f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-4 

313    1 


They  brought  their  household  goods  with  them  and 
camped  by  the  way.  On  arriving  in  Illinois  the 
elder  Phillippe  located  with  his  family  in  that  part 
of  Vermilion  now  included  in  Champaign  County. 
He  entered  160  acres  of  Government  laud  on  section 
32  of  what  is  now  Condit  Township,  and  erected  a 
hewed  log  house  which  is  still  standing.  Here  he 
made  his  home  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
about  1884. 

John,  Jr.,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  but  fifteen 
years  old  when  his  parents  came  to  Illinois.  He  as- 
ssisted  his  father  in  clearing  the  farm  and  remained 
under  the  home  roof  until  his  marriage.  Afterward, 
his  father  having  given  him  a  part  of  the  old  home- 
stead he  settled  upon  it, -and  with  the  exception  of 
five  years  made  it  his  residence  until  the  close  of 
his  life.  In  those  days  the  nearest  market  was 
Chicago,  whither  the  grain  and  other  produce  was 
transported  in  wagons,  which  trip  over  bad  roads 
consumed  two  weeks'  time.  In  1880  Mr.  P.  re- 
moved to  Butler  County,  Kan.,  where  for  five 
years  following  he  made  his  residence,  after  which 
he  returned  to  this  county,  and  died  in  the  city  of 
Champaign  in  1884.  His  remains  were  laid  to  rest 
in  the  cemetery  there  and  a  handsome  monument 
marks  the  spot  where  Le  was  buried.  The  widowed 
mother  still  occupies  the  old  homestead.  She  was 
formerly  Miss  Susan  J.  Busey,  and  a  native  of 
Shelby  County,  Ky.,  born  April  31,  1821.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  Mathew  E.  and  Sarah  E.  (Smiser) 
Busey  (see  sketch  of  Sanford  Busey.) 

The  parental  household  included  six  children, 
four  of  whom  are  now  living:  Mary  F.  became  the 
wife  of  Alfred  Scrogins,  and  lives  in  Logan  Coun- 
ty, this  State;  Matthew  A.  of  our  sketch  is  the 
third  child;  John  F.  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this 
work;  Nellie  F.  became  the  wife  of  George  Clev- 
inger,  and  lives  in  Butler  County,  Kan. ;  Sarah  E. 
married  Wiley  Buckles,  and  is  now  deceased ;  Me- 
lissa, Mrs.  R.  M.  Buckles,  died  in  Logan  County. 
The  father  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  to  the  support  of  which  he  con- 
tributed cheerfully  and  liberally  of  his  means  and 
influence. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  is  pleasantly  lo- 
cated, and  Mr.  P.  has  spent  much  time  in  beautify- 
ing it  with  shade  and  other  choice  trees;  he  has 


also  erected  a  good  set  of  frame  buildings.  The 
premises  in  all  respects  denote  the  thrift  and  enter- 
prise of  their  proprietor  and  indicate  the  home  of 
the  progressive  and  intelligent  modern  farmer. 
The  excellent  grades  of  farm  stock  are  well  cared 
for,  and  the  fences  and  buildings  are  kept  in  good 
repair.  Mr.  P.  has  distinguished  himself  as  an  ex- 
cellent citizen  and  a  good  business  man,  and  enjoys 
in  a  marked  degree  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
the  friends  who  have  known  him  as  a  man  prompt 
to  meet  his  obligations,  and  as  one  of  the  impor- 
tant factors  in  the  business  and  agricultural  com- 
munity. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  occurred  Dec.  1  1  , 
1871,  the  maiden  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Ida 
Simpson,  who  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ind.. 
Nov.  29,  1849.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Melinda  (Lemon)  Simpson,  who  were  natives 
respectively  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  They 
emigrated  to  this  State  in  about  1857,  and  located 
in  Hensley  Township,  where  the  father  died  Oct. 
27,  1858.  The  mother  still  survives  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Hensley  Township.  Our  subject  is  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  and  cast  his  first  Presidential  vote 
in  1868  for  U.  S.  Grant. 


;ALLACE_SILVER  is  a  well-known  and  re- 
spected citizen  of  Philo  Township.  The 
paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Joseph 
Silver  by  name,  spent  the  earlier  part  of  his  life  in 
New  Jersey,  and  from  there  removed  to  Ohio, 
where  he  carried  on  farming  in  Warren  County,  was 
uniformly  successful,  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age. 
He  married  and  reared  a  family,  and  among  the 
children  was  David,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who 
was  born  Feb.  15,  1798,  before  the  removal  to 
Ohio,  and  died  in  Warren  County,  the  latter  State, 
Nov.  10,  1875,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  He  was 
fairly  successful  as  a  farmer  and  business  man,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  local  politics.  During  the 
existence  of  the  Whig  party  he  was  one  of  its 
stanchest  supporters,  and  after  its  disbandment 
identified  himself  with  the  Republicans.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  was  Miss  Eliza  Mun- 
ger,  was  married  to  David  Silver  in  Warren  Coun- 


314 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ty,  Ohio,  June  26,  1823.  Her  birth  occurred  in 
Montgomery  County,  same  State,  Jan.  2,  1802. 
She  came  with  her  husband  to  Champaign  County) 
111.,  where  her  death  occurred  in  1863,  when  she 
was  sixty-one  years  old. 

The  parental  household  of  our  subject  included 
five  children,  four  sons  and  one  daughter;  one  of 
the  former  is  deceased.  Wallace  of  our  sketch  was 
born  May  29,  1829,  near  Springboro,  Warren  Co., 
Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated.  He  was 
first  married  in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  April  25, 
1850,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Mullen,  a  native  of  that 
county,  where  she  was  reared  by  her  parents,  who 
are  now  living  in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  By  this  union  there  were  two  chil- 
dren, Howard  and  Charles  W.  The  former  married 
Miss  Edna  Foster,  and  is  teaching  in  Springfield, 
Mo. ;  Charles  W.  is  a  resident  of  Rice  County, 
Kan.  The  boys  were  both  graduates  of  the  State 
University  at  Champaign,  and  after  the  completion 
of  their  studies  engaged  in  teaching. 

Our  subject  was  a  second  time  married,  Nov.  13, 
1866,  to  Miss  Mary  D.,  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Mary  (Morris)  Karr,  natives  of  Monmouth  County, 
N.  J.  The  wife  of  our  subject  was  also  born  there, 
where  her  father  followed  the  trade  of  a  carpenter 
until  after  the  birth  of  three  children.  The  par- 
ents then  moved  to  Burlington  County,  same  State. 
Mrs.  Silver  was  born  Oct.  15,  1832,  and  was  fifteen 
years  of  age  when  her  parents  removed  from  her 
native  State  to  Ohio.  The  father  afterward  died 
at  Miamisburg,  in  1876,  aged  eighty-five  years. 
The  mother  also  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  depart- 
ing this  life  on  the  23d  of  December,  1885,  aged 
eighty-six.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  father,  politically,  was  a 
stanch  Democrat.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject 
Mrs.  Silver  has  become  the  mother  of  one  child, 
David  A.,  who  completed  his  studies  in  the  Busi- 
ness College  at  Champaign. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  and  his  family  in- 
cludes 160  acres  of  land  on  section  3,  Philo  Town- 
ship, and  substantial  and  convenient  farm  build- 
ings. The  land  is  well  drained  and  has  been 
brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Of  late 
years  Mr.  Silver  has  given  much  attention  to 
the  breeding  of  French  draft  horses.  lie  has  been 


Assistant  Supervisor  of  Urbana  Township  for  sev- 
eral terms,  and  politically  is  a  warm  supporter  of 
the  Republican  party.  Religiously  Mrs.  Silver  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Urbana. 


OHN  SAMUEL  BUSEY, .  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  that  well-known  family  who 
were  among  the  first  citizens  and  pioneers 
of  this  county,  is  a  native  of  Shelby  County, 
Ky.,  and  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  on  the 
16th  of  April,  1827.  His  father,  Mathew  E.  Bu- 
sey,  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  from  which 
State  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky  at  an  early  day 
with  his  parents,  who  were  among  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Shelby  County. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  quite  a  youth  at 
the  time  of  the  removal.  He  developed  into  man- 
hood and  was  married  to  Miss  Sallie  Fibel,  who 
was  a  native  of  the  Blue  Grass  State  and  of  Ger- 
man parentage.  They  lived  in  Kentucky  until 
1829,  and  then  with  their  family  of  seven  children 
started  overland  for  Illinois.  Their  outfit  con- 
sisted of  two  pair  of  oxen  and  a  horse  and  cart. 
They  brought  with  them  their  household  goods 
and  lived  after  the  manner  of  the  emigrants  of 
those  days,  cooking  and  camping  by  the  way.  A 
great  part  of  the  journey  lay  through  the  wilder- 
ness, in  which  they  followed  Indian  trails.  Their 
objective  point  was  the  present  site  of  Jackson- 
ville, but  upon  landing  they  found  themselves  two 
miles  east  of  the  present  site  of  Urbana.  They 
camped  in  the  timber  and  meeting  a  man  who  had  a 
"squatter's"  claim  and  who  offered  to  sell  it  for  $600, 
Mr.  B.  offered  him  $>500  if  he  would  throw  in  what 
meat  he  had  on  hand  to  carry  him  through  the 
winter.  This  consisted  of  bacon  from  the  wild 
hogs  which  abounded  here  at  that  time.  At  first 
the  man  refused  this  offer,  but  the  morning  after 
Mr.  B.  had  hitched  up  his  teams  ready  for  start- 
ing he  came  to  him  and  accepted  the  proposition 
of  the  night  before. 

At  this  time  there  were  five  log  cabins  at  the 
grove,  which  were  all  covered  with  bark  for  the 
roofs,  and  had  puncheon  floors.  These  contained 
the  only  settlers  for  many  miles.  The  nearest 


315    '  ' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


mills  and  depot  for  supplies  were  over  the  line  in 
Indiana  and  the  journey  occupied  sixteen  days  to 
go  and  return.  Chicago  at  that  time  was  a  place  of 
no  importance,  but  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  years 
it  became  a  market  where  Mr.  Busey  and  his  neigh- 
bors disposed  of  their  grain  for  cash  or  needful 
household  and  farm  supplies.  The  corn  was 
shelled  by  hand  and  transported  to  the  market  by 
means  of  ox-teams,  which  journey  usually  con- 
sumed twenty-two  days.  After  the  land  came  into 
market  Mr.  B.  entered  1,240  acres  in  what  is  now 
Urbana  Township.  He  lived  to  see  the  county 
well  developed  and  a  town  of  upward  of  2,000  in- 
habitants within  two  miles  of  his  first  location.  He 
improved  a  large  tract  of  land  and  erected  a  good 
set  of  frame  buildings,  and  established  a  comforta- 
ble home  which  he  occupied  until  his  death,  in 
1862.  The  wife  and  mother  died  in  May,  1887, 
on  the  old  homestead,  aged  ninety-six  years. 

Mr.  Busey  of  our  sketch  was  the  seventh  child 
of  the  parental  household,  and  was  two  years  old 
when  his  parents  came  to  this  county.  He  pur- 
sued his  primary  studies  in  the  pioneer  schools, 
which  were '  carried  on  in  a  log  cabin  with  its 
puncheon  floor,  its  huge  fireplace,  and  seats  and 
desks  made  by  splitting  logs  and  turning  the  flat 
side  upward.  The  school  was  supported  by  sub- 
scription, and  in  other  respects  was  widely  differ- 
ent from  those  of  the  present  day.  When  not  in 
school  young  Busey  assisted  in  the  improvement 
and  cultivation  of  his  father's  land,  remaining  un- 
der the  home  roof  until  twenty-three  years  old,  at 
which  time  he  started  out  to  do  for  himself. 

Our  subject  had  been  reared  to  habits  of  econ- 
omy and  saved  what  he  could  of  his  modest  earn- 
ings of  *1 2  per  month.  In  due  time  he  was  able 
to  enter  fifty  acres  of  land  on  section  31  of  what  is 
now  Homer  Township.  He  erected  a  set  of  build- 
ings, improved  his  first  purchase,  and  in  due  time 
his  father  presented  him  with  160  acres  of  land. 
This  little  farm  he  occupied  for  three  years  follow- 
ing, then  sold  out  and  removed  to  Iowa,  locating 
in  Marion  County,  and  being  among  the  earliest 
settlers  of  that  region.  There  also  he  entered  a 
tract  of  Government  land,  which  he  occupied  and 
cultivated  for  eight  years  following.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Illinois,  and  traded  his  Iowa  farm  for  a 


farm  in  Urbana  Township,  this  county,  which  he 
occupied  for  ten  years,  then  sold  out  and  purchased 
his  present  homestead.  This  consists  of  160  acres, 
all  improved,  and  provided  with  a  good  set  of 
frame  buildings.  This  now  constitutes  an  ample 
and  comfortable  homestead,  under  a  good  state  of 
cultivation,  well  cared  for  and  indicating  in  all  re- 
spects the  cultivated  tastes  of  its  proprietor. 

Our  subject  was  first  married  to  Miss  Marilla 
Waterman,  who  was  born  near  Columbus,  Ohio, 
and  was  the  daughter  of  Aden  Waterman.  This 
lady  died  in  Iowa,  May  3.  1858.  The  second  wife 
of  our  subject  was  Miss  Permelia  Loudenback,  who 
was  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  also  died  at  the  home 
of  her  husband  in  Iowa.  The  present  wife  of  our 
subject  was  formerly  Miss  Phebe  Midaugh,  a 
native  of  Ohio.  Of  the  first  marriage  there  were 
four  children,  of  whom  only  two  are  living — Sarah 
F.,  Mrs.  Stickrood,  a  resident  of  Champaign,  and 
Charles  A.,  of  Missouri.  Of  the  second  marriage 
there  was  one  child,  who  is  now  deceased.  Of  the 
third  marriage  there  have  been  born  four  children 
— Mary  E.  and  Isaac,  who  died  in  infancy,  and 
Ora  and  George,  at  home.  Our  subject  is  Demo- 
cratic in  politics,  but  beyond  casting  his  vote  does 
not  meddle  much  with  political  affairs,  preferring 
the  more  peaceful  pursuits  of  the  farm,  to  which  he 
gives  the  greater  part  of  his  time  and  attention. 


PIC  HARD  B.  VAIL.  The  homestead  of  this 
— .  successful  farmer  and  stock-breeder  of 
ft  Philo  Township,  is  pleasantly  located  on 
^H  section  21.  Here  he  has  eighty  acres  of 
finely  cultivated  land,  upon  which  he  settled  in  the 
spring  of  1886,  and  to  which  he  removed  from 
Crittenden  Township,  where  he  owned  100  acres. 
He  is  a  native  of  Hancock  County,  Ohio,  and  was 
born  March  16,  1849.  His  father,  Isaac  Vail,  also 
a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  was  a  tanner  by 
trade,  and  married  Miss  Julia  A.  Richards,  a  native 
of  Ohio,  and  of  German  ancestry.  The  Vails 
originated  in  Scotland. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Jonathan  Vail, 
was  sixteen  years  old  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  and  before  its  close  he  was 


316 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


seen  carrying  :i  musket  to  shoot  the  British  with, 
whom  he  disliked  as  cordially  as  any  native  Ameri- 
can. Besides  himself  his  four  brothers  at  the  same 
time  were  engaged  in  assisting  the  Colonists  to 
maintain  their  independence.  At  the  second  out- 
break in  1812,  although  then  too  old  for  fighting  in 
the  field,  he  aided  the  cause  of  liberty  by  his  voice 
and  influence  whenever  opportunity  occurred.  After 
his  retirement  from  military  service  he  removed  to 
Coshocton  County,  Ohio,  where  he  died  at  a  ripe 
old  age.  The  maiden  name  of  the  grandmother 
was  Miss  Polly  Rendfrew.  She  also  lived  to  be 
quite  aged,  and  died  in  Ohio. 

Their  son  Isaac,  the  father  of  our  subject,  pos- 
sessed in  a  marked  degree  the  substantial  qualities 
of  his  parents,  and  upon  reaching  manhood  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Julia  A.  Richards. 
He  had  served  an  apprenticeship  to  the  tanner's 
trade,  at  which  he  was  employed  until  fetf.t^.-iyears 
of  age,  and  then,  in  company  with  fifty  .well' .disci- 
plined men,  Capt.  Carlin,  of  Fiadlay,  P^to^Sft^t^p.. 
head,  set  out  with  teams  and  provisions  to  cross  the 
plains.  They  left  Independence,  Mo.,  in  1849,  and 
pursued  their  course  toward  the  setting  sun  until 
they  arrived  in  Sacramento,  Cal.  The  journey 
consumed  four  months'  time.  Mr.  Vail  located  in 
the  Sacramento  Valley  on  the  river  of  that  name, 
and  for  three  years  following  engaged  in  cutting 
and  selling  grass  and  hay.  At  the  expiration  of 
this  time  he  returned  to  Ohio,  and  locating  in  Put- 
nam County  engaged  in  farming.  He  is  still  living 
there  with  his  aged  wife,  being  about  seventy-eight 
years  of  age,  and  the  mother  seventy-five.  He 
has  adhered  tenaciously  to  Democratic  principles 
and  held  various  offices  in  his  county  and  township. 
Both  he  and  his  aged  partner  united  with  the 
Methodist  Church  over  fifty  years  ago,  and  have 
lived  together  as  husband  and  wife  in  peace  and 
harmony  for  a  period  of  fifty-five  years. 

Richard  B.  Vail  was  the  third  son  and  seventh 
child  in  a  family  of  four  sons  and  six  daughters. 
He  received  a  fair  education  in  the  primitive  schools 
of  his  native  county,  where  he  spent  his  boyhood 
and  youth.  His  first  trip  to  Illinois  was  made  in 
1867,  and  he  spent  three  years  in  Champaign,  De 
Witt  and  Piatt  Counties.  He  then  returned  to  the 
old  homestead,  and  was  married  in  his  native  town 


on  the  1st  of  October,  1872,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Burt, 
of  Coshocton  County,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Vail  was  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  II.  and  Mary  L.  (Chapin)  Burt, 
and  was  born  Dec.  8,  1851.  Her  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  and  the  mother  of  Massachu- 
setts. They  emigrated  to  Ohio  in  their  youth,  and 
were  there  married,  subsequently  locating  on  a 
farm  in  Coshocton  County.  Besides  his  agricultural 
operations,  Mr.  Burt  was  quite  extensively  engaged 
in  the  coal  business,  which  for  a  period  of  several 
years  yielded  him  a  handsome  income.  He  was  cut 
down  in  the  prime  of  life,  dying  when  thirty-eight 
years  of  age,  in  1869.  The  mother  is  yet  living 
and  engaged  as  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of 
Peoria.  Although  fifty-five  years  of  age  she  re- 
tains her  mental  faculties  as  brightly  as  ever,  and 
in  the  duties  of  her  profession  is  remarkably  effic- 
ient and  popular.  Mrs.  Vail  of  our  sketch,  after 
receiving  her  education,  also  engaged  as  a  teacher 
in  Putnam  County  some  time  before  her  marriage, 
her  union  with  our  subject  there  have  been 
born  four  children — Isaac  B.,  Lenora  A.,  Julia  and 
Richard  W.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  V.  are  prominently 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  our  subject,  politically,  votes  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 


eURTIS  E.  PERCIVAL,  a  promising  young 
farmer  of  Philo  Township,  is  pleasantly  lo- 
cated on  sections  5  and  6,  where  he  has  120 
acres,  fairly  well  improved,  and  where  he  is  mak- 
ing arrangements  to  add  still  further  to  its  beauty 
and  value.  He  is  a  native  of  Urbana  Township, 
this  county,  and  was  born  on  his  father's  old  home- 
stead Feb.  29,  1856.  He  began  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  and  completed  his  studies  at  the 
University  in  Champaign,  where  he  took  a  three 
years'  course.  His  father,  S.  P.  Percival,  a  resi- 
dent of  Champaign  Township,  is  widely  and  favora- 
bly known  as  a  representative  citizen  and  business 
man,  fully  entitled  to  the  position  which  he  holds 
in  the  esteem  of  his  community. 

After  our  subject  had  completed  three  years  at 
the  University  he  became  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools,  which  profession  he  followed  for  several 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


319 


years.  He  was  married,  March  30,  1881,  at  the 
residence  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Dunlap,  Peoria 
County,  to  Miss  Helen,  daughter  of  Burley  and 
Sylvia  (Pride)  Dunlap,  natives  of  New  York  State, 
and  both  born  in  Sandy  Creek,  Oswego  County, 
where  they  were  reared,  and  whence  they  removed 
to  Peoria  County  before  their  marriage.  Their 
union  took  place  in  the  latter  county,  and  Mr. 
Dunlap  carried  on  farming  until  the  death  of  the 
mother  in  1873.  Mr.  D.,  who  is  now  fifty-seven 
years  of  age,  is  a  resident  of  Dunlap. 

Mrs.  Percival  was  the  eldest  child  of  her  parents. 
She  was  educated  in  her  native  county  and  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  parental  household  until 
her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there 
were  born  two  children — Avis  H.  and  one  deceased. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  soon  after  their  marriage  located 
upon  their  present  farm,  which  our  subject  pur- 
chased after  reaching  his  majority.  They  enjoy 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances,  and  are  members  in 
good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
of  which  Mr.  P.  is  Steward,  Trustee  and  Class- 
Leader.  He  is  also  School  Director.  Politically 
he  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Prohibition  principles. 
He  wag  nominated  as  County  Clerk  in  1886,  re- 
ceiving the  full  vote  of  his  party  ticket. 


AMES  S.  HANNAH,  Justice  of  the  Peace  of 
Newcomb  Township,  is  the  proprietor  of  a 
snug  homestead  on  section  34,  which  he  op- 
erates successfully  in  connection  with  his  of- 
ficial duties.  He  is  practically  what  may  be  termed 
a  self-made  man,  starting  out  in  life  with  little  save 
his  resolute  will  and  willing  hands.  He  has  been  a 
resident  of  Champaign  County  since  the  fall  of 
1851,  when  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Newcomb 
Township,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  a  man 
of  note  in  his  township,  in  which  he  has  exerted  a 
healthy  influence  since  his  residence  here,  being  the 
encouragcr  of  every  enterprise  calculated  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  the  people.  His  farm  com- 
prises 300  acres  of  finely  improved  land,  with  a 
handsome  and  substantial  dwelling,  whose  inmates 


are  surrounded  by  the  comforts  and  refinements  of 
modern  life. 

'Squire  Hannah  is  the  son  of  David  and  Jane 
(Smith)  Hannah,  who  were  of  English  and  Irish 
descent,  and  were  married  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio, 
where  they  located  soon  afterward.  From  there 
they  removed  to  Logan  County,  where  they  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Of  their  ten  children, 
James  8.  of  our  sketch  was  the  third  in  order  of 
birth.  He  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in 
Clarke  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  18,  1817.  He  was 
reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  has  followed  agri- 
cultural pursuits  all  his  life.  He  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
then  married,  and  located  first  in  Logan  County, 
Ohio,  whence  he  removed,  as  "we  have  said,  to  this 
county.  Mrs.  Hannah,  who  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Sina  J.  Banes,  was  the  daughter  of  Ga- 
briel H.  and  Sallie  (McKinnon)  Banes.  Her  par- 
ents located  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  at  an  early 
period  in  the  history  of  that  region,  and  afterward 
removed  to  Logan  County  and  then  to  Champaign, 
where  the  father  died.  The  mother  is  still  living, 
having  arrived  at  an  advanced  age,  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Newcomb  Township,  this  county.  Mrs. 
Hannah  was  born  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  12, 
1826.  She  became  the  wife  of  our  subject  April 
13,  1844,  and  departed  this  life  at  her  home  in 
Newcomb  Township,  April  10,  1879. 

The  ten  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hannah  are  re- 
corded as  follows:  Sarah  J.  died  in  infancy; 
Nancy  H.  is  the  wife  of  C.  E.Wright,  of  Newcomb 
Township;  Mary  A.  married  George  Wyant,  of 
this  county ;  Joseph  Vf,  married  Miss  Sarah  Lyons, 
and  is  a  resident  of  Seward  County,  Neb. ;  Martha 
W.,  Mrs.  Henry  J.  Caldwell,  is  a  resident  of  Piatt 
County,  111. ;  Gabriella  married  J.  W.  Morris,  of 
Seward  County,  Neb. ;  Maria  B.,  Mrs.  J.  Tucker, 
and  Emma,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Lyons,  are  residents  of 
Newcomb  Township;  Abraham  L.  and  John  are  at 
home. 

Mr.  Hannah  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  and  has  held  the  offices 
of  School  Treasurer  and  Collector.  Everybody 
knows  'Squire  Hannah,  and  he  is  probably  the  most 
popular  man  in  his  township.  Politically  he  is  a 
strong  Republican,  and  religiously  is  a  member  in 


CHAMPAION  COUNTY. 


good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
with  which  his  wife  was  also  connected.  His  career 
through  life  has  been  one  well  worthy  of  imita- 
tion by  the  [ambitious  youth  of  the  present  day. 
and  a  forciblejllustration  of  what  may  be  accom- 
plished by  an  honorable  and  upright  course  of 
action,  and  steady  perseverance  in  the  effort  to  ob- 
tain a  good  position,  both  in  the  business  world 
and  society  at  large. 

The  portrait  of  Mr.'. Hannah,  which  is  presented 
in  this  connection,  will  be  looked  upon  with  pleas- 
ure by  his  many  friends  and  associates,  who  have 
seen  in  him  at  all  times  a  man  who  has  striven 
to  uphold  the  right,  and  to  better  the  condition  of 
his  fellow-men. 


ENJAMIN  F.  MERRY,  deceased.  There 
are  few  permanent  residents  of  Pesotum 
Township  to  whom  the  name  of  this  pio- 
neer settler  is  not  familiar,  and  none  name 
him  but  to  praise.  His  character  was  that  of  a  man 
noble  in  his  impulses,  enterprising  and  industrious, 
and  as  jealous  of  the  reputation  of  his  township  and 
its  interests  as  he  was  of  his  own  and  that  of  his 
family.  From  the  time  of  coming  to  this  locality, 
over  thirty  years  ago,  he  was  identified  with  its  in- 
terests, and  to  him  it  has  been  in  a  large  measure 
indebted  for  some  of  its  best  features,  as  indicated 
in  the  homesteads  around  that  which  he  built  up, 
and  whose  proprietors  had  profited  by  his  own  ex- 
ample of  thrift  and  industry.  Both  socially  and  in 
a  business  sense  he  was  the  same,  a  model  of  integ- 
rity and  sterling  worth,  one  who  could  be  relied 
upon,  and  whose  judgment  it  was  safe  to  follow. 

Mr.  Merry  was  a  native  of  Montgomery  County, 
N.  Y.,  born  April  14,  1831,  and  departed  this  life 
at  his  home  in  Pesotum  Township,  Dec.  3,  1870. 
He  was  the  eleventh  child  of  Jirah  and  Hannah 
(Jones)  Merry,  natives  of  Connecticut,  who  became 
residents  of  the  Empire  State.  Their  son  Benja- 
min remained  under  the  home  roof,  where  he  was 
taught  filial  obedience,  and  those  principles  which 
formed  the  basis  of  his  character  in  later  years.  He 
was  trained  to  habits  of  industry  and  economy,  and 


early  in  life  learned  to  depend  upon  himself.  When 
eighteen  years  of  age  he  had  already  formed  his 
plans  for  the  future,  the  first  important  step  being  his 
marriage.  This  took  place  on  the  3d  of  October, 
1841),  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Catherine, 
daughter  of  Harvey  and  Sallie  (Merry)  Norton, 
natives  of  New  York.  After  this  event  Mr.  Merry 
remained  four  years  in  his  native  State,  where  he 
owned  and  operated  a  farm  of  135  acres,  in  con- 
nection with  his  brother,  James  M.  In  1853  he 
sold  out  his  interest  in  the  property  to  his  brother, 
and  removed  to  Geauga  County,  Ohio.  His  brother 
in  the  meantime  had  sold  the  farm  which  they 
owned  together,  and  followed  Benjamin  F.  to 
Ohio,  but  died  soon  after  his  arrival.  Our  subject 
engaged  in  dairying  for  two  years,  manufacturing 
cheese  for  the  trade  in  the  surrounding  country. 

In  1855  Mr.  Merry  resolved  to  migrate  further 
West,  and  coming  to  this  county  rented  a  tract  of 
land  known  as  the  University  Farm.  The  same 
year  he  purchased  102  acres  on  section  12,  in  Peso- 
tum Township,  moving  upon  it  the  following 
spring,  where  he  labored  for  ten  years  following, 
brought  the  land  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation 
and  put  up  a  set  of  substantial  buildings,  then, 
selling  his  farm  at  a  good  price,  he  purchased  the 
quarter  section  which  now  constitutes  the  home- 
stead of  his  widow  and  the  children  who  remain 
with  her. 

The  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merry  consisted  of 
two  daughters  and  a  son,  namely,  Cyrena  E.,  Ma- 
tilda and  Charles  D.  The  eldest  daughter,  Cyrena, 
married  Shadrack  II.  Brown,  who  owns  and  oper- 
ates eighty  acres  adjoining  the  Merry  homestead, 
but  lives  on  the  latter;  Matilda  is  the  wife  of  Eg- 
bert P.  Little,  proprietor  of  a  farm  of  ninety-four 
acres  in  Crittenden  Township;  Charles  D.  married 
Miss  Eva,  daughter  of  Willis  Stone  of  Tolono,  and 
cultivates  the  east  eighty  acres  of  the  homestead, 
and  forty  acres  adjoining,  which  his  mother  pur- 
chased since  the  death  of  her  husband.  He  has  put 
up  a  tasteful  residence  near  his  mother's  home,  and 
is  considered  one  of  the  promising  young  citizens 
of  Pesotum  Township. 

Mr.  Merry  had  never  identified  himself  with 
any  church  organization,  but  was  preparing  to  unite 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  the  time  of  his 

*-• 


-4 

321    i  i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1 


death.  He  was  Democratic  in  his  political  views, 
and  occupied  the  various  offices  of  his  township, 
representing  it  in  the  Board  of  Supervisors  two  or 
three  terms,  and  serving  as  School  Trustee,  Di- 
rector and  Road  Commissioner.  His  whole  course 
in  life  was  one  which  commends  itself  to  the  young 
men  of  to-day,  and  he  has  left  a  record  which  is 
viewed  with  pride  by  the  bereaved  wtfe  and  chil- 
dren. Mrs.  Merry  in  1870  identified  herself  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Tolono,  and  presents 
the  example  of  a  consistent  Christian.  In  assuming 
the  management  of  her  husband's  affairs  she  has 
displayed  excellent  judgment,  and  is  the  safe  ad- 
viser of  her  sons,  who  bid  fair  to  emulate  the 
virtues  of  their  father  and  to  preserve  his  memory 
with  credit  and  honor. 


R.  JAMES  M.  BARTHOLOW  located  in 
Philo  in  1869,  and  by  his  skill  as  a  practi- 
tioner and  integrity  as  a  citizen,  has  built 
u pa  large  and  profitable  patronage.  He  is  an 
extensive  reader,  a  close  student,  and  applies  him- 
self conscientiously  to  the  duties  of  his  profession. 
He  is  also  one  of  the  substantial  property  holders 
of  the  village,  and  the  possessor  of  a  fine  farm  of 
120  acres  in  Philo  Township,  the  cultivation  of 
which  he  superintends  in  a  successful  manner. 

Dr.  Bartholow  is  the  second  son  and  child  of  his 
parents,  whose  household  included  four  children, 
one  of  whom,  a  daughter,  died  in  infancy.  Of  the 
three  sons  living,  E.  C.,  the  eldest,  is  a  practicing 
physician  of  Mahomet,  this  county,  and  the  young- 
est, John  H.,  is  one  of  the  leading  druggists  of  Mans- 
field, Piatt  County.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Uh- 
richsville,  Ohio,  Feb.  18,  1847.  His  childhood  and 
youth  were  spent  under  the  parental  roof,  his  early 
education  in  the  meantime  being  conducted  in  the 
public  schools.  Later  he  entered  Wesleyan  State 
University  at  Bloomington,  111.  The  war  breaking 
out  about  this  time  he  responded  to  the  call  for 
three-months'  men,  and  at  the  expiration  of  this 
time  enlisted  for  the  three  years'  service  in  Co.  G, 
94th  111.  Vol.  Inf. 

Young  Bartholow  served  out  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment and  then  veteranized,  and  was  transferred 


to  the  37th  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he  re- 
mained until  his  honorable  discharge  in  the  begin- 
ning of  1 866.  He  had  seen  much  hard  service  but 
fortunately  escaped  gunshot  wounds  and  imprison- 
ment, although  he  was  seriously  injured  by  a  log 
accidentally  being  thrown  upon  him  at  the  battle 
of  Five-Mile  Creek.  While  in  the  army  he  im- 
proved his  leisure  moments  in  reading  medicine, 
and  after  his  retirement  to  civil  life  entered  Rush 
Medical  College  at  Chicago,  where  he  took  a  thor- 
ough course  and  graduated  with  honors  in  the  class 
of  1866.  He  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion at  Lincoln,  111.,  and  soon  became  distinguished 
as  a  skillful  surgeon  for  many  miles  along  the  dif- 
ferent railroad  lines  in  that  vicinity.  After  a  resi- 
dence, of  eighteen  months  at  Lincoln  he  had  a  good 
opportunity  to  purchase  the  practice  of  Dr.  Hill,  an 
old  and  reputable  physician  of  Philo,  and  soon  suc- 
ceeded to  his  large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  ar- 
rived in  this  place  at  evening  and  the  following 
day  earned  $45  at  his  profession.  His  success 
since  that  time  speaks  well  for  him  as  a  practi- 
tioner. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Rev.  Benjamin  Bar- 
tholow, was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  of  Scottish  ances- 
try. He  was  an  active  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  fora  period  of  forty  years,  thirty- 
two  of  which  were  spent  in  the  Central  Illinois 
Conference.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  abilities  and  ex- 
erted a  wide  influence  for  good  in  whatever  direc- 
tion his  duty  lay.  He  was  possessed  of  sound  judg- 
ment and  fluent  speech,  and  performed  a  great 
work  in  establishing  and  maintaining  Church  so- 
cieties. His  first  charge  was  at  Lytleville,  which 
before  the  days  of  railroads  was  a  promising  town 
of  McLean  County,  this  State,  but  which  is  now  • 
practically  extinct.  The  associate  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Bartholow  was  James  Shaw,  the  well-known  author. 

On  the  16th  of  February,  1885,  while  at  the 
home  of  his  son,  our  subject,  in  Philo,  Rev.  Benja- 
min Bartholow  departed  this  life  at  the  age  of 
sixtv-two,  and  went  to  receive  the  reward  of  the 
faithful.  There  are  in  the  museum  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  various  interesting  relics  formerly  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  Bartholow  family,  and  which  were 
brought  from  England  by  some  of  its  first  repre- 
sentatives in  this  country  over  250  years  ago.  The 


f 


322 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


parents  of  our  subject  were  reared  and  married  in 
Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio,  the  mother  having  been 
Miss  Mary  Heller,  whose  father  and  mother  were 
of  German  and  English  descent  respectively.  She 
was  carefully  trained  and  well  educated  by  her  par- 
ents, remaining  with  them  until  her  marriage,  and, 
with  her  husband,  experienced  bravely  and  pa- 
tiently the  vicissitudes  of  itinerant  life.  She  passed 
away  one  year  before  his  death  at  her  home  in  Ur- 
bana,  March  18,  1884,  leaving  behind  her  a  record 
of  womanly  virtues  and  a  host  of  friends  to  mourn 
their  loss. 

Dr.  Bartholow  of  our  sketch  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Florence  Ford  at  Mason  City,  111.. 
Feb.  29,  1867.  Mrs.  B.  was  born  and  reared  near 
Lafayette,  Ind.,  and  came  to  Illinois  when  a  young 
woman  some  time  before  her  marriage.  Her  fa- 
ther, who  was  formerly  a  grain  merchant  and  stock 
dealer,  is  now  retired  from  active  business  and  a 
resident  of  Normal,  111.,  superintending  the  educa- 
tion of  the  younger  members  of  the  family.  The 
mother  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Elizabeth 
Eothrock,  of  Lafayette,  Ind.  Mrs.  B.  received  a 
good  education,  and  for  several  years  before  her 
marriage  was  employed  as  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools.  Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there 
have  been  born  two  children:  Otho  F.  will  soon 
graduate  from  the  State  University  with  the  title 
of  Doctor  of  Philosophy,  and  he  is  now  known  as 
one  of  the  most  efficient  teachers.  of  Champaign 
County  ;  the  daughter,  Mary  Hortensia,  is  at  home 
with  her  parents.  Our  subject  and  his  family  are 
members  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  politically  the  Doctor  uniformly 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


7 


|)ILLIAM  QUINLAN,  Assessor  of  Critten- 
den  Township,  is  also  one  of  its  most  high- 
ly respected  citizens,  and  carries  on  a  farm 
of  120  acres,  which  is  pleasantly  located  on  section 
20.  He  was  born  near  Covington,  Ky.,  March  15, 
1856,  and  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  Quin- 
lan,  who  soon  after  his  birth  emigrated  from  their 
native  State  to  Illinois  and  located  in  Peoria,  where 
the  childhood  of  the  latter  wns  principally  spent. 


Twelve  years  later  the  family  came  to  this  county, 
and  located  in  Crittenden  Township,  of  which  our 
subject  has  been  a  resident  since  that  time. 

William  Quinlan  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation, and  assisted  his  father  in  tilling  the  soil  of 
the  home  farm  until  1879.  He  was  then  united  in 
marriage  with  the  maiden  of  his  choice,  Miss  Mar3r 
A.,  daughter  of  James  and  Ellen  Ryan,  and  who 
was  born  in  Ohio,  in  October,  1855.  After  their 
marriage  the  young  people  settled  upon  the  farm 
which  constitutes  their  present  homestead.  Their 
family  consists  of  four  children — Maggie,  John, 
James  and  Ellen. 

Although  Democratic  in  politics  Mr.  Q.  does  not 
confine  himself  strictly  to  his  party,  but  supports 
the  candidate  who  in  his  estimation  is  best  fitted  for 
office.  He  possesses  good  judgment,  both  in  polit- 
ical and  business  affairs,  and  has  been  connected 
with  the  School  Board  of  his  township  for  several 
terms.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quinlan  are  both  prominent 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church  at  Tolono. 


ENRY  PUTNAM.  The  gentleman  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch  is 
one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Condit  Town- 
ship, and  located  on  section  33,  on  the  land 
which  by  his  industry  and  enterprise  has  been 
transformed  into  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  Cham- 
paign County.  It  lies  on  a  pleasant  ridge  drained 
partly  by  the  Vermilion  and  partly  by  the  San- 
gamon  Rivers,  and  attracts  the  attention  of  the 
passing  traveler  on  account  of  its  neat  fences 
and  fields,  its  shapeby  and  substantial  buildings, 
its  general  air  of  thrift  a,nd  prosperity,  and  the 
evidence  of  cultivated  tastes  and  ample  means. 
Mr.  Putnam  is  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
progressive  men  of  his  community,  always  in- 
terested in  whatever  pertains  to  its  welfare  and  ad- 
vancement, morally,  intellectually  and  religiously. 
He  has  been  the  encourager  and  supporter  of  edu- 
cational institutions,  and  an  honored  Elder  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  since  1868. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Jersey  Township, 
Licking  Co..  Ohio,  born  Aug.  13,  1832,  and  the  son 
of  Charles  Putnam,  born  in  Marietta,  Ohio.  His 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


323 


grandfather,  David  Putnam,  was  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, and  the  grandson  of  Israel  Putnam,  of 
Revolutionary  fame,  whose  name  is  perpetuated  in 
history.  The  paternal  grandfather,  of  our  subject 
removed  to  the  Northwest  Territory  in  about  1798, 
and  located  on  the  present  site  of  the  city  of 
Marietta,  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  that  region. 
He  was  a  lawyer  by  profession  and  soon  after  his 
removal  to  what  was  afterward  the  State  of  Ohio, 
accepted  the  position  of  Agent  of  the  Ohio  Land 
Company,  which  he  held  until  withdrawing  from 
active  business.  His  death  took  place  in  Marietta 
in  about  1860. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  who  had  been  care- 
fully reared  under  the  home  roof,  united  with  the 
church  when  quite  young  and  became  a  minister  of 
the  Presbyterian  faith.  His  first  and  only  charge 
was  the  church  of  Jersey,  Ohio,  of  which  he  re- 
mained pastor  for  a  period  of  nearly  forty  years. 
He  only  survived  his  father  eight  years,  dying  in 
18G8.  He  had  married  in  early  life  Miss  Abbie 
Edgerton,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  the  daughter 
of  Luther  Edgerton,  of  New  England.  She  de- 
parted this  life  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  eleven  years 
after  the  death  of  her  husband,  in  1879.  Of  the 
nine  children  comprising  the  parental  household, 
six  are  yet  living:  Henry  of  our  sketch  was  the 
eldest  born;  Luther;  Lydia  and  David  are  resi- 
dents of  Columbus,  Ohio;  Douglas  lives  in  Spring- 
field, Mo.,  and  Howard  in  Colorado. 

Henry  Putnam  of  our  sketch  attended  school 
quite  steadily  until  reaching  manhood  and  acquired 
a  good  education  for  those  days.  He  then  com- 
menced teaching,  in  which  he  was  occupied  during 
the  seven  winters  following,  and  in  the  summer 
season  was  employed  in  fanning.  He  remained  a 
resident  of  Ohio  until  the  fall  of  1856,  when  he 
was  married,  and,  accompanied  by  his  bride,  came  to 
this  county  and  located  on  their  present  homestead. 
The  land  was  almost  uncultivated  at  that  time,  but 
under  his  excellent  management,  as  we  have  said, 
has  been  transformed  into  one  of  the  finest  country 
estates  in  this  section.  He  was  prospered  from  the 
start  and  added  to  his  first  purchase  until  he  now 
has  440  acres,  all  under  cultivation,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  fifty  acres  in  timber  and  pasture. 

Mr.  Putnam  was  married,  Sept.  10,  l«5G,to  Miss 


Phebe  Coudit.  a  native  of  the  same  township  as 
her  husband,  and  the  daughter  of  Wyckliff  and 
Nancj'  (Mingis)  Condit,  natives  of  New  Jersey, 
who  afterward  became  residents  of  Licking  County, 
Ohio,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 
The  union  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  was  blest  by 
the  birth  of  five  children,  all  living  bat  one,  namely, 
Alice  C.,  Julia  C.,  C.  Wyckliff  and  J.  Willett.  Mr. 
Putnam  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  with  his  wife 
a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


^fl  OSEPH  ALLEN,  Assessor  and  Collector  of 
Hensley  Township,  owns  and  occupies  a  com- 
fortable homestead  on  section  27.  His  birth- 
place was  Fleming  County,  Ky.,  and  the 
date  thereof,  June  21, 1829.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry 
Allen,  a  native  of  the  same  State.  His  grandfather, 
Joseph  Allen,  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  native  of 
New  England.  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  after  its  close  removed  to  Kentucky, 
being  among  the1  earliest  settlers  of  the  Blue  Grass 
region.  He  was  well  educated  for  those  days  and 
while  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  employed 
the  winter  seasons  in  teaching  school.  His  death 
took  place  in  Kentucky. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  reared  in  hjs  na- 
tive State,  and  after  reaching  manhood  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Elizabeth  Sullivan,  Of  the 
same  locality.  He  was  a  natural  mechanic  and 
readily  became  master  of  his  trade  as  millwright, 
while  also  employed  at  cabinet- making.  He  died 
in  Fleming  County,  Ky.,  leaving  a  widow  and  ten 
children.  The  mother  kept  the  remainder  of  her 
family  together  in  Kentucky  where  she  rented  land 
until  1852.  In  that  year  she  removed  north  to 
Indiana,  settling  in  Montgomery  County,  which  re- 
mained her  home  for  the  following  ten  years.  She 
then  came  to  Illinois.  The  removal  from  Indiana 
to  this  county  was  made  overland  with  wagons. 
Mrs.  Allen  settled  with  her  little  family  in  Hensley 
Township,  and  lived  to  see  her  children  established 
in  comfortable  homes  of  their  own.  She  died  there 
in  about  1882. 

After  coming  to  Hensley  Township  our  subject 
commenced  his  career  as  an  independent  farmer  on 


M 


f 


t 


324 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


rented  land.  In  1867  he  made  his  first  purchase  of 
land,  including  eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm. 
To  this  he  has  added  from  time  to  time  until  he  is 
now  the  possessor  of  280  acres,  finely  improved  and 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  This  is  embel- 
lished with  a  convenient  set  of  farm  buildings  and 
his  family  and  domestic  ties  are  all  that  could  be 
desired. 

The  marriage  of  Joseph  Allen  and  Miss  Annie 
Baker,  was  celebrated  Dec.  19,  1867.  Mrs.  A.  was 
born  in  Mason  County,  Ky.,  in  February,  1843. 
Her  father  was  Hiram,  and  her  mother,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet (VanBuskirk)  Baker,  both  of  whom  it  is  be- 
lieved were  natives  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Baker  died 
in  Mason  County,  Ky.,  in  1847.  The  wife  of  our 
subject  was  reared  in  her  native  county,  whence  she 
came  to  Illinois,  and  located  in  Champaign  County 
in  1866.  Here  her  mother  joined  her  a  few  years 
later,  and  departed  this  life  in  1882.  The  five 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  are  Maggie  E.,  Cora 
A.,  Charles  M.,  Mary  M.  and  Lulu  M.  Our  sub- 
ject is  Republican  in  politics,  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church. 


ell.  WYMANN.  Lying  on  .section  19  in  Philo 
Township,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  farms 
of  that  locality,  the  cultivation  of  which  has 
been  superintended  for  many  years  by  the  subject 
of  our  sketch.  He  comes  of  excellent  German  an- 
cestry, and  is  a  fine  representative  of  that  reliable 
element  to  which  the  West  is  so  largely  indebted 
for  its  development  and  progress.  All  over  the 
fair  prairies  of  Illinois  are  scattered  the  substantial 
homesteads  of  the  men  who  mostly  in  their  youth 
left  their  native  land  to  seek  their  fortunes  in 
the  New  World.  Among  these  was  Mr.  Wymaun, 
who  was  born  in  Edenkoben,  Germany,  June  10, 
1838.  His  father,  Dr.  Charles  Wymann,  is  now  a 
resident  of  Landau,  Bavaria,  where  he  is  still  practic- 
ing his  profession,  in  which  he  has  been  remarkably 
skillful.  He  is  now  seventy-five  years  of  age,  but 
through  life  has  followed  those  habits  that  have 
lengthened  his  days  and  preserved  his  health  and 
strength  beyond  the  usual  threescore  years  and  ten. 


The  mother  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss  Car- 
oline Kline,  a  native  of  the  same  Province  as  the 
father  and  son,  where  she  died  in  about  1881,  when 
sixty-three  years  old.  The  family  is  of  pure  Ger- 
man stock,  possessing  the  best  elements  of  their 
race. 

The  parental  family  of  our  subject  included 
four  children,  of  whom  he  was  the  only  son.  His 
eldest  sister,  Matilda,  became  the  wife  of  F.  M. 
Bowman,  a  Government  official  in  the  Postal  Depart- 
ment at  Munich;  Minnie  married  Jasper  Manlove, 
editor  of  the  Air-Line  Neivs  at  Kirklin,  Ind. ;  Emily 
is  the  wife  of  a  Government  official  in  the  Postal 
Department  of  Bavaria,  and  located  at  Landau. 
Our  subject  lived  at  home  until  fourteen  years  of 
age,  completing  his  studies  in  the  college  at  Eden- 
koben, where  he  graduated  with  a  good  knowledge 
of  his  mother  tongue. 

Soon  afterward,  in  1852,  in  company  with  friends, 
Mr.  Wymann  set  sail  for  the  United  States,  and  lo- 
cated first  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  engaged  as  a 
gunsmith.  Two  years  later  he  started  for  the 
West,  and  after  arriving  in  Indiana  located  near 
Shawnee  Mound  in  Tippecanoe  County.  There  he 
engaged  as  a  farm  laborer,  and  there  met  Miss 
Catherine  Bowers,  the  lady  to  whom,  he  was  after- 
ward married,  the  wedding  taking  place  Sept.  5, 
1861.  Mrs.  Wymann  was  born  at  Trier-on-the- 
Rhine  in  Prussia,  May  25,  1 842,  and  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Adam  and  Eva  Bowers,  who  emigrated  to 
America  when  their  daughter  was  about  two  years 
of  age.  They  settled  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  where  the 
father  died  the  folio  wing  year.  Mrs.  Wymann  became 
a  member  of  the  well-known  family  of  Samuel  Me- 
harry.  of  Shawnee  Prairie,  Ind.,  but  now  a  resident 
of  Lafayette,  Ind.  She  remained  with  the  family 
of  Mr.  M.  'until  her  marriage  with  our  subject,  and 
received  a  fair  education  in  the  public  schools. 
She  was  treated  as  kindly  by  her  foster  parents  as 
though  she  were  their  own  child,  and  repaid  their 
care  and  affection  with  an  ever-grateful  heart. 

Soon  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wymann 
located  in  this  county,  where  they  have  since  lived, 
with  the  exception  of  nine  years  spent  in  Chicago. 
They  took  possession  of  their  present  farm  in  the 
spring  of  1877.  To  this  household  there  has  been 
born  one  child  only,  a  daughter.  Carrie,  and  they 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


325 


have  an  adopted  son,  Lincoln,  who  married  Miss 
Lena  Morris,  and  is  a  resident  of  Tolono.  Our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  politically 
Mr.  Wymann  is  a  solid  Republican. 


f 


I 


?ILLIAM  W.  WOOD,  of  Condit  Town- 
ship, is  a  gentleman  of  more  than  or- 
dinary ability  both  as  a  business  man  and 
a  citizen.  He  sprang  from  a  humble  condition 
in  life,  but  nature  did  much  for  him  in  providing 
him  with  a  good  amount  of  common  sense,  an  ob- 
serving eye  to  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and 
the  qualities  of  perseverance  and  energy  which 
have  served  him  well  in  the  battle  of  life.  He  is 
descended  from  excellent  English  ancestry,  his  fa- 
ther having  been  a  native  of  Lincolnshire,  where 
he  was  reared,  and  when  quite  young  commenced 
life  as  a  sailor  in  the  merchant  service.  Upon 
abandoning  the  sea,  he  emigrated  to  America,  set- 
tling first  in  New  York  ^State.  From  there  after 
two  or  three  years  he  removed  to  Ohio,  locating 
on  a  tract  of  timber  land  in  Defiance  County,  from 
which  he  cleared  a  farm,  which  he  occupied  until 
his  death  in  1882.  He  was  married,  in  New  York 
State,  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Yexley,  who  was  born  in 
the  city  of  London,  England,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  three  children:  William  W.,  of  our 
sketch ;  Lucy,  who  married  Azariah  Mattery,  a  res- 
ident of  Hicksville.  Ohio,  and  Edward,  who  died 
at  that  place  in  1863  or  1864. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  amid 
the  surroundings  of  pioneer  life,  when  wild  game 
was  plenty  and  white  men  were  few.  He  recol- 
lects seeing  his  father  stand  in  the  doorway  of 
their  log  cabin  and  kill  a  deer  which  passed  by. 
The  nearest  market  was  at  Ft.  Wayne,  twenty-four 
miles  distant,  and  the  produce  was  transported  in 
wagons.  Young  Wood  commenced  to  assist  his 
parents  as  soon  as  he  was  large  enough,  and  re- 
mained with  them  until  reaching  manhood.  He 
first  visited  Illinois  in  1857,  and  engaged  as  a  farm 
laborer  one  year.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time 
he  returned  to  the  old  homestead  in  Ohio.  He 
came  back  to  the  Prairie  State  two  years  later,  and 
«• 


worked  by  the  month  as  before,  in  this  county,  then, 
believing  that  the  possession  of  a  home  and  family 
would  prove  a  stimulus  to  his  efforts  in  battling 
for  a  livelihood,  and  having  become  already  greatly 
attached  to  a  certain  fair  lady  of  his  acquaintance, 
Miss  Susan  Johnson,  he  consulted  with  her  upon 
this  important  matter,  and  finding  her  willing  to 
take  him  for  better  or  worse,  they  were  made  hus- 
band and  wife  on  Jan.  1,  1861.  They  commenced 
housekeeping  in  unpretentious  style,  and  in  due 
time  additional  plates  were  laid  on  the  table,  until 
the  family  circle  was  completed  by  the  birth  of  the 
fourth  child.  Of  these  but  three  are  now  living — 
Edith  L.,  Arthur  and  Wylie  V. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Wood  located  upon 
forty  acres  of  land  which  he  purchased  in  1863, 
and  which  is  now  included  in  his  present  farm.  A 
part  of  this  had  been  broken  and  a  small  amount 
of  fence  laid.  He  made  a  small  cash  payment  and 
had  three  years  in  which  to  pay  the  balance.  He 
put  up  a  small  plank  house  or  shanty,  15x18  feet 
square,  which  the  family  occupied  three  years  be- 
fore making  any  addition.  In  1886  he  erected 
the  present  fine  residence,  which  is  surrounded  by 
fruit  and  shade  trees  with  a  good  barn  in  the  rear, 
and  all  other  necessary  buildings  required  by  the 
thorough  and  intelligent  farmer. 

Martin  Johnson,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wood,  was 
born  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  March  11,  1812. 
He  was  the  son  of  Abraham  Johnson,  a  native  of 
Virginia,  who  removed  to  Ohio  during  its  early 
settlement,  and  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  in 
Madison  County.  Martin  grew  to  manhood  and 
was  married,  Aug.  28,  1833,  to  Miss  Luranah 
Mortimer.  This  lady  was  born  in  that  part  of 
Guilford  now  included  in  Greene  County,  N.  C., 
July  19,  1811,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Sarah  Mortimer.  Her  parents  removed  from 
North  Carolina  to  Ohio  in  about  1815,  and  were 
among  the  early  pioneers  of  Fayette  County. 
They  afterward  became  residents  of  Madison  and 
Mercer  Counties,  spending  their  last  years  in  the 
latter. 

Martin  Johnson  after  his  marriage  remained  a 
resident  of  his  native  county  four  years,  then  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  timber  land  in  Williams  County, 
where  he  opened  up  a  farm  which  he  occupied  ten 


I 


320 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


years.  He  removed  from  there  in  1846,  to  Illi- 
nois, and  purchasing  land  in  Pike  County,  lived 
upon  it  until  his  decease,  which  occurred  July  15, 
1865.  The  mother  is  now  living  with  her  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Wood.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
connected  with  Mt.  Vernon  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  politically  Mr.  Wood  is  a  decided  Re- 
publican. His  fine  home  and  productive  farm  are 
the  results  of  his  own  industry.  He  received  but 
limited  advantages  when  a  boy,  but  kept  his  eyes 
open  to  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and  ranks 
among  the  most  intelligent  citizens  and  valuable 
members  of  his  community.  He  possesses  excel- 
lent judgment  as  a  farmer  and  business  man,  is 
prompt  in  meeting  his  obligations,  and  great!}'  re- 
spected by  a  large  circle  of  acquaintances  and 
friends. 


\ 


^  OSEPH  BONGARD,  a  wealthy  pioneer  set- 
tler of  Raymond  Township,  came  to  this  vi- 
cinity in  1857.  He  is  a  native  of  "fail- 
France,"  born  in  the  Province  of  Lorraine 

^  -  -^ 

on  the  3d  of  January,  1822.  His  parents,  Sebas- 
tian and  Ann  (Florentine)  Bongard,  natives  of  the 
same  country,  passed  their  entire  lives  there,  where 
their  remains  are  buried.  Of  their  family,  which 
included  six  children,  our  subject  was  the  youngest 
and  the  only  one  who  came  to  the  United  States. 
He  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  his  native  France,  and 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1843,  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Victory  Vallance,  who  was  born  June  22, 
1821,  and  reared  in  the  same  neighborhood  as  her 
husband.  They  became  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, and  in  1854  our  subject  and  wife  with  their 
eldest  daughter  set  sail  from  Havre  for  the  United 
States.  They  reached  New  York  Harbor  after  a 
voyage  of  twenty-eight  da3~s  and  proceeded  directly 
to  Chicago,  111.,  where  for  seven  months  Mr.  B. 
was  employed  at  whatever  his  hands  could  find  to 
do.  The  following  year  he  took  possession  of  a 
farm  in  Cook  County,  and  a  portion  of  the  time 
was  employed  by  Emanuel  Dunlap,  who  afterward 
became  a  resident  of  Champaign  County. 

Our  subject  was  prospered  in  his  labors  and  was 
soon  enabled  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  railroad 
land  in  Champaign  County,  to  which  he  removed 


with  his  family  and  household  goods,  making  the 
journey  with  a  yoke  of  cattle  and  a  wagon  valued  at 
*•'>.">.  After  breaking  about  fifty  acres  of  the  sod  and 
finding  it  unprofitable,  he  allowed  the  company  to 
take  possession  of  it,  and  afterward  purchased  120 
acres  on  section  19,  in  Raymond  Township,  which 
is  now  included  in  his  present  homestead.  Under 
his  cultivation  this  land  responded  generously  with 
the  choice  products  of  the  Prairie  State,  and  he 
soon  began  to  realize  satisfactory  profits.  He 
added  by  degrees  to  his  estate  until  he  is  now  the 
proprietor  of  640  acres,  thoroughly  improved  and 
valuable.  Upon  this  he  has  been  largely  engaged 
in  corn-raising,  and  some  years  has  sold  as  many 
as  14,000  bushels.  His  residence  is  a  commodi- 
ous and  convenient  structure,  and  the  barns 
and  other  out-buildings  meet  all  the  requirements 
of  the  modern  and  progressive  farmer.  A  view  of 
the  place  is  shown  on  another  page  of  this  work. 
In  addition  to  his  farm  property  Mr.  B.  has  a  store 
building  in  Tolono  which  rents  for  a  good  round 
sum. 

The  eldest  daughter  of  our  subject,  Mary,  is  the 
wife  of  H.  D.  Waldo,  and  Amelia  married  John 
Hagen,  of  Sumner  County.  Kan.  Mr.  B.  is  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  and  has  served  as  School  Treasurer 
in  his  township  for  two  years.  He  believes  in  the 
rights  of  American-born  citizens,  and  that  they 
should  hold  the  offices  and  govern  the  country. 
The  family,  religiously,  hold  to  the  faith  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church. 


M.  STONE,  who  settled  in  Tolouo 
Township  in  1875,  occupies  a  comfortable 
homestead  on  section  22,  where  he  owns 
seventy-five  acres  of  good  land,  which  is  well  culti- 
vated and  supplied  with  good  buildings.  His  fam- 
ily consists  of  his  wife  and  nine  children,  the  latter 
being  named  as  follows:  John  S.  and  Lucy  E. 
(twins),  Willis,  Allie,  Lewis  B.  anil  Martha  C. 
(twins),  Harry  T.  and  Clara  E.  (twins),  and  G rover 
C.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  Mr.  Stone 
is  Democratic  in  politics  and  named  his  youngest 
child  after  the  present  National  Executive.  He  is 
a  gentleman  highly  respected  in  his  community;  is 


-H 


K 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

329  *  • , 


Road  Commissioner,  and  has  held  the  office  of 
School  Director  for  many  years.  Religiously  he 
inclines  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Gibson  County,  Ind., 
Dec.  26,  1841.  His  father,  Samuel  Stone,  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  whence  his  parents  removed  to 
Indiana  while  he  was  .yet  an  infant.  They  located 
on  a  farm  in  Gibson  County,  and  there  passed  the 
remainder  of  their  days.  The  mother  of  Mr.  Stone, 
who  was  formerly  Miss  Lucy  W.  Mattox,  was  born 
in  Indiana  in  about  1813,  and  the  parental  house- 
hold included  sixteen  children.  Of  these  twelve 
are  living;  four  died  in  infancy. 

Thomas  M.  Stone  of  our  sketch  remained  on  the 
homestead  until  twenty-one  years  old,  and  then 
coming  to  Illinois,  located  on  a  farm  in  Menard 
County,  where  he  followed  agricultural  pursuits 
until  October,  1807.  He  was  then  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Permelia  Knowles,  a  nativpftpf;  his 
own  county  in  Indiana,  and  daughter  of  John^S/ml 
Eleanor  (Montgomery)  Knowles,  natives  of-  the 
same  county.  He  was  at  this  time  the  owner  of 
1GO  acres  of  land  in  Menard  County,  which  he 
tilled  until  1875,  the  year  of  his  removal  to  this 
township.  He  has  been  fairly  prosperous  in  his 
business  and  farming  operations,  and  is  considered 
a  reliable  farmer  and  business  man.  A  lithographic 
view  of  Mr.  Stone's  handsome  farm  residence  is 
shown  in  connection  with  this  sketch. 


M.«  RTHUR  RICE,  proprietor  of4^0  acres  of 
O!    finely  improved  land  on  sections  33  and  34, 


n 


in  Pesotum  Township,  has  been  a  resident 
of  the  Prairie  State  since  1854.  He  comes 
of  old  Virginia  blood  and  passed  his  early  days  in 
Wood  County,  that  State,  where  he  first  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light  on  the  9th  of  February,  1839.  He 
was  the  fifth  child  of  Shelton  and  Elizabeth 
(Brown)  Rice,  also  natives  of  the  old  Dominion, 
the  former  born  in  about  1810,  and  the  latter  in 
1815.  Shelton  Rice  was  an  extensive  farmer 
and  pursued  his  calling  until  he  rested  from  his 
earthly  labors,  his  death  taking  place  in  about  1863. 


The  mother  had  preceded  her  husband  to  the  other 
world  in  1853. 

The  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  of  Euro- 
pean descent,  and  crossed  the  ocean  at  a  period  in 
the  early  history  of  this  country.  The  family  were 
noted  for  the  energy  and  ambition  with  which  they 
pursued  their  agricultural  and  business  affairs,  and 
were  uniformly  prosperous  in  their  undertakings. 
Our  subject  came  to  this  State  during  his  youth, 
settling  in  what  was  then  Coles,  but  is  now  Doug- 
las County,  six  miles  south  of  his  present  residence. 
A  year  later  he  came  to  this  county.  In  the 
meantime  he  was  accompanied  by  his  father,  who 
purchased  a  farm  of  150  acres  of  wild  prairie, 
which  Arthur  assisted  in  cultivating  and  improving. 
He  lived  with  his  father  until  his  marriage,  which 
took  plade  on  the  26th  of  February,  1862.  The 
maiden  who  had  been  successful  in  gaining  his  re- 
gard was  Miss  Mary  A.  Lee,  a  native  of  Pulaski 
County,  Ky.,  and  daughter  of  Squire  and  Elizabeth 
(James)  Lee.  Her  parents  were  also  natives  of 
Pulaski  County,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farm- 
'vtf  pursuits  until  the  removal  to  Illinois,  at  which 
time  they  settled  near  where  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject took  up  his  abode.  Mr.  Lee  soon  afterward 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  this  county,  and  con- 
tributed his  full  share  in  assisting  to  reclaim  the 
face  of  the  country  from  the  wilderness.  As  one  of 
the  earliest  pioneers  he  was  held  in  great  respect 
and  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  his  death  occurring  in 
1885.  The  mother  is  still  living  and  remains  on  the 
old  homestead.  She  is  in  full  possession  of  all  her 
faculties,  and  her  description  of  life  in  the  early 
days  forms  an  interesting  tale  to  which  the  youth 
of  her  neighborhood  delight  to  listen. 

Our  subject  after  his  marriage  remained  two 
years  on  his  father's  farm,  and  then  purchased 
eighty  acres  on  section  34,  in  Pesotum  Township. 
His  early  experiences  had  been  of  great  service  to 
him,  and  after  taking  possession  of  his  new  farm  he 
was  uniformly  successful  in  his  operations,  and  in 
the  cultivation  of  his  land  exhibited  rare  good 
judgment.  He  added  to  his  first  purchase  as  his 
means  accumulated,  and  in  due  time  had  completed 
a  fine  set  of  farm  buildings  which  are  as  ornamen- 
tal to  the  face  of  the  country  as  they  are  useful  and 
convenient  to  the  proprietor.  The  farm  is  finely 


t 


330 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


laid  uut,  the  fields  neatly  fenced,  and  everything 
:il  H  nit  the  premises  is  kept  up  in  lirst-class  condi- 
tion. Our  subject  in  looking  after  his  farming  in- 
terests has  not  had  very  much  time  to  devote  to 
political  questions,  but  declines  to  be  confined  with- 
in the  narrow  system  of  party  lines,  reserving  his 
right  to  cast  his  vote  for  the  man  whom  he  esteems 
best  qualified  for  office.  He  is  a  strong  temperance 
man  and  has  of  late  years  arrayed  himself  on  the 
side  of  the  Prohibition  party. 

The  three  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  are 
Norah  E.,  Martha  A.  and  Fred  L.  The  elder 
daughter  is  the  wife  of  Archie  Armstrong,  her  mar- 
riage taking  place  Sept.  2,  1886.  She  resides  with 
her  husband  on  a  farm  twelve  miles  distant  from 
her  father's  homestead.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  be- 
came members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
at  Nelson  Chapel  in  1881,  with  which  they  have 
since  been  connected,  and  to  the  support  of  which 
they  have  always  contributed  liberally  and  cheer- 
fully. 


OBERT  G.  RAYBURN,  of  Mahomet  Town- 
ship, became  a  resident  of  this  count}'  when 
a  boy  eleven  years  old.  He  was  born  in 
Madison  County,  Ohio.  Oct.  29,  1842,  and 
was  the  sixth  child  of  John  R.  and  Mary  (McCoy) 
Rayburn,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the 
latter  of  Ohio.  They  located  in  the  latter  State  soon 
after  marriage,  and  in  1853  came  into  Champaign 
County,  settling  in  Mahomet  Township,  and  re- 
mained there  the  balance  of  their  lives.  John  R. 
Rayburn  died  Aug.  31,  1872,  and  the  mother  of 
our  subject  Jan.  22,  1868.  Their  ten  children  con- 
sisted of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom 
six  survive. 

Young  Rayburn  spent  his  youth  and  childhood 
on  his  father's  farm,  receiving  a  common-school 
education,  and  remained  under  the  home  roof  un- 
til twenty-one  years  of  age.  During  the  progress 
of  the  late  war  and  toward  its  close,  in  February, 
1865,  he  enlisted  in  the  154th  Illinois  Infantry,  and 
served  until  the  close.  He  then  returned  to  Ma- 
homet Township  and  resumed  farming,  in  which  he 
has  since  been  engaged.  His  homestead  includes 
430  acres  of  choice  land,  all  improved,  and  fur- 


nished with  a  handsome  and  substantial  residence, 
a  good  barn  and  all  necessary  out-buildings.  The 
fences,  machinery  and  stock  are  well  cared  for,  and 
the  homestead  comprises  in  all  its  appointments  a 
first-class  modern  country  estate. 

Mr.  Rayburn  was  married  in  Mahomet  Town- 
ship, June  4,  1862,  to  Miss  Isabella  A.,  daughter 
of  William  and  Louisa  Herriott.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  R.  were  natives  respectively  of  Virginia  and 
Kentucky,  from  which  latter  State  they  came  to 
this  county  in  about  1851,  and  locating  in  Ma- 
homet Township,  here  passed  the  remainder  of 
their  lives.  The  mother  died  Nov.  15,  1875.  and 
the  father,  March  25,  1883.  Their  fourteen  chil- 
dren included  seven  sous  and  seven  daughters,  of 
whom  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  the  youngest. 
She  was  born  in  Scott  County,  Ky.,  Sept.  22,  1845. 
By  her  marriage  with  our  subject  she  became  the 
mother  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  eleven  are 
living;  James  F.  and  another  child  died  in  infancy. 
Those  surviving  are  Ida  M.,  Eda  B.,  John  R., 
Henry  A.,  Effie  G.,  William  M.,  Robert  J.,  Charles 
D.,  Mary  L.,  Benjamin  F.  and  Laura  J.  Ida  is  the 
wife  of  Phillip  Mohr,  and  a  resident  of  Mahomet 
Township ;  Eda  B.  married  Lewis  Clapper,  of  Ma- 
homet Township.  Our  subject  has  been  Commis- 
sioner of  Highwa}'s  and  School  Director,  and  with 
his  wife  is  prominently  connected  with  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  Politically  he  supports  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Republican  party. 


J-~  AMES  W.  HERRIOTT.     This  gentleman  is 
well   and    favorably    known    in    Mahomet 
Township   as  being  an  honest  man  and   a 
'    good  citizen,  and  the  proprietor  of  a  well- 
cultivated  farm  on  section  12.     He   is  a  gentleman 
of  enterprise  and  industry,  as  his  homestead   indi- 
cates on  every  hand,  and  in  his  agricultural  pur- 
suits has  been  fairly  successful.     He  comes  of  a 
good  family,  being  the  son  of  William  and  Louisa 
Herriott,  who  were  natives  of  Virginia.  After  their 
marriage   they  located    in    Bourbon  County,   Ky., 
whence   they  removed  to  Scott  County,  the  same 
State,  and  from  there  in  the  fall  of  1851  to  Illinois. 
Coming  into  Champaign   Count}',  they  located   in 


1    ' 

f 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


331 


Mahomet  Township,  of  which  they  were  residents 
the  remainder  of  their  lives.  The  mother  departed 
hence  Nov.  24,  1875,  and  the  father,  March  24, 1883. 
Their  family  consisted  of  fourteen  children,  seven 
sons  and  seven  daughters. 

James  W.  Herriott  was  the  ninth  in  order  of 
birth,  and  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in 
Scott  County,  Ky.,  Aug.  26,  1830.  He  was  fifteen 
years  of  age  when  his  parents  became  residents  of 
this  county.  With  the  exception  of  three  years 
spent  in  the  army  he  remained  a  member  of  the 
parental  household  until  1869.  His  education  was 
conducted  in  the  common  schools,  and  he  followed 
the  occupation  of  his  father  before  him,  engaging 
in  farming  since  his  earliest  recollection.  His  army 
experience  dates  from  September,  1861,  when  he 
became  a  member  of  Co.  I,  25th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  He 
was  present  at  the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge,  re- 
ceiving a  wound  in  the  right  hip  and  the  right  arm 
by  minie  balls,  and  is  now  a  pensioner  of  the 
Government.  Many  times  he  barely  escaped  with 
his  life,  and  his  health  was  seriously  impaired  by 
the  hardships  and  privations  which  he  endured  in 
the  service.  At  the  battle  of  Stone  River  he  was 
captured  by  the  rebels,  but  soon  afterward  paroled. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  he  received  an  honorable 
discharge,  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Spring- 
field, 111.,  and  re'turned  to  his  home  in  Champaign 
County.  Soon  afterward  he  purchased  a  farm  in 
Hensley  Township,  which  he  occupied  ten  years, 
then  disposed  of  it  and  returned  to  Mahomet 
Township.  Here  he  has  200  acres,  forty  of  which 
are  in  timber.  The  soil  is  easily  tilled  and  product- 
ive of  the  richest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Herriott  took  place  in  Con- 
dit  Township,  _Dec.  21,  1869,  the  maiden  of  his 
choice  being  Miss  Susan  A.,  daughter  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  A.  (George)  Washington,  both  natives 
of  Virginia,  and  descendants  of  the  Father  of  his 
Countj'.  They  first  settled  iu  Virginia  proper, 
where  John  Washington  departed  this  life  in  Feb- 
ruary, _18G2.  Mrs.  W.  still  survives,  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  that  State.  Of  their  ten  children  the  wife 
of  o"ur  subject  was  the  sixth  in  order  of  birth.  Her 
native  place  was  Loudoun  County,  Va.,  and  the 
date  of  her  birth  Feb.  9,  1848.  She  remained  a 
member  of  the  parental  household  until  her  mar- 


riage,  receiving  a  fair  education  and  being  trained 
in  all  useful  household  duties. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herriott  became  the  parents  of 
nine  children,  namely,  William  W.,  Lulu  K.,  Rosa 
G.,  Minnie  S.,  Nettie,  James  T.,  George  L.,  Lydia 
M.  and  Bertie.  Lulu  E.  and  Lydia  M.  .ire  de- 
ceased. Mr.  Herriott  takes  a  genuine  interest  iu 
nil  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his  county 
and  community,  and  in  politics  supports  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  Both  he  and  his  excellent  wife  are 
members  of  the  Preslfyterian  Church,  and  highly 
esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances. 


C.  STEWART.  On  section  23,  in 
the  township  of  Philo,  is  located  the  com- 
fortable homestead  of  our  subject,  where  he 
has  carried  on  his  farming  operations  since  the 
spring  of  1857.  In  addition  to  grain-raising  he 
has  also  been  a  successful  breeder  of  good  grades 
of  stock,  and  in  all  his  transactions  has  exhibited 
that  good  judgment  and  forethought  which  have 
made  him  successful  as  a  farmer  and  business  man, 
and  have  secured  for  him  the  esteem  and  respect 
of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  is  a  native  of  Woodford 
County,  Ky.,  born  in  1818,  and  is  the  son  of  Ralph 
Stewart  of  Maryland,  who  with  his  parents  removed 
to  Virginia  when  a  young  boy.  His  childhood  and 
youth  were  passed  in  the  Old  Dominion,  and  after 
arriving  at  manhood  he  was  there  married  to  Mrs. 
Agnes  Hugh  (Campbell)  Kerkem,  a  native  of  that 
State.  The  young  people  soon  after  their  marriage 
removed  to  Woodford  County,  Ky.,  but  later  to 
Henry  County,  where  they  lived  until  the  death  of 
their  father,  which  took  place  about  1833.  After- 
ward the  mother  came  to  Illinois,  and  resided  with 
her  son,  our  subject,  until  her  death,  which  occurred 
Sept.  20,  1858. 

Our  subject  was  the  eldest  child  of  his  parents, 
and  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  his  mar- 
riage, which  took  place  in  Henry  County,  111.  The 
maiden  of  his  choice  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Bridges, 
who  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  whence  she 
removed  with  her  parents  when  quite  young  to 
Henry  County,  the  same  State.  Of  this  marriage 
there  have  been  born  seven  children :  Leslie  mar- 


f 


332 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ried  Miss  Sarah  .).  ISarr,  and  is  a  resident  of  Edgar 
County,  111.,  where  he  is  successfully  carrying  on 
farming;  S.  Campbell  is  senior  member  of  the  firm 
of  Hrown  &  Stewart,  grain  dealers  of  Philo;  John 
is  a  resident  of  Colorado;  Ralph.  George  and  Ag- 
nes are  at  home;  Lucy  is  a  graduate  of  the  State 
Normal  University,  and  is  teaching  at  Pekin,  111. 
The  farm  of  our  subject  includes  280  acres,  finely 
cultivated,  and  supplied  with  handsome  and  sub- 
stantial buildings.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  are  Presby- 
terian in  religious  belief,  and  politically  he  affiliates 
with  the  Democratic  party. 


STEIN.  The  fine  farm  of  240  acres 
lying  on  the  southeast  part  of  sections  22 
and  28,  in  Pesotum  Township,  has  often 
been  the  subject  of  comment  by  the  passers-by. 
Its  air  of  comfort  and  plenty  strikes  the  beholder 
with  a  pleasing  sensation.  The  land  is  neatly 
fenced,  conveniently  divided  into  grain  and  pas- 
ture fields,  and  the  farm  buildings,  plain  and  sub- 
stantial, have  about  them  evidences  of  the  thrift 
and  prosperity  of  the  proprietor.  Mr.  Stein  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  the  nationalit}'  which  has 
contributed  so  materially  to  the  building  up  of  the 
West,  the  development  of  its  resources  and  the 
reputation  of  its  rich  and  productive  soil. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Hesse-Cassel,  Oct.  28, 
1833,  the  same  day  on  which  his  brother  Nicholas 
first  drew  breath.  At  an  early  age  he  was  placed 
in  school,  and  continued  his  studies  almost  uninter- 
ruptedly until  fourteen  years  old.  Afterward  he 
assisted  his  parents  on  the  farm,  and  when  sevenr 
teen  years  of  age  set  out  for  the  United  States.  He 
landed  at  Philadelphia  in  the  spring  of  1851,  spend- 
ing his  first  years  near  the  Quaker  City  on  a  farm. 
In  the  spring  of  1852  he  emigrated  to  Butler 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming 
pursuits  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  His  next  move 
was  to  this  State,  and  he  first  settled  in  Peoria, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  laboring  on  a  farm  by  the 
month  until  1872.  In  the  meantime  he  had  saved 
up  quite  a  sum  of  money  from  his  earnings,  which 
invested  in  eighty  acres  of  land  included  in  his 
present  farm.  To  this  he  afterward  added  160 


[   he  i 
J  pres 

*M? 


acres,  anil  has  the  whole  well  drained  and  its  best 
qualities  fully  developed. 

While  a  resident  of  Peoria  Mr.  Stein  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Louisa  Wittingfelt,  who 
with  her  parents,  William  and  Elizabeth  Witting- 
felt, was  a  native  of  Germany.  Mrs.  Stein  when  a 
young  woman  eaine  to  this  country  by  herself  and 
earned  her  own  living  until  she  became  the  wife 
of  our  subject.  Her  parents  remain  in  their  na- 
tive country.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  born 
five  children,  of  whom  only  three  survive,  namely, 
Charles,  Carrie  and  Amelia.  William  N.  and  Emma 
died  when  one  and  one-half  and  ten  years  old  re- 
spectively. 

On  the  17th  of  February,  1887,  the  devoted  wife 
and  affectionate  mother,  Mrs.  Louisa  Stein,  passed 
to  her  long  home,  leaving  the  husband  and  three 
children  to  mourn  their  loss.  Mr.  S.  and  his  wife 
united  with  the  Lutheran  Church  many  years  ago, 
and  lived  quiet  and  unostentatious  lives,  devoted  to 
their  children  and  to  .each  other.  Our  subject  has 
frequently  served  as  School  Director,  and  in  poli- 
tics is  independent,  supporting  the  candidate  whom 
he  esteems  best  fitted  for  the  office. 


i)  OSEPH  JERVIS,  one  of  the  self-made  men 
|  and  progressive  farmers  of  Condit  Township, 
owns  and  occupies  a  good  farm,  consisting 
of  400  acres  of  improved  land  lying  on  sec- 
tions 35  and  36.  He  has  about  seventy  head  of 
cattle  and  200  head  of  sheep  and  lambs,  and  keeps 
about  nine  head  of  horses  and  colts.  The  residence 
and  out-buildings  are  substantially  built  and  kept  in 
first-class  order.  Our  subject  came  to  this  locality 
in  the  fall  of  1861,  and  commenced  his  farming 
operations  on  rented  land.  He  continued  thus  for 
three  years,  then  purchased  eighty  acres  of  uncul- 
tivated prairie,  where  he  put  up  a  house  and  de- 
voted his  time  mainly  to  raising  grain.  This  he 
has  found  to  be  profitable,  and  has  given  to  this 
branch  of  agriculture  his  special  attention,  together 
with  his  stock  operations. 

Mr.  Jervis  is  a  native  of  Staffordshire,  England, 
where  his  birth  occurred  Aug.  30,  1835.  His  par- 
ents were  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Wiggan)  Jervis, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


333 


natives  of  the  same  shire,  where  they  spent  their 
entire  lives.  Only  two  of  their  children  came  to 
the  United  States  —  Andrew,  who  settled  in  New- 
comb  Township,  and  Joseph  of  our  sketch.  Both 
sons  were  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  and  our  sub- 
ject was  thus  employed  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age.  He  then  engaged  on  the  railroad  which  ran 
from  Liverpool  to  London,  and  vvas  thus  occupied 
until  I860,  when  he  decided  to  seek  his  fortunes  in 
America.  He  accordingly  set  sail  from  Liverpool, 
and  after  a  voyage  of  a  few  weeks,  landed  in  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  where  he  arrived  with  a  cash  capital  of 
$100.  He  remained  in  that  State  until  the  follow- 
ing fall,  and  then  set  his  face  for  the  further  West, 
coming  into  this  county,  where  he  rented  a  tract  of 
land  and  commenced  farming,  as  we  have  already 
indicated. 

Seven  years  later,  in  February,  1868,  Mr.  Jervis 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Catherine  Shear- 
gold,  also  a  native  of  Staffordshire,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Hannah  (Jevins)  Sheargold. 
Mrs.  J.  came  to  America  in  1865,  when  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there 
have  been  born  nine  children  —  Annie,  Thomas, 
Norma,  Harry,  Lewis,  Dan,  Arthur,  Burt  and  Kate. 
Both  our  subject  and  his  wife  were  reared  in  the 
Episcopal  faith,  to  the  doctrines  of  which  they  still 
adhere. 


eAPT.  CALEB  TAYLOR,  who  received  his 
military  title  for  services  rendered  in  the 
Union  Army  during  the  late  war,  located  in 
Raymond  Township,  this  count3',  in  the  spring  of 
1868.  and  since  that  time  has  ranked  among  its 
most  valued  citizens.  He  is  the  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Mary  (Phillips)  Taylor,  who  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  and  lived  in  Fayette  County  at  the 
time  our  subject  was  born,  which  event  took  place 
on  the  8th  of  June,  1838.  Three  years  later  they 
removed  to  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  and  located 
on  a  farm,  where  the  parents  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  lives.  Their  eight  children  all  grew  to  mature 
years  and  are  recorded  as  follows  :  Francis  M.  is 
a  resident  of  Pickaway  County,  Ohio;  Phillip,  of 
Fayette  County;  Delilah  is  deceased;  Jonathan 


lives  in  Pickaway  County;  Sarah  married  Thomas 
Graham,  and  they  located  in  Seott  County,  Kan.; 
Caleb  of  our  sketch  was  the  sixth  child ;  Richard 
M.  J.  died  in  Ohio;  Ann,  the  wife  of  Lewis  Lon- 
gerjboon,  is  living  in  Jay  Countj',  Ind. 

Caleb  Taylor  was  but  three  years  old  when  his 
father  removed  to  Ohio  with  his  family.  He  was 
there  reared  to  manhood  on  a  farm,  receiving  a 
common-school  education,  and  assisting  in  the  la- 
bors around  the  homestead.  In  1867  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Amanda  Davis,  who  was 
born  and  reared  in  Pickaway  County,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Mary  (Crabb)  Davis. 
The  following  year  the  young  people  decided  to 
seek  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  and  coming  into  this 
county  located  on  a  tract  of  land  which  our  sub- 
ject rented  for  one  year.  At  the  expiration  of  this 
time  he  purchased  eighty  acres,  partially  improved, 
which  is  included  in  his  present  farm.  He  was  suc- 
cessful in  his  undertakings  and  added  to  his  real 
estate  as  time  passed  on,  so  that  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  203  acres  all  under  a  good  state  of  culti- 
vation. This  comprises  one  of  the  finest  grain 
farms  in  Champaign  County.  He  erected  a  hand- 
some farm  residence  in  1882,  and  adjacent  to  it 
stand  all  the  necessary  buildings  required  by  the 
progressive  agriculturist.  The  Captain  is  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  cast  his  first  vote  for  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  as  Representative.  He  has  held  the  of- 
fices of  School  Trustee,  Director  and  Highway 
Commissioner,  the  duties  of  whicli  he  discharged 
with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  all  con- 
cerned. 

Shortly  after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  Rebellion 
our  subject  enlisted,  in  September,  1861,  in  Co.  A, 
20th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  where  he  was  soon  made  a  non- 
commissioned officer.  He  marched  with  his  regi- 
ment to  the  scene  of  conflict,  and  during  the  siege 
of  Vicksbtirg  was  commissioned  Second  Lieutenant. 
In  the  spring  of  1864  he  became  First  Lieutenant, 
and  soon  afterward  was  presented  with  a  Captain's 
commission.  During  his  military  career  he  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  Richmond,  Champion  Hills, 
Jackson,  Miss.,  and  went  with  Sherman  on  his  fa- 
mous march  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  being  also  at 
the  siege  and  capture  of  the  latter  city.  His  regi- 
ment participated  in  forty-five  regular  engagements, 


\ 


'  L    334 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


during  which,  although  never  seeking  to  escape  the 
fire  of  the  enemy,  he  was  neither  seriously  wounded 
nor  taken  prisoner.  After  the  surrender  of  the 
Confederate  army  he  was  mustered  out  at  Poco- 
taligo,  8.  C.  He  then  returned  to  his  farm  in  Ray- 
mond Township,  and  since  then  has  been  industri- 
ously engaged  in  cultivating  and  beautifying  his 
homestead. 

The  mother  of  Mrs.  Taylor  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Mary  Crabb.  Both  parents  were  born  in 
Ohio,  where  they  passed  their  entire  lives.  The 
birth  of  Mrs.  T.  occurred  on  the  16th  of  July, 
1848,  in  Pickaway  County,  where  she  was  reared, 
educated,  and  became  the  wife  of  our  subject. 
She  has  proved  the  suitable  companion  of  her 
husband  during  the  years  of  a  worthy  life,  in  which 
he  has  displayed  the  qualities  of  an  excellent  citi- 
zen and  become  a  valued  member  of  his  community. 


OSEPH  MAXWELL,  a  retired  farmer  of 
Mahomet  Township,  residing  on  section  17, 
is  the  son  of  Jonathan  and  Johanna  (.Ster- 
ling) Maxwell.  The  parental  household 
consisted  of  ten  children,  five  now  living,  and  of 
whom  our  subject  was  the  sixth  in  order  of  birth. 
He  was  born  in  Bartholomew  County,  Ind.,  May 
16,  1824,  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  in  1830  came 
with  his  parents  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Mahomet 
Township,  where  the  latter  died. 

Mr.  Maxwell  is  essentially  a  self-made  man,  who 
enjoyed  but  a  limited  education  but  has  made  the 
most  of  his  time  and  opportunities.  He  has  al- 
ways been  observant  of  what  was  going  on  around 
him,  and  by  the  exercise  of  his  natural  talents  has 
obtained  a  fine  insight  into  business  matters  and 
become  uniformly  successful  in  his  undertakings. 
With  the  exception  of  two  years  spent  in  Califor- 
nia and  one  year  in  Vermilion  County,  he  has  been 
a  resident  of  Mahomet  Township  since  coming 
here.  While  on  the  Pacific  slope  he  was  engaged 
in  freighting.  He  is  the  owner  of  about  1,300 
acres  of  land,  320  of  which  are  in  Piatt  County. 

Mr.  Maxwell  was  married  in  Mahomet  Township, 
Sept.  8, 1852,  to  Miss  Rosanna,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Olive  (Franklin)  Hyde.  The  parents  of  Mrs. 


M.  were  natives  respectively  of  Vermont  and  New 
York,  and  removed  from  the  latter  State  to  Illinois, 
locating  in  Mahomet  Township,  this  county,  in  1 849. 
Both  are  now  deceased.  Of  their  thirteen  children 
Mrs.  M.  was  the  fourth.  She  was  born  in  Yigo 
County,  Ind.,  April  22,  1832.  Of  her  marriage 
with  our  subject  there  were  born  ten  children,  of 
whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  George  F.  married 
Miss  Phebe  Bird,  and  is  farming  in  Mahomet  Town- 
ship; Elizabeth  died  when  eighteen  months  old; 
Charles  H.  married  Miss  Martha  E.  Robinson,  and 
lives  in  Mahomet  Township ;  Jephtha,  now  of  Piatt 
County,  married  Miss  Hattie  Johnson;  Martha  S., 
Mrs.  Elias  Barnhart,  is  also  a  resident  of  Piatt 
County;  Mary  S.  married  Thomas  J.  Paisley,  of 
Mahomet  Township;  Willie  died  in  infancy;  Julia 
O.  is  the  wife  of  Joel  W.  Pinkston ;  Johanna  and 
Joseph  R.  are  residents  of  Mahomet  Township. 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  at  the  home  of 
her  husband  in  Mahomet  Township,  Jan.  6,  1882. 
She  was  a  lady  highly  respected  in  the  community 
and  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  to  which  our  subject  also  belongs. 

Politically  Mr.  Maxwell  is  a  decided  Republican, 
and  has  held  various  township  offices.  Socially  he 
is  a  member  of  Mahomet  Lodge  No.  220,  F.  & 
A.  M.  He  is  esteemed  as  a  good  citizen  and 
worth}'  member  of  society,  and  has  contributed  his 
full  share  to  the  agricultural  interests  of  this  section. 


/,..,  H.  BALDWIN,  engaged  in  general  hus- 
bandry on  section  18  in  Pesotum  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  born 
near  Rochester,  May  31,  1850.  He  is  the 
fourth  child  of  Samuel  S.  and  Mary  E.  (Fail-child) 
Baldwin,  who  were  married  in  that  State,  and  lo- 
cated on  a  farm,  where  they  remained  until  1857. 
Mr.  Baldwin  then  came  to  Illinois  and  purchased 
320  acres  of  wild  land  in  Pesotum  Township.  The 
task  before  him  seemed  an  Herculean  one,  but  he 
set  himself  industriously  to  work,  fencing  his  pur- 
chase and  breaking  the  sod,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years  had  transformed  the  prairie  land  into  a 
good  farm.  He  put  up  suitable  buildings,  and  by 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I 


purchase  and  oreeding  finally  had  his  farm  well 
stocked  with  good  grades  of  cattle  and  horses. 

Upon  the  homestead  thus  established  the  parents 
of  our  subject  lived  for  many  years  and  reaped  the 
result  of  their  labors  in  due  time  by  finding  them- 
selves surrounded  with  all  the  comforts  of  life.  The 
father  passed  away  on  the  3d  of  October,  1874. 
Mrs.  Baldwin  survived  her  husband  for  two  years, 
her  death  occurring  Dec.  28, 1876,  at  the  old  home- 
stead. This  is  now  occupied  by  their  son,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  although  there  now  remains  but 
130  acres  of  the  original  purchase.  Whatever  is 
lacking  in  quantity,  however,  is  fully  made  up  in 
quality,  as  our  subject  has  worked  upon  the  theory 
of  Horace  Greeley,  namely,  that  a  few  acres  well 
tilled  were  more  valuable  than  a  larger  aren  par- 
tially neglected. 

Our  subject  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
until  several  years  after  reaching  his  majority,  and 
when  twenty-seven  years  of  age  was  married  to 
Miss  Melissa  J.,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Stur- 
ges)  Cook.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  B.  were  residents  of 
Montgomery  County,  111.,  where  the  father  owned 
and  operated  a  good  farm.  Of  the  union  of  onr  sub- 
ject and  wife  there  have  been  born  two  children — 
Theodore  H.,  Oct.  15,  1880,  and  Herbert  E.,  Feb. 
1,  1884. 

Mr.  Baldwin,  although  a  continuous  resident  on 
his  father's  farm  since  his  first  recollection,  is  the 
owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Crawford  Coun- 
ty, Kan.,  to  which  he  has  decided  to  remove  and 
develop  it.  He  has  always  given  his  strict  attention 
to  his  own  concerns,  never  meddling  with  politics 
or  desiring  office.  His  land  has  been  chiefly  deVoted 
to  the  raising  of  grain,  in  which  he  has  been  very 
successful,  and  which  has  yielded  him  the  larger 
part  of  his  income. 


RANG  II.  LANGE,  an  extensive  fanner  and 
stock-raiser  of  Hensley  Township,  is  a  fail- 
representative  of  the  substantial  German 
element  which  may  be  found  in  the  best  section  of 
Illinois,  and  which  has  assisted  so  materially  in  its 
development  and  progress.  Our  subject  was  born  in 
Hanover,  July  9,  1833,  and  is  the  son  of  Phillip 


and  Mary  Ann  Lange,  natives  of  the  same  Prov- 
ince. He  attended  school  in  his  native  town  mi- 
til  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  then  con- 
cluded to  seek  his  fortune  in  America.  Accord- 
ingly he  set  sail  from  Bremen  in  August,  1850,  and 
after  a  voyage  of  eighteen  weeks  landed  in  New 
York  City,  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  without 
means,  and  nothing  to  recommend  him  but  his  good 
health  and  willing  hands.  He  did  not  tarry  long 
in  the  Empire  City,  but  proceeded  to  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  where  he  soon  obtained  a  situation  as  clerk 
in  a  clothing  store.  He  proved  faithful  and  efficient, 
and  held  his  position  nine  years.  The  two  years 
following  he  was  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  wholesale 
grocery  store.  In  1860  he  decided  to  turn  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  in  the  West.  He 
was  yet  a  poor  man  and  unable  to  buy  a  farm,  so 
rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Hensley  Township,  which 
he  cultivated  four  years,  and  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time  was  enabled  to  purchase  eighty  acres, 
which  is  now  included  in  his  present  farm.  Of  this 
thirty-five  acres  had  been  broken  and  there  was  a 
small  shanty.  He  had  taken  to  himself  a  wife  and 
helpmeet,  and  with  a  few  repairs  this  structure  was 
made  inhabitable  and  they  occupied  it  for  a  brief 
time.  Our  subject  proceeded  with  the  improve- 
ment and  cultivation  of  his  land  and  was  greatly 
prospered  in  his  undertakings.  The  unbroken  prai- 
rie of  his  first  purchase  has  now  been  transformed 
into  a  fine  farm,  with  a  good  set  of  buildings,  fruit 
and  shade  trees,  and  all  the  conveniences  and  decor- 
ations which  indicate  the  intelligent  and  progres- 
sive farmer  of  cultivated  tastes  and  ample  means. 
Mr.  L.  has  added  to  his  first  purchase  until  he  is 
now  the  owner  of  500  acres  in  one  body,  which 
constitutes  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  part  of 
the  county  and  invariably  attracts  the  eye  of  the 
passing  traveler.  His  stock  is  of  the  best  grades 
and  well  cared  for,  and  the  farm  buildings  and  ma- 
chinery are  kept  in  the  best  of  repair. 

The  first  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  May  5,  1860,  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Leiden- 
deker,  sister  of  Henry  J.  Leidendeker,  of  whom  a 
sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.  This  lady 
died  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Hensley  Town- 
ship, Sept.  20,  1874.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  six 
children — Henry,  Albert,  Amelia,  Edward,  Mary 


i >  33G 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  Julia.  On  the  3d  of  January,  1879,  Mr.  L. 
was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Luclirinann,  who  was 
born  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John 
II.  Luclirinann,  a  native  of  Westphalen,  Prussia. 
Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  three  children  — 
George,  Clarence  and  Oscar.  The  various  mem- 
bers of  the  family  are  connected  with  the  Lutheran 
Church.  Our  subject  is  Republican  in  politics,  and 
widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  community  as 
a  man  prompt  to  meet  his  obligations,  and  one 
whose  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond.  As  will  have 
been  seen,  his  possessions  are  the  result  of  his  own 
industry,  and  the  estimation  in  which  he  is  held  by 
his  fellow-citizens  is  due  to  his  innate  honesty  of 
character  and  conscientious  course  in  life,  by  which 
he  has  always  been  enabled  to  look  the  whole  world 
in  the  face. 


NTHONY  REINHART,  one  of  the  mostv 
thorough  farmers  of  Crittenden  Township, 
commenced  life  in  a  modest  manner  with 
a  team  and  a  few  hundred  dollars  in  cash. 
He  is  now  the  owner  of  380  acres  of  valuable  land, 
a  fine  farm  residence  and  suitable  out-buildings, 
with  a  goodly  amount  of  choice  stock  and  modern 
farm  machinery.  In  addition  to  this,  and  probably 
what  he  prizes  most,  he  has  a  fine  family  of  ten 
children,  and  many  other  desirable  things  in  life 
which  have  constituted  him  a  good  citizen,  duly 
thankful  for  the  prosperity  which  has  marked  his 
footsteps  and  for  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fel- 
low-men. His  laud  when  he  took  possession  of  it 
was  much  less  valuable  than  at  present  and  he  has 
expended  for  drainage  alone  the  sum  of  $4,000.  It 
is  now  mainly  devoted  to  stock-raising,  in  which 
department  of  agriculture  Mr.  Reinhart  has  secured 
an  enviable  reputation  for  the  intelligence  and  suc- 
cess with  which  he  has  managed  and  the  prosperous 
condition  to  which  he  has  attained. 

Mr.  Reinhart  came  to  this  part  of  the  county  in 
the  spring  of  1873.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Bremmelbach,  Province  of  Alsace,  County  Sultz, 
which  then  belonged  to  France,  but  was  afterward 
ceded  to  Germany,  on  the  2  let  of  February,  1844. 
His  parents  were  Nicholas  and  Catherine  (Poudler) 


Reiuhart.  Nicholas  Reinhart  was  the  son  of  a  far- 
mer whose  given  name  is  not  known.  His  mother 
\v:is  Catherine  (Oebelhaar)  Reinhart.  They  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  six  boys  and  three 
girls.  Catherine  (Poudler)  Reinhart  is  the  mother 
of  eleven  children,  seven  living, as  follows:  Michael, 
Nicholas,  Wendel,  Martin,  Joseph,  Louis  and  An- 
thony, our  subject,  who  was  the  youngest.  Those 
deceased  are  John,  George,  Louis  and  Theresa. 
The  grandparents  of  our  subject  on  his  mother's 
side  were  Michael  and  Magdelena  (Bauer)  Poudler, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  six  of 
whom  died  in  infancy.  Magdelena,  Catherine,  Selma, 
Barbara,  Theresa  and  Wendel  grew  to  maturity, 
and  of  these  the  mother  of  our  subject  alone  re- 
mains, and  she  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years 
retains  her  mental  vigor  and  strength  and  bids  fair 
to  survive  many  years.  A  large  portion  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  from  her. 

Three  years  after  the  birth  of   our  subject  his 
•..  parents  emigrated   to  the  United  States  and  pro- 
ceeding westward    located  in  Peoria   County,    111. 
Here  Anthony  Reinhart  grew  to  manhood,  attended 

•'  v  '  *•» 

the  coiritfMu  schools,  and  assisted  in  the  tilling 
of  the  soil.  He  was  married  in  Peoria  County, 
Sept.  26,  18(35,  to  Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  A.  and 
Mary  Vogel.  Mrs.  R.  was  born  in  Butler  County, 
Pa.,  June  12,  1845.  After  his  marriage  our  sub- 
ject rented  land  in  Peoria  County  until  the  spring 
of  1873.  In  the  meantime  he  had  visited  this 
county  and  purchased  122  acres  of  land,  to  which 
he  now  removed  his  family,  and  which  continued 
their  home  until  the  spring  of  1884.  He  then  sold 
out  to  excellent  advantage  and  took  possession  of 
his  present  homestead.  Here,  with  his  characteristic 
enterprise  and  industry,  he  has  brought  about  fine 
improvements,  and,  surrounded  by  his  family  and 
friends  is,  now  in  middle  life,  enjoj'ing  the  fruits 
of  his  early  labors  and  the  results  of  his  wise  and 
temperate  judgment.  The  children  of  the  house- 
hold are  recorded  as  follows:  Wendel  J.  was  born 
Aug.  C,  1866;  Michael  N.,  May  27,  1868;  Rose  B., 
Oct.  14,  1870;  Anthony  M.,  July  18,  1872;  Louis, 
Oct.  13,  1874;  Frank  J.,  Feb.  15,  1877;  Anna  M., 
Aug.  14,  1879;  Simon  G.,  Oct.  22,  1881 ;  Catherine 
E.,  March  16,  1884;  Julia  E.,  Dec.  26,  1886. 

Mr.    Reinhart   uniformly   gives  his   support   to 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


339 


Democratic  principles,  and  has  held  the  office  of 
Highway  Commissioner.  For  several  years  he  has 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  is  present  in- 
cumbent, and  in  matters  of  religion  is  a  devout 
Catholic. 


D 


jOBERT  PENMAN.  The  subject  of  this 
biography,  a  native  of  the  Prairie  State, 

>  'w  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in  Kendall 
^)  County,  June  21,  1848.  He  is  of  excellent 
family,  his  father  being  of  pure  Scotch  ancestry, 
born  in  Roxburyshire,  Scotland,  Oct.  12,  1812. 
When  a  young  man  about  twenty-four  years  of  age 
he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  making  his  first 
location  near  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.  After  a  residence 
there  of  two  years  he  came  into  DuPage  County, 
this  State,  where  he  remained  another  two  years, 
and  then  took  up  his  abode  in  Kendall  County, 
where  he  entered  100  acres  of  land.  To  this  he 
afterward  added  a  like  amount,  and  is  still  living 
upon  the  farm  thus  established  and  where  he  has 
been  prospered  in  his  efforts  to  build  up  a  home  and 
secure  a  competency. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  who  in  her  girlhood 
was  Miss  Jane  Stephenson,  was  born  in  the  North 
of  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States  with  her 
parents,  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (Davis)  Stephenson, 
in  1844  or  1845.  They  are  both  deceased.  She 
married  Mr.  Penman  in  Kendall  County,  111.,  and 
departed  this  life  on  the  old  homestead,  in  July, 
1854,  leaving  three  children.  Of  these  two  are  yet 
living — Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Jacob  McClosky, 
and  Robert  of  our  sketch.  After  the  death  of  his 
first  wife  Thomas  Penman  was  married  to  Miss  Cor- 
delia Williams,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
three  children — Mary  Ann,  Perry  and  Julia. 

After  the  death  of  his  mother  our  subject  re- 
mained an  inmate  of  his  father's  house  and  received 
a  common-school  education.  He  resided  in  his  na- 
tive county  until  twenty-five  years  old,  and  then,  in 
1873,  came  to  this  county  and  located  on  a  tract  of 
land  consisting  of  162  acres,  which  he  had  pur- 
chased in  1869.  It  was  then  an  uncultivated  prai- 
rie, but  is  now  among  the  finest  land  in  this  town- 
ship, improved  with  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings 
and  devoted  chiefly  to  the  raising  of  stock  and 


grain.  Everything  about  the  premises  indicates 
the  industry  and  enterprise  of  the  proprietor. 

The  marriage  of  Robert  Penman  and  Miss  Emma 
J.  Waite  took  place  on  the  29th  of  January,  1880, 
at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Kendall  Coun- 
ty, this  State.  Mrs.  P.  is  the  daughter  of  Abraham 
and  Caroline  (Austin)  Waite,  who  are  still  living 
and  residents  of  Yorkville,  111.  Mrs.  P.  was  born 
near  that  town,  Jan.  29,  1854,  and  was  married  be- 
neath the  same  roof  where  her  birth  took  place. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  one  child  only,  a 
son,  Thomas  Abraham.  They  are  sincere  believers 
in  the  Christian  religion,  and  Mrs.  Penman  is  con- 
nected with  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Penman  is 
Democratic  in  politics  and  is  now  serving  his  fourth 
term  as  Assessor;  he  is  also  Road  Commissioner. 
He  has  been  School  Director  for  a  period  of  seven 
years,  and  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Among  the  galaxy  of  portraits  of  Champaign 
County  none  are  more  worthy  of  a  place  than  that 
of  Robert  Penman,  and  we  are  pleased  to  present  it 
in  this  connection,  together  with  that  of  his  estima- 
ble wife. 


•RANK  L.  VAN  VLECK,  of  the  firm  of  Van 
Vleck  &  Bro.,  is  an  extensive  dealer  in 
grain  and  farm  implements  at  Philo,  and  in 
1887  became  an  active  partner  with  his  brother, 
C.  H.  Van  Vleck,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  else- 
where in  this  ALBUM.  Since  that  time  they  have 
operated  together  successfully,  shipping  annually 
frc|ji  200,000  to  300,000  bushels  of  grain,  and  ex- 
tonatng  their  operations  to  all  important  points 
East  and  West.  Mr.  Van  V.,  besides  his  profitable 
business  in  the  village  of  Philo,  owns  a  good  farm, 
a  part  of  which  is  in  the  limits. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Brownsville,  Monroe 
Co.,  J&j.Y.,  and  was  born  June  15,  1835.  He  re- 
ceived a  fair  education  in  the  public  schools,  and 
after  reaching  manhood  was  employed  for  some 
time  in  the  American  Hotel  at  Jersey  City,  as 
clerk,  where  he  gained  a  good  insight  into  business 
methods.  He  came  West  while  unmarried,  and 
located  in  Jolict,  where  he  became  connected  with 
the  Rock  Island  Railway  Company  as  locomotive 


340 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


fireman.  From  there  he  went  to  the  Michigan 
Central  and  was  employed  as  an  engineer  for  live 
years.  After  the  close  of  the  late  war  he  ran  a  train 
on  the  Memphis  &  Louisville  Railroad  for  about 
six  years.  In  1870  he  took  up  his  residence  at 
Philo,  and  in  company  with  J.  R.  Moore,  whom  he 
succeeded  in  the  hardware  business,  operated  until 
1872.  He  then  sold  out  to  Mr.  Ennis,  and  re- 
turned to  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  running  a 
train  from  Joliet  to  Lake,  Ind.,  for  about  five  years, 
then,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  company  whose 
trusted  employe  he  had  been  so  long,  he  returned 
to  Philo  and  engaged  with  his  brother  in  their  pres- 
ent business. 

Our  subject  was  married,  Jan.  29,  1869,  at 
Bloom,  Cook  Co.,  111.,  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  McCoy, 
who  was  born  and  reared  in  that  county,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Sabra  McCoy.  The  former 
died  when  Mrs.  Van  V.  was  about  twelve  years  old, 
in  1854,  having  been  a  victim  of  cholera.  Mrs.  Mc- 
Coy survived  her  husband  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
eight  years,  and  departed  this  life  in  1882,  aged 
eighty-four.  The  parental  family  consisted  of 
twelve  children,  of  whom  the  wife  of  our  subject 
was  the  eleventh.  Of  the  seven  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters, two  of  the  former  were  killed  in  California, 
one  by  accident  and  one  murdered  for  his  money. 
Mrs.  Van  V.  was  reared  and  educated  in  Aurora,  111., 
and  remained  with  her  parents  until  her  marriage. 
She  became  the  mother  of  three  children,  one  of 
whom,  Charles  M.,  is  deceased.  Belle  and  Bertie 
are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Philo,  and  politi- 
cally Mr.  Van  V.  is  an  uncompromising  Democrat. 
He  has  held  the  various  offices  of  his  township  and 
village,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors in  187G. 


ENRY  T.  SADORUS.  The  400-acre  farm 
occupying  the  greater  part  of  section  7,  in 
Pesotum  Township,  has  been  built  up 
|)j  mainly  by  the_energy  and  industry  of  the 
gentleman  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch,  and  who  has  arrived  at  the  age  of  sixty-four 


years.  His  life  has  been  one  full  of  interesting  ex- 
periences and  his  make-up  that  which  has  gathered 
knowledge  from  what  he  has  observed  in  life  and  in- 
struction from  its  various  phases. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Rush  County,  Ind., 
where  he  was  born  in  1823,  and  was  the  seventh 
child  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Titus)  Sadorus,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  In  1849,  when  twenty-six  years 
of  age,  he  started  out  from  his  home  on  a  long 
journey  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  going  overland  with 
mule-teams,  one  of  his  companions  being  Richard 
Oglesby,  now  Governor  of  Illinois,  and  about  his 
own  age.  After  arriving  in  the  Golden  State  they 
entered  the  mines  at  Downieville,  where  Mr.  Sado- 
rus was  very  profitably  employed  for  twelve 
months,  and  accumulated  a  goodly  package  of  the 
yellow  ore. 

At  the  expiration  of  this  time  our  subject  re- 
turned to  his  old  home  in  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained just  long  enough  to  gather  together  a  large 
herd  of  cattle,  with  which  he  started  in  the  spring 
of  1854,  and  drove  through  to  Butte  County,  Cal., 
the  trip  consuming  a  period  of  four  months.  He 
sold  his  animals  at  an  immense  profit,  and  then  took 
up  the  business  of  butchering  and  stock  dealing, 
which  he  followed  for  two  or  three  years,  and  then, 
on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  cattle,  proceeded  to 
New  Orleans  and,  accompanied  by  fifteen  men,  made 
a  trip  into  Texas  to  replenish  his  herd.  In  the 
central  part  of  the  Lone  Star  State  he  purchased 
649  head  of  cattle,  which  he  started  to  drive 
through  to  California,  as  on  the  first  trip.  On  his 
way  up  the  Arkansas  River  the  Indians  stampeded 
the  drove  one  night  and  succeeded  in  getting  away 
with  249  head,  involving  a  loss  of  more  than  $17,- 
000  to  Mr.  Sadorus,  the  cattle  being  worth  about 
$70  per  head  in  California.  The  remainder  of  the 
herd  was  safely  landed  in  Butte  County,  where  our 
subject  remained  four  years  following,  butchering 
as  before,  and  gathering  in  a  handsome  little  for- 
tune. 

From  California  Mr.  Sadorus  came  eastward  as 
far  as  Humboldt  County,  Nev.,  where  he  continued 
butchering  and  also  engaged  in  mining  until  1863. 
He  then  wandered  through  the  mining  districts 
generally  from  Idaho  to  Montana,  spending  two 
years  in  prospecting  and  digging.  Then  he  and 


~ 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


341 


T 


four  companions  concluded  to  return  to  the  States. 
They  drifted  down  the  Missouri  River  to  St.  Joseph, 
where  they  took  passage  for  Illinois  by  rail.  Mr.  S. 
was  already  the  owner  of  a  quarter  section  of  land 
in  Saclorus  Township,  and  upon  this  he  now  settled 
and  began  the  more  quiet  pursuit  of  farm  life  in 
the  Prairie  State.  He  added  to  his  first  purchase 
and  in  due  time  built  up  the  splendid  homestead 
which  is  now  the  admiration  of  both  the  surround- 
ing community  and  the  passer-by. 

The  lady  who  for  the  last  twenty  years  pre- 
sided over  the  household  affairs  of  our  subject,  and 
who  was  the  honored  mother  of  his  children,  was 
formerly  Miss  Sarah  Fields,  a  native  of  this  State, 
but  reared  in  Fountain  County,  Ind.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  were  born  five  children,  of  whom  the 
eldest,  a  son,  John,  died  in  early  childhood.  The 
surviving  are  living  at  home,  and  bear  the  names 
respectively  of  Jessie  M.,  Melissa,  Aldula  and  Jor- 
dan. The  faithful  and  affectionate  wife  and  mother 
departed  this  life  on  the  18th  of  June,  1885,  and  the 
daughters  have  since  been  the  household  compan- 
ions of  their  father. 

Mr.  Sadorus  devotes  much  of  his  time  to  the 
breeding  of  fine  cattle,  his  favorites  being  the  Short- 
horns, and  he  feeds  all  the  grain  he  raises.  He  has 
been  too  much  absorbed  in  his  farm  interests  and  the 
welfare  of  his  family  to  give  much  time  to  politics, 
but  dutifully  casts  his  vote  with  the  Democrats. 
As  may  be  supposed  he  entertains  very  little  regard 
for  the  American  Indian,  and  relates  many  instances 
illustrating  the  barbarity  of  the  untrained  sav- 
age. In  1856,  during  the  trip  down  the  Humboldt 
in  company  with  James  Bryden,  of  Monticello, 
they  came  to  the  home  of  the  Holliday  family,  who 
had  been  engaged  in  farming  and  grazing.  This 
family  had  been  warned  of  the  proximity  of  the 
enemy,  but  resolved  to  fight  for  their  home  and  its 
surroundings.  When  Mr.  Sadorus  and  his  party  ar- 
rived at  the  place  they  found  a  newly  made  grave 
to  mark  the  place  where  the  house  had  stood,  and 
beneath  the  sod  were  laid  the  bodies  of  six  of  the 
family  by  a  party  of  men  who  were  then  engaged  in 
a  running  fight  with  the  Indians,  who  had  exhumed 
the  bodies  after  their  first  burial  to  secure  their 
clothing.  Mrs.  Holliday  alone  escaped  the  general 
massacre,  but  was  left  for  dead,  having  been  shot 


seven  times  and  then  scalped.  She  was  picked  up 
by  the  first  party,  who  had  buried  the  others,  and 
taken  to  Dogtown,a  small  supply  station,  where  she 
eventually  recovered.  The  party  which  followed 
the  Indians  captured  their  entire  camp  and  put  the 
savages  to  death.  Among  the  trophies  secured  was 
the  scalp  of  Mrs.  Holliday,  which  they  returned  to 
her  in  due  time.  This  was  but  one  of  the  many 
acts  of  cruelty  by  the  Indians  of  which  Mr.  S.  was 
a  witness  during  his  life  in  the  West. 


ATRICK  FLYNN,  a  fair  representative  of 
the  farming  community  of  Philo  Town- 
ship, is  the  proprietor  of  200  acres  lying 
on  sections  20  and  28,  the  residence  being 
on  the  former.  The  farm  is  systematically  ar- 
ranged, with  all  necessary  conveniences  for  the 
raising  of  grain  and  stock,  and  with  substantial 
and  commodious  buildings.  It  came  into  the  pos- 
session of  our  subject  by  degrees,  he  having  first 
purchased  forty  acres  in  1862,  to  which  he  subse- 
quently added  as  his  means  accumulated.  For  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years  or  over,  he  has  been 
industriously  engaged  in  its  improvement  and  cul- 
tivation, and  may  look  upon  the  result  with  par- 
donable pride.  Most  of  it  was  uncultivated  prairie 
at  the  beginning,  which  he  has  now  converted  into 
a  farm  which  will  bear  comparison  with  any  in  the 
county. 

Mr.  Ftynn  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1834,  and 
when  about  twenty  years  old  set  out  alone  for  the 
United  States,  landing  in  New  York  City  in  April, 
1854.  Thence  he  soon  afterward  proceeded  to 
Chicago,  and  then  to  La  Salle  and  Springfield,  en- 
gaging in  the  latter  place  with  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road Company,  whose  road  was  then  known  as  the 
Great  Western.  He  remained  with  this  company 
for  many  years,  and  enjoyed  in  a  marked  degree 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  employers.  He 
worked  with  them  faithfully,  the  only  time  lost  be- 
ing when  he  was  laid  up  with  a  crippled  foot,  a 
part  of  which  he  lost  by  being  run  over  on  the  19th 
of  September,  185G. 

Mr.  Flynn  was  married,  in  Philo  Township,  July 


* 


4 


342 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


3,  1859,  to  Miss  Mary  Ryan,  who,  like  her  hus- 
band, was  born  in  Tipperary  County,  Ireland,  and 
when  fourteen  years  of  age,  came,  unaccompanied 
by  any  member  of  her  family,  to  the  United  States. 
Her  mother  died  in  Ireland  in  about  1874;  the  fa- 
ther is  yet  living  in  his  native  Erin.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Flynn  became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  five  now 
deceased.  Those  surviving  are,  Margaret;  John, 
who  married  Miss  Eliza  Johnson;  Mary  J. ;  Ho- 
nora,  who  married  George  O'Burn,  and  Thomas. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  loyal  adherents  of  the 
Catholic  faith  of  their  fathers,  and  politically  Mr. 
Flynn  is  a  stanch  Democrat. 


IEORGE  A.  FISHER,  a  prominent  young 
farmer  of  Condit  Township,  is  pleasantly 
located  on  section  6,  where  he  makes  a 
specialty  of  the  breeding  of  fine  stock.  He  keeps 
about  seventy-five'  head  of  cattle,  among  them 
twelve  thoroughbreds  and  the  balance  high  grades. 
His  homestead  is  neatly  arranged,  the  buildings 
kept  in  good  repair,  and  on  every  hand  is  indi- 
cated the  industry  and  enterprise  of  the  proprietor. 
Mr.  Fisher  is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in  Ma- 
homet Township,  Aug.  24,  1858.  His  father, 
Robert  Fisher,  was  born  in  Madison  County,  Ohio, 
Aug.  22,  1829,  and  was  the  son  of  James  W.  Fisher, 
a  native  of  Ohio,  whence  he  removed  to  the  Prairie 
State  in  the  year  1 848,  and  located  in  this  county 
in  the  days  of  its  first  settlement.  (See  sketch  of 
William  C.  Fisher  elsewhere  in  this  work.) 

Robert  Fisher,  the  father  of  our  subject,  remained 
a  resident  of  his  native  county  until  1848,  and 
then  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents.  They  at 
once  located  in  Mahomet  Township,  where  Rob- 
ert was  married,  and  remained  on  the  homestead 
until  the  death  of  his  father,  which  took  place  one 
year  afterward.  In  1860  he  removed  to  New- 
comb  Township,  and  located  on  section  21.  Be- 
fore the  death  of  his  father  the  two  had  purchased 
the  whole  of  section  6,  in  Condit  Township,  with 
the  exception  of  forty  acres  of  timber,  and  had 
entered  a  ([iwrler  section  from  the  Government  on 
section  1  of  Mahomet  Township;  he  also  bought 


a  quarter  section  of  another  party.  There  had 
been  but  few  improvements  made  previous  to  his 
removal  here  in  1860.  Rantoul,  ten  miles  distant, 
was  the  nearest  railroad  station  at  the  time  Mr. 
Fisher  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the  build- 
ing of  the  Narrow  Gauge  Railroad  from  Le  Roy, 
111.,  to  Lebanon,  Ind.,  and  had  the  station  located 
on  his  land,  on  section  36  of  Brown  Township,  the 
village  being  named  in  his  honor.  He  continued 
on  his  homestead  on  section.  21,  of  Newcomb 
Township,  until  the  spring  of  1884,  then  removed 
to  Hubbell,  Thayer  Co.,  Neb.,  where  he  and  his 
sons  together  purchased  large  tracts  of  land,  which 
they  are  now  improving  and  also  engaged  in  gen- 
eral merchandising. 

The  maiden  name  of  the  mother  of  our  subject 
was  Sarah  A.  Ham.  She  was  born  in  Virginia,  and 
was  the  daughter  of  Bartholomew  Ham,  of  whom 
a  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  ALBUM.  By  her 
marriage  with  Robert  Fisher,  she  became  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  whose  home  training  she 
carefully  looked  after,  and  to  whom  she  set  an  ex- 
ample of  patience  and  goodness  well  worthy  of 
their  imitation. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  third  child 
born  to  his  parents,  and  spent  his  early  years  after 
the  manner  of  most  farmers'  boys,  assisting  in  the 
lighter  labors  of  the  farm,  and  attending  the  dis- 
trict school.  After  reaching  manhood  he  was  mar- 
ried, and  settled  in  Fisher  Village,  having  deter- 
mined to  try  some  other  occupation  than  farming 
for  a  time  at  least.  He  accordingly  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  and  manufacture  of  brick 
and  tile,  and  after  three  years'  experience  was  sat- 
isfied to  return  to  the  farm,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. He  has  been  successful  in  his  agricultural 
operations,  which  have  been  chiefly  devoted  to 
stock-raising,  and  exhibits  some  of  the  finest  speci- 
mens of  thoroughbred  animals  to  be  found  in  this 
section. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  before  her  marriage, 
was  Miss  Ellie  McClelland,  a  native  of  Franklin 
Township,  Licking  Co.,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of 
Joshua  R.  McClelland,  of  Pennsylvania,  of  whom 
a  sketch  will  be  found  on  another  page  in  this 
work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  two  bright  children,  who  are  the  light  of 


T 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


343    ,  , 


the  household,  and  whom  they  named  Loren  V. 
and  Robert  Forrest.  Mr.  Fisher  takes  an  intelli- 
gent interest  in  current  events  and  uniformly  casts 
his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


^ALTER  REESE,  of  Hensley  Township,  is  a 
native  of  Washington  County,  Ohio,  and 
the  son  of  George  Reese,  of  Hazel  Valley, 
Pa.  His  grandfather,  Stephen  Reese,  a  native  of 
Wales,  came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  a 
small  child.  The  family  located  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  the  great-grandparents  of  our  subject  spent 
the  last  years  of  their  life.  Their  son,  Stephen, 
was  reared,  married  and  lived  in  his  native  State 
until  about  1818,  when  he  removed  to  Ohio  and 
located  in  Washington  County,  where  he  died  six 
years  later  during  the  cholera  epidemic  of  1822. 

George  Reese,  the  father  of  our  subject,  grew  to 
manhood  in  his  native  State,  where  he  learned  the 
trade  of  a  carpenter  but  afterward  followed  his 
father  to  Ohio.  His  first  work  in  Ohio  was  to 
assist  in  the  building  of  a  keel-boat.  After  this 
he  removed  to  Washington  County,  and  purchased 
a  farm  near  Newport.  This  he  cultivated  with  the 
aid  of  hired  help  while  also  carrying  on  his  carpen- 
ter business,  in  which  he  became  quite  famous,  and 
was  finally  engaged  solely  as  a  contractor.  He  died 
in  Washington  County,  Ohio,  in  about  1876.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Margaret  Kerr,  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
County,  Pa.,  Aug.  22,  1800,  and  lived  there  until 
eighteen  years  of  age.  She  then  went  to  Ohio 
with  the  family  of  her  father,  Charles  Kerr.  The 
latter  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  German 
parentage  and  descent.  Mrs.  Margaret  Reese  de- 
parted this  life  on  the  old  homestead  in  Ohio  in 
about  1885,  after  having  been  the  faithful  and 
affectionate  companion  of  her  husband  for  a  period 
of  over  fifty  years. 

The  parental  household  included  ten  children,  of 
whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  eldest.  He 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  when  seventeen 
years  of  age  became  employed  in  a  nursery  at 
Newport.  After  seven  or  eight  years  thus  occupied 


he  removed  to  Lawrence  County,  Ohio,  where  he 
rented  a  farm  and  lived  until  1856.  He  then  came 
to  Illinois,  worked  out  one  season,  and  then  took 
a  piece  of  land  for  another  party.  In  1861  he  lo- 
cated on  the  place  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. It  was  wild  land  when  he  took  possession, 
but  he  has  brought  it  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation, 
erected  a  shapely  and  convenient  set  of  frame 
buildings,  planted  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and  marked 
off  the  different  fields  with  hedge  fences.  It  now 
bears  fair  comparison  with  the  thrifty  homesteads 
for  which  this  section  is  noted. 

The  marriage  of  Walter  Reese  and  Miss  Julia 
Gorrell  took  place  in  July,  1847.  Mrs.  R.  is  a  na- 
tive of  Tyler  County,  W.  Va.,  and  the  daughter  of 
Levi  and  Charity  (Shinn)  Gorrell.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  seven  children;  Joseph  B.  was  the 
Assessor  of  Hensley  Township  four  years  ;  Eliza  be- 
came the  wife  of  William  Chambers,  now  deceased, 
and  lives  in  Danville,  Iowa;  Dora,  Conders  C., 
Grant  and  Anna,  are  at  home;  Trella  R.  married 
James  R.  Shivvers,  aud  lives  in  Winfield,  Kan.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Reese  are  members  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  politically  he 
is  a  straight  Republican. 


Tw'ACOB  H.  JUDY,  a  prosperous  farmer  of 
Newcomb  Township,  first  opened  his  eyes  to 
the  light  in  Greene  County,  Ohio,  Sept.  8, 
1821.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Christina 
(Hittle)  Judy,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  the 
latter  of  Ohio,  and  both  of  German  ancestry.  They 
located  in  Greene  County,  Ohio,  soon  after  their 
marriage,  whence  they  emigrated  in  the  fall  of 
1825,  to  Sangamon  County,  111.,  being  among  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  that  region.  They  made  the 
journey  in  wagons,  driving  their  cattle  before  them. 
After  settling  the  family  and  gathering  the  provis- 
ions for  the  winter,  the  elder  Judy,  in  company  with 
George  and  Jonas  Hittle,  started  North  on  an  ex- 
ploring expedition,  going  first  to  Pekin,  and  then 
to  Peoria.  The  former  place  at  that  time  was  a 
hamlet  of  three  cabins,  and  Peoria,  known  as  Ft. 
Clark,  was  then  composed  of  twelve  cabins.  The 


N  i     344 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


father  of  our  subject  had  brought  with  him  $200  in 
gold. 

The  two  men  made  a  claim  in  Ilittle  Township, 
and  then  returned  to  Saugamon  County  for  their 
teams  and  provisions,  leaving  their  families  until 
the  next  trip.  Returning  to  Hittle  Township  they 
put  up  three  cabins,  and  in  February,  1826,  moved 
their  families  into  their  new  quarters.  Here  Mr. 
Judy  established  a  comfortable  home,  which  he  oc- 
cupied with  his  family  until  the  death  of  himself 
and  his  excellent  wife.  The  mother  died  in  1845, 
and  the  father  in  1861.  The  household  circle 
included  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters. 

The  subject  of  this  historj'  was  the  eldest  sou  and 
second  child  of  his  parents,  and  was  a  little  over 
four  years  of  age  when  they  brought  him  to  Illi- 
nois. He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until 
twenty-one  years  old,  and  then  served  an  appren- 
ticeship at  the  carpenter's  trade  which,  however,  he 
practically  abandoned  to  take  up  the  more  congenial 
occupation  of  farming.  For  the  greater  part  of 
fifty-six  years  following  he  made  his  home  in 
Tazewell  County,  this  State,  with  the  exception  of 
four  years  spent  in  Atlanta,  111.,  on  account  of  the 
illness  of  his  wife,  and  during  which  time  he  fol- 
lowed his  trade.  He  sold  his  farm  in  Tazewell 
County  and  came  to  Champaign  County  in  the 
spring  of  1881,  locating  in  Newcomb  Township,  on 
section  11.  Here  he  has  one  of  the  finest  farms  in 
the  entire  county.  It  comprises  240  acres  of  choice 
land,  with  a  beautiful  dwelling,  a  good  barn  and 
all  other  necessary  farm  buildings.  He  also  owns 
eighty  acres  in  Brown  Township.  The  residence 
grounds  are  laid  out  with  great  taste,  and  much 
care  has  been  exercised  in  the  general  appearance  of 
the  homestead,  which  evinces  on  all  sides  the  cul- 
tivated tastes  and  prosperity  of  its  proprietor. 

The  marriage  of  Jacob  H.  Judy  and  Miss  Lu- 
cinda  Clarno  was  celebrated  on  the  10th  of  Maj% 
1845,  in  Tazewell  County.  This  lady  was  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Whitman)  Clarno, 
and  was  born  in  Ohio,  whence  she  removed  with  her 
parents  when  a  young  child  to  Tazewell  County, 
111.  Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there  were 
born  four  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  fol- 
lows: Thnddeus  died  when  four  years  old ;  John 


died  in  Tazewell  County,  of  consumption,  aged 
thirty-two  years;  George  married  Miss  Edith  Alls- 
brook,  and  is  a  merchant  in  Armington,Mll. ;  Hester 
became  the  wife  of  John  Steller,  and  resides  in 
Tazewell  County.  Mrs.  Lacinda  Judy  departed 
this  life  at  Atlanta,  111.,  in  about  1853. 

The  second  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  Tazewell  County,  Nov.  11,  1856,  was 
Miss  Alice  Blair,  who  was  born  near  Detroit,  Mich., 
of  New  England  parentage.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  (Clark)  Blair,  and  a  cousin  of 
ex-Senator  Blair  of  Michigan.  Of  this  marriage 
there  have  been  born  six  children,  who  are  recorded 
as  follows :  Lillie  died  when  four  years  old ;  Lot 
married  Miss  Addie  Phillips,  and  is  a  dealer  in 
horses  at  Dorchester,  Neb.;  Edward  married  Miss 
Libby  Nesbit,  and  is  a  resident  of  Newcomb 
Township;  Loren  is  a  practicing  physician;  Emma 
is  attending  the  State  Normal  University  at  Nor- 
mal, 111.;  Olive  died  young.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judy 
are  members  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  our  sub- 
ject politically  is  a  firm  Republican. 


E  F.  GEIGER,  a  substantial  represent- 
ative of  the  hardware  trade  of  Mahomet, 
came  to  this  locality  in  the  spring  of  1 870. 
During  the  early  part  of  his  life  he  was  engaged  in 
farming,  from  which  he  retired  in  1882  to  establish 
himself  in  his  present  business.  He  is  a  native  of 
Germany,  and  was  born  April  23,  1834.  His  par- 
ents were  George  J.  and  Catherine  Geiger,  natives 
of  the  same  country,  where  they  passed  their  entire 
lives,  and  where  their  remains  were  laid  to  rest. 

Our  subject  was  the  second  of  a  family  of  four 
children.  He  received  a  High  School  education  in 
his  native  town,  where  he  remained  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  He  then  came  by  him- 
self to  the  United  States,  and  after  reaching  the 
shores  of  the  New  World  proceeded  directly  to  Illi- 
nois, locating  in  Sangamon  County,  and  engaging 
as  a  farm  laborer.  Three  years  later  he  rented  a  tract 
of  land  which  he  cultivated  on  his  own  account. 
He  remained  four  years  in  Sangamon  County, 
whence  he  removed  to  Logan  County,  and  after 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


345 


farming  there  two  years  on  rented  land,  purchased 
eighty  acres  which  he  cultivated  and  occupied  for 
four  years.  He  then  sold  out,  and  in  1870  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Mahomet  Township,  this  county, 
which  he  conducted  for  a  period  of  twelve  years. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  placed  it  in  the 
hands  of  a  responsible  tenant  and  established  him- 
self in  the  hardware  trade  at  Mahomet,  of  which  he 
lias  since  been  a  resident.  He  is  considered  by  all 
as  a  stanch  and  reliable  citizen,  and  one  contrib- 
uting his  share  toward  the  business  interests  of  the 
community. 

Mr.  Geiger  was  married  in  Marion  County,  111., 
in  December,  18f>9,  to  Miss  Mary  Simmons,  who 
was  born  in  Missouri  in  1836.  Of  this  union  there 
are  two  children  —  Katie  M.,  the  wife  of  Irving  Ris- 
ing, of  Mahomet,  and  Rosa  A.,  at  home  with  her 
parents.  Mr.  G.  for  six  years  was  Supervisor  of 
Mahomet  Township  and  for  several  years  served  as 
Road  Commissioner.  Politically  he  is  Republican, 
socially,  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  religiously,  a  member 
of  the  Reform  Church.  His  wife  is  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Baptist  Church. 


FRANCIS  M.  WATTS,  who  is  pursuing  the 
even  tenor  of  his  way  as  the  leading  mer- 
chant of  the  village  of  Ivesdale,  in  Sadorus 
Township,  established  in  business  there  in  the  spring 
of  1881,  and  has  built  up  a  good  trade  in  general 
merchandise,  having  among  his  patrons  the  best 
people  of  his  community.  He  first  appeared  upon 
the  stage  of  action  in  Perry  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  13, 
1844,  and  was  the  second  in  a  family  of  seven  chil- 
dren born  to  Charles  and  Elizabeth  (Tracy)  Watts, 
the  father  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  mother  of 
Maryland.  They  followed  farming  in  a  modest 
manner  in  the  Buckeye  State,  and  Francis  M.  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  parental  household  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  late  Rebellion. 

When  a  little  over  nineteen  years  of  age  our  sub- 
ject enlisted,  Feb.  18,  1864,  as  a  soldier  of  the  Un- 
ion Army,  becoming  a  member  of  Co.  G,  76th  Ohio 
Vol.  Inf.,  which  was  assigned  to  the  1st  brigade  in 
the  1st  division  of  the  loth  Army  Corps,  under 
command  of  Capt.  Stewart,  and  proceeded  to  the 


South,  where  the  troops  entered  upon  the  contin- 
uous struggle  which  succeeded  from  that  time  un- 
til the  fall  of  Atlanta.  Young  Watts,  with  his  com- 
rades, joined  in  the  march  with  Sherman  to  Savan- 
nah, where  he  remained  during  the  winter  oh 
provost  duty.  In  the  spring  his  regiment  moved 
out  and  followed  the  line  of  Sherman's  march  to 
Columbia,  S.  C.,  where  our  subject  served  in  a  sim- 
ilar capacity  during  the  siege  of  that  city.  From 
there  they  proceeded  to  Bentonville  and  engaged 
in  the  last  fight  of  the  Union  troops  with  Gen.  Joe 
Johnson,  during  which  he  surrendered,  and  upon 
which  closely  followed  the  final  capitulation  of  the 
rebels  generally.  Mr.  Watts,  with  his  command, 
proceeded  to  Washington  and  participated  in  the 
grand  review,  after  which  his  regiment  was  trans- 
ferred by  rail  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  they  re- 
mained until  the  12th  of  July,  1865,  when  they 
received  their  honorable  discharge  and  were  mus- 
tered out. 

Our  subject  during  his  seventeen  months  of 
army  life  came  out  without  receiving  a  scratch,  and 
returning  to  his  home  in  the  Buckeye  State,  re- 
mained there  until  the  fall  of  1868.  He  then  came 
to  this  State,  locating  first  in  Piatt  County,  where 
he  followed  farming  on  rented  land  until  1874; 
afterward  he  purchased  eighty  acres,  and  soon  by 
a  series  of  circumstances  was  induced  to  change  his 
location  and  occupation.  Coming  to  Ivesdale,  this 
county,  he  learned  telegraphy,  and  was  agent  on  the 
Wabash  road  for  a  period  of  eight  years.  From 
that  position  he  drifted  into  mercantile  business, 
which  he  followed  in  Ivesdale  two  years,  and  then 
selling  out,  went  to  Kansas,  with  the  design  of  lo- 
cating there  and  following  the  same  vocation. 
Failing  to  find  anything  desirable  he  returned  as 
far  east  as  Indiana,  and  engaged  in  the  grocery 
trade  at  Kokomo.  A  year  later  he  sold  out  there 
and  returned  to  Ivesdale,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained, lie  carries  a  stock  of  groceries  and  the 
lighter  articles  required  about  the  farm  and  house- 
hold, and  by  his  correct  business  methods  has  built 
up  a  flourishing  trade.  Most  of  his  time  has  been 
spent  strictly  attending  to  his  own  affairs,  as  he  finds 
this  the  easiest  method  of  getting  on.  Although 
reasonably  anxious  that  the  Republican  party 
should  have  the  management  of  National  affairs, 


I 

ll 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  those  of  importance  nearer  home,  he  takes  no 
further  part  in  it^  deliberation  than  to  cast  his  vote 
at  the  general  election. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
Jan.  28,  1876,  was  formerly  Miss  Angeline  B.,  eld- 
est child  of  Robert  and  Catherine  Redmond,  na- 
tives of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Watts  was  born  near  Indian- 
apolis, Ind.,  in  1855,  and  there  spent  the  greater 
part  of  her  childhood  and  youth.  Of  her  union  with 
our  subject  there  were  born  two  sons — Charles  B. 
and  Francis  Joseph.  The  former  died  during  their 
trip  to  the  West.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watts  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  enjoy  the 
association  of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


B.  FEEMAN.  The  snug  homestead  of  this 
gentleman  lies  on  section  21,  in  Brown 
Township,  on  the  road  leading  to  the  city 
of  Mahomet  and  to  Center  School-House.  He 
has  followed  out  the  theory  of  Horace  Greeley  in 
possessing  himself  of  a  medium-sized  farm'  well 
cultivated.  Each  acre  is  made  available  either  for 
grain  or  pasturage,  and  all  are  neatly  enclosed 
with  good  fences.  The  farm  buildings,  unpre- 
tentious in  style,  perhaps,  are  suited  to  all  the 
requirements  of  the  small  family  of  our  subject, 
where  they  live  peaceable  and  contented  lives  in 
the  midst  of  comfort,  and  respected  by  their 
friends  and  neighbors. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  Benjamin  L.  and 
Frances  (Leitnacker)  Feernan,  were  natives  of  Fair- 
field  County,  Ohio,  where  they  established  a  home 
after  their  marriage  and  where  they  still  reside. 
They  had  a  family  of  four  sons  and  four  daughters, 
of  whom  Henry  B.  of  our  sketch  was  the  third 
child.  He  also  was  born  in  Fail-field  County,  Ohio, 
Aug.  8,  1845,  and  remained  with  his  parents  on 
the  farm,  receiving  a  common-school  education 
and  learning  to  plow  and  sow  until  the  outbreak  of 
the  late  Civil  War.  Then,  although  but  sixteen 
years  of  age,  he  resolved  to  enter  the  Union  ranks, 
and  enlisted  in  Co.  M,  12th  Ohio  Vol.  Cav.,  serv- 
ing two  years  and  three  months.  With  his  com- 
rades he  encountered  the  enemy  at  Mt.  Sterling, 
Ky.,  where  he  was  captured  by  the  rebels,  but  after 


a  few  hours  made  his  escape  by  eluding  the  guards 
and  taking  "leg  bail."  He  rejoined  his  regiment 
at  Mt.  Sterling,  with  which  he  remained  until  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  service. 

Returning  to  his  old  home  in  Fail-field,  Ohio,  our 
subject  worked  for  his  father  two  years,  and  in 
1867  came  to  Shelby  ville,  this  State,  and  for  the 
year  following  engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land. 
He  then  returned  to  Fail-field  County,  Ohio,  and 
purchasing  a  threshing-machine  occupied  himself 
with  this  until  in  the  spring  of  1872,  when  he  again 
came  to  Illinois  and  rented  a  farm  in  Champaign 
Township,  this  county,  two  years.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  this  time  he  rented  the  Ball  farm  in  Brown 
Township,  which  he  operated  for  a  year,  and  in 
the  meantime  purchased  the  land  which  he  now 
owns  and  occupies.  This  he  took  possession  of  in 
the  spring  of  1874.  He  has  expended  about  $600 
in  tile,  and  each  year  adds  some  new  improvement 
enhancing  the  value  of  his  property. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Feeman  took  place  in  his 
native  county  in  the  Buckeye  State,  Jan.  16,  1872, 
wheil^Iiss  Maggie  H.,  daughter  of  David  and  Pris- 
cilla  (Wells)  Ewing,  became  his  wife.  The  parents 
of  Mrs.  F.  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania 
respectively,  and  after  their  marriage  located  in 
Fairfield,  Ohio,  where  they  reared  two  children,  the 
wife  of  our  subject  being  the  second.  Mrs.  Fee- 
man  is  a  native  of  the  same  county  as  her  husband, 
born  June  13,  1848,  and  like  him  was  reared  in  the 
Buckeye  State.  She  was  given  the  advantages  of 
its  free  schools  in  early  life,  is  a  worthy  and  intelli- 
gent lady,  and  belongs  to  the  Protestant  Methodist 
Church.  Their  two  children — Harlan  L.  and  Henry 
E. — are  still  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  Fee- 
nan  votes  with  the  Republican  party,  and  socially 
belongs  to  Van  Wert  Post  No.  300,  G.  A.  R.,  in 
Fisher. 


JAMES  H.  LOTT,  who  is  engaged  in  merchan. 
dising  in  Mahomet,  has  been  a  resident  of 
the  Prairie  State  since  a   child    four   years 
1    of  age.     He  is  a  native  of  Steuben  County, 
N.  Y. .  and  was  born  June  19,  1842.     He  received 
a  limited  education,  and  his  mother  died  when   he 
was  twelve  years  old,  and  school  privileges  at  that 


i 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


349 


\ 


time  were  few  and  far  between.  His  parents  were 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Arnwinc)  Lott,  the  father  a 
native  of  New  Jersey  and  the  mother  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. After  living  in  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  a 
few  years  they  came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Kanka- 
kee  County,  where  the  mother  died  in  1854.  Henry 
Lott  afterward  made  his  home  with  his  children, 
his  death  occurring  in  1885  at  the  residence  of  his 
son,  in  Mahomet. 

The  ten  children  of  the  parental  household  con- 
sisted of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  eighth  child.  He  commenced 
the  duties  of  life  at  an  early  age,  and  engaged  in 
farm  work  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war. 
He  then  enlisted  in  Co.  A,  28th  Iowa  Vol.  Inf., 
and  served  three  years  and  eight  days,  suffering 
bravely  with  his  comrades  the  hardships  and  diffi- 
culties of  camp  life  and  the  march  until  August, 
18G5,  after  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  received 
his  honorable  discharge  and  was  mustered  out  at 
ISiivannah,  Ga.  He  participated  in  the  siege  and 
capture  of  Vicksburg,  and  was  present  at  many 
hard  fought  battles,  including  those  of  Winchester 
and  Cedar  Creek,  besides  various  minor  engage- 
ments and  skirmishes,  from  all  of  which  he  escaped 
injury. 

After  his  retirement  from  army  life  Mr.  Lott 
until  1872  carried  on  farming  in  Newcomb  Town- 
ship, whence  he  removed  that  year  to  Mahomet, 
and  in  January,  1873,  established  himself  in  the 
dry-goods  trade,  which  he  has  conducted  since 
that  time.  Two  years  later  his  stock  and  store 
were  destroyed  by  fire,  which  involved  nearly  all 
his  earthly  possessions.  In  April  of  the  following 
year,  however,  he  started  again  upon  a  small  capi- 
tal, and  since  that  time  has  met  with  success,  en- 
joying a  good  trade,  and  being  able  to  put  up  a 
convenient  and  commodious  store  building. 

The  marriage  of  James  H.  Lott  and  Miss  Sarah 
J.  Hinton  took  place  in  Newcomb  Township  on  the 
24th  of  June,  1869.  Mrs.  L.  is  the  daughter  of 
Pleamon  and  Nancy  (Anderson)  Hinton,  residents 
of  Newcomb  Township,  where  the  father  died  in 
about  1883.  Mrs.  H.  is  still  living,  and  a  resident 
of  Newcomb  Township.  Mrs.  Lott  was  born  in 
Clinton  County,  Ind.,  May  25,  1851,  and  by  her 
marriage  with  our  subject  became  the  mother  of 


five  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  living — Min- 
nie O.,  Maud  A.,  and  Lillie  L.  Nancie  and  Lum 
A.  are  deceased. 

Mr.  Lott  is  a  gentleman  highly  esteemed  in  the 
community,  being  genial,  courteous  and  hospitable, 
and  giving  evidence  of  his  birth -and  breeding  as  a 
gentleman  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word.  He 
has  served  his  township  as  .School  Director  and 
member  of  the  Village  Hoard.  He  is  connected 
with  the  Blue  Lodge,  in  Mahomet,  and  Champaign 
Chapter,  Champaign.  Politically  he  is  independent, 
aiming  to  vote  for  the  men  best  qualified  for  office. 
Mrs.  Lott  is  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church. 


'RANK  OFFENSTEIN  owns  a  good  farm 
which  is  especially  adapted  to  corn-raising, 
and  which  lies  on  section  2!t,  in  S.idorus 
Township.  His  buildings,  although  by  no  means 
pretentious,  are  comfortable,  and  answer  fully  the 
modest  requirements  of  the  proprietor,  who  knows 
how  every  penny  of  his  property  was  accumulated, 
and  who  has  learned  to  take  good  care  of  the  results 
of  his  industry  and  perseverance.  The  early  home 
of  our  subject  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic, 
in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  where  he  was  born 
Jan.  18,  1842,  and  spent  twelve  years  of  his  earliest 
childhood  in  the  valley  of  the  Rhine.  His  parents 
were  Philip  and  Margaret  E.  (Rodmaker)  Offen- 
stein,  also  natives  of  the  Fatherland.  The  former 
was  a  brickmaker  by  trade. 

In  1854  Philip  Offenstein,  not  satisfied  with  his 
condition  and  prospects  in  his  native  country,  re- 
solved to  emigrate  to  the  United  States.  Setting 
sail  from  Havre,  France,  after  a  tedious  voyage  of 
six  weeks,  they  arrived  on  American  shores  in  the 
month  of  November.  The  two  eldest  daughters, 
not  wishing  to  come  at  that  time,  remained  with 
their  relatives  on  the  other  side,  but  afterward 
joined  the  family  here.  After  following  the  river 
up  to  Illinois,  the  father  of  our  subject  engaged  in 
brickmaking  in  St.  Clair  County,  where  the  family 
took  up  their  first  residence,  and  where  they  re- 
mained until  1808.  The  father  then,  in  company 


f 


f 


350 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


with  his  son,  our  subject,  came  into  Champaign 
County,  where  Frank  Offenstcin  purchased  160  acres 
of  slight!}'  improved  land  in  Sadorus  Township,  on 
section  29.  Soon  afterward  they  were  joined  by 
the  balance  of  the  family,  and  here  our  subject  has 
lived  since  that  time,  his  father  and  mother  remain- 
ing with  him  until  they  were  called  hence. 

In  the  spring  of  1867,  the  marriage  of  Frank 
Offenstein  and  Miss  Katrina  Kuntz  was  celebrated 
at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Belleville,  111. 
Mrs.  O.  is  the  daughter  of  Adarn  and  Katrina  (Lam- 
bertas)  Kuntz,  who  were  natives  of  Germany,  but 
their  daughter  was  born  in  St.  Clair  County,  111. 
The  result  of  this  union  is  ten  children,  who  were 
named  respectively  as  follows:  Rudolph,  Millie  M. 
and  Philip  (deceased),  Frank  William,  John  Fred- 
erick, Anna  Catharine,  Ida  Mary,  Eliza  Margarette, 
Theodore  Henry  and  Emma  Fredericka.  The  sur- 
viving eight  are  all  at  home  with  their  parents,  the 
eldest  being  about  nineteen  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Offenstein  devotes  the  greater  part  of  his 
time  to  the  production  of  corn,  for  which  his  farm 
seems  best  fitted.  Since  becoming  a  naturalized 
citizen  he  has  voted  with  the  Republican  party,  but 
further  than  this  takes  no  active  part  in  politics. 
He  has  served  his  township  as  School  Director,  and 
with  his  estimable  wife  is  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Lutheran  Church.  A  lithographic  view 
of  Mr.  Offenstein's  residence  is  shown  on  another 
page  of  this  work. 


I 


MOS  BOURNE,  of  Tolono  Township,  has 
been  a  resident  of  this  county  since  the 
spring  of  1865.  He  first  opened  his  eyes 
to  the  light  in  Franklin  County,  Ind.,  on 
the  9th  of  January,  1840.  His  father,  Nathan 
Bourne,  a  native  of  Barnstable  County,  Mass.,  was 
born  May  10,  1794,  and  during  his  early  manhood 
followed  the  trade  of  a  carpenter.  After  reaching 
his  majority  he  started  for  the  West.  His  route  led 
him  through  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Sarah  Ross,  which 
friendship  ripened  into  a  deeper  feeling,  and  they 
were  married  there.  After  this  event  they  located 


on  a  farm  in  Franklin  County,  Iml.,  where  they 
passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  The  death  of 
Nathan  Bourne  occurred  July  27,  1803.  The 
mother  was  born  May  29.  1806,  and  survived  her 
husband  twenty-two  years,  her  death  taking  place 
on  the  1'Jth  of  November,  1880.  Their  habits  of 
frugality  and  industry  had  been  amply  rewarded, 
and  at  his  death  the  father  of  our  subject  was  the 
owner  of  200  acres  of  valuable  land,  with  good  im- 
provements. The  five  children  born  to  the  parental 
household  were:  Kmeline,  who  married  Henry 
Shultz,  and  lives  in  Missiouri;  Lucy,  the  wife  of 
George  Shultz,  a  resident  of  Franklin  County,  Intl. ; 
Amos,  of  our  sketch ;  Nathan,  of  Franklin  County, 
Ind.,  and  Almira,  the  wife  of  Patrick  Gill,  also  of 
Franklin  County. 

Amos  Bourne  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and 
received  a  common-school  education.  After  ar- 
riving at  years  of  manhood  he  was  married,  Feb. 
21,  1861,  to  Miss  Maria  Shultz,  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Catherine  Shultz.  Mrs.  B.  was  born  in 
Franklin  County,  Ind.,  Sept.  9,  1841.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  were  born  nine  children.  One  little 
daughter  at  the  age  of  two  years  was  taken  from 
the  home  circle  by  death  on  the  22d  of  February, 
1872.  Those  living  arc  Lillian  L.,  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam Hayes,  of  Connorsville.  Ind.;  Ulysses  James; 
Mary  R.,  the  wife  of  William  Rose;  George  S., 
Flora  C.,  Nathan  L.,  Roena  Violet  and  John  II. 
The  parents  and  two  children  are  members  in  good 
standing  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  R.,  po- 
litically, is  a  straight  Republican.  He  has  always 
been  interested  in  the  moral  and  intellectual  wel- 
fare of  his  community,  and  has  officiated  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  School  Board  several  terms. 

Our  subject  owned  a  farm  of  eighty-one  acres  in 
his  native  county,  which  he  tilled  until  1864,  when 
he  sold  out,  and  the  following  year  came  to  Illinois, 
becoming  a  resident  of  Tolono  Township  on  the  3d 
of  April,  1865.  He  had  previously  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  which  constitutes  a  part  of  his 
present  homestead,  and  to  which  he  added  until  he 
now  has  a  valuable  farm  of  280  acres  under  a  state 
of  good  cultivation.  In  1886  he  erected  a  tine  two- 
story  dwelling,  and  has  a  good  barn  and  all  neces- 
sary buildings  for  the  storing  of  grain  and  the  shel- 
ter of  stock.  The  homestead  in  all  its  appoint- 


t. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


351 


I 


ments  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  spots  in  the 
landscape  of  Tolono  Township,  and  is  highly  cred- 
itable to  the  industry  and  forethought  of  its  pro- 
prietor. A  view  of  the  place  is  shown  in  this  con- 
nection. 


ATTHEW  J.  ROE,  deceased,  who  was  well 
and  favorably  known  in  Pesotum  Town- 
ship, was  born  in  Bath  County,  Ky.,  April 
9,  1820.  He  was  second  of  the  five  chil- 
dren of  Stephen  and  Rebecca  (Johnson)  Roe,  the 
former  a  carpenter  by  trade,  but  who  spent  much 
of  his  time  in  the  more  congenial  occupation  of 
fanning.  He  owned-  a  fine  homestead  in  Bath 
County,  including  200  acres  of  land  with  good  im- 
provements, and  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 
State  until  his  decease. 

Matthew  Roe,  in  1855,  desiring  to  see  something 
of  the  world  outside  of  his  native  State,  came  north 
into  Menard  County,  111.,  where  he  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land,  and  was  engaged  in  its  cultivation 
until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  Then,  leaving 
his  family  in  the  care  of  David  F.  Hopkins  on  an 
adjoining  farm,  he  entered  the  Union  service,  en- 
listing in  Co.  K,  106th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  He  partici- 
pated with  his  comrades  in  many  important  battles, 
including  those  of  Vicksburg,  Pine  Bluff  and  Little 
Rock,  besides  various  minor  engagements.  As  a 
soldier  he  performed  his  duties  faithfully,  having 
had  already  some  experience  in  the  Mexican  War. 
Although  encountering  many  hairbreadth  escapes 
he  came  out  without  i  scratch,  but  suffered  consid- 
erably in  health,  in  fact  this  was  the  final  cause  of 
his  death,  which  took  place  on  the  5th  of  January, 
1886. 

The  marriage  of  Matthew  J.  Roe  and  Mrs.  Lucy 
(Bailey)  Hopkins  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the 
bride  in  the  fall  of  1850.  Mrs.  Roe  was  the  widow 
of  J.  M.  Hopkins,  a  native  of  Bath  County,  Ky., 
and  who  only  lived  two  years  after  his  marriage. 
Of  this  union  there  was  born  one  child,  David 
Francis,  who  married  Miss  Emily  J.  Propst,  and  is 
a  resident  of  Douglas  County,  111.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Roe  there  were  born  two  children,  of  whom 
one,  Caleb  C.,  died  when  eight  years  of  age;  the 
surviving  son,  William  Walker,  born  in  1853,  was 


married  to  Miss  Rosalie  Cooper,  on  the  10th  of 
May,  1882.  The  first  six  months  they  lived  with 
his  parents,  and  then  moved  into  Pesotum,  where 
they  continued  three  years,  and  until  the  fall  before 
the  death  of  Mr.  Roe,  William  being  engaged  in 
the  grain  business.  He  is  now  the  chief  support 
and  adviser  of  his  widowed  mother,  and  possesses 
in  a  marked  degree  the  enterprise  and  good  judg- 
ment of  his  father.  The  young  people  are  the  par- 
ents of  two  children — Alba  M.  and  Elwayne  C. 

After  retiring  from  the  army  Mr.  Roe  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Pesotum  Township,  this 
county,  and  was  very  successful,  being  prospered 
from  the  start.  He  made  good  improvements,  and 
in  due  time  added  to  his  landed  area  until  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  300  acres.  During  the  latter 
years  of  his  life  he  gave  his  attention  principally  to 
stock-raising.  Mr.  Roe,  early  in  life,  before  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Republican  party,  was  an  old-line 
Whig.  Later  he  endorsed  Republican  principles, 
and  supported  them  by  his  voice  and  vote.  He 
never  connected  himself  with  any  church  organiza- 
tion. Mrs.  Roe,  formerly  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  in  1858  withdrew  and  identified  herself 
with  the  United  Brethren.  As  the  widow  of  a  vet- 
eran she  draws  a  pension  from  the  Government. 


OHN  J.  ZERBE,  of  Brown  Township,  came 
to  Champaign  County  in  1863,  from  Berks 
County,  Pa.,  and  settled  in  what  is  now 
East  Bend  Township,  whence  he  removed 
to  Brown  Township  in  1866,  and  has  since  resided 
there.  lie  has  a  good  farm,  embracing  160  acres 
of  improved  land  on  section  21,  equipped  with  all 
neccessary  out-buildings  for  comfortable  living  and 
for  farm  pin-poses.  He  is  in  all  respects  couduct- 
iug  himself  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen, 
cultivating  the  soil,  raising  good  crops  which  oc- 
cupy a  creditable  place  on  the  market,  and  as  he 
has  opportunity,  contributing  his  share  toward  the 
welfare  of  his  community. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  John  W.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Arnold)  Zerbe,  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
after  becoming  husband  and  wife  settled  down  to 
housekeeping  and  farming  in  Berks  County,  where 


t 

t 


352 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


they  lived  until  1877.  That  year  they  joined  their 
son  in  Illinois  and  took  up  their  abode  in  Sidney 
Township,  where  the  father  died  in  1879;  the 
mother  still  survives,  making  her  home  in  Berks 
County,  Pa.  Of  the  children  born  to  this  worthy 
couple  John  .T.  was  the  sixth,  his  birth  taking  place 
Sept.  30,  1837,  in  Berks  County,  Pa.  He  remained 
a  member  of  his  father's  household  until  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  in  the  meantime  being  employed 
as  clerk  in  a  store  and  as  a  teacher  in  the  district 
schools,  following  the  latter  for  seventeen  winters 
in  succession.  Aside  from  this  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  has  been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
Mr.  /erbe  was  married,  in  Newcomb  Township, 
this  count}7,  on  the  1st  of  December,  1870,  the 
lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Maggie  Mitchell, 
a  native  of  Harrison  County,  Ohio.  Mrs.  /.  is  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  (Edgar)  Mitchell, 
and  was  born  May  9,  1845.  The  six  children  of 
this  household  are  named  as  follows:  Minnie  M., 
John  F.,  Charles  G.,  Lillian  B.,  George  W.  and 
G  rover  C.  The  name  of  the  last  child  satisfacto- 
rily t  indicates  the  politics  of  Mr.  Zerbe.  He  has 
been  honored  with  the  various  offices  of  his  town- 
ship, having  served  as  Assessor,  Clerk,  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  School  Trustee.  Both  our  subject 
and  his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Protestant  Methodist  Church,  and  rank  among  the 
representative  people  of  one  of  the  most  thrifty 
communities  in  the  State. 


r/ILLIAM  R.  CLARK,  a  prominent  and 
highly  respected,  citizen  of  Lndlow,  has 
been  successfully  engaged  as  a  grain  dealer 
since  the  spring  of  1881.  He  bears  the  reputation 
of  a  high-minded  Christian  gentleman,  honorable 
and  upright  in  his  business  transactions,  and  a  val- 
ued member  of  the  refined  society  of  his  commun- 
ity. Mr.  C.  comes  of  an  excellent  family,  and  was 
born  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio,  March  9,  1822. 

:His  father,  John  Clark,  of  Virginia,  emigrated  to 
the  Buckeye  State  when  a  young  man  and  was 
among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Harrison  County. 
He  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  which  he  occupied 


and  cultivated  for  a  few  years  with  success,  and 
later  removed  to  Coshocton  County,  afterward  be- 
coming also  a  resident  of  Knox  and  Champaign 
Counties,  in  the  latter  of  which  he  spent  the  last 
years  of  his  life. 

William  R.  Clark  was  the  youngest  of  his  moth- 
er's children,  and  during  his  youth  and  boyhood 
pursued  his  early  studies  in  the  pioneer  schools 
conducted  in  the  primitive  log  cabin,  mostly  on  the 
subscription  plan.  He  remained  a  member  of  the 
parental  household  until  twenty-two  years  old,  then 
settled  on  a  piece  of  land  which  his  father  had 
given  him.  Five  yeai's  later  he  rented  his  farm 
and  removed  to  Miami  County  in  the  western  part 
of  the  State  where,  with  a  partner,  he  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  at  Casstown.  A  year  of  this 
sufficed,  and  he  returned  to  Urbana.  where  he  lived 
seven  years  and  engaged  in  merchandising.  He  then 
sold  out  and  purchased  a  farm  near  Cable,  in  Cham- 
paign County.  Ohio,  where  he  operated  as  a  grain 
dealer  and  followed  farming.  In  September,  1868, 
he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  on  section  14,  in  Ludlow  Township.  Seven 
years  later  he  removed  to  the  village  and  com- 
menced dealing  in  coal  and  flour,  to  which  he  after- 
ward added  lumber,  and  has  continued  thus  em- 
ployed until  the  present  time.  His  grain  transac- 
tions began  in  1880,  and  have  been  conducted  suc- 
cessfully since  that  time. 

Mr.  Clark,  in  1844,  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Sophia  Baldwin,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents,  in  Wayne  Township,  Champaign  Co., 
Ohio,  the  wedding  taking  place  on  the  llth  of 
April.  Mrs.  Clark  was  born  in  Logan  County, 
Ohio,  in  the  same  year  as  her  husband,  1822,  in 
the  month  of  December.  They  have  four  children 
living  and  located  as  follows:  Minnie  became  the 
wife  of  G.  W.  Payne,  a  resident  of  Sullivan,  111.; 
Ida  and  Alta  are  twins;  the  former  married  John 
Jackson,  a  resident  of  Ford  County;  Alta  became 
Mrs.  William  Hamilton,  and  settled  with  her  hus- 
band near  Wellington,  in  this  State;  Nettie  mar- 
ried E.  A.  Ekstrand,  a  prosperous  merchant  of  Lud- 
low. 

Our  subject  and  wife  became  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  early  in  life,  of  which 
he  was  Trustee  in  Ohio,  and  has  filled  the  same  po- 


I 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


353 


sition  here.  Politically  he  supports  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
subscribers  for  the  Urbana  Citizen  and  Gazette, 
which  was  established  in  1843,  and  has  taken  the 
paper  continuously  since  that  time.  He  was  School 
Treasurer  for  a  number  of  years,  and  has  been  one 
of  the  foremost  men  both  in  social  and  business 
circles,  always  encouraging  the  march  of  progress 
and  every  enterprise  tending  to  the  welfare  of  his 
fellow-citizens.  During  the  late  war  he,  in  1864, 
enlisted  in  Co.  F,  134th  Ohio  Militia,  and  was  com- 
missioned Second  Lieutenant,  serving  until  Sep- 
tember. 


"ft?  AMES  ALEXANDER  HOSSACK.  This 
|  representative  of  a  prominent  family  of  this 
county,  is  pleasantly  located  in  Champaign 
Township,  where  he  occupies  a  fine  home- 
stead with  his  sisters,  Mrs.  S.  H.  McLcllan,  Mar- 
garet M.  and  Jemima  M.  Hossack.  The  Hossack 
family  was  originally  from  Scandinavia,  but  after- 
ward removed  to  the  north  coast  of  Scotland, 
where  several  generations  were  born  and  passed 
away.  The  great-grandfather  of  our  subject, 
Saunders  Hossack,  removed  to  Gourock  on  the 
Clyde,  which,  however,  now  knows  the  family  no 
more,  its  various  members  since  then  having  scat- 
tered over  England,  Scotland  and  America.  The 
only  Hossack  of  this  branch  of  the  family  in  the 
West,  is  James  A.,  of  Champaign,  of  whom  we 
write.  He  is  the  only  son  and  second  child  of  the 
late  Capt.  Alexander  and  Susan  (MacCunn)  Hos- 
sack, of  Greenock,  Renfrewshire,  Scotland,  in  which 
city  he  was  born  in  1845.  The  other  members  of 
the  family  are  Susan  Campbell,  Margaret  Milne 
and  Jemima  MacCunn  Hossack.  Of  these  Susan 
Campbell  was  married  to  Hugh  McLellan,  of 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  of  that  union  there  is  one 
surviving  child,  Mary  Clutha. 

Alexander  Hossack,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  the  eldest  son  of  James  and  Margaret  (Milne) 
Hossack,  of  Gourock,  who  were  the  parents  of  four 
daughters  and  three  sons,  of  whom  Alexander  was 
the  fourth  child.  Of  this  large  family  but  one  re- 
mains, Rev.  John  Hossack,  of  Handsworth,  Bir- 
mingham, England.  He  is  an  old  man  of  about 

4' 


seventy  years,  and  has  no  family.  Dr.  James 
Hussack,  the  third  son,  was  lost  at  sea  on  his  way 
to  China  in  about  the  j'ear  1 855 ;  he  was  never 
married.  The  subject  of  this  history  is  the  only 
grandson  who  bears  the  paternal  name.  Capt. 
Alexander,  the  sailor,  died  in  1848.  He  had  made 
many  voyages  to  the  East  Indies  and  China,  but 
in  the  latter  years  of  his  life  most  of  his  sea  jour- 
neyings  were  to  and  from  America.  Upon  two  of 
these  voyages  his  wife  accompanied  him,  with  their 
eldest  child  upon  the  first,  and  their  two  eldest 
children  upon  the  second.  The  vessel,  the  "  New 
York  Packet,"  was  owned  principally  by  members 
of  the  family.  This  adventurous  wife  and  mother 
was  the  daughter  of  John  MacCunn,  of  Gourock, 
who  with  his  brothers,  James  and  William,  were 
owners  of  stock  in  the  first  steamer  that  plied  the 
waters  of  the  Clyde.  The  "  New  York  Packet " 
belonged  principally  to  the  late  John  MacCunn,  of 
Greenock,  son  of  the  above  and  brother  of  Mrs. 
Hossack.  His  ships  were  to  be  seen  on  all  waters, 
and  when  Tennyson  became  popular  as  a  poet, 
were  called  after  his  heroes  or  heroines,  namely, 
King  Arthur,  Sir  Lancelot,  Guinevieve,  etc.  About 
a  j'ear  previous  to  the  death  of  Capt.  Hossack  he 
retired  from  the  sea,  and  went  into  business  as  a 
ship  plumber,  which  promised  to  be  profitable,  ow- 
ing to  his  long  connection  with  the  ship-owners, 
and  no  doubt  would  have  been  but  for  his  early 
death,  which  occurred  in  Greenock  when  he  was 
in  the  thirty-second  year  of  his  age. 

Upon  the  death  of  her  husband,  the  mother  of 
our  subject  determined  to  devote  her  life  to  the 
care  of  her  four  children,  the  eldest  of  whom  was 
then  five  years  and  a  half  old,  while  the  youngest 
was  but  five  months.  How  faithfully  she  fulfilled 
her  trust  only  her  family  can  testify.  For  "four 
years  after  her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Hossack  re- 
mained in  Greenock,  then,  thinking  that  a  change 
might  be  beneficial  for  her  children,  she,  in  1852, 
removed  to  Dunoon,  Argyleshire,  where  the  fam- 
ily lived  for  several  years.  In  1857  she  had  the 
misfortune  to  lose  a  great  part  of  her  money,  be- 
ing a  stockholder  in  the  Western  Bank  of  Scotland, 
which  became  financially  embarrassed,  and  on  ac- 
count of  this  calamity  she  resolved  to  emigrate  to 
America,  having  a  favorite  sister,  Mrs.  Robert 


351 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Tliallon,  in  Brooklyn,  N.  V.  She  arrived  there 
with  her  little  family  in  November,  1858,  this  be- 
ing her  third  and  final  visit  to  this  country,  where 
she  remained  the  balance  of  her  life.  Although  of 
frail  constitution,  and  a  great  sufferer  physically, 
her  self-sacrificing  interest  iu  her  children's  behalf, 
enabled  her  to  endure  much,  while  her  resolution 
of  character  was  remarkably  illustrated.  She  im- 
mediately placed  her  children  in  the  public  schools, 
where  her  son  James  remained  until  he  was  four- 
teen years  of  age.  He  was  then  taken  into  the 
office  of  his  uncle,-  the  late  Robert  Thallon,  who 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  New  York  Produce 
Exchange,  and  one  of  its  most  honored  members. 
The  office  was  located  iu  Hanover  Square,  and 
here  James  Hossack  remained  for  nearly  three 
3Tears,  gaining  a  good  insight  into  general  business 
methods.  Then,  by  the  advice  of  his  uncle,  he 
entered  the  packing-house  of  Rutherford  &  Adams, 
on  Twenty-seventh  street,  in  New  York  City,  to 
learn  their  business.  This  not  being  to  his  taste, 
however,  a  few  years  later  he  returned  to  his 
former  office,  which  was  now  in  possession  of 
Charles  W.  Lord,  who  had  succeeded  Mr.  Thallon  in 
the  business,  when  the  latter  went  to  Europe. 

While  in  Mr.  Lord's  office,  our  subject  met  with 
a  great  allliction  in  the  death  of  his  tender  and 
affectionate  mother,  who  had  lived  just  long  enough 
to  hear  that  peace  was  declared  in  the  country 
whose  interests  had  become  hers,  and  whose  destiny 
she  had  regarded  with  an  affection  no  less  than  one 
of  its  own  children.  The  last  public  meeting  which 
she  attended  was  upon  the  occasion  of  the  eulogy 
delivered  by  Dr.  Richard  Storrs  upon  the  martyred 
Lincoln.  The  death  of  this  estimable  lady  oc- 
curred on  the  9th  of  June,  1 865,  when  she  was  in 
the  fifty-second  year  of  h?r  age,  and  her  remains 
were  laid  to  rest  by  her  sorrowing  family  in  Green- 
wood Cemetery. 

James  A.  Hossack  then  decided  to  seek  his 
fortunes  in  the  great  West.  He  had  inherited  a 
strong  love  for  the  sea.  and  felt  obliged  to  fly  from 
the  temptation  that  daily  assailed  him  while  he 
was  in  sight  of  it,  in  order  to  keep  the  promise 
whicli  he  had  made  his  mother  that  he  would  never 
be  a  sailor.  Accordingly  in  the  fall  of  that  year 
he  came  to  Illinois,  and  in  due  time  purchased  200 


acres  of  wild  prairie,  upon  whicli  there  was  not  a 
single  tree  and  scarcely  a  stone.  This  land,  re- 
deemed from  its  original  condition,  now  consti- 
tutes the  homestead  of  our  subject,  a  beautiful 
farm,  well  drained,  wooded  and  tilled.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  its  present  condition 
has  been  brought  about  by  years  of  industry  and 
excellent  business  management.  Mr.  Hossack  also 
turned  his  attention  to  stock-raising,  and  in  all  re- 
spects has  been  uniformly  successful.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican,  but  at  the  last  presidential  elec- 
tion considered  himself  justified  in  casting  his  vote 
for  Grover  Cleveland.  Mr.  Hossack  has  never 
married,  his  domestic  affairs  being  presided  over 
by  his  sister,  Miss  Margaret  Hossack. 

Religiously  the  family  may  be  properly  called 
Presbyterian.  The  grandfather,  James  Hossack, 
in  his  native  Scotland  walked  every  Sunday  a  dis- 
tance of  three  miles  from  Gourock  to  Greenock  to 
attend  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in  St. 
George's  Square,  and  continued  these  journey  ings 
until  he  was  over  eighty  years  of  age.  The  Cham- 
paign County  branch  of  the  family  worship  with 
the  Congregationalists  at  Champaign,  presided  over 
by  the  Rev.  W.  G.  Pierce. 

"if?  AMES  LUMLEY,  whose  early  home  was  in 
Yorkshire,  England,  where  he  was  born  in 
1824,  came  to  the  United  States  in  184G,  and 
to  this  State  in  1857.  He  is  now  a  resident 
of  Sadorus,  where  he  carries  on  a  trade  in  agricult- 
ural implements  and  also  conducts  a  butcher-shop, 
supplying  the  best  grades  of  meat  to  the  citizens 
of  the  village,  and  first-class  farming  implements 
to  the  agriculturists  in  the  surrounding  townships. 
His  straightforward  business  methods  and  his  relia- 
bility as  a  man  and  a  citizen,  have  secured  him  the 
confidence  of  large  numbers  of  friends  and  patrons. 
Our  subject  is  the  eldest  child  of  a  family  of 
seven  born  to  Charles  and  Catherine  (Gates)  Lum- 
ley,  who  were  natives  of  England.  When  he  was 
nine  years  of  age,  his  parents  changed  their  location, 
going  from  the  northern  to  the  western  part  of 
Yorkshire,  where  the  boy  engaged  in  a  wool-comb- 
ing factory,  and  followed  this  occupation  for  a 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


355 


period  of  twelve  years,  in  the  meantime  also  learn- 
ing the  butcher's  trade,  at  which  he  employed  him- 
self when  business  was  dull  in  the  other.  In  184G, 
when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  decided  to  make 
a  change,  and  seeing  no  prospect  of  advancement 
in  the  land  of  his  birth,  resolved  to  emigrate  to 
America,  and  try  the  experiment  of  living  under 
another  system  of  government.  Accordingly  he 
set  sail  from  Liverpool  on  the  28th  of  February, 
and  after  a  tedious  voyage  of  forty-one  days  ar- 
rived in  Boston,  Mass.  He  had  already  been  mar- 
ried, in  August  of  the  previous  year,  to  Miss  Har- 
riet, daughter  of  William  Firth,  and  also  a  native 
of  Yorkshire,  England. 

Three  months  after  his  arrival  in  this  country, 
Mr.  L.  sent  for  his  wife.  She  joined  him  near 
Lowell,  at  a  place  called  Ballard  Vale,  where  they 
lived  for  about  a  year,  and  thence  removed  to  West 
Chelmsford,  in  Middlesex  County,  where  our  sub- 
ject followed  wool-combing  for  a  .time  and  then 
worked  in  the  regular  factory,  until  his  earnings 
enabled  him  to  buy  a  small  house  and  lot.  Desir- 
ing, however,  to  go  into  business  for  himself,  he 
soon  afterward  sold  his  little  property,  and  invested 
in  a  butcher's  outfit,  setting  up  business  and  meet- 
ing with  fair  success.  About  this  time  his  atten- 
tion was  attracted  by  the  glowing  accounts  of  the 
West,  in  regard  to  the  desirability  of  a  homestead 
on  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  and  in  1857  he  disposed 
of  his  interests  in  the  Bay  State  and  came  to  this 
county,  purchasing  a  quarter  section  of  railroad 
land  in  Sadorus  Township.  He  afterward  sold  back 
eighty  acres  of  this  to  the  railroad  and  occupied 
his  time  in  improving  the  balance,  afterward  add- 
ing to  it  forty  acres,  and  now  owns  a  fine  farm  of 
120  acres,  with  good  buildings,  and  all  other  mod- 
ern appliances. 

In  1852  Mr.  Lumley  met  with  a  sad  affliction  in 
the  death  of  his  wife,  Harriet,  who  left  him  with 
two  children — Mary  and  Joseph.  They  are  still 
living,  Mary  being  the  wife  of  Samuel  Goodnight, 
who  is  engaged  in  farming  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  State.  Joseph  is  unmarried,  and  is  a  clerk  in 
Kansas.  In  1853  our  subject  was  married  to  Miss 
Hannah  O'Leary,  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  had 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  about  a  year  pre- 
vious to  her  marriage  with  Mr.  Lumley.  Of  this 


union  there  have  been  born  four  children :  The 
eldest  son,  James,  married  Miss  Sarah  Martin,  of 
this  county,' and  carried  on  farming  in  Chautauqua 
County,  Kan.,  but  is  at  present  living  in  Colorado. 
Alice,  the  wife  of  William  Martin,  lives  with  her 
husband  on  a  farm  near  West  Cliff,  Col.;  Ellen 
married  Ander  N.  Tabler,  and  they  occupy  the 
farm  of  our  subject  in  Sadorus  Township;  Annie 
is  the  wife  of  David  M.  Williams,  a  farmer  of  Col- 
fax  Township. 

In  the  spring  of  1869,  Mr.  Lumley  having  spent 
a  good  many  years  in  persistent  labor  on  the  farm, 
established  his  present  business  in  the  village  of 
Sadorus.  For  this  purpose  he  had  purchased  prop- 
erty and  put  up  buildings,  while  still  retaining  his 
residence  in  the  country,  until  the  spring  of  1885. 
He  then  purchased  a  home  in  the  vil'.age,  to  which 
he  moved,  and  now  gives  his  entire  attention  to 
his  town  trade,  his  farm  in  the  meanwhile  being- 
carried  on  by  his  son-in-law,  Ander  N.  Tabler. 

After  becoming  a  naturalized  citizen,  and  ac- 
quainting himself  with  the  different  theories  re- 
garding American  government,  Mr.  Lumley  de- 
cided that  his  tastes  and  sympathies  inclined  to 
Republican  principles.  He  cast  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  John  C.  Fremont,  and  since  that  time  has 
been  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  Republican  party. 
From  the  start  he  distinguished  himself  as  a  capa- 
ble business  man  and  conscientious  citizen,  and  was 
early  selected  for  the  minor  offices  of  his  township, 
serving  as  Road  Commissioner  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  gaining  the  good-will  of  his  fellow- 
townsmen  by  encouraging  the  various  enterprises 
which  were  set  on  foot,  and  had  for  their  object 
the  general  welfare  of  the  community. 


ELLARS,  Postmaster  at  Philo,  became  a 
resident  of  the  town  in  1874.  He  at  once 
established  himself  in  business  as  a  general 
merchant,  in  which  he  has  been  fairly  pros- 
perous, and  has  secured  the  confidence  and  patron- 
age of  the  best  people  of  this  localitj7.  He  located 
in  Champaign  County  in  1  850,  making  his  home  for 
several  years  in  Sadorus  Township,  where  his  fa- 


f 


t. 


356 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


tlier,  William  Ellars,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
and  is  yet  living. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Madison  County,  Ohio, 
Aug.  ~2'2.  1849,  and  was  only  one  year  old  when 
his  parents  came  to  the  West.  They  settled  on  a 
tract  of  land  which  had  only  been  partially  culti- 
vated, and  our  subject  spent  his  childhood  and 
youth  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  boys,  pur- 
suing his  studies  in  the  district  schools  and  assist- 
ing in  the  labors  around  the  homestead.  When 
twenty-four  years  of  age  he  was  married  at  the 
home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Sadorus  Township, 
Sept.  10,  1873,  to  Miss  Ella,  the  only  daughter  of 
G.  W.  Hesse,  now  deceased.  Mr.  H.  was  a  native 
of  Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  and  located  at  an  early 
day  in  Douglas  County,  this  State,  whence  he  after- 
ward removed  to  Sadorus  Township,  this  county, 
in  1863.  He  followed  farming,  and  was  married 
to  Miss  E.  J.  Dodson,  who  was  born  in  Indiana, 
and  is  now  living  with  her  children  in  Philo  Vil- 
lage. 

Mrs.  Ellars  was  born  in  Ohio  County,  Ind.,  July 
23,  1858.  She  was  but  a  year  old  wk'frn-her;par- 
ents  removed  to  Douglas  County,  this  State,  and 
came  with  them  later  to  this  county,  where  she  re- 
ceived her  education  and  remained  with  her  par- 
ents untjl  her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our 
subject  there  have  been  born  four  children — 
Maude,  Leila,  Cora  and  Ralph.  Mr.  Ellars  received 
his  commission  as  Postmaster  in  September,  1885. 
He  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and  a  representative 
citizen  of  a  thriving  community. 


ffiOHN  A.  SIMPSON.  The  subject  of  this 
history,  a  resident  of  Hensley  Township,  is 
a  native  of  Fayette  County,  Ind.,  becoming 
a  resident  of  Champaign  County,  111.,  when 
a  lad  twelve  years  old,  and  with  the  exception  of 
the  years  which  he  gave  in  assisting  to  preserve 
the  Union,  he  has  been  a  resident  here  since  that 
time.  His  birth  took  place  on  the  1st  of  August, 
1846,  and  his  parents  were  Henry  II.  and  Melinda 
(Lemmon)  Simpson,  the  former  born  in  Ohio,  in 
May,  1809,  and  the  latter  in  Harrison  County,  Ky., 
March  16,  1813.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject, 


Thomas  Simpson,  a  native  of  New  England,  emi- 
grated to  Ohio  when  a  young  man,  after  his  mar- 
riage, where  he  lived  until  1813,  then,  feeling  per- 
haps, as  did  Daniel  Boone,  that  there  were  too  many 
people  gathering  around  him  he  pushed  further 
westward  into  Indiana  while  it  was  yet  a  Territory. 
He  selected  Fayette  County  as  his  location,  and 
had  for  his  neighbors  mostly  only  Indians,  who 
were  jealous  of  the  encroachments  of  the  whites 
!  and  became  very  hostile  to  the  settlers. 

Thomas  Simpson,  in  company  with  some  of  his 
brother  pioneers,  erected  a  blockhouse,  in  which 
they  with  their  families  took  refuge.  Mr.  S.  then 
cleared  a  farm  from  the  wilderness,  upon  which  he 
remained  until  the  close  of  his  life.  There  also  he 
and  his  womanly  and  courageous  helpmeet  reared 
an  interesting  family  of  children,  among  whom  was 
their  son  Henry,  the  father  of  our  subject.  He 
grew  to  manhood  amid  the  primitive  scenes  of  life 
in  a  new  settlement  infested  by  savages  and  wild 
animals,  and  was  there  married  and  continued  to 
live  until  1858.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  came 
to  this  county  and  purchased  a  tract  of  laud  on  sec- 
tion 31,  in  what  is  now  Hensley  Township.  He 
rjived,  however,  but  a  few  months  afterward,  his 
death  occurring  on  the  25th  of  October  following. 
His  family  remained  on  the  land,  improving  and 
cultivating  it  for  three  years  afterward,  then  sold 
out  and  purchased  that  which  constitutes  their 
present  homestead  on  section  17.  The  mother  is 
still  living  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Robert 
Lemmon,  followed  farming  all  his  life,  mostly  in 
Harrison  County,  Ky.,  where  his  death  occurred  in 
March,  1814.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  but 
a  year  old  when  her  father  died,  and  remained  with 
her  mother  in  Kentucky  until  1828.  The  family 
then  removed  to  Indiana,  where  the  daughter  was 
married  to  Henry  Simpson.  The  parental  house- 
hold included  eight  children,  namely,  Thomas,  Sa- 
rah, James,  Mary,  Margaret,  Robert,  John  and  Ida. 

After  the  death  of  his  father  our  subject  re- 
mained with  his  mother  until  1863.  He  was  then 
seventeen  years  of  age,  and  in  May  of  that  year, 
the  late  Civil  War  being  in  progress,  he  enlisted  in 
Co.  B,  135 thill.  Vol.  Inf.,  with  the  three-months' 
men.  After  serving  seven  months  he  was  honored 


LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


359 


with  bis  discharge,  but  in  1804  re-enlisted  in  Co. 
A,  154th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  remaining  in  the  service  un- 
til the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  returned  to  his 
mother  in  Hensley  Township,  where  he  remained 
until  1869.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  crossed 
the  Mississippi,  and  going  into  Labette  County, 
Kan.,  spent  one  year,  after  which  he  returned  to 
Champaign  County,  and  there  lived  until  1873. 
Going  back  to  Kansas  he  remained  there  six  years, 
after  which  he  concluded  there  was  no  better  local- 
ity in  the  West  than  Champaign  County,  and  finally 
settled  down  contentedly  here  and  resumed  farm- 
ing on  the  old  homestead,  where  he  has  since  been 
successfully  engaged. 

In  September,  1886,  Mr.  Simpson  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Ida  May  Church,  daughter  of 
George  and  Elizabeth  Church,  and  born  in  Ma- 
homet Township  in  1869.  Mr.  S.  uniformly  votes 
the  Republican  ticket,  and  is  fully  entitled  to  be 
classed  among  the  honest  men  and  good  citizens  of 
his  community. 


the 


ESSE  MEHARRY,  Supervisor  of  Philo  Town- 
ship, and  whose  portrait  is  shown  in  this  con- 
nection, is  widely  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Champaign  County  as  one  of 
most  extensive  land-owners  and  successful 
farmers  in  Southern  Illinois.  His  fine  farm  is  beau- 
tifully located  on  section  20,  near  the  W.  &  St.  P. 
R.  R.,  which  passes  south  of  his  residence.  His 
landed  possessions  in  the  township  of  Philo  embrace 
in  one  body  1,040  acres,  which  have  been  brought 
to  the  highest  state  of  cultivation  and  are  supplied 
with  commodious  and  substantial  farm  buildings. 
Besides  this  Mr.  M.  owns  427  acres  in  McLean 
County,  111.,  and  275  acres  in  Tolono  Township, 
this  county.  The  farm  is  finely  laid  out  and  well 
stocked  with  the  best  grades  of  cattle  and  horses. 
Of  the  former  he  makes  a  specialty,  keeping  a  large 
number  of  cows  and  raising  numbers  of  calves  each 
year.  The  business  of  the  farm  is  conducted  in  the 
most  admirable  manner,  with  method  and  system, 
and  indicates  on  every  hand  the  intelligence  and 
enterprise  of  its  proprietor. 

Mr.  Meharry  located  in  Philo  Township  in  1865, 


and  since  that  time  has  made  it  his  permanent 
home.  He  visited  the  State  when  a  child  with  his 
father,  who  entered  land  in  Crittenden  Township, 
in  1855.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Coal  Creek 
Township,  Montgomery  Co.,  Ind.,  Oct.  9,  1835. 
and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Unity  (Patton)  Me- 
harry, natives  of  Ohio,  and  the  grandson  of  Alex-  , 
ander  and  Jane  (Francis)  Meharry,  who  were  of 
Scottish  parentage  but  Irish  birth,  and  emigrated 
from  their  native  country  to  the  United  States  in 
the  Colonial  days. 

The  family  was  originally  driven  from  Scotland 
to  Ireland  during  the  persecution  of  the  Protest- 
ants in  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary.  The  grandpar- 
ents of  our  subject  were  married  in  Ireland  in  the 
spring  of  1794,  and  in  May  following  embarked  on 
a  sailing-vessel  for  the  United  States.  After  a 
voyage  of  three  weeks  they  landed  in  New  York 
City,  whence  they  proceeded  to  Philadelphia,  and 
later  to  New  London,  Cheshire  Co.,  Pa.  The  year 
following  they  removed  to  Connersville,  Fayette 
Co.,  Pa.,  and  afterward  took  up  their  residence  in 
Adams  Count}r,  Ohio,  where  the  grandfather  was 
accidentally  killed  by  a  falling  tree  on  the  21st  of 
June,  1813.  The  bereaved  widow  was  left  with  a 
family  of  seven  sons  and  one  daughter,  who  grew  to 
maturity,  and  she  lived  to  see  them  married  and 
settled  in  life.  Her  death  occurred  in  1842,  when 
she  was  well  stricken  in  years.  It  may  be  properly 
stated  that  when  her  husband  met  his  death  he  was 
riding  home  from  camp-meeting  in  the  middle  of 
the  day ;  there  was  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky,  and  the 
tree  which  killed  him  fell  without  warning,  his 
death  being  instantaneous.  He  was  a  man  of  much 
energy  and  force  of  character,  possessed  of  sound 
judgment,  and  was  successful  as  a  business  man  and 
farmer.  He  was  honest  and  upright  in  his  trans- 
actions, and  was  a  leader  among  his  brother  pio- 
neers. He  improved  a  good  farm  of  200  acres, 
from  the  proceeds  of  which  each  of  his  sons  ob- 
tained a  good  start  in  life. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  reared  in  Adams 
County,  Ohio,  but  was  afterward  married  in  Brown 
County,  in  December,  1827.  His  wife,  who  was 
formerly  Miss  Unity  Patton,  was  of  English  and 
Welsh  descent,  and  was  born  in  Brown  County, 
Ohio,  Aug.  16,  1802.  Soon  after  marriage  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


young  people  removed  to  Indiana,  locating  first  in 
Fountain  County,  and  from  there  moved  to  Mont- 
gomery County,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
which  remained  his  home  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred Jan.  29,  1874.  In  1853-55  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  entered  a  large  tract  of  land  in  McLean, 
Shelby  and  Champaign  Counties,  which  after  a  few 
years  became  very  valuable.  He  had  at  one  time 
been  the  owner  of  4,000  acres,  the  larger  part  of 
which  was  divided  up  among  his  children  before  he 
passed  away.  The  mother  is  yet  living  on  the  old 
homestead,  with  her  son  Isaac  N.,  but  spends  a  great 
part  of  her  time  visiting  with  her  children.  She  is 
now  eighty-five  years  old,  and  is  still  bright  and  in- 
telligent and  can  relate  in  an  interesting  manner 
many  of  the  incidents  of  her  early  life. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  during  his  childhood 
and  youth  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  coun- 
ty, and  completed  his  studies  at  the  college  in 
Greencastle,  Ind.  He  came  to  Illinois  with  his 
father  in  1855,  but  did  not  permanently  locate  here 
until  1865.  He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Addie  A.  Francis,  Feb.  27,  1873.  Mrs.  M.  is  the 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Mary  A.  (Davison)  Fran- 
cis, natives  respectively  of  Ireland  and  Brown 
County,  Ohio.  Her  maternal  grandparents  were 
William  and  Jane  (Love)  Francis.  They  owned 
land  in  Ohio,  but  in  their  old  age  made  their  home 
with  their  daughter,  Mrs.  Hugh  Meharry,  in  Mont- 
gomery County,  Ind.,  where  they  passed  their  de- 
clining years  and  where  their  remains  were  laid  to 
rest.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Meharry  soon  after  their 
marriage  located  in  Will  County,  111.,  in  the  pioneer 
days,  in  1835,  and  erected  one  of  the  first  log  cab- 
ins in  that  vicinity,  but  the  Indians  soon  after- 
ward became  so  troublesome  that  they  were  com- 
pelled to  return  to  Indiana  temporarily.  After  a 
month's  sojourn  they  again  took  possession  of  their 
land  in  Will  County.  This  humble  dwelling  re- 
mained their  home  until  it  was  replaced  by  a  better 
one,  and  during  the  latter  years  of  their  life  they 
inhabited  a  substantial  modern  frame  house. 

Mrs.  Meharry  was  the  ninth  child  of  a  family  of 
eleven,  and  was  born  in  New  Lennox  Township, 
Will  County,  Sept.  12,  1851.  She  was  there  reared 
and  educated,  completing  her  studies  at  Joliet,  and 
afterward  returned  home  and  assisted  her  mother  in 


the  household  duties  until  her  marriage.  Our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  are  active  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  with  which  they  have  been 
connected  for  several  years.  Mr.  Meharry  is  the 
financial  center  of  the  church  in  his  township,  as 
well  as  the  various  other  enterprises  which  have 
tended  to  its  development  and  progress. 

Mr.  M.  served  as  Supervisor  of  his  township  for 
five  years  consecutively  from  1869  to  1874,  and  in 
the  recent  election  was  placed  in  the  same  office 
once  more.  His  energy  and  ability  have  always  dis- 
tinguished him  as  a  citizen  among  his  fellow-citizens, 
whose  confidence  and  esteem  he  enjoys  in  a  marked 
degree.  Since  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party  he  has  been  a  warm  supporter  of  its  princi- 
ples, casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Fremont, 
and  being  a  loyal  adherent  of  his  part}'  since.  In 
his  various  undertakings  financially  and  in  his  po- 
sition socially,  Mrs.  Meharry  has  been  a  cordial 
sympathizer  and  companion,  and  has  proved  herself 
well  worthy  to  be  the  wife  of  a  man  possessing  his 
substantial  traits  of  character  and  the  qualities 
which  have  made  him  an  honest  man  and  a  good 
citizen. 


AVID  RICE  is  proprietor  of  one  of  the 
best  regulated  stock  farms  in  Sadorus 
Township.  His  estate  includes  400  acres 
of  land  in  the  home  farm  and  160  a  mile 
north,  on  section  14.  The  handsome  and  com- 
modious residence,  and  the  fine  barn  and  out-build- 
ings, together  with  the  neat  fences,  well-fed  ani- 
mals, and  valuable  farm  machinery,  stand  as  silent 
witnesses  of  the  character  of  their  owner.  The 
fields  and  pens  contain  South  Down  sheep,  with 
Shropshire  and  Short-horn  cattle,  while  within  the 
stable  may  be  found  some  fine  specimens  of  Nor- 
man horses,  in  the  breeding  of  which  our  subject 
has  been  engaged  for  the  last  four  years. 

When  Mr.  Rice  came  to  this  State  with  his  par- 
ents in  1854,  they  located  at  first  in  Douglas 
County,  whence  they  removed  to  this  county  in 
the  fall  foHo^ying.  The  father  purchased  160  acres 
of  land  on  section  26,  in  Sadorus  Township,  and 
David  remained  there  until  after  his  marriage,  four 
years  later.  He  then  brought  his  bride  to  the 

•» 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


361 


homestead,  where  they  lived  two  years,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  time  our  subject  took  possession 
of  a  tract  of  land  on  section  1C,  which  he  had  pur- 
chased, and  where  stood  a  modest  dwelling,  which 
remained  the  shelter  of  himself  and  family  for  four 
years  afterward.  In  the  meantime,  his  parents 
had  passed  away,  and  he  purchased  the  interest  of 
the  other  heirs  in  the  old  place,  which  he  has  occu- 
pied since  that  time,  and  enlarged  by  purchasing 
land  adjoining.  On  this  farm  still  stands  the  first 
frame  barn  built  in  the  county,  and  which  is  re- 
garded by  the  people  of  that  section  and  the  passer- 
by as  a  monument  of  a  generation  past  and  gone. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Rice,  who  was  formerly  Miss 
Sarah  Haynes,  were  Elijah  C.  and  Matilda  Haynes, 
natives  respectively  of  Ohio  and  Arkansas.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice,  two  daughters, 
Eleanor  M.  and  Carrie  M.,  are  both  living  and 
married.  The  former  is  the  wife  of  Frank  T. 
Hutchinson,  who  owns  eighty  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 14,  in  Sadorus  Township;  they  have  two  chil- 
dren— Nora  M.,  and  David.  Carrie  married  Cas- 
sius  M.  Craig,  a  physician  of  Tolono.  Mrs.  Rice 
has  been  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  since  1870,  and  is  a  lady  of  rare  good 
qualities  and  kindness  of  heart.  Our  subject, 
although  a  true  blue  Republican,  has  sturdily  de- 
clined to  become  an  office-holder,  maintaining  that 
he  could  serve  his  part}'  fully  as  well  in  a  more  un- 
obtrusive manner. 


J    R.  MOORE.     The  subject  of  the  following 
biography  is  the  leading  dry -goods  and  boot- 
and-shoe  merchant  of   the  town    of    Philo, 
where  he  has  built  up  a  good  trade,  and   in 
connection  with  this  operates  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
on  section  27,  in  Philo  Township.     He  established 
his    present    business  in  the  village   in    1870,  first 
dealing  in  general    merchandise,   which   later   was 
merged  into  the  specialties  which  he  now  carries. 

Mr.  M.  became  a  resident  of  this  locality  in  the 
fall  of  1869,  and  established  the  pioneer  tinshop  of 
Philo  Township.  Later,  discovering  that  a  differ- 
ent kind  of  business  would  pay  better,  he  estab- 
lished a  general  store,  and  purchased  his  farm  in 


1878.  He  is  a  native  of  Muucie,  Ind.,  and  was 
born  Nov.  1,  1839.  When  four  years  of  age  his 
parents  removed  to  Warren  County,  that  State, 
where  he  was  reared  and  educated.  His  father, 
Levi  Moore,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in 
Scioto  County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until 
seventeen  years  of  age,  then  removed  to  Delaware 
County,  Ind.,  where  in  due  time  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Louisa  Wilson,  a  native  of  that  State, 
and  of  Irish  descent.  The  Moore  family  were 
originally  from  Scotland.  After  their  marriage 
Levi  Moore  and  his  bride  located  on  a  farm  in 
Delaware  County,  Ind.,  where  their  first  child,  our 
subject,  was  born.  Afterward  they  removed  into 
Warren  Count}',  Ind.,  where  they  still  live,  aged 
respectively  seventy  and  sixty-six  years. 

Young  Moore  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
until  reaching  manhood,  in  the  meantime  having 
learned  the  trade  of  a  tinner.  He  then  established 
himself  in  Williarnsport,  Ind..  where  he  remained 
for  a  short  time,  then  came  to  Illinois  and  located 
in  Philo.  He  was  married,  May  10,  1865,  in  War- 
ren County,  Ind.,  to  Miss  Amelia  Minear,  who  was 
born  in  that  county,  Oct.  10,  1845,  and  was  the 
daughter  of  George  and  Mary  (Preble)  Minear. 
Mr.  M.  was  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  occupied  the  office  of  Sheriff.  He 
was  Republican  in  politics  and  was  prominent  in 
the  local  affairs  of  that  section.  The  mother  died 
when  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  only  eight  years 
of  age.  She  remained  with  her  father  and  received 
a  common-school  education.  Of  her  marriage  with 
Mr.  Moore  there  have  been  born  four  children, 
two  of  whom,  Daisy  and  an  infant,  are  deceased. 
Cora  married  Fred  C.  Hess,  who  is  a  druggist  and 
groceryman  at  Philo,  and  Mary  is  at  home  with  her 
parents.  Mrs.  M.  is  connected  with  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

During  the  late  war  Mr.  Moore,  although  not  of 
age,  proffered  his  services  as  a  soldier,  but  was  re- 
jected on  account  of  his  youth.  Later  he  tried 
once  more,  and  finally  became  a  member  of  Co.  E, 
86th  Ind.  Vol.  Inf.,  which  was  assigned  to  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland.  He  was  in  the  fight  at 
Stone  River  and  in  all  the  battles  of  that  campaign 
down  to  Atlanta  and  Joncsboro.  He  received  a 
flesh  wound  from  a  shell  in  the  cheek,  the  marks  of 


362 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


which  he  will  "carry  as  an  honorable  scar  to  his 
grave.  After  serving  thirty-one  months  be  was 
compelled  to  resign  on  account  of  ill-health.  He 
entered  as  a  private  and  was  promoted  at  different 
times  until  he  reached  the  rank  of  First' Lieutenant. 
After  returning  from  the  army  Mr.  M.  resumed 
his  farming  and  merchandising,  and  soon  became 
one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Philo,  enjoying 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  townsmen.  He  is 
Republican  politically,  and  takes  a  genuine  interest 
in  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  his  community. 


TEPHEN  C.  ABBOTT.  Among  the  self- 
made  men  whose  biography  will  form  an 
interesting  page  in  the  history  of  Cham- 
paign County,  and  will  be  read  with  satis- 
faction by  his  descendants,  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  He  began 
life  a  poor  boy,  and  by  the  exercise  of  his  native 
talents  and  resolution  of  character,  has  arisen  to  a 
prominent  position  in  society,  and  also  forms  an 
important  factor  in  the  business  and  agricultural 
interests  of  this  section.  He  at  present  occupies 
the  office  of  Supervisor  of  Mahomet  Township,  to 
which  he  was  elected  in  1887.  He  became  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  in  1853,  and  there  are  few  en- 
terprises tending  to  its  development  and  prosperity 
which  he  has  not  encouraged  and  contributed  to 
by  his  means  and  influence. 

Mr.  Abbott  was  born  in  Rockaway,  N.  J..  May 
25,  1825,  and  is  the  son  of  Abijah  and  Elizabeth 
(Conger)  Abbott,  the  former  a  native  of  Connect- 
icut, and  the  latter  of  New  Jersey.  After  mar- 
riage they  settled  in  Rockaway,  the  latter  State, 
where  they  spent  the  greater  part  of  their  lives,  but 
finally  removed  westward  to  Illinois,  and  spent 
their  last  days  in  Mahomet,  this  county.  The  par- 
ental household-  included  eleven  children,  seven 
sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was 
the  fourth  in  order  of  birth.  He  received  a  lim- 
ited education,  and  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  learn  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  his  native 
town.  After  serving  four  years  he  went  to  Boston, 
Mass.,  where  he  worked  as  a  "  jour  "  one  year,  and 


thence  to  Providence,  R.  I.  From  there,  in  the 
spring  of  1848,  he  proceeded  westward  and  fol- 
lowed his  trade  in  different  cities,  among  which 
was  New  Orleans,  La.,  where  we  find  him  in  1849, 
and  from  which  he  journeyed  in  the  latter  part  of 
that  year  to  Independence,  Mo. 

The  California  gold  excitement  at  that  period 
was  attracting  many  young  men  toward  the  Pacific 
slope,  and  young  Abbott  also  becoming  infected 
with  the  fever,  started  across  the  plains  with  hun- 
dreds of  others  to  seek  his  fortune  among  the 
mines.  He  spent  three  years  in  California  engaged 
jointly  in  mining,  trading  and  teaming,  with  fair 
success.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time,  longing 
for  a  sight  of  the  old  homestead  and  the  friends  of 
his  youth,  he  returned  to  New  Jersey.  His  natural 
energy,  however,  allowed  him  to  remain  there  but 
a  short  time,  when  he  started  for  the  West  once 
more,  and  reached  this  county  in  the  latter  part  of 
1853.  Here  he  invested  his  money  in  real  estate, 
and  since  that  time  his  interests  have  been  closely 
connected  with  those  of  the  people  of  this  State 
and  county.  He  was  remarkably  successful  in  his 
farming  and  business  transactions,  and  opened  up 
several  fine  farms  in  the  vicinity  of  Mahomet. 
After  a  few  years  he  removed  into  the. village, 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home,  and  where,  for 
a  period  of  several  years,  he  was  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile pursuits. 

Soon  after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war,  Mr.  Ab- 
bott, laying  aside  his  private  and  personal  inter- 
ests, enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army,  be- 
coming a  member  of  Co.  H,  125th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  in 
which  he  served  until  January,  1865.  With  his 
comrades,  he  endured  bravely  and  faithfully  all 
the  vicissitudes  of  war,  the  wearisome  marches,  the 
hard  fare,  and  the  discomforts  often  of  sleeping 
without  shelter,  and  was  present  at  many  impor- 
tant battles.  At  Peach-Tree  Creek,  near  Atlanta, 
he  was  wounded  in  the  right  hip  by  a  minie  ball, 
after  which  he  was  unable  to  do  further  service, 
and  even  after  returning  home  was  obliged  to  use 
crutches  for  several  years.  For  this  he  now  re- 
ceives a  pension. 

After  his  return  from  the  army  Mr.  Abbott  re- 
sumed his  farming  and  business  pursuits  in  and 
around  Mohamet,  and  in  1873  received  the  appoint- 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


363 


ment  of  Postmaster,  which  he  held  until  after  the 
change  of  administration  and  until  June,  1885. 
He  is  still  busily  employed  keeping-  watch  over  his 
various  interests,  although  practically  retired  from 
active  labor. 

The  marriage  of  Stephen  C.  Abbott  and  Miss 
Mary  E.  Rea  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  Mahomet  Township,  on  the  21st 
of  February,  1854.  Mrs.  Abbott  is  the  daughter 
of  John  J.  and  Sarah  T.  (Henderson)  Rea,  who 
were  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  She  was  born  in 
Lewis  County,  that  State,  Feb.  20,  1838,  and  of 
her  union  with  our  subject  there  are  three  children  : 
Byron  D.  married  Miss  Mattie  Bolinger,  and  re- 
sides at  Manomet;  Laura  is  the  wife  of  H.  J. 
Moorehouse;  Abijah  married  Pearl  Cowen. 

Mr.  Abbott  has  held  the  office  of  Notary  Public 
sixteen  years,  School  Treasurer  eleven,  and  Village 
Treasurer  seven  years.  Politically  he  uniformly 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party.  He  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  when 
seventeen  years  of  age,  with  which  denomination 
he  has  since  been  connected.  Mrs.  Abbott  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  They  occupy  a 
comfortable  and  handsome  home  in  Mahomet,  and 
enjoy  the  association  and  friendship  of  the  most 
cultured  people  of  Mahomet  Township. 


EWIS  LAYMAN.  On  the  northeast  quarter 
of  section  21,  in  Condit  Township,  lies  one 
of  the  neatest  farms  in  this  county,  which 
its  present  proprietor,  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
transformed  from  a  tract  of  wild  prairie  into  its 
present  valuable  condition  and  made  it  a  pleasant 
spot  which  invariably  attracts  the  eye  of  the  passer- 
by. Mr.  Layman  located  upon  his  land  in  1870.  at 
the  time  of  starting  out  in  life  for  himself,  and 
just  after  he  had  been  united  with  his  chosen  part- 
ner and  helpmeet,  who  has  remained  his  faithful 
and  affectionate  companion  since  that  time.  Since 
the  establishment  of  this  household  the  number 
of  its  members  has  been  increased  by  the  birth  of 
five  bright  children,  namely,  George ;  Rieffy  was 
born  Aug.  8,  1874,  and  died  Sept.  18,  1885;  Fred, 
Bertie  and  Frank.  The  elder  of  these  have  as- 


sisted  their  parents  in  building  up  the  home  and 
beautifying  it  and  there  is  presented  the  picture  of 
a  happy  family,  enjoying  the  society  of  each  other 
and  the  respect  of  their  neighbors  and  many  friends. 
Mr.  L.  has  been  fairly  successful  in  his  farming  and 
business  operations  and  has  been  enabled  to  sur- 
round himself  and  family  with  all  the  necessaries  of 
life  and  many  of  its  luxuries.  His  course  as  a  citi- 
zen and  business  man  has  been  worthy  of  imitation, 
as  he  has  been  straightforward  in  his  dealings  and 
accumulated  his  capital  by  the  exercise  of  his  own 
industry. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  born  in  Mason 
County,  this  State,  April  2,  1850.  His  father, 
Henry  Layman,  a  native  of  Shenandoah  County, 
Va.,  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  State  and 
learned  the  cabinet-marker's  trade,  at  which  he 
worked  in  Virginia,  Ohio  and  Indiana.  He  removed 
from  the  latter  State  to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of 
1845,  and  purchasing  a  farm  in  Mason  County 
turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  After 
a  residence  there  of  about  twenty  years  he  sold  out 
his  interests  and,  in  1865,  purchased  another  farm 
in  Logan  County,  above  five  miles  from  the  town 
limits  of  Lincoln,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days,  his  decease  occurring  in  1868.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Elizabeth  Kretsinger,  also  a  native  of  the  Old 
Dominion. 

Of  the  nine  children  comprising  the  parental 
household  our  subject  was  next  to  the  youngest, 
and  was  fifteen  years  old  when  his  parents  became 
residents  of  Logan  County.  He  continued  under 
the  home  roof  until  his  marriage,  in  the  meantime 
receiving  excellent  home  training  and  a  common- 
school  education.  He  then  marked  out  his  plans 
for  the  future,  which  he  has  persistently  followed 
with  success.  Mr.  L.  attached  himself  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  an  early  age  and  is 
a  devoted  Christian. 

Politically  Mr.  L.  was  a  Republican,  but  is  a 
stanch  advocate  of  prohibition,  and  in  the  last 
presidential  campaign  gave  his  support  to  St.  John. 
The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
in  September,  1870,  was  formerly  Miss  Sarah  C. 
Penny,  a  native  of  Sangamon  County,  111.,  and 
daughter  of  William  Graham  and  Eleanor  (Duff) 


T 


364 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Penny.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  L.  were  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Kentucky,  whence  they  afterward  re- 
moved to  Sangamon  County,  111.  Both  are  now 
dead.  Mrs.  L.'s  father  died  in  the  service  of  his 
country  at  Little  Rock,  Ark. 


^ENJAMIN  F.  THOMAS.  The  gentleman 
whose  name  heads  this  biography  owns  and 
occupies  a  comfortable  farm  on  section  9,  in 
Mahomet  Township,  of  which  he  took  pos- 
session in  the  .spring  of  1884.  He  commenced  life 
in  a  modest  way  and  accumulated  his  first  capital 
as  a  farm  laborer  in  Condit  Township.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  born  Feb.  8, 
1834,  and  is  the  son  of  Leander  and  Paulina  (Kil- 
bon)  Thomas,  both  natives  of  Worcester  County, 
Mass.  They  were  married  in  their  native  county, 
where  they  settled  for  a  time,  afterward  removing 
to  the  Empire  State,  and  from  there  to  Warren 
County,  Ohio,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  lives.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  tanner 
by  trade,  which  occupation  he  followed  many  years. 
The  parental  household  included  four  sons  and 
four  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  third 
child  and  son.  He  was  quite  young  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Ohio,  and  was  reared  as  a  far- 
mer. After  coming  to  Illinois  and  during  the 
progress  of  the  late  war,  he  enlisted  as  a  Union 
soldier  in  Co.  H,  71st  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  in  which  he 
served  three  months,  but  afterward  returned  to 
Champaign  County.  In  1865  he  removed  to  Scott 
Township,  where  he  engaged  in  fanning  for  a  period 
of  five  and  one-half  years,  then  purchased  a  farm 
in  Colfax  Township,  which  he  operated  until  1882. 
During  that  year  he  went  to  California,  and  for 
two  years  afterward  engaged  in  farming  on  the 
Pacific  slope.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he 
returned  to  this  county  and  purchased  180  acres  in 
Mahomet  Township,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  has  brought  his  land  to  a  fine  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, has  erected  a  handsome  modern  dwelling,  and 
is  now  the  owner  of  263£  acres,  most  of  which  is 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 

The  marriage  of   Benjamin    Thomas   and    Miss 
.Mary  Cresap,  was  celebrated  in   Champaign,  111., 


Aug.  14,  1866.  Mrs.  Thomas  is  the  daughter  of 
Daniel  and  Margaret  (Humes)  Cresap,  and  the  sis- 
ter of  Benjamin  Franklin  Cresap,  of  whom  a  sketch 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  She  was  born  in 
Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  May  27,  1833,  was  reared 
by  her  parents,  and  received  a  good  education  in 
the  common  schools.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  have 
three  children  —  Charles  D.,  William  A.  and  Benja- 
min F.,  Jr. 

Our  subject  has  held  most  of  the  minor  offices  of 
his  township  and  in  politics  is  a  straight  Republican. 
Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Eph.  Scott  Post  No. 
464,  G.  A.  R.  Mrs.  Thomas  is  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


UGH  J.  ROBINSON.  The  important  events 
in  the  history  of  this  gentleman,  necessarily 
made  brief  in  a  work  of  this  kind,  are 
recorded  as  follows:  He  was  first  intro- 
duced to  life  and  its  responsibilities  in  the  North  of 
Ireland  on  the  28th  of  March,  1833,  and  was  the 
seventh  child  of  Robert  and  Maria  (Jackson)  Rob- 
inson, the  former  a  first  cousin  of  Gen.  Andrew 
Jackson,  who  named  his  son,  our  subject,  after  the 
uncle  of  Andrew,  namely  Hugh  Jackson. 

Mr.  Robinson  spent  but  four  years  in  his  native 
country,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  his  father, 
in  the  hope  of  bettering  his  condition  and  giving 
to  his  children  greater  advantages  in  life,  set  sail 
for  America  and  after  landing,  proceeded  to  Dutch- 
ess  County,  N.  Y.,  of  which  they  remained  resi- 
dents for  twelve  years  following.  The  mother  died 
in  Ireland  when  Hugh  was  about  four  years  old. 
Young  Hugh,  with  his  brothers  and  sisters,  was 
reared  to  farming  pursuits  and  removed  with  the 
family  into  Fond  du  Lac  County,  Wis.,  in  1849. 
There  the  elder  Robinson  purchased  160  acres  of 
wild  land  and  proceeded,  with  his  brother  pioneers, 
who,  by  the  way,  were  located  at  long  distances 
from  each  other,  to  cultivate  the  soil  and  build  up 
a  comfortable  homestead.  The  pious  labors  of  the 
father  were  cut  short  by  his  death  three  years 
later,  and  the  children,  remaining  on  the  new 
farm,  worked  as  best  they  could  in  keeping  to- 
gether, providing  for  their  wants  and  learning  to 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


365 


\ 


till  the  soil  and  raise  products  necessary  for  their 
sustenance.  .Seeing  that  lie  could  be  reasonably 
well  spared,  our  subject,  in  the  October  following 
his  father's  death,  came  to  Illinois  and  located  at 
Urbana,  where  he  commenced  working  on  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad,  which  was  then  in  process  of 
construction.  His  duties  consisted  in  getting  out 
ties  and  in  other  ways  preparing  for  the  reception 
of  the  rolling  stock. 

In  the  spring  following,  desiring  to  change  his 
location,  our  subject  went  into  the  town  of  Bour- 
bon, Douglas  County,  where  he  assisted  in  building 
a  mill  and  in  filling  a  contract  for  250,000  ties  for 
the  Illinois  Central  and  Wahash  Railroads.  He  then 
put  6,500  cords  of  wood  on  the  track  for  the  Illi- 
nois Central,  and  was  thus  engaged  until  1858,  in 
the  meantime  having  been  enabled  to  lay  up  a 
snug  sum  of  money.  He  chose  as  the  safest  invest- 
ment for  his  surplus  cash  160  acres  of  unimproved 
land  lying  on  the  north  half  of  section  33,  in  Sado- 
rus  Township,  upon  which  he  expended  his  en- 
ergies until  the  fall  of  1860.  He  had  now  prepared 
it  for  the  reception  of  his  family,  and  with  pardon- 
able pride  introduced  them  to  it  and  made  them 
comfortable  in  the  house  which  had  been  erected 
under  his  careful  supervision.  The  home  thus 
established  he  now  occupies,  having  added  to  it 
enough  to  constitute  a  half  section,  every  acre  of 
which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
His  possessions  are  the  result  of  his  own  industry 
and  the  good  judgment  which  has  led  to  a  wise  in- 
vestment of  funds. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Robinson  took  place  in 
October,  1856,  his  chosen  wife  being  Miss  Jane, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Jacob  Thrasher,  of  Geauga  County, 
Ohio.  The  three  children  bom  of  this  union  are 
Robert.  Cullen  and  Mattie,  all  living.  Robert 
married  Miss  Lillie  Kellar,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
occupies  a  farm  half  a  mile  north  of  the  home- 
stead;  Mattie,  the  wife  of  William  R.  Miller,  lives 
on  a  farm  with  her  husband  about  three  miles 
south  of  Sadorus;  Cullen  is  unmarried  and  remains 
under  the  parental  roof,  while  at  the  same  time, 
with  an  eye  to  business  and  perhaps  domestic  ties 
of  his  own  in  the  future,  he  is  carrying  on  a  farm 
of  his  own,  consisting  of  100  acres  in  the  southeast 
part  of  section  33.  The  wife  and  mother  departed 


this  life  on  the  homestead  in  the  summer  of  1875. 
Our  subject  was  next  married  to  Miss  Jennie 
Hutchison,  who  was  born  in  Erie  County,  N.  Y., 
and  is  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Scott  Hutchison,  of 
Calhoun  County,  Mich.  The  one  child  of  this 
marriage  was  a  son,  John  W.,  who  died  when  four 
and  one-half  years  old. 

Politically  Mr.  Robinson  has  been  a  lifelong 
Douglas  Democrat.  His  ability  as  a  business  man, 
and  reliable  qualities  as  a  citizen,  long  ago  obtained 
the  recognition  of  his  townsmen,  who  have  kept 
him  in  the  position  of  Supervisor  for  a  period  of 
twelve  years.  He  has  made  it  his  duty  to  observe 
what  was  going  on  around  him,  keeping  full  pace 
with  important  events,  and  seeing  as  much  of  the 
United  States  as  his  time  and  means  would  permit. 
He  has  traveled  from  East  to  West,  from  Niagara 
Falls  to  New  Orleans,  and  through,  Kansas,  Ne- 
braska and  Iowa.  He  viewed  the  strange  sights  at 
the  Exposition  in  the  Crescent  City  in  1 885,  and  his 
greatest  pleasure  has  been  in  crossing  rivers  and 
territories,  and  becoming  acquainted  with  the  hab- 
its of  different  nationalities  as  represented  in  vari- 
ous cities  of  the  United  States.  He  possesses  an 
intelligent  mind,  and  reaps  his  highest  satisfaction 
from  the  advantages  of  to-day  as  compared  with 
those  of  forty  years  ago. 


M.  COYNER.  Among  the  extensive 
farmers  and  stock-raisers  of  Hensley  Town- 
ship,  the  name  of  this  gentleman  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  as  one  of  the  most  energetic 
and  intelligent  members  of  the  agricultural  element. 
He  owns  a  valuable  and  extensive  tract  of  land  on 
section  16,  upon  which  he  settled  in  1869,  and 
which  he  has  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation. 
The  farm  residence,  grounds  and  out-buildings  are 
all  indicative  of  the  cultivated  tastes  and  ample 
means  of  the  proprietor,  and  the  homestead  in  all 
its  appointments  constitutes  one  of  the  pleasautest 
spots  in  the  landscape  of  this  county.  The  high- 
grade  Short-horn  cattle  raised  upon  this  farm  will 
bear  favorable  comparison  with  any  in  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley,  and  the  Norman  horses,  principally 


366 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


roadsters,  are  models  of  symmetry  and  beauty.  Our 
subject  has  also  made  a  specialty  of  Poland-China 
hogs,  and  has  seventy-five  registered  Merino  sheep. 

Mr.  Coyner  is  a  native  of  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
and  was  born  in  Concord  Township,  Aug.  12,  1844. 
His  father,  David  Coyner,  a  native  of  Hardy  Coun- 
ty, Va.,  was  born  in  April.  1812.  His  grandfather, 
John  Coyner,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  removed 
to  the  Old  Dominion  in  early  manhood,  and  there 
married  Miss  Laswell,  who  was  of  Scottish  paren- 
tage. After  marriage  they  removed  to  Ohio  and 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Ross  County, 
locating  there  in  1814.  John  Coyner  purchased  a 
tract  of  timber  land  in  Concord  Township,  where  he 
improved  a  farm  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  His  son  David,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
but  four  years  old  when  his  parents  removed  from 
Virginia  to  Ohio.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  the 
Buckeye  State,  and  married  Miss  Sarah  Mallow, 
who  was  a  native  of  Ross  County,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Adam  and  Sarah  Mallow.  Adam  Mallow 
was  a  Virginian  by  birth  and  removed  to  Ohio  at 
an  early  day,  where  he  was  captured  by  the  Indians 
and  kept  in  captivity  seven  years.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  this  time  a  treaty  of  peace  was  made  and 
the  prisoners  were  liberated.  Adam  Mallow  was 
then  permitted  to  return  home,  and  spent  the  last 
years  of  his  life  iu  Ross  County,  Ohio.  In  the  mean- 
time he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  which  was  par- 
tially improved  and  upon  which  he  worked  for 
several  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  returned  to 
the  old  homestead  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  which  his 
grandfather  had  improved.  This  farm  now  includes 
nearly  COO  acres  of  land,  and  is  considered  one  of 
the  most  valuable  in  Ross  County. 

The  parental  household  of  our  subject  included 
twelve  children,  of  whom  eight  grew  to  mature 
years.  He  is  the  fourth  in  age  of  those  living,  and 
occupied  himself  in  farming  pursuits  until  the  out- 
break of  the  late  war.  He  then  enlisted  as  a  Union 
soldier  in  August,  1862,  becoming  a  member  of 
Co.  K,  89th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf..  in  which  he  served  un- 
til peace  was  declared.  He  was  present  at  the  bat- 
tles of  Charleston,  Murfreesboro,  Chiekamauga  and 
Mission  Ridge,  and  joined  Sherman's  army  in  its 
march  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea.  He  participated  in 
all  the  battles  from  Chattanooga  to  Atlanta,  includ- 


ing the  siege  and  capture  of  the  latter  city.  Return- 
ing from  the  sea  coast  he  marched  with  his  regi- 
ment up  through  the  Carolinas  to  Richmond,  and 
from  there  to  Washington,  where  he  participated 
in  the  final  grand  review,  and  received  his  honor- 
able discharge  in  June,  1865.  He  then  returned  to 
his  father's  house  and  remained  with  his  parents  un- 
til 1869.  in  which  year  he  became  a  resident  of 
Hensley  Township.  His  father,  in  1855,  had  pur- 
chased a  quarter  section  of  land,  and  upon  a  part 
of  this  our  subject  went  to  work  to  improve  and 
cultivate  it.  He  kept  bachelor's  hall  for  a  few 
years,  then  returned  to  Ohio,  remaining  there  four 
years.  In  1875  he  started  again  for  the  West,  and 
located  on  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  oc- 
cupies. 

Our  subject  was  married,  Sept.  22,  1874,  to  Miss 
Ollie  R.  Hanawalt,  who  was  born  in  Ross  County, 
Ohio.  Aug.  19,  1854,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Christopher  and  Elizabeth  (Speaks)  Ilanawalt,  na- 
tives respectively  of  Ohio  and  Germany.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Coyner  have  four  children — Maude  F.,  Grace 
E.,  Mary  C.  and  David  Floyd.  Mr.  C.  is  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  exercises  a  marked  influence 
among  his  fellow-citizens.  His  fine  tastes  are 
evinced  by  the  work  of  his  own  hands,  as  he  pos- 
sesses more  than  ordinary  ability  as  an  artist,  the 
walls  of  his  house  being  decorated  with  fine  draw- 
ings, of  animals  principally,  executed  by  his  own 
hand. 


AVID  FRY,  a  highly  respected  farmer  of 
Condit  Township,  was  born  near  Hooks- 
town,  Beaver  Co.,  Pa..  Aug.  5,  1828.  His 
father,  William  Fry,  a  native  of  Reading, 
Pa.,  was  of  German  parentage,  and  followed  the 
pursuit  of  agriculture  during  the  latter  years  of 
his  life.  When  a  young  man  he  was  engaged  on 
the  river,  flat-boating.  After  his  marriage  he  set- 
tled with  his  young  wife  in  Beaver  County,  Pa., 
and  farmed  on  rented  land.  In  1840  he  purchased 
a  farm,  which  he  occupied  for  a  period  of  about 
thirty-two  years,  then  sold  out,  and  coming  to  this 
State  settled  in  Peoria  County,  where  he  resided 
about  twenty  years.  He  then  located  in  the  city  of 


t 


RESIDENCE  OF  SAMUEL  GROVE  ,  SEC.  10.,  PHILO  TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE  OF  THOMAS  LYONS , SEC. II.,  TOLONO  TOWNSHIP. 


Ejj^lfeflass^i^j$is;^yail 


RESIDENCE  OFSTEPHEN  DOTY,  SEC.  8  ,  GRITTENDEN  TOWNSHIP. 


*1T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


369 


Champaign,  where  he  spent  the  latter  part  of  his 
life.  The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  mar- 
riage was  Miss  Sarah  McKinney,  born  near  Pits- 
burg,  Ohio,  and  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  She  de- 
parted this  life  in  Peoria  in  about  1882. 

The  parental  family  consisted  of  nine  children, 
of  whom  David  of  our  sketch  was  the  eldest. 
He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  received  such 
schooling  as  was  afforded  in  those  days.  In  De- 
cember, 1853,  he  started  with  his  father's  family 
for  Illinois,  the  journey  being  made  via  the  Ohio, 
Mississippi  and  Illinois  Rivers  to  Peoria.  He  con- 
tinued a  resident  of  that  place  until  after  his  mar- 
riage, then  purchased  a  farm  in  Logan  Township, 
Peoria  County,  which  he  occupied  a  few  years,  then 
sold  out  and  purchased  land  in  Bloomfield,  111., 
which  he  occupied  and  cultivated  one  year.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  purchased  the  tract  of  land 
in  Condit  Township,  this  county,  which  is  now  in- 
cluded in  his  present  farm.  Of  this  only  a  few 
acres  were  broken,  and  he  took  up  his  residence  in 
Piatt  County  for  a  time  before  taking  possession 
of  this.  He  came  into  Condit  Township  for  per- 
manent settlement  in  March,  1869,  and  after  fif- 
teen years  of  industry,  has  transformed  the  wild 
prairie  into  a  desirable  homestead,  erected  a  good 
set  of  buildings,  and  planted  fruit,  shade  and  or- 
namental trees.  His  land  is  well  drained  with  tile, 
and  is  in  all  respects  one  of  the  model  farms  of  that 
locality. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the 
3d  of  June,  1854,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Ann  Fleming,  a  native  of  County  Kerry,  Ireland, 
and  the  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  (Straten) 
Fleming.  Her  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
a  native  of  the  same  county  and  descended  from 
the  Scots.  He  spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native 
Ireland.  Mrs.  Fry  came  to  the  United  States  when 
about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  Of  her  marriage 
with  our  subject  there  were  born  four  children, 
only  one  of  whom  is  living,  a  daughter,  Isabella, 
who  came  to  their  home  on  the  16th  of  December, 
1857.  She  remained  with  her  parents  until  her 
marriage  on  Christmas  Day,  1883,  to  Ed  win  Hutch- 
ison. Mr.  Hutchison  was  born  in  Sangamon 
County,  111.,  April  19,  1861,  and  is  the  son  of  John 
and  Sarah  Hutchison,  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 


The  other  children  of  our  subject  ^were,*May,  who 
was  born  June  15,  1856,  and  died  Sept.  10,  1857; 
Henrietta,  born  Feb.  9,  1860,  went  out  forever 
from  the  parental  household  on  New  Year's  Day, 
1865;  Anna,  born  March  7,  1867,  died  Sept.  22, 
1883.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fry  take  pride  in  the  fact 
that  they' have  two  bright_ 'grandchildren — David 
and  Anna  Myrtle.  The  family  arc  all  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  our  subject,  politi- 
cally, casts  his  vote  in  support  of  the  Republican 
party. 

--* ^~ 

ANFORD  W.  MOORE,  one  of  the  public- 
spirited  farmers  of  Champaign  County, 
owns  and  occupies  a  fine  farm  located  on 

section  30,  in  Crittenden  Township,  a  view 
which  is  shown  in  this  work.  He  took  posses- 

'•."'"  '•   » 

•sion  of'  this  in  1868,  and  since  that  time  has  built 
up  a  reputation  as  an  intelligent  and  skillful  agri- 
culturist, andttne  of  the  enterprising  business  men 
who  have  contributed  their  quota  to  the  general 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  community.  His 
farm  of  240  acres  is  all  neatly  enclosed  witli  good 
fences,  and  the  family  residence,  together  with  the 
barn  and  other  out-buildings,  bears  comparison  with 
anything  of  the  kind  in  this  locality. 

Mr.  Moore  since  becoming  a  resident  here  has 
identified  himself  with  the  interests  of  his  township, 
serving  as  Road  Commissioner,  and  in  other  re- 
spects taking  a  genuine  interest  in  whatever  is  de- 
signed to  add  to  its  welfare  and  progress.  Politi- 
cally he  is  Republican,  and  religiously  is  connected 
with  the  Society  of  Friends.  His  family  consists 
of  his  excellent  wife  and  nine  children,  the  latter 
named  as  follows:  Marion  L. ;  Ruth-  R.,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Green,  of  Harvey  County,  Kan.;  Charles 
P.,  Walter  E.,  Bertha  E.,  Mattie  May,  Josie  L., 
Lucy  K.  and  George  II.  The  mother  of  these 
children  before  her  marriage,  was  Miss  Louisa 
Thornhill,  and  she  became  the  wife  of  our  subject 
on  the  25th  of  November,  1852.  Mrs.  Moore  was 
born  in  Clinton  County,  Ohio,  March  1,  1836,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  Barnett  and  Ruth  (Jones)  Thorn- 
hill. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  hi  Ohio,  and  our  subject  afterward 


370 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


became  the  owner  of  three  farms  in  succession  in 
Clinton  County,  Ohio.  In  18G8  he  made  his  first 
trip  to  the  West,  and  selected  his  future  location 
on  section  30,  in  Crittendeii  Township.  Here  he 
purchased  160  acres,  and  before  the  close  of  that 
year  had  removed  his  family  and  taken  possession. 

Mr.  Moore  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  Ohio, 
Nov.  J,  1830,  and  is  the  son  of  Macagah  and  Re- 
becca (Magee)  Moore,  the  former  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  the  latter  of  Ireland.  The  parents  soon 
after  their  marriage  located  on  a  farm  in  Clinton 
County,  Ohio,  where  they  both  died  the  same  year, 
1856,  in  middle  life,  the  father  aged  fifty-four  and 
the  mother  forty-eight.  Of  their  thirteen  children, 
three  died  in  early  childhood,  ten  attained  their 
majority,  and  seven  are  now  living. 

Our  subject  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 
State  during  his  childhood  and  youth,  and  was  ed- 
ucated in  the  common  schools.  His  present  pos- 
sessions are  mainly  the  result  of  his  own  industry, 
and  both  as  a  citizen  and  business  man  he  is  held 
in  much  esteem  by  his  fellow-townsmen. 


OIIN  T.  MOORE.  The  subject  of  this  his- 
tory represents  the  best  element  of  his  com- 
munity, being  a  gentleman  possessed  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability  and  a  manner 
kindly  and  reserved,  one  who  invariably  commands 
respect  and  is  most  highly  esteemed  by  those  who 
know  him  best.  His  life  has  been  conducted  upon 
the  highest  moral  principles,  and  he  is  one  of  that 
limited  number  whose  word  is  as  good  as  their  bond. 
Mr.  Moore  ojvns  and  occupies  a  good  farm  on 
section  19,  in  Philo  Township,  which  is  well  stocked 
and  under  a  fine  state  of  cultivation.  The  farm 
buildings  are  constructed  after  the  most  approved 
manner  and  everything  about  the  premises  is  well 
cared  for,  indicating  at  once  the  industry  and  en- 
terprise of  the  proprietor.  The  laud  was  practi- 
cally in  its  original  condition  when  our  subject 
took  possession  of  it  and  the  improvements  which 
he  has  brought  about  are  mostly  the  result  of  his 
own  labor  and  forethought.  In  addition  to  other 
worldly  surroundings,  he  enjoys  the  society  of  an 


accomplished    wife   and  daughter,  and  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  his  neighbors  and  acquaintances. 

Mr.  Moore  is  a  native  of  Brown  County,  Ohio, 
born  March  7,  1843,  and  the  son  of  Henry  W. 
Moore,  who  was  born  in  the  same  county  as  his 
sou  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  his  native  county  to  Miss  Maria  Davidson, 
whose  lineage  was  similar  to  his  own,  and  they  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  where 
they  lived  until  1849.  Then,  with  their  three 
children  they  emigrated  to  Montgomery  County, 
Ind.,  and  moved  onto  a  farm  belonging  to  his 
brother-in-law,  Hugh  Meharry,  where  they  both 
died  in  1852,  the  mother  in  April  and  the  father  in 
December.  They  were  aged  respectively  thirty- 
eight  and  thirty-five  years.  Mr.  H.  W.  Moore  had 
eighty  acres  of  unimproved  laud  in  Madison  County, 
Ind.,  but  owing  to  poor  health  of  himself  and  wife 
preferred  to  be  among  friends  and  therefore  lived 
upon  the  farm  of  his  brother-in-law. 

Our  subject  remembers  his  mother  as  a  lady  of 
great  loveliness  of  character,  and  both  parents  pos- 
sessed those  traits  which  caused  them  to  be  re- 
spected and  beloved  wherever  known.  Both  were 
active  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  the  father,  politically,  was  a  supporter  of  the 
Whig  party. 

Of  their  four  children  John  T.  was  the  eldest; 
Mary  E.  became  the  wife  of  Isaac  Meharry,  now 
of  Montgomery  County,  Ind. ;  Maggie,  who  mar- 
ried Isaac  Armstrong,  died  when  twenty-one  years 
old,  in  1868,  in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  leaving 
two  children;  her  son,  Allen  W.,  lives  with  his 
uncle,  our  subject;  the  daughter,  Emma,  is  with  her 
aunt,  Mrs.  Emma  Campbell,  of  Lafayette,  Ind. 
The  youngest  brother  of  our  subject,  Frank  An- 
drew, died  when  nearly  twenty-one  years  old.  He 
was  a  promising  young  man,  possessing  more  than 
ordinary  ability,  and  was  mourned  by  a  large  circle 
of  friends. 

After  the  death  of  his  parents  Mr.  Moore  took  up 
his  abode  with  Samuel  Meharry,  now  a  retired  far- 
mer of  Lafayette,  Ind.,  and  one  of  the  prominent 
and  successful  men  of  Tippecanoe  County.  He  was 
treated  by  Mr.  Meharry  as  one  of  his  own  family 
and  endeavored  to  repay  the  kindness  of  his  bene- 
factor by  cheerful  and  dutiful  obedience  to  his 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


371 


wishes.  Mr.  M.  had  no  children  of  his  own  and 
our  subject  and  his  sister  Maggie,  with  others,  con- 
stituted his  family.  He  remained  with  his  foster 
parents  until  he  reached  his  majority,  and  was  then 
presented  by  Mr.  Meharry  with  the  farm  which 
constitutes  his  present  homestead.  This  consists  of 
160  acres,  and  Mr.  Moore  by  his  attention  to  and 
care  of  it,  has  shown  his  appreciation  of  the  gener- 
ous gift. 

The  marriage  of  John  T.  Moore  and  Miss  Min- 
nie Myers  took  place  in  Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio, 
Oct.  7,  1866.  Mrs.  Moore  is  the  daughter  of  James 
and  Marie  (Romig)  Myers,  the  former  a  native  of 
Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  lat- 
ter State  the  grandparents  of  both  families  origin- 
ally lived.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  after  their  mar- 
riage located  on  a  farm  in  Tuscarawas  County, 
where  they  resided  until  their  death.  They  raised 
a  large  family  of  children  who  became  useful  and 
respected  citizens.  Of  these,  which  included  five 
sons  and  seven  daughters,  Mrs.  Moore  was  the 
youngest.  She  was  carefully  trained,  received  a 
common-school  education,  and  remained  with  her 
parents  until  her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our 
subject  there  were  born  two  children,  of  whom 
only  one  isjiving,  Grace  L.,  a  bright  and  interest- 
ing girl  of  twelve  years.  Mr.  Moore  politically,  is 
a  warm  supporter  of  Republican  principles,  and 
religiously,  both  he  and  Mrs.  M.  are  connected 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he 
has  been  Steward. 


BRAHAM  C.  BROWN.  The  name  of  this 
Ol  highly  respected  citizen  is  familiarly  known 
throughout  East  Bend  Township,  of  which 
he  has  been  a  resident  since  1869.  He  is 
a  gentleman  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  received 
a  good  education,  and  for  several  years  followed 
the  profession  of  a  teacher  in  Woodford,  McLean 
and  Champaign  Counties.  He  occupied  himself 
teaching  principally  during  the  winter  seasons,  and 
being  fond  of  agricultural  pursuits  engaged  in 
farming  during  the  summer.  As  a  boy  he  was 
thoughtful  beyond  his  years,  and  when  fourteen 
years  old  became  a  member  of  the  Church,  in  which 


he  has  labored  faithfully  since  that  time  as  Super- 
intendent and  teacher  in  Sunday-schools  and  as  a 
supply  preacher.  He  was  ordained  as  an  Elder 
about  1 873,  and  for  long  years  has  exerted  an  in- 
fluence which  will  be  felt  after  he  has  gone  the  way 
of  all  mankind. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  born  in  what  is 
now  Kansas  Township,  Woodford  Co.,  111.,  Nov. 
13,  1839.  His  father,  Uriah  Brown,  was  a  native 
of  Tennessee,  whence  his  grandfather,  William 
Brown,  removed  to  Illinois  in  the  pioneer  days, 
and  locating  in  McLean  County  in  1826,  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life  there.  He  was  a  preacher  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  Church  of  Christ.  He  died  June 
16,  1845.  Fannie,  his  wife,  had  preceded  him, 
having  died  Sept.  2,  1840.  He  reared  a  fine  family, 
among  the  sons  being  Uriah,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  was  a  young  man  when  the  removal  was 
made  from  the  South  to  Illinois.  A  few  years  later 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Carlock, 
a  native  of  his  own  State,  who  emigrated  to  Illi- 
nois with  her  brother  when  a  young  girl.  Her  par- 
ents came  from  Germany.  Her  father  attained  to 
the  age  of  ninety  years.  Her  mother  died  in  1802. 

After  their  marriage  the  parents  of  our  subject 
crossed  the  Mississippi  and  located  in  Barry  Count3', 
Mo.,  on  a  tract  of  land  along  the  White  River. 
There  Uriah  Brown  put  up  a  log  house  and  improved 
a  few  acres  of  land,  when  he  was  stricken  down 
by  the  hand  of  the  Destroyer.  Of  the  four  chil- 
dren thus  made  fatherless  the  eldest  was  a  daughter 
in  her  teens.  The  mother  remained  in  Missouri 
with  her  family  two  years,  and  was  then  taken  into 
the  home  of  her  brother,  Reuben  Carlock,  in  Wood- 
ford  County,  111.  She  supported  her  family  by 
spinning  and  weaving,  and  kept  her  children  to- 
gether until  they  were  old  enough  to  take  care  of 
themselves.  She  trained  them  to  habits  of  industry, 
and  principles  of  virtue  and  honor,  and  still  lives, 
the  object  of  their  respect  and  affection,  having  ar- 
rived at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years. 
She  united  with  the  Christian  Church  in  her  youth, 
of  which  she  has  been  a  devoted  member  since  that 
time,  and  after  the  death  of  her  husband  still  kept 
up  the  family  altar  and  exerted  over  her  children 
the  influence  of  a  conscientious,  pious  mother. 
The  eldest  daughter,  Minerva,  became  the  wife  of 


CHAMPAION  COUNTY. 


i 


Joseph  Moore,  and  lives  in  Montgomery  Township, 
Woodford  Co.,  111.;  Amie,  who  married  John  Cru- 
sinbury,  a  farmer,  and  Fannie.  Mrs.  David  Hood, 
are  residents  of  Buffalo  County,  Neb. 

Abraham  C.  Brown,  of  our  sketch,  was  but  two 
years  old  when  his  parents  located  in  Missouri,  and 
eight  years  old  when  his  mother  returned  to  Illinois. 
His  earl}'  education  was  conducted  in  the  primitive 
log  school-house.  The  family  lived  in  a  house  ad- 
joining that  of  his  uncle,  and  when  not  in  school 
young  Abraham  assisted  the  latter  on  his  farm. 
During  the  winter  seasons  he  attended  school,  and 
chopped  wood  for  his  board  nights  and  mornings. 
He  remained  with  his  uncle  until  fifteen  years  old, 
then  went  to  live  with  his  older  sister,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  marriage. 

After  this  event  our  subject  located  upon  a  tract 
of  land  in  Woodford  County,  which  he  rented  two 
years,  and  finally,  in  1868,  came  to  this  county  and 
purchased  eighty  acres  which  are  now  included  in 
his  present  homestead.  The  land  was  wholly  un- 
improved. He  took  possession  of  it  in  1869,  and 
commenced  the  building  of  a  house,  into  which  he 
moved  with  his  family  as  soon  as  enough  of  it  was 
completed  so  that  they  could  be  comfortable.  The 
means  with  which  he  purchased  his  land  were  ob- 
tained by  teaching,  and  as  time  passed  on  and  he 
was  successful  in  his  farming  operations,  he  added 
to  his  real  estate,  so  that  he  now  has  160  acres,  all 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  supplied  with 
excellent  frame  buildings,  including  a  tasteful  resi- 
dence, a  good  barn  and  sheds  for  the  shelter  of 
stock.  He  has  also  planted  numbers  of  choice 
fruit  and  shade  trees,  and  the  premises  have  a  home- 
like air  which  is  pleasant  to  behold. 

Mr.  Brown  was  married,  Oct.  _3,  1866,  to  Miss 
Mahala Phillips,  who  was  born  in  Woodford  County, 
111.,  Oct.  3,  1841.  Her  father,  James  Phillips,  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  Woodford  County,  to  which 
he  removed  from  Tennessee,  locating  in  Montgom- 
ery Township  in  1832,  where  he  improved  a  farm 
and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  on  the 
14th  of  June,  1881.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Brown 
was  formerly  Miss  Jane  Jones,  also  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  who  came  to  Illinois  with  her  uncle  and 
here  met  and  married  James  Phillips.  She  survived 
him  five  years,  dying  in  December,  1886.  Mr.  P. 


served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Black  I  lawk  War.  His 
father  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  during  which 
time  he  died.  The  three  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brown  are  Byron  A.,  Arabella  May  and  Alia  Dell. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the 
Christian  Church,  and  Mr.  B.,  politically,  casts  his 
influence  in  support  of  Democratic  principles. 


HOMAS  BABB.  While  traveling  through 
Champaign  County  the  biographical  writers 
of  this  ALBUM  met  with  but  few  active 
business  men  who  were  natives  of  the  county,  State, 
or  even  of  the  United  States.  The  vast  majority 
of  those  who  are  to-day  tilling  the  soil  and  raising 
stock  or  engaged  in  business  or  commercial  enter- 
prises, or  are  members  of  any  of  the  professions, 
were  born,  many  without  the  borders  of  the  State 
and  many  across  the  Atlantic.  Of  the  latter  class 
scores  upon  scores  have  furnished  the  sinew  of 
trade  and  agriculture,  and  have  become  most  im- 
portant factors  in  the  prosperity  of  the  rapidly 
growing  West.  Of  this  class  the  subject  of  this  his- 
tory is  no  unimportant  illustration. 

When  a  youth  of  nineteen  years,  which  had  been 
spent  in  the  place  of  his  birth,  Staffordshire,  En- 
gland, Thomas  Babb,  who  possessed  the  spirit 
of  enterprise  and  ambition  in  a  remarkable  degree, 
had  already  begun  to  revolve  in  his  mind  the  pos- 
sibilities which  might  lie  for  him  in  a  new  country, 
where  many  of  his  countrymen  had  already  gone 
and  become  prosperous.  It  did  not  take  him  long 
to  decide  to  follow  their  example,  nor  to  put  his  re- 
solve into  execution.  He  set  sail  from  Liverpool 
in  May,  1860,  and  after  a  voyage  of  fourteen  days 
set  foot  upon  the  shores  of  the  New  World.  After 
a  very  brief  time  spent  in  New  York  City  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Licking  Count}',  Ohio,  and  was  there 
variously  engaged  until  October  of  the  following 
year.  He  then  started  for  Illinois  overland,  with  a 
team  and  cow,  landing  in  this  county,  where  he 
rented  a  farm.  With  his  team  he  was  enabled  to 
earn  the  munificent  income  of  ninety  cents  per 
day,  out  of  which  he  boarded  his  horses  and  him- 
self. 

Mr.  Babb  prospered,  however,  by  the  very  might 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


373 


1 


of  his  persistency,  and  the  following  spring  practi- 
cally started  in  business  for  himself  by  renting  a 
farm.  He  successfully  operated  this  one  year,  and 
with  the  means  which  he  had  saved  by  the  closest 
economy,  purchased  forty  acres  of  prairie  land  fn 
Mahomet  Township.  Twenty  acres  were  broken, 
this  being  the  only  effort  at  improvement;  there 
was  neither  fence  nor  building  on  the  place.  He 
had  now  a  young  wife  to  care  for,  and  his  first  bus- 
iness was  to  prepare'  a  habitation.  He  put  up  a 
small  frame  house,  improved  the  balance  of  the 
land,  and  after  two  years  sold  out  and  bought  fifty- 
seven  acres  in  Hensley  Township,  which,  at  the 
time  of  purchase,  was  in  much  the  same  condition 
as  was  his  late  possession.  There  also  lie  built 
another  house,  but  a  year  later  removed  again  to 
take  possession  of  eighty  acres  which  he  had  pur- 
chased in  Condit  Township.  This  latter  property  he 
occupied  two  years,  then  disposed  of  it  and  pur- 
chased another  eighty-acre  tract  of  wild  land  in  the 
same  township,  which  he  improved  and  occupied 
for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  During  that  time  he 
transformed  the  land  into  a  good  farm,  which  he 
rented,  and  going  into  Rantoul  Township,  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  adjacent  to  the  village  of 
Thorn  asboro. 

Mr.  Babb,  at  the  expiration  of  this  time,  had  ob- 
tained quite  an  insight  into  the  American  method 
of  doing  business  and  had  become  thoroughly  citi- 
zenized.  In  1878  he  commenced  buying  and  ship- 
ping hogs,  and  two  years  later  began  the  opera- 
tions in  grain  which  have  since  been  attended  with 
success.  Since  commencing  his  transactions  in  this 
line.  Thomasboro  has  become  one  of  the  best  grain 
markets  in  this  section,  and  Mr.  Babb  one  of  the 
most  popular  business  men  in  Champaign  County. 
He  has  continued  his  live  stock  operations  in  connec- 
tion with  his  grain  business,  and  has  confined  him- 
self strictly  to  upright  and  honorable  methods  of 
dealing.  He  has  from  time  to  time  added  to  his 
farm  property,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  680  acres, 
comprising  some  of  the  finest  land  in  Itantoul  and 
Condit  Townships. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  occurred  on  the  15th  of 
December,  1841,  in  the  town  of  Greatwitch.  Staf- 
fordshire, England.  His  parents,  Jeffrey  and  Cath- 
erine (Deville)  Babb,  were  natives  of  the  same 

4* 


country.  The  latter's  forefathers  trace  their  de- 
scendants back  to  the  time  of  William  the  Con- 
queror, witli  whom  they  crossed  over  from  Nor- 
mandy to  England.  Jeffrey  Babb  spent  his  entire 
life  in  his  native  England,  engaged  in  farming  pur- 
suits, and  died  on  the  farm  where  he  had  lived  many 
years,  and  where  his  father  lived  before  him,  and 
which  had  been  the  property  of  his  family  for  many 
years.  After  the  death  of  her  husband  the  mother 
came  to  America,  in  December,  1882,  and  is  now 
living  at  the  home  of  her  son-in-law,  Mr.  Deakin, 
in  Thomasboro. 

The  parental  household  included  eleven  children, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  become  men  and  women.  They 
were  John,  Elizabeth,  Margaret,  Thomas  of  our 
sketch,  Catherine,  Jeffrey,  Jane,  Ann,  William,  Mary 
and  Alice.  Margaret  is  now  the  only  one  remaining 
in  her  native  England.  The  homes  of  the  others  are 
variously  located  in  this  and  adjoining  States. 
Thomas  lived  with  his  parents  until  eighteen  years 
old,  then  commenced  handling  freight  at  a  railroad 
station,  being  thus  engaged  until  starting  for  the 
United  States. 

The  marriage  of  Thomas  Babb  and  Miss  Eleanor 
Philbrook  took  place  in  Licking  County,  Ohio,  in 
October,  1861.  Mrs.  Babb  is  a  native  of  the  Buck- 
eye State,  born  in  Licking  County,  in  1837,  and  the 
daughter  of  Cyrus  and  Anna  C.  (Martin)  Phil- 
brook,  natives  respectively  of  Maine  and  Ohio.  Of 
this  union  there  are  four  children — Jeffrey  E.,  Lena 
A.,  Cyrus  E.  and  Bertha  A.  '  Mr.  Babb  was  reared 
in  the  Episcopalian  faith,  and  although  not  at  pres- 
ent a  member  of  any  religious  denomination,  still 
cherishes  a  profound  respect  for  the  religion  of  his 
parents. 


OHN  N.  NORTON  has  been  a  resident  of 
I  this  county  since  December,  1855,  at  which 
time,  accompanied  by  his  young  wife,  he 
came  and  rented  land  near  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign, which  is  now  occupied  by  the  grounds  and 
buildings  of  the  State  University.  He  subsequently 
purchased  sixty  acres  of  raw  prairie,  which  is  now 
included  in  his  present  homestead  and  to  which  lie 
afterward  added  180.  His  estate  embraces  240 
acres,  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  supplied 


I 


374 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I 


with  a  line  set  of  farm  buildings.  The  land  is  well 
drained  and  entirely  destitute  of  swamp  ground. 
For  the  last  fifteen  years  our  subject  has  been 
mainly  engaged  in  stock-raising.  The  farm  lies  on 
section  18  of  Crittenden  Township,  and  section  13 
of  Pesotum  Township,  and  invariably  attracts  the 
attention  of  the  passer-by  on  account  of  its  general 
air  of  thrift  and  prosperity,  the  well-kept  stock, 
the  neat  fences  and  buildings,  and  all  the  other 
evidences  of  enterprise  and  industry.  A  view  of 
the  residence  and  surroundings  is  shown  in  this  work. 

Mr.  Norton  was  born  in  Cortland  County,  N.  Y., 
May  20,  1833,  and  is  the  son  of  Harvey  Norton,  a 
native  of  Connecticut.  His  mother,  who  was  for- 
merly Miss  Sallie  Merry,  was  a  native  of  the  Empire 
State,  and  resided  with  her  parents  on  a  farm  until 
her  marriage.  By  her  union  with  Harvey  Norton 
she  became  the  mother  of  five  children,  one  of 
whom  died  in  infancy.  Those  living  are,  Stephen ; 
Cyrena,  now  Mrs.  Spencer;  Catherine,  Mrs.  Merry; 
and  John  N.  of  our  sketch.  All  reside  in  Cham- 
paign County.  The  mother  of  our  subject  departed 
this  life  at  her  home  in  Spafford,  N.  Y.,  in  1839. 
Harvey  Norton  was  afterward  married  to  Miss  Bet- 
sey Haight,  in  Ohio,  to  which  State  he  had  removed 
after  the  death  of  his  first  wife.  There  he  was  a 
resident  of  Geauga  County  until  about  1864,  when 
he  came  to  this  county  with  his  family.  His  sec- 
ond wife  died  soon  after  coining  to  Illinois,  leaving 
one  daughter,  Laura,  now  the  wife  of  Ed  Payne, 
and  a  resident  of  Colorado.  The  father  of  our 
subject  passed  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly  la- 
bors Feb.  14,  1886.  He  was  a  good  man  in  the 
broadest  sense  of  the  term,  a  devout  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  one  who  ob- 
served the  duties  of  his  profession. 

Our  subject  was  but  six  years  of  age  when  he 
was  deprived  of  the  affectionate  care  of  his  mother. 
The  family  were  then  separated,  and  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years  the  children  never  met  all  together  at 
one  time.  This  state  of  things  afterward  happily 
met  with  a  change,  as  they  now  all  live  in  one 
neighborhood.  John  N.  of  our  sketch  resided  in 
the  family  of  an  uncle  until  the  second  marriage  of 
his  father,  and  then  went  to  live  with  the  latter  in 
Ohio.  Harvey  Norton  carried  on  a  large  dairy 
farm  in  the  Buckeye  State,  in  the  labor  of  which 


our  subject  assisted  until  he  was  twenty-two  years 
of  age. 

In  the  latter  part  of  that  year,  on  the  16th  of 
September,  1855,  Mr.  Norton  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Esther  Percival,  a  native  of  Geauga 
County,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  Olney  and  Lo- 
vina  (Ford)  Percival.  She  was  born  in  Geauga 
County,  Ohio,  June  28,  1834.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  and  her  mother  of  Ohio,  in 
which  State  both  parents  died.  Mrs.  Lovina  Per- 
cival was  the  first  child  born  in  Troy  Township, 
Ohio,  and  ate  of  the  first  apples  that  grew  in  that 
township. 

After  marriage  our  subject  and  his  wife,  as  we 
have  said,  became  residents  of  Illinois  and  this 
county.  Their  union  has  been  blest  by  the  birth 
of  three  children,  one  of  whom,  named  Harvey  J., 
died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  and  six  months, 
on  the  17th  of  June,  1875.  Those  living  are 
Stephen  A.  and  Minnie  M.,  both  at  home  with  their 
parents.  Our  subject  is  Democratic  in  politics  and 
has  served  his  township  as  Road  Commissioner  and 
School  Trustee ;  at  present  he  is  School  Treasurer, 
which  office  he  has  held  the  past  three  years.  So- 
cially he  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  Tolono 
Lodge  No.  391,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 


I 


OHN  ROACH,  who  is  numbered  among  the 
old  and  highly  respected  residents  of  Crit- 
tenden  Township,  came  with  his  parents  to 
Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1864,  and  since  that 
time  has  been  a  resident  of  the  Prairie  State.  He 
is  the  son  of  John  and  Ann  (Grimes)  Roach,  and 
his  birth  took  place  in  Greene  County,  Pa.,  on  the 
22d  of  March,  1817.  His  childhood  and  youth 
were  passed  upon  his  father's  farm,  but  after  reach- 
ing manhood  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
brick,  and  also  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  which 
he  followed  for  several  years.  His  marriage  took 
place  before  he  had  quite  reached  his  majority,  on 
the  27th  of  February,  1838.  The  maiden  of  his 
choice  was  Miss  Rachel  Pettit,  who  was  a  native  of 
his  own  county,  born  Jan.  28,  1820,  and  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Warford)  Pettit. 
Mr.  R.  and  his  bride  first  settled  down  in  their 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


_t 

nr* 

7o    f 


native  county,  where  they  remained  until  18G4, 
then  came  to  the  West,  locating  first  in  La  Salle 
County,  this  State.  After  a  residence  there  of  four 
years,  Mr.  Roach  purchased  100  acres  of  land  in 
Crittenden  Township,  this  county,  which  he  culti- 
vated for  several  years,  and  with  his  wife  in  the 
meantime  reared  a  family  of  ten  children.  The 
eldest  daughter,  Maria,  is  now  the  wife  of  Stephen 
Doty,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Crittenden  Town- 
ship; Mary  Ann  married  William  Pershing,  of 
Springfield,  Ohio;  the  eldest  son,  George,  died  when 
twenty  years  old,  and  John  died  when  twenty- 
one  years  of  age.  The  loss  of  these  promis- 
ing sons  at  the  most  interesting  period  of  their 
lives  was  a  great  affliction  to  the  parents.  The  next 
son,  William,  lives  in  La  Salle  County,  111.,  and 
David  in  Springfield,  Ohio;  Charity  married  Charles 
West;  Jennie  is  the  wife  of  John  P.  Navity;  Lyrlia 
was  married  to  Fred  Buckingham ;  Oscar,  unmar- 
ried, lives  in  Springfield,  Ohio,  and  Sallie,  Mrs. 
George  P.  Bliss,  in  Sidney  Township,  this  county. 
Mr.  Boach  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and  with  his 
excellent  and  worthy  lady,  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  as  are  also  several  of  their  children. 


J"~j  OSEPH  KAMP,  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers 
I    of  Tolono  Township,  owns  1 60  acres  of  land 
I    on  section  20,  with  a  shapely  and  convenient 
'    residence   and    other   good    improvements. 
He  became  a  resident  of  this  county   in  the  fall  of 
1870.  settling  upon   his  present  farm,   since  which 
time  he  has  given  his  entire  attention  to  its   im- 
provement and  cultivation.       He  has  been   fairly 
prospered   in  his  farming  and  business  transactions 
and  occupies  a  good  position  in  the  community  as 
one  of  its  worthy  and  reliable  citizens. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
born  in  Butler  County,  June  16, 1837.  His  father, 
Christian  Kamp,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Alsace, 
Germany, 'in  1808,  set  sail  from  his  native  land  for 
the  United  States  when  nineteen  years  of  age. 
After  reaching  American  shores  he  proceeded  first 
to  Pennsylvania  and  afterward  to  Ohio.  In  the 
latter  State  he  met  Miss  Magdalena  Somers,  and 


she  became  his  wife.  They  remained  residents  of 
Ohio  for  several  years,  and  in  1848  started  for 
the  farther  West.  After  reaching  Illinois  they  lo- 
cated in  Woodford  County,  where  Mr.  K.  first 
rented  a  tract  of  land  but  subsequently  purchased 
eighty  acres  which  he  cultivated  until  1856.  and 
then  met  with  an  accident,  the  breaking  of  his  leg, 
which  resulted  in  his  death  in  about  six  weeks. 
Mrs.  Kamp  after  ward  married  Mr.  Christian  Moscr, 
and  is  still  a  resident  of  Woodford  County. 

The  parental  household  included  six  sons  and 
three  daughters.  Joseph  of  our  sketch  came  witli 
the  family  to  Illinois  in  1848,  and  grew  to  man- 
hood in  the  counties  of  Woodford  and  McLean. 
He  worked  for  several  years  as  a  farm  laborer  and 
was  in  the  employ  of  one  man  for  five  years.  He 
then  commenced  business  on  his  own  account  by 
the  cultivation  of  rented  land  in  McLean  County, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1870.  and  then 
came  to  Champaign  County. 

In  1859,  our  subject  was  married  in  McLean 
County,  111.,  to  Miss  Fannie  Stalder,  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  Germany.  She  only  remained  the  companion 
of  her  husband  one  short  year,  dying  the  following 
summer.  In  1861  Mr.  Kamp  was  married  to 
Miss  Phebe  Stalder,  a  sister  of  his  former  wife,  and 
who  died  in  1862.  The  following  year  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Rosa  Kohler.  This  lady  is  a  native  of 
Switzerland,  and  became  the  mother  of  eight  chil- 
dren. Two  little  daughters,  Elizabeth  and  Mary, 
died  when  about  three  years  of  age ;  Christian  died 
when  nine  years  old.  Those  surviving  are  Susie, 
John,  Peter,  Lydia  and  Joseph.  Mr.  Kamp,  politi- 
cally, is  a  decided  Republican.  Religiously  he  is 
a  believer  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Omish  Church.  A 
lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Kamp's  residence  is  shown 
on  another  page. 


K  ARC  HER.  This  gentleman,  who 
is  a  worthy  representative  of  the  farming 
interests  of  Tolono  Township,  came  in  1870, 
and  purchased  160  acres  of  land  on  section  21.  He 
cultivated  this  until  1880,  and  then  removed  to  his 
present  farm,  on  section  27.  This  includes  400 
acres  of  choice  land  under  a  good  state  of  cultiva- 


376 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tion,  which  is  enclosed  with  well  kept  fences  and 
supplied  with  handsome  and  substantial  buildings. 
The  residence  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county. 
The  land  is  chiefly  devoted  to  grain-raising.  Be- 
sides this  property  Mr.  K.  is  also  proprietor  of  a 
valuable  store  building  at  Freeport,  the  rent  from 
which  yields  him  a  handsome  income.  He  is  a  man 
who  has  been  uniformly  successful  in  life,  having 
accumulated  a  competency  for  his  declining  years, 
and  by  his  upright  business  course,  has  gained  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens.  He 
is  still  comparatively  young  in  years,  with  the  pros- 
pect of  a  bright  and  prosperous  future. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  this  State,  and  was 
born  in  Freeport  on  the  llth  of  July,  1845.  He  is 
the  son  of"  John  and  Solona  Karcher,  both  natives 
of  Alsace,  France.  John  Karcher  served  five  years 
in  the  French  army,  under  Louis  Phillip.  The  par- 
ents were  married  in  1841,  and  soon  afterward 
emigrated  to  Canada,  where  thej-  remained  for  a 
time  visiting  relatives,  then  came  to  this  State  and 
settled  on  a  farm  near  Freeport,  111.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  a  fine  representative  of  the  indus- 
trious and  enterprising  French  element,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  in  1878,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five 
years,  left  an  estate  valued  at  $100,000.  This  prop- 
ert}'  included  two  farms  and  three  store  buildings. 
He  belonged  to  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  as 
a  member  of  business  and  social  circles  his  word 
was  considered  as  good  as  his  bond.  The  mother 
is  still  living,  and  a  resident  of  Freeport.  Their 
family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  one  daughter: 
John  is  farming  near  his  native  city,  Freeport; 
George  of  our  sketch  was  the  second  son;  Louis  is 
practicing  law  in  Chicago,  111. ;  Henry  is  engaged  in 
real-estate  business  at  Pierre,  Dak.;  Sarah  is  at 
home  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Karcher  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof 
and  made  his  home  with  his  father's  family  until  he 
attained  his  majority.  He  then  removed  to  a  farm 
in  Logan  County,  which  he  operated  for  three 
years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been  married, 
March  11,  18G9,  in  Logan  County,  to  Miss  Jane 
Stewart,  who  is  the  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mary 
(Griffin)  Stewart,  and  was  born  in  Randon,  Scot- 
land, Feb.  14,  1850.  Of  this  union  there  are  three 
children — Salona,  William  H.  and  Jemima. 


Mr.  K.  uniformly  casts  his  vote  with  the  Re- 
publican party,  but  has  never  desired  office,  hav- 
ing as  much  as  he  could  attend  to  in  carrying  on 
properly  the  affairs  of  his  farm  and  other  business. 
He  is  not  a  member  of  any  church  but  was  con- 
verted in  1884  by  a  spirit  from  on  high.  His  wife 
experienced  the  same  conversion,  the  same  year. 


J""  ERRE  GORMAN,  who  located  on  section  7, 
in  Raymond  Township,  in  the  spring  of 
1877,  is  the  proprietor  of  320  acres  of  land, 
'  and  since  the  time  of  his  coming  here  has 
cultivated  the  soil  and  been  fairly  successful  in  his 
farming  operations.  His  birth  occurred  in  Queen's 
County,  Ireland,  in  March,  1849,  and  his  parents 
were  John  and  Kate  Gorman,  the  former  of  whom 
died  at  about  middle  age  in  his  native  Ireland.  In 
1865  the  mother  with  her  three  children  set  sail  for 
the  New  World.  Soon  after  landing  in  New  York 
City  she  proceeded  directly  westward  to  Illinois, 
first  taking  up  her  abode  in  Grundy  County.  There 
the  two  daughters  were  married  and  one  still  resides. 
The  other  removed  to  Iowa.  In  1877  our  subject 
with  his  mother  came  to  Champaign  County,  and 
located  upon  the  land  which  is  now  included  in  his 
present  farm.  He  first  purchased  160  acres,  and 
afterward  doubled  that  amount,  the  whole  of  which 
constitutes  a  good  farm  under  a  fair  state  of  culti- 
vation. The  aged  mother  makes  her  home  with 
her  son,  being  now  nearly  seventy  years  old.  Our 
subject  politicalhr  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Demo- 
cratic principles,  and  in  religious  matters  adheres 
to  the  Catholic  faith  in  which  he  was  reared.  He 
has  served  as  School  Director  in  his  district. 

Mr.  Gorman  was  married,  in  August,  1880,  to 
Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  James  and  Margaret  Fitz- 
gerald, and  a  native  of  Champaign  County.  Of 
this  union  there  are  four  children,  all  living  at 
home,  and  named  as  follows:  John,  Margaret,  Kate 
and  Mary. 

Mrs.  Gorman's  father  was  born  in  County  Lim- 
erick, Ireland,  in  about  1837.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  when  fifteen  years  old,  and  after  so- 
journing with  friends  for  a  brief  time  in  New  York 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


377 


I 


City,  proceeded  to  the  home  of  his  brother  John, 
in  New  Hampshire.  The  following  year  he  came 
to  this  county,  and  for  several  years  afterward  was 
in  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany, and  resided  at  Spring  Creek,  Mattoon,  etc. 
Afterward  he  purchased  1 60  acres  of  land,  which  is 
well  improved,  and  furnished  with  a  good  set  of 
farm  buildings.  He  was  married  in  this  county  to 
Miss  Margaret  Coyne,  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  who 
came  to  America  when  a  young  girl.  They  raised 
a  family  of  ten  children,  of  whom  nine  survive,  as 
follows:  Thomas,  John,  Mary,  Jerre,  Patrick, 
Willie.  Maggie,  Elnora  and  James.  Mr.  F.  is 
Democratic  in  politics  and  Roman  Catholic  in  re- 
ligion. 


AVID  MAXWELL.  The  subject  of  this 
history,  one  of  the  most  substantial  and 
reliable  residents  of  Crittenden  Township, 
comes  from  excellent  Scottish  ancestry, 
and  was  himself  born  in  the  Port  of  Glasgow  on 
the  25th  of  January,  1845.  His  parents,  Joseph 
and  Mary  (Russell)  Maxwell,  five  years  after  the 
birth  of  their  son  emigrated  from  their  native  land 
to  the  United  States,  and  soon  after  landing  at  New 
York  Harbor  proceeded  to  Boonton,  N.  J.  The 
following  year  they  decided  to  try  their  fortunes 
in  the  West,  and  coming  to  this  State  located  on  a 
farm  in  Peoria  County,  where  they  resided  until 
1869.  Thence  they  came  into  this  county  and  took 
up  a  tract  of  land  on  section  7,  in  Crittendeii 
Township.  It  was  at  that  time  unbroken  prairie, 
but  through  the  industry  and  enterprise  of  Joseph 
Maxwell  in  due  time  it  was  transformed  into  a 
good  farm,  enclosed  with  neat  fences  and  supplied 
with  a  comfortable  residence  and  all  other  neces- 
sary buildings. 

Upon  the  homestead  thus  established,  and  which 
is  now  in  possession  of  our  subject,  Joseph  Max- 
well lived  until  the  1st  of  November,  1885,  then 
departed  this  life  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years. 
His  aged  companion  still  survives,  and  resides 
with  her  son  David,  of  our  sketch.  She  was  born 
in  1807,  and  is  consequently  now  eighty  years  old. 
The  family  of  these  excellent  people  included  four 
children,  all  born  in  Scotland.  One  son  and  a 


daughter  died  in  Peoria  County,  111.,  and  the  sur- 
viving brother  of  our  subject,  James  Maxwell,  is  a 
resident  of  Marshall  County,  Kan. 

Mr.  Maxwell  was  a  little  lad  six  years  old  when 
his  father's  family  located  in  Illinois.  He  was 
reared  to  manhood  on  the  farm  in  Peoria  County, 
and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  After  com- 
ing to  this  county  he  remained  with  his  parents  and 
assisted  in  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  the 
farm,  and  on  the  23d  of  November,  1870,  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Asenath  Merry.  This  lady  was  a  na- 
tive of  Montgomery  County,  N.  Y.,  and  the 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Sally  Merry,  also  na- 
tives of  the  Empire  State.  She  was  born  Sept.  22, 
1844,  and  came  to  Illinois  with  her  parents  when  a 
young  girl.  They  located  in  Douglas  County, 
where  the3T  remained  until  1868,  when  they  located 
in  this  county.  The  father  yet  lives  here;  the 
mother  died  in  New  York  State.  Mrs.  M.  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof  until  her  marriage. 
She  is  now  the  mother  of  three  children — Mary, 
Frank  and  Ella. 

Our  subject  politically  is  a  member  of  the  Re- 
publican party ;  he  was  reared  in  the  doctrines  of 
the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  his  hon- 
ored parents  were  active  and  devoted  members. 


AMUEL  GROVE.  This  gentleman  is  said 
to  be  the  most  energetic  man  in  Champaign 
County,  busy,  ambitious,  and  always  hav- 
ing some  project  in  view,  in  the  execution 
of  which  he  usually  succeeds.  He  is  one  of  the 
largest  land-owners  of  Philo  Township,  having  a 
farm  of  400  acres,  all  of  which  is  finely  cultivated 
and  well  adapted  to  stock-raising,  of  which  he  has 
made  a  specialty,  and  in  this,  as  in  most  of  his  other 
undertakings,  has  been  very  successful. 

Mr.  Grove  is  a  native  of  Cumberland  County, 
Pa.,  and  was  born  Dec.  17,  1838.  He  was  reared 
and  educated  in  his  native  town  and  remained  at 
home  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war,  when 
he  became  a  transportation  master  in  the  army,  in 
which  he  was  emploj'ed  about  seventeen  months. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  time,  after  a  brief  visit 
at  his  own  home,  he  started  for  the  West,  and 


I 


t. 


378 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


locating  in  Naperville,  111.,  engaged  as  clerk  in  a 
store.  This  he  abandoned  after  one  year's  trial, 
and  then  began  to  farm  on  shares,  operating  in  this 
manner  for  five  years  following.  He  then  purchased 
land  in  Du  Page  County,  which  he  cultivated  until 
1883,  when  he  sold  out  and  secured  possession  of 
his  present  home  in  this  county. 

The  marriage  of  Samuel  Grove  and  Miss  Amanda 
Erb  took  place  in  Chicago,  111.,  Dec.  21,  1865.  Mrs. 
G.  was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  Aug.  10,1  847. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  Joshua  and  Sarah  (Yount) 
Erb,  also  natives  of  the  Keystone  State,  but  now 
residents  of  Naperville.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
of  large  means  and  a  man  of  influence  in  his  com- 
munity. Both  the  Grove  and  Erb  families  were 
of  German  descent,  and  possessed  in  a  marked  de- 
gree the  reliable  and  substantial  traits  of  their  fore- 
fathers. Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  par- 
ents of  five  children  —  Hattie  A.,  Harrison,  Ely, 
Evan  and  Ervin  S.  The  father  of  our  subject, 
Jacob  Grove,  whose  ancestors  were  from  Holland, 
died  in  Naperville,  111.,  in  1861.  The  mother,  who 
in  her  maidenhood  was  Miss  Mary  Seitoz,  is  now  liv- 
ing with  her  second  husband  in  Naperville.  A 
lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Grove's  residence,  with  its 
surroundings,  is  shown  on  another  page  of  this 
volume. 


IRAM  L.  DURFEY  became  a  resident  of 
Champaign  County  in  1861,  and  spent  his 
first  year  on  a  Tented  farm  near  Parkville. 
The  following  year  he  was  similarly  occu- 
pied in  Tolono  Township,  whence  after  a  residence 
of  four  years,  he  came  to  Philo  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  on  section  1  8,  where  he  pro- 
ceeded to  lay  the  foundations  of  a  permanent  home. 
This  has  remained  his  residence  since  that  time, 
with  the  exception  of  live  years  which  he  spent  on 
a  farm  with  his  sons  in  Tolono  Township.  His  land, 
when  he  took  possession  of  it,  was  not  far  removed 
from  its  original  condition  and  he  industriously  set 
about  its  improvement  and  cultivation,  meeting 
with  abundant  success.  The  farm  is  finely  laid  off 
and  convenient!}'  arranged  for  the  raising  of  grain 
and  stock.  Nothing  is  wasted,  every  acre  being 


made  available,  and  everything  about  the  premises 
is  well  cared  for  and  kept  in  good  order. 

Mr.  Durfey  is  a  native  of  Licking  County,  Ohio, 
born  in  Hartford  Township,  Aug.  15,1820.  His 
father,  Daniel  I.  Durfey,  was  a  well-educated  man, 
and  for  many  years  a  teacher  in  the  Buckeye  State. 
He  was  a  potter  by  trade,  but  at  one  time  owned  a 
small  farm  and  operated  a  sawmill.  He  was  born 
in  Vermont,  of  New  England  parentage  and  En- 
glish and  Scotch  descent.  When  twenty-two  years 
of  age  he  removed  to  Licking  County,  Ohio,  and 
there  married  Miss  Alcy  C.  Rose,  a  native  of  Mas- 
sachusetts and  of  English  descent.  She  became  a 
resident  of  Licking  County,  Ohio,  when  a  small  girl. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  settled  on 
a  farm  in  Licking  County,  where  the  father  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  d3^ng  April  21?,  1872,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  The  mother,  who  is 
.  now  eighty-seven  years  of  age,  is  still  living  at 
Hartford,  Ohio,  and  retains  her  mental  faculties  to 
a  remarkable  degree,  as  well  as  her  health  and 
strength.  She  is  still  an  active  member  of  the 
Congregational  Church,  which  she  attends  regu- 
larly. 

Our  subject  was  the  eldest  child  and  only  son  of 
three  children  born  to  his  parents,  one  of  whom, 
Lucy,  formerly  the  wife  of  Henry  Smith,  is  now 
deceased.  His  sister,  Adeline,  Mrs.  Cornell,  is  a 
resident  of  Lock,  Knox  Co.,  Ohio.  Mr.  Durfey  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  parental  household  until 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  and  the  three  years  after 
his  majority  worked  with  his  father  in  the  sawmill. 
He  was  married,  Nov.  1,  1843,  at  the  residence  of 
the  bride's  parents  in  his  native  township,  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Brown,  to  Miss  Lucina  D.  Smith.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  D.,  Heman  and  Sarah  (Winston) 
Smith,  were  natives  of  Connecticut  and  of  New 
England  parentage.  Mr.  Smith  in  early  life  was 
occupied  as  a  clothier,  but  later  engaged  in  milling, 
which  he  followed  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  fifty 
years,  in  Delaware  County,  Ohio.  His  father,  He- 
man  Smith,  Sr.,  was  lost  at  sea.  It  is  supposed  that 
his  vessel  was  taken  by  pirates,  as  it  disappeared 
and  was  never  afterward  heard  from.  The  mother 
of  Mrs.  Durfey  departed  this  life  when  forty  years 
of  age.  She  was  a  lady  highly  esteemed  and  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  her.  and  both  parents 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


379 


were  must  worthy  members  of  society,  training 
their  children  to  principles  of  temperance  and 
morality.  Of  the  nine  children  included  in  the 
household  circle,  Mrs.  Durfey  was  the  third  in  or- 
der of  birth.  She  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation and  remained  at  home  until  her  marriage. 

By  her  union  with  our  subject  Mrs.  Durfey  has 
become  the  mother  of  eight  children,  who  are 
recorded  as  follows:  Julius  T.  married  Miss  Nancy 
V.  Hamilton,  and  is  a  resident  of  Downs,  Osborne 
Co..  Kan.;  Edgar  W.  lives  at  home,  and  assists  in 
operating  the  farm  ;  Daniel  I.,  Jr.,  married  Miss 
Mary  Van  Meter,  and  is  a  farmer  of  Tolono  Town- 
ship ;  Eva,  formerly  a  teacher,  is  rusticating  in  Kan- 
sas: Emma  P.  became  the  wife  of  L.  H.  Wright,  a 
farmer  and  mechanic,  and  resides  in  White  County, 
Ind.  ;  Alice,  Alonzo  and  Clarence  are  deceased. 
"The  parents  and  all  the  children  are  worthy  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Politically,  Mr. 
Durfey  is  one  of  the  most  radical  Republicans  of 
the  county. 


AMES  STEVEN.  One  of  the  finest  resi- 
dences in  Sadorus  Township  is  situated  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  section  27,  and  is 
the  property  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
It  is  doubly  valuable  to  Mr.  S.  as  having  been  the 
house  of  his  parents,  which  he  removed  from  the 
home  in  1  885,  and  fitted  up  with  modern  improve- 
ments. It  makes  a  solid  and  substantial  structure, 
the  frames  of  the  houses  of  thirty-two  years  ago 
having  been  built  of  much  heavier  timber  than 
those  of  the  present.  The  grassy  yard,  shaded  by 
trees,  and  the  neat  buildings  in  the  rear,  with  the 
fields  on  either  side,  present  a  pleasant  picture  for 
the  eye  to  contemplate.  The  well-fed  cattle  and 
fine  horses  belonging  to  the  estate  form  no  unim- 
portant part  of  its  embellishments.  Mr.  Steven,  as 
a  stock-raiser,  ranks  among  the  representative  men 
of  his  township,  and  closely  superintends  the  opera- 
tions of  the  farm,  which  Benjamin  Franklin  main- 
tained was  the  only  method  by  which  anything 
could  be  done  properly.  He  often  said  in  plain 
words,  "  If  you  wish  anything  done  well,  do  it 
yourself."  Mr.  Steven,  so  far  as  lies  in  his  power, 


has  followed  this  maxim,  being  active  and  indus- 
trious, while  at  the  same  time  devoted  to  his  family 
and  alive  to  the  interests  of  his  community. 

James  Steven  comes  from  excellent  Scottish  an- 
cestry, and  was  born  in  Forfarshire,  a  maritime 
county  of  Scotland,  having  east  the  North  Sea  and 
south  the  Firth  of  Tay.  In  this  county  were  the 
celebrated  Braes  of  Angus,  a  part  of  the  Grampian 
Range,  the  Vale  of  Strathmore,  and  the  Sidlaw  Hills, 
and  the  rich  plain  along  the  Firth  of  Tay  and  the 
Sea.  The  parents  of  our  subject,  James  and  Chris- 
tina (Gray)  Steven,  were  born  among  the  Highlands 
in  Scotland,  where  they  were  married  and  remained 
until  1854,  when  our  subject  was  a  young  man  of 
twenty-one  years.  They  left  one  son,  a  sailor,  in 
Scotland,  but  were  accompanied  by  four  other  chil- 
dren. The  elder  Steven,  after  reaching  American 
shores  proceeded  directly  Westward  to  the  rapidly 
growing  State  of  Illinois,  and  entered  eighty  acres 
in  Sadorus  Township,  this  county,  which,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  son,  was  soon  transformed  into  a 
fertile  farm.  Here  both  parents  spent  the  balance 
of  their  lives,  the  death  of  the  mother  occurring 
about  1876,  and  that  of  her  husband  six  years  later. 
After  the  death  of  his  parents  James  took  posses- 
sion of  the  homestead  which  had  been  deeded  to 
him  by  his  father,  and  which  he  kept  up  in  the  same 
creditable  manner  as  before. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  life  of 
our  subject  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1864,  when 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Laura,  the  eld- 
est child  of  Joseph  and  Earnestine  (Kuhling) 
Goodman,  who  were  natives  of  Germany.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  continued  to  occupy  the  home 
farm  until  1885.  He  had  been  remarkably  prosper- 
ous in  the  meantime,  and  had  purchased  290  acres, 
being  now  the  owner  of  370  acres  of  some  of  the 
linest  land  in  Champaign  County.  His  property  is 
located  on  sections  15,  16  and  22. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  features  connected 
with  the  home  life  of  our  subject  is  the  presence  of 
seven  children,  namely,  Joseph  W.,  Alexander, 
Walter,  Robert,  Anna,  Maggie  and  Elsie.  Will- 
iam, the  first  born,  died  in  childhood.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Steven  may  be  pardoned  for  the  feeling  of 
pride  and  satisfaction  with  which  they  look  upon 
their  children.  The  latter  have  been  carefully 


1 


N  >  380 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


trained  and  well  educated,  and  form  no  unimpor- 
tant part  in  the  enjoyment  and  satisfaction  of  the 
parents'  lives.  The  prospect  is  that  in  due  time 
they  will  be  numbered  among  the  most  valued 
members  of  society  and  bear  the  mantle  of  their 
honored  parents  in  a  manner  creditable  to  them- 
selves and  to  those  who  have  watched  their  lives 
from  the  dawning  to  the  present  time. 


^ILLIAM  L.  BRADEN,  who  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Ludlow  Township  in  1866,  and 
has  firmly  established  himself  in  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  is  a  native 
of  Decatur  County,  Ind.,  and  was  born  March  1, 
1844.  He  is  the  son  of  John  H.  Braden,  whose 
parents  emigrated  from  the  North  of  Ireland  in 
about  1790,  soon  after  their  marriage.  Their 
(then)  only  child  died  while  on  the  voyage, 
and  its  body  was  preserved  to  be  buried  on  land. 
The  last  dollar  which  the  parents  possessed  was  re- 
quired to  pay  the  funeral  expenses,  leaving  them 
penniless  in  a  strange  country.  They  made  their 
way  to  Greensburg,  Pa.,  where  the  father  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  employment  and  prospered, 
while  a  considerable  family  grew  up  around  them. 
When  Kentucky  was  being  colonized  they  pushed 
on  and  settled  among  the  pioneers  in  the  new  State. 

Observing  the  many  evils  attendant  upon  the 
system  of  slavery  as  practiced  there,  they  resolved 
to  leave  that  locality,  and  accordingly  removed  to 
Indiana  in  1820,  six  months  after  the  birth  of  their 
eleventh  and  youngest  child,  John  H.  They  lo- 
cated in  what  is  now  Greensburg,  and  there  John 
H.  remained  a  member  of  the  parental  household 
until  his  marriage.  This  event  took  place  Sept.  3, 
1840,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Louisa 
Reeder,  of  Rush  County,  Ind.  She  was  the  youngest 
child  of  her  parents,  who  were  of  Welsh  and  Ger- 
man descent.  Her  grandfather,  who  emigrated  from 
Wales,  was  murdered  by  the  Indians  about  the  be- 
ginning of  the  present  century,  on  what  is  now 
the  site  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Shortly  after  their  marriage  Mr.  Braden  and  his 
young  wife  set  up  housekeeping  in  a  log  cabin  in  the 
midst  of  a  tract  of  timber  land,  eighty  acres  of 


which  he  had  purchased,  and  upon  which  no  im- 
provements whatever  had  been  made.  Their  first 
dwelling  was  constructed  by  his  own  hands.  Soon 
afterward  he  began  to  clear  and  cultivate  his  land, 
and  in  due  time  the  country  around  him  slowly 
settled  up.  When  the  government  of  the  township 
came  under  discussion  Mr.  B.  distinguished  him- 
self as  a  stanch  Whig  and  a  radical  temperance  ad- 
vocate. Their  oldest  child,  Margaret  J.,  now  re- 
sides near  Gilman,  111.,  and  is  the  wife  of  Simeon 
Collier,  who  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  late  war. 

Our  subject  was  the  eldest  son  of  his  parents, 
and  in  his  boyhood  and  youth  was  made  fully  ac- 
quainted with  the  experiences  of  life  in  a  new 
country.  In  1852  his  father  traded  the  farm,  which 
now  consists  of  209  acres  of  improved  land,  for  a 
more  valuable  homestead  in  the  same  vicinity.  In 
1853  he  exchanged  this  for  a  stock  of  general  mer- 
chandise and  a  fine  residence  in  the  village  of  Mil- 
ford,  Ind.  Here  his  son  enjoyed  better  facilities 
for  schooling,  and  at  thirteen  years  of  age  became 
serviceable  in  his  father's  store.  In  March,  1864, 
when  twenty  years  of  age,  he  was  stricken  down 
with  spotted  fever,  which  left  him  with  a  shattered, 
nervous  system,  from  which  misfortune  he  has 
never  fully  recovered.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  his 
parents,  with  their  family  of  six  boys  and  two  girls, 
removed  to  State  Line  City,  between  Indiana  and 
Illinois,  six  miles  east  of  Danville.  They  remained 
there,  however,  but  a  few  months,  coining  thence 
to  this  county. 

Notwithstanding  his  constant  ill-health,  unwill- 
ing to  be  idle,  our  subject  opened  a  general  store 
in  the  village  of  what  was  then  Pera,  but  is  now 
Ludlow,  in  partnership  with  Daniel  Allhand.  The 
latter-named  gentleman,  after  disposing  of  his 
interests  to  R.  J.  Braden,  the  brother  of  our  sub- 
ject, died  about  1872.  Our  subject,  by  his 
straightforward  method  of  doing  business  and 
promptness  in  meeting  his  obligations,  in  time 
built  up  a  good  trade  and  made  many  friends. 
In  1867  he  was  elected  Clerk  and  Collector  of 
Ludlow  Township,  the  duties  of  which  he  ful- 
filled with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  all 
concerned.  He  served  as  School  Treasurer  for  a 
period  of  eleven  3'ears,  holding  it  until  his  business 


I 


1 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


381 


affairs,  in  1880,  induced  him  to  resign.  He  is  at 
present  engaged  in  the  grain  trade  with  William  C. 
Holmes.  The  father  of  our  subject  now  resides  in 
Milford,  111.,  and  in  company  with  his  two  sons, 
Richard  F.  and  John  H.,  Jr.,  is  conducting  a  large 
dry-goods  store  at  Watseka,  Iroquois  County, 
where  they  enjoy  an  extensive  patronage. 

William  L.  Braden,  on  account  of  his  sad  afflic- 
tion, has  never  full}'  developed  the  social  side  of 
his  nature,  but  so  far  as  he  is  able  is  an  earnest 
worker  in  the  temperance  and  other  good  causes,  and 
is  the  encourager  of  all  enterprises  tending  to  the 
moral  and  intellectual  welfare  of  his  community. 
He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church, 
in  which  he  has  filled  the  office  of  Clerk  for  four- 
teen years.  He  supports  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
publican part}7,  but  takes  no  active  part  in  politics, 
preferring  his  business  to  any  political  emoluments. 


EW.  EVANS,    who  became    a   resident    of 
Philo  Township  in    1858,  upon  first  coming 
into  the   county   located   in   Urbana  Town- 
ship, where  he  was  part  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  land. 
This  he  sold  in  the  year  mentioned  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  his  present  homestead,  to  which  he 
afterward  added  forty  acres,  and   has  now  a  snug 
farm  under  a  good  state   of  cultivation,   with  con- 
venient and  comfortable  buildings  and   all  the  sur- 
roundings of  a  successful  agriculturist. 

Mr.  Evans  is  a  native  of  Brown  County,  Ohio, 
and  was  born  Nov.  4,  1821.  His  father,  Edward 
Evans,  died  before  our  subject  was  born,  and  the 
latter,  when  a  child  of  two  or  three  years,  went  to 
live  with  his  grandfather,  also  named  Edward  Ev- 
ans, who  carried  on  farming  in  Brown  County. 
There  he  made  his  home  until  he  started  out  in  life 
on  his  own  account.  After  reaching  manhood  he 
was  married  in  his  native  county.  Jan.  16,  1844,  to 
Miss  Charlotte  Morrow,  a  native  of  Brown  County, 
and  born  Feb.  23,  1825.  Her  father,  James  Mor- 
row, owned  and  occupied  a  farm  in  Bird  Township, 
where  he  died  of  cholera,  in  1  832.  The  mother, 
who  was  formerly  Miss  Lavina  Drake,  lived  to  the 
age  of  seventy-four  years,  and  died  at  the  old  home- 
stead in  Brown  County.  Mrs.  Evans  remained 


under  the  parental  roof  until  her  marriage.  By  her 
union  with  our  subject  there  have  been  born  two 
children — Cornelia,  the  wife  of  Frank  Wells,  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  of  Philo  Township,  and  Lavina  F., 
who  died  in  infancy. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  Evans  and  his  young 
wife  located  in  Bracken  County,  Ky.,  where  they 
lived  three  years,  then  returned  to  Brown  County, 
Ohio,  and  thence,  one  year  later,  removed  to 
Montgomery  County,  Ind.  There  our  subject 
rented  land  about  three  years,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  time  they  became  residents  of  this  county. 
Mr.  Evans  is  a  first-class  Democrat  of  the  old  type, 
and  has  been  Township  Supervisor  and  Road  Com- 
missioner a  number  of  terms.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 


'RANK  B.  VENNUM,  a  native  of  the  Prai- 
rie State,  is  one  of  the  most  enterprising- 
business  men  in  the  town  of  Fisher,  being 
now  the  banker  of  the  community,  and  identified 
with  its  most  important  interests.  His  birth  took 
place  in  Iroquois  County,  Oct.  12,  1853,  at  Milford, 
and  his  parents  were  Christopher  C.  and  Mahala 
(Horn)  Veunum, both  natives  of  Washington  County, 
Pa.,  where  they  lived  several  years  after  their  mar- 
riage, and  whence  they  removed  to  this  State  about 
1833.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and 
pursued  his  calling  until  his  decease,  which  occurred 
at  Onarga,  Iroquois  County,  in  about  1868.  The 
mother  still  survives,  and  is  a  resident  of  Fisher. 

Our  subject  was  the  third  of  three  sons  and  two 
daughters  comprising  the  parental  household,  and 
received  a  good  education,  first  by  attending  the 
common  schools  and  afterward  at  the  Grand  Prairie 
Seminary  in  Onarga,  where  he  took  a  three  years' 
course  and  graduated  in  the  English  branches. 
Afterward  he  learned  telegraphy,  and  operated  the 
wires  at  different  points  for  two  years  following, 
then,  desiring  a  more  active  life,  engaged  first  as  a 
grain  dealer  at  Belleflower  for  about  one  year,  then 
took  up  merchandising  in  connection  with  the  grain 
trade,  and  selling  out  five  years  later  came  to  Fisher, 
and  after  a  brief  time  occupied  in  merchandising 
as  before,  in  which  he  was  quite  successful,  aban- 


t 


382 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


doned  this  for  banking.  In  seeking  a  safe  deposit 
for  his  surplus  cash  he  considered  that  nothing 
would  be  safer  than  land,  and  accordingly  has  in- 
vested considerably  in  real  estate,  including  400 
acres  in  Champaign  County  and  some  of  the  most 
valuable  property  in  the  village. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Venn  urn  took  place  in 
Belletlower  Township,  McLean  County,  Nov.  25, 
1877,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Marsh,  who  was  born  in  Fulton  County,  this  State, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  L.  B.  and  Abbie  (Sherman) 
Marsh,  natives  of  New  York  State.  Mr.  Marsh 
spent  his  last  days  in  Fisher,  dying  at  the  home  of 
his  son-in-law  in  1886.  The  mother  still  survives, 
and  is  a  resident  of  Fisher.  The  additions  to  the 
household  of  our  subject  are  a  son  and  daughter. 
Earnest  M.  and  Vinnie  V.  Mr.  Ven'num  votes  for 
the  support  of  Republican  principles,  and  with  his 
wife  belongs  to  the  Christian  Church. 


ENSON  RICHMOND.  This  thrifty  and 
prosperous  farmer  of  Newcomb  Township 
is  pleasantly  located  on  section  2,  where  he 
has  a  good  'farm  of  240  acres,  and  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  chosen  calling  has  been  eminently 
successful.  He  is  a  native  of  Muskingum  County, 
Ohio,  born  May  27,  1824,  and  the  son  of  Joseph 
and  Nancy  (Her)  Richmond,  natives  respectively 
of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  The  parents  of 
our  subject  soon  after  their  marriage  located  near 
Zanesville,  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  whence, 
in  the  fall  of  1830,  they  came  to  this  State,  and 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  "  Tazewell  County. 
The  spot  which  they  selected  as  their  location  is 
now  included  in  Hittle  Township.  The  winter  fol- 
lowing will  be  remembered  as  one  of  great  severity 
and  of  the  deep  snow. 

About  the  middle  of  February,  Joseph  Rich- 
mond, in  company  with  Samuel  Judy,  and  shod 
with  snow-shoes,  started  for  Mackinaw  Village, 
fifteen  miles  away.  After  a  tedious  journey  they 
reached  their  destination  in  safety  and  loaded  them- 
selves with  provisions  to  take  home  to  their  own 
families  and  the  few  neighbors  in  their  vicinity. 


When  within  two  and  one-half  miles  of  home  Mr. 
•  Richmond  became  exhausted  with  cold  and  fatigue, 
and  told  his  companion  that  he  could  go  no  further, 
urging  the  latter,  however,  to  proceed  without  him. 
Mr.  Judy,  taking  off  his  own  cloak,  wrapped  it 
around  his  companion,  who  had  sat  down  in  the 
snow,  and  proceeded  on  his  way  for  assistance  as 
rapidly  as  possible.  He  could  n.ot  return,  however, 
until  morning,  and  when  his  friends  found  him  Mr. 
Richmond  was  frozen  to  death,  sitting  in  the  same 
position  in  which  he  had  been  left.  Mrs.  R.  sur- 
vived her  husband  several  years,  dying  in  Tazewell 
County  in  the  fall  of  1833  or  1834.  Their  family 
consisted  of  four  sous  and  three  daughters,  of 
whom  Henson  of  our  sketch  was  the  fifth  child. 

Our  subject  was  but  six  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  became  residents  of  Illinois.  He  remained 
in  Hittle  Township  until,  on  account  of  rheumatism, 
owing  to  the  dampness  of  the  soil,  he  was  obliged 
to  remove.  Going  to  Mackinaw  Village  he  en- 
gaged as  a  stock  dealer,  and  continued  there  until 
the  spring  of  1878,  and  during  fourteen  years  of 
that  time  was  engaged  in  breaking  prairie.  In  the 
spring  of  the  year  mentioned  he  came  into  New- 
comb  Township,  this  county,  and  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  which  is  included  in  his  present  homestead. 
This  now  comprises  240  acres,  finely  cultivated, 
and  Mr.  R.  also  has  240  acres  adjoining,  which  is 
operated  by  a  tenant. 

The  marriage  of  Henson  Richmond  and  Miss 
Harriet  Judy,  was  celebrated  in  Tazewell  County, 
111.,  May  23,  1850.  Mrs.  R.  was  born  in  Hittle 
Township,  Tazewell  County,  and  was  a  sister  of 
Jacob  Judy,  whose  biography  appears  in  another 
part  of  this  work.  She  became  the  mother  of  three 
children,  and  departed  this  life  Jan.  6,  185(i.  Two 
of  her  children  died  in  infancy ;  the  one  surviving, 
a  son,  Scott,  married  Miss  Laura  Fondersmith,  and 
is  a  resident  of  Newcomb  Township. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Aug.  2,  1858,  in  Clinton,  111.,  was  Miss 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  and  Rebecca  (Wal- 
ton) Franks,  natives  respectively  of  Virginia  and 
Kentucky.  After  living  in  Boone  County,  the  lat- 
ter State,  a  number  of  years,  they  removed  to  Pekin, 
111.,  in  the  fall  of  1 836,  and  ten  years  later,  to  Mc- 
Lean County,  where  the  father  died  Dec.  31,  1872, 


.t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


383    i  . 


and  the  mother  Dec.  25,  1882.  The  household  in- 
cluded eleven  children,  eight  daughters  and  three 
sons.  Mrs.  Richmond  was  the  second  child,  and 
was  born  in  Boone  County,  Ky.,  March  15,  1833.  Of 
the  six  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  only  two 
survive,  Homer  and  Ella,  both  residing  at  home. 
The  others  died  in  infancy.  Our  subject  and  his 
wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  politically  Mr.  R.  affiliates  with  the 
Republican  party. 


ffiOIIN  ANDERSON.  Many  of  the  most 
thrifty  and  intelligent  agriculturists  of  this 
section  of  Illinois  were  born  and  reared  on 

the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  to  Scan- 
^•~—~^ 

dinavia  especially  is  Illinois  largely  indebted  for 
some  of  her  most  enterprising  and  valued  citizens. 
As  a  splendid  example  of  what  may  be  accom- 
plished by  energy  and  determination,  amid  stran- 
gers in  a  strange  land,  and  upon  the  soil  of  a  new 
country,  we  point  to  Mr.  Anderson,  who  is  now  a 
resident  of  Ludlow  Township,  and  owns  one  of 
the  finest  farms  in  Champaign  County.  This  is 
embellished  with  every  comfort,  and  invariably  at- 
tracts the  eye  of  the  passing  traveler  as  a  model 
country  estate  under  the  supervision  of  a  proprie- 
tor more  than  ordinarily  intelligent  and  progres- 
sive. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  been  uniformly  prosperous  in 
his  business  and  farming  operations,  and  is  now  in 
possession  of  a  valuable  landed  estate,  located  on 
section  6,  and  embracing  360  acres  of  finely  culti- 
vated land,  which  he  improved  from  wild  prairie, 
and  which  now  yields  in  abundance  the  richest 
products  of  the  Prairie  State.  The  family  resi- 
dence is  an  elegant  and  commodious  structure,  fin- 
ished and  furnished  in  modern  style.  The  other 
farm  buildings  correspond  fully  with  the  dwelling. 

Mr.  Anderson  came  to  this  county  in  the  pioneer 
days,  and  after  having  a  desperate  struggle  with 
the  ills  of  life.  He  possessed,  however,  that  firm 
and  undaunted  spirit  for  which  the  pioneer  ele- 
ment was  so  eminently  distinguished,  and  which 
was  so  necessary  to  success,  and  settling  down  in 
the  midst  of  others,  who  were  striving,  like  himself, 


to  establish  a  home  upon  an  uncultivated  soil,  pro- 
ceeded with  courage  to  redeem  the  land  from  its 
original  condition.  Time  has  proved  that  he  was 
equal  to  the  task.  Considering  what  his  course 
has  been  since  a  resident  of  this  locality,  and  what 
he  has  been  able  to  accomplish,  the  reader  cannot 
help  being  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with 
his  early  history. 

Mr.  Anderson  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light 
in  the  Kingdom  of  Sweden,  four  miles  from  the 
city  of  Gothenberg,  Oct.  14,  1816,  on  the  farm 
owned  and  occupied  by  his  father,  and  which  con- 
tinued his  home  for  the  folio  wing  twenty-five  years. 
Then,  with  his  newly  wedded  wife,  he  departed 
from  the  home  roof,  and  located  on  a  farm  belong- 
ing to  her  father.  This  contained  but  twenty-five 
acres,  ten  of  which  were  tillable,  and  the  remainder 
devoted  to  pasture.  He  kept  one  horse  and  five 
cows,  remaining  upon  the  place  until  1854,  and 
then,  despairing  of  getting  on  in  the  world  as  he 
wished,  set  sail  for  this  country,  which  promised  to 
the  hand  of  industry  greater  results  than  any  he 
had  realized  in  the  country  of  his  birth.  The  voy- 
age commenced  on  the  24th  of  June,  and  he  landed 
in  the  city  of  Boston  on  the  10th  of  August.  His 
destination  from  the  first  had  been  the  West,  and 
he  proceeded  directly  to  Chicago,  going  thence,  a 
week  later,  to  La  Salle,  in  this  State. 

Our  subject  had  been  obliged  to  borrow  money 
to  pay  his  passage  to  America,  and  on  his  arrival 
in  La  Salle  was  $139  in  debt.  For  seven  months 
afterward  he  worked  on  the  farm  for  $18  per  month 
and  boarded  himself.  Later  he  removed  to  Prince- 
ton, and  worked  by  the  day  or  month  as  he  could 
obtain  employment,  and  for  more  than  two  years 
applied  all  his  sp?%;e  earnings  to  the  payment  of 
his  indebtedness.  Afterward  he  commenced  to 
save  his  money,  with  the  intention  of  buying  land. 
After  a  residence  in  Princeton  of  one  and  a  half 
years,  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  stump  land  four 
miles  south  of  the  city.  He  cleared  a  part  of  this, 
and  prepared  it  for  cultivation,  but  sold  out  in 
1804  and  came  into  this  county.  By  this  time  his 
fortunes  had  mended  considerably,  and  in  1864  he 
purchased  1GO  acres  of  wild  prairie,  at  $9  per  acre, 
which  is  now  included  in  his  present  farm.  This, 
at  the  time  of  purchase,  was  neither  fenced  nor  sup- 


384 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


plied  with  a  building.  He  first  erected  a  shanty 
8x10  feet,  into  which  the  family  moved  and  lived 
for  a  time  until  he  was  enabled  to  erect  a  more 
commodious  structure.  Prosperity  now  began  to 
reward  his  efforts,  and  the  seasons  in  their  turn 
smiled  upon  his  husbandry,  and  he  realized  from 
the  products  of  the  soil  a  handsome  income.  He 
then  added  to  his  real  estate,  and  at  one  time  was 
the  possessor  of  360  acres  of  land,  all  of  which  he 
improved  from  the  wild  prairie. 

In  1842  our  subject  was  married,  in  his  native 
country,  to  Miss  Ann  B.  Anderson,  who  was  born 
near  the  birthplace  of  her  husband  in  Sweden,  Dec. 
5,  1811.  They  became  the  parents  of  six  children 
before  coming  to  the  United  States.  The  wife  and 
mother  departed  this  life  Jan.  8,  1881,  and  her  re- 
mains were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Swedish  churchyard 
near  Farmersville,  Ford  County,  this  State.  The 
record  of  the  children  is  as  follows:  Lottie  died  at 
Princeton  when  an  interesting  child  of  ten  years 
old ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Henry  Godey,  lives  in  Chi- 
cago; August  is  farming  in  Ludlow  Township; 
John  B.  remains  on  the  homestead ;  Hannah,  Mrs. 
John  W.  Stillman,  is  a  resident  of  Barton  County, 
Mo. ;  Andrew  died  at  La  Salle,  this  State,  when 
eight  months  old. 

The  family  attend  the  Lutheran  Church,  and 
politically  our  subject  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  the 
Greenback  party.  His  sons  are  wide-awake,  ener- 
getic young  men,  who  have  inherited  the  reliable 
and  substantial  qualities  of  their  father,  and  bid 
fair  to  occupy  the  same  enviable  position  in  the 
community,  respected  by  their  fellow-citizens,  and 
performing  their  part  as  honest  men  and  valued 
members  of  society. 


^ILLIAM  H.  ROBERTS,  one  of  the  pioneer 
farmers  of  Tolono  Township,  came  mto 
Champaign  County  in  the  fall  of  1866. 
He  is  a  native  of  tjhis  State,  born  Dec.  1,  1819.  His 
father,  John  Roberts,  a  native  of  Maryland,  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  State,  and  married 
Miss  Shears.  This  lady,  after  becoming  the  mother 
of  several  children,  died  in  Virginia.  John  Rob- 
erts was  afterward  married  to  Miss  Delilah  Jones, 


who  was  born  in  Tennessee.  They  afterward  re- 
moved to  Kentucky,  and  in  1819  to  this  State,  being 
among  the  pioneers  of  Central  Illinois.  They  lo- 

j  cated  in  Sangamon  County,  whence  they  afterward 
removed  to  Macoupin  County,  and  there  spent  the 
remainder  of  their  days.  John  Roberts  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  served  four 
years,  the  first  two  under  Gen.  Marion  and  the  last 
two  under  Gen.  Washington.  He  departed  this 
life  in  1831,  and  his  wife,  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, in  August,  1866.  John  Roberts  was  greatly 
prospered  in  his  western  venture,  became  the 
owner  of  a  good  farm,  and  also  operated  a  grist- 
mill which  yielded  him  a  good  income.  The  fam- 
ily consisted  of  seven  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject is  the  only  one  now  living,  so  far  as  known. 

William  H.  Roberts  grew  to  manhood  in  Ma- 
coupin County,  and  after  leaving  home  was-  em- 
ployed in  driving  cattle  for  stockmen  to  the  Alton 
and  St.  Louis  markets.  He  also  dealt  in  stock  oc- 
casionally on  his  own  account.  He  afterward  pur- 

|  chased  a  farm  in  his  native  county,  which  he  oper- 
ated successfully  until  becoming  a  resident  of 
Champaign  County.  His  homestead  in  Tolono 
Township  includes  160  acres  of  valuable  land  ad- 
joining Sadorus  Village,  which  is  under  a  good 
state  of  cultivation  and  supplied  with  excellent 
buildings.  All  of  this  world's  goods  which  he  pos- 
sesses have  been  accumulated  by  his  own  industry, 
and  he  has  lost  considerable  money  in  the  manner 
in  which  many  men  have  been  ruined,  by  going  se- 
curity for  friends  and  having  to  pay  the  amount. 
He  and  his  family  occupy  a  comfortable  farm  resi- 
dence and  are  surrounded  by  the  good  things  of 
life.  Mr.  Roberts,  politically,  is  a  stanch  Demo- 
crat, but  has  never  connected  himself  with  any  re- 
ligious denomination  or  secret  society. 

Our  subject  was  married,  near  Scottsville,  in  his 
native  county,  on  the  14th  of  March,  1844,  to  Miss 
Sarah  Bristow,  who  was  born  in  Tennessee  but  re- 
moved when  a  small  child  with  her  parents  to  Ma- 
coupin County,  111.,  and  were  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  that  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roberts  had  a 
family  of  nine  children.  Of  these  John  W.  de- 
parted this  life  at  Sadorus  when  twenty-two  years 
of  age;  James  T.  died  when  eighteen  years  old,  and 
Charles  at  thirteen;  Mary  married  Charles  Atte- 


RS" 


- 


c*^    $2£  '.••,' 

,   ^S.^:££      _.'^- 


WALNUT   GROVE   FARM,  RESIDENCE    OF    W.  A  .  CO  NKE  Y  ,5EC.y,  (  R-14-W)  ,  HOMER    TP. 


STOCK  FARM  OF  J.K.  THOMPSON    ,  BREEDER  OF  SHORT  HORN  CATTLE  ,5EC.  3,  PHI  LO  TP. 


BE. 


RESIDENCE    OF    JOSEPH    PIER  CE  ,  SEC  .  17  ,   HARWOOD     TP. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


387 


berry,  became  the  mother  of  four  children,  and 
died  in  Mead  County,  Kan.,  in  December,  1885; 
Emeline  married  Fred  Griswold,  of  Sadorus;  Sena 
C.  is  the  wife  of  Edmund  Jones;  Dora  J.,  Mrs.  I 
George  Connet,  is  a  resident  of  Kansas;  William 
and  Lucy  Ella  are  at  home. 


J/OI1N  B.  NEAL,  an  enterprising  and  success- 
ful young  farmer  of  Philo  Township,  took 
possession  of  his  present  homestead  of  160 
acres  on  section  21,  in  the  spring  of  1883.  He 
is  the  son  of  Richard  Neal.  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
born  Jan.  3,  1847.  His  father,  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
removed  to  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  when  a 
young  man,  and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Eliza 
Bunton.  Richard  Neal  departed  this  life  when  his 
son,  our  subject,  was  but  four  years  old.  The  lat- 
ter afterward  went  to  live  with  Mr.  Job  Mullin,  of 
Warren  County,  that  State,  with  whom  he  remained 
nine  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  the 
late  Civil  War  being  then  in  progress,  although 
only  fifteen  years  old,  he  enlisted  as  a  Union  sol- 
dier, becoming  a  member  of  the  87th  Ohio  In- 
fantry. He  was  present  in  the  fight  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  where  he  was  taken  prisoner  but  at  once  pa- 
rolled.  He  soon  afterward  enlisted  in  Co.  H.,  84th 
Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  and  was  at  the  battles  of  Winches- 
ter, Fisher's  Hill,  Cedar  Creek  and  other  engage- 
ments. He  endured  bravely  with  his  comrades  the 
vicissitudes  of  war,  escaping  without  serious  in- 
jury, having  only  received  a  slight  wound  at  the 
battle  of  Winchester,  and  received  an  honorable 
discharge  at  the  close  in  the  summer  of  1865. 

After  his  return  from  the  army  Mr.  Neal  lived 
in  Ohio  one  year,  then  came  to  Philo  Township, 
this  county,  and  began  working  out  by  the  month. 
In  1869  he  visited  the  Territory  of  Montana,  where 
he  worked  two  years  in  the  gold  mines,  for  a  part 
of  which  he  received  $5  per  day.  In  1871  he  re- 
turned to  Philo  Township,  and  on  Jan.  19,1875,  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jennie  Bennett.  Mrs. 
Neal  was  born  and  reared  in  Clinton  County,  Ohio, 
her  birth  taking  place  June  8,  1850.  She  remained 
with  her  parents  until  1869,  then  came  to  Illinois 
and  lived  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Silver,  of  Sidney, 


until  her  marriage.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  (Reck)  Bennett,  who  arc  still  living, 
and  residents  of  Clinton  County,  Ohio,  where  the 
father  has  followed  his  trade  as  a  cabinet-maker 
successfully  for  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neal 
have  four  children — Florence,  Herman,  Estella  and 
Norah. 

The  farm  of  our  subject  produces  in  abundance 
all  the  crops  of  the  prairie  State,  the  land  being 
finely  drained  with  1,200  rods  of  tile.  Mr.  Neal 
is  a  thorough  business  man  and  agriculturist,  and 
the  home  of  himself  and  family  is  a  pleasant  resort 
for  the  many  friends  whom  they  have  gathered 
around  them  by  their  genial,  hospitable  manner  and 
uniform  kindness  of  heart.  Mr.  Neal  is  held  in 
high  esteem  by  his  fellow-citizens,  has  served  as 
Road  Commissioner  two  years,  and  politically  is  a 
stanch  Republican,  whose  opinions  are  highly  val- 
ued by  the  members  of  his  party  in  this  section.  A 
lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Neal's  handsome  residence 
is  presented  in  this  bo^k. 

->• ^ 


J"  'OHN  LOCKE  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the 
light  in  the  Province  of  Ontario,  Canada, 
Sept.  9,  1848.  He  is  now  a  worthy  and 
substantial  resident  of  Philo  Township,  lo- 
cated on  a  fine  farm  on  section  36.  His  father, 
William  II.  Locke,  was  born  in  Devonshire,  En- 
gland, and  bred  to  farming  pursuits.  After  reach- 
ing manhood  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  a  lady 
of  his  own  shire,  Miss  Hannah  Joice.  After  the 
birth  of  several  children  they  gathered  together 
their  household  effects  and  their  family  and  set  sail 
for  America.  Going  into  the  Province  of  Ontario, 
Canada,  they  located  in  Yarmouth  County,  where 
William  Locke  purchased  several  hundred  acres  of 
good  land  and  resided  several  years.  The  mother 
died  in  the  fall  of  1874,  while  from  home  on  a  visit. 
The  father  and  the  remaining  members  of  the  family 
afterward  came  to  Illinois,  taking  up  their  abode  in 
this  county,  in  March,  1861.  William  Locke  pur- 
chased land  in  Philo  Township  on  section  36,  whose 
cultivation  and  improvement  he  carried  on  until  he 
became  unfitted  for  active  labor.  After  arriving 


t. 

-f- 


388 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


at  the  age  of  fourscore  years  he  departed  from  the 
scenes  of  his  earthly  labors  in  June,  1875. 

John  Locke,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  the 
youngest  son  in  a  family  of  nine  children  born  to 
his  parents.  His  education  was  conducted  in  the 
common  schools,  and  he  was  never  afterward  sepa- 
rated from  his  father  until  the  death  of  the  latter. 
He  was  married,  March  14,  1874,  at  the  home  of 
the  bride's  parents  in  Philo  Township,  to  Miss  Mary 
C.,  daughter  of  Cyrus  Arnold,  and  a  native  of  Ken- 
dall County,  111.,  born  Jan.  5,  1858.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  have  been  born  seven  children,  two  of 
whom,  Carrie  and  Rhoda,  are  deceased.  Those  sur- 
viving and  at  home  are  Mabel,  Julia,  Edna,  Claude 
A.  and  Clara  Belle. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Locke  after  their  marriage  settled 
upon  the  farm  which  constitutes  their  present 
homestead,  and  a  view  of  which  is  shown  on  an- 
other page.  It  is  well  stocked  with  flue  grades  of 
Durham  cattle,  thoroughbred  horses  and  Poland- 
China  swine.  The  landed  area  of  our  subject  em- 
braces 400  acres,  all  of  which  is  highly  improved 
and  3'ields  in  abundance  the  choicest  products  of 
the  Prairie  State.  Mr.  L.  is  yet  a  young  man  and 
has  made  good  progress  thus  far,  giving  promise 
of  becoming  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  of 
Champaign  County.  He  is  Republican  in  politics, 
and  with  his  wife,  a  member  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


C.  REED.  The  finely  arranged  farm  of 
this  successful  agriculturist  and  stock-raiser 
is  pleasantly  located  in  Philo  Township,  on 
section  16.  It  came  into  his  possession  in 
the  spring  of  1880,  and  includes  480  acres,  which 
have  been  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation, 
being  drained  with  30,000  rods  of  tiling.  The  farm 
buildings  and  stock  are  of  first-class  description,  and 
the  family  residence,  a  view  of  which  will  be  found 
on  another  page,  will  bear  comparison  with  that  of 
any  in  Champaign  Count)'.  Our  subject  came  to 
this  vicinity  from  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  where  he  was 
born  May  19,  1822.  His  father,  John  Reed,  was  a 
Virginian  by  birth,  and  the  descendant  of  Irish  an- 
cestors. He  was  married  in  his  native  State  to  Miss 

4' 


Louisa  (,'alducll,  also  a  native  of  the  old  Dominion, 
the  wedding  taking  place  near  Wheeling,  where 
they  afterward  settled  and  lived  until  the  '50's, 
when  they  came  West  with  other  members  of  the 
family  and  settled  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Peo- 
ria  County.  There  the  father  died  soon  afterward, 
aged  sixty-two  years;  the  mother  survived  until 
about  1865.  Both  parents  were  active  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  highly  esteemed 
wherever  known. 

William  Reed,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  a 
native  of  County  Armagh,  Ireland,  emigrated  from 
his  native  laud  with  his  family  and  settled  near 
Wheeling,  W.  Va.  His  son  John,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  the  youngest  child  and  the  only  one 
born  in  West  Virginia.  The  maiden  name  of  the 
grandmother  was  Miss  Jane  Jackson.  Both  she  and 
her  husband  died  near  Wheeling.  The  Reed  family 
are  connections  of  the  Caldwells,  McCulloughs  and 
Bogges,  and  the  Caldwells  were  connected  with  the 
Calhouns,  both  by  blood  and  marriage.  Lewis 
Wetzel,  the  noted  Indian  fighter,  was  also  connected 
with  these  families,  all  of  whom  figured  prominently 
in  the  early  history  of  Virginia.  Many  of  them 
were  of  Scottish  ancestry. 

The  subject  of  this  history  possesses  the  marked 
characteristics  of  a  reliable  and  substantial  race. 
He  was  the  fourth  of  twelve  children,  and  received 
his  early  education  in  the  primitive  log  school- 
house  of  the  early  da.ys.  He  was  a  bright  and  am- 
bitious boy,  and  engaged  in  merchandising  when 
sixteen  years  of  age.  He  also  for  some  time  was 
employed  in  transportation  on  the  Ohio  and  Mis- 
sissippi Rivers,  and  for  a  period  of  eight  years  was 
occupied  as  a  drover,  handling  annually  over  1,000 
head  of  stock.  He  was  at  one  time  quite  exten- 
sively engaged  in  the  buying  and  shipping  of 
horses,  and  was  remarkably  successful  in  his  under- 
taking. His  first  experience  as  an  agriculturist 
dates  from  his  arrival  in  this  county,  when  he 
bought  a  tract  of  land  in  Philo  Township,  lie  was 
a  man  greatly  attached  to  his  family,  and  in  his  re- 
tirement from  farm  life  had  in  view  the  improve- 
ment of  his  wife's  health  and  the  better  training  of 
his  children. 

In  1877  Mr.  Reed  took  a  trip  overland  and  into 
the  region  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  with  his  private 


f 
T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


380 


teams,  and  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren. This  trip  practically  completed  his  tour  of 
the  Western  Continent,  and  he  possesses  a  valuable 
fund  of  information  gathered  from  his  observa- 
tions during  his  journey  from  Virginia  to  Illinois  and 
thence  to  the  farther  West.  He  was  joined  by  others 
in  this  latter  trip,  which  made  a  party  of  twenty- 
one  persons.  They  carried  their  provisions  and 
were  equipped  with  the  modern  conveniences  of 
camp  life,  including  a  physician  and  a  blacksmith. 
Mr.  Reed,  in  fact,  has  employed  much  of  his  time — 
about  six  years — in  traveling  over  the  different 
States  in  the  Union. 

Mr.  Reed  was  married  in  his  native  county,  on 
the  19th  of  May,  1868,  to  Miss  Mary  B.  Bell,  also  a 
native  of  the  Old  Dominion.  They  have  become 
the  parents  of  five  children — Charles  W.,  Henry 
K.  L.,  Mary  B.,  John  C.,  Jr.,  and  James  B.  Mrs. 
Reed  is  a  lady  of  culture  and  education,  and  num- 
bers among  her  friends  and  acquaintances  the  best 
people  of  Philo  Township.  Both  our  subject  and 
his  wife  are  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  in  politics  Mr.  Reed  is  a  firm  supporter  of  Re- 
publican principles,  although  he  has  uniformly  de- 
clined to  become  an  oflice-holder. 


P^HOMAS  E.  CONDON  represents  the  agri- 
cultural implement  trade  at  Pesotum,  in 
connection  with  the  lumber  business.  He 
has  been  a  resident  of  Champaign  County  since 
1865,  coming  here  soon  after  his  retirement  from 
the  army  at  the  close  of  the  war.  He  ranks  among 
the  citizens  of  Central  Illinois,  who  have  shaped  its 
prosperity  and  assisted  in  establishing  its  reputa- 
tntiou  as  a  desirable  place  of  residence  for  both  the 
farmer  and  artisan. 

Our  subject's  early  years  were  spent  in  Carroll 
County,  Md.,  where  his  birth  took  place  Nov.  15, 
1 835.  He  was  the  ninth  child  of  Thomas  and  Al- 
vira  (Barnes)  Condon,  natives  of  the  same  State, 
where  they  spent  their  entire  lives,  both  dying  in 
middle  life,  when  their  son  Thomas,  of  our  sketch, 
was  but  six  years  old,  The  older  children  kept  the 
family  together  for  four  years,  and  were  then  sepa- 


rated,  Thomas  going  to  the  home  of  his  grandpar- 
ents, with  whom  he  remained  until  nineteen  years 
old.  He  then  started  out  in  the  world  for  himself, 
casting  his  lot  in  Clay  Count}',  Ind.,  where  he  en- 
gaged first  on  a  farm  witli  an  uncle,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  until  he  could  secure  means  to  ful- 
fill the  cherished  hope  of  pursuing  a  course  of  study 
in  the  university  at  Greencastle.  This  he  accom- 
plished to  his  satisfaction,  in  the  meantime  fitting 
himself  for  a  teacher,  and  thereafter  taught  and 
farmed  alternately  until  1857. 

In  June  of  the  latter  year  there  occurred  one  of 
the  most  important  events  in  the  life  of  our  sub- 
ject, namely,  his  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  M., 
daughter  of  John  and  Rhoda  (Holland)  Dickerson. 
The  parents  of  Mrs.  C.  were  natives  respectively  of 
Pennsylvania  and  North  Carolina,  and  after  their 
marriage  located  in  Ohio  before  it  had  been  ad- 
mitted into  the  Union  as  a  State.  There  also  Mr. 
Condon  followed  teaching  and  farming  until  after 
the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  In  1862  .he  enlisted 
in  the  4th  Indiana  Cavalry,  under  command  of  Col. 
Gray,  now  the  Governor  of  that  State.  The  first 
winter  was  spent  by  his  battalion  in  Kentucky  in 
guarding  the  State,  and  in  the  spring  they  went  to 
Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  by  way  of  Nashville.  There 
our  subject,  with  his  regiment,  was  placed  under 
the  command  of  Gen.  Rosecrans,  and  not  long  after- 
ward participated  in  the  memorable  battle  of  Chick- 
amauga,  after  which  they  followed  Wheeler,  the 
raider,  and  for  twenty-two  days  were  seldom  out 
of  the  saddle  and  never  in  camp.  Upon  this  expe- 
dition they  were  upon  half  rations  for  five  days, 
and  realized  in  a  forcible  degree  the  hardships  and 
privations  of  war. 

After  chasing  Wheeler  from  the  State  of  Tennes- 
see, this  regiment  returned  to  Winchester,  whence 
they  were  sent  to  Nashville  and  remounted  soon 
afterward  to  relieve  Burnside  at  Knoxvillc,  where 
he  v;as  besieged  b}'  the  rebel  General,  Longstreet. 
This  portion  of  the  Union  army  successfully  raised 
the  siege,  but  the  entire  winter  was  spent  in  contin- 
uous skirmishing  with  the  enemy.  In  the  mean- 
time their  Colonel  had  been  killed,  and  Gen.  Gray 
resigning,  was  succeeded  by  Schuyler,  and  he  in  turn 
by  Leslie.  The  following  spring  Longstreet  was 
driven  out  of  East  Tennessee,  and  the  4th  Indiana 


«*. 


390 


CHAMPAIGN  CrtUNTY. 


was  sent  to  another  part  of  the  .State  to  form  the  left 
wing  of  Sherman's  command,  our  subject  being  de- 
tailed to  remain  at  Chattanooga  as  Sergeant,  where 
he  spent  his  time  until  Sherman  started  out  on  his 
march  to  the  sea.  The  4th  was  then  dismounted, 
and  sent  by  rail  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  they  were 
again  provided  with  steeds  and  sent  on  a  raid  through 
the  Blue  Grass  regions,  following  the  enemy  and 
fighting  as  they  went.  They  finally  drove  him  out 
of  Kentucky,  and  in  the  meantime  Hood  had  been 
chased  from  Tennessee  by  Thomas.  Their  next 
destination  was  Mississippi,  where  they  remained 
in  East  Port  during  the  following  winter.  In  the 
meantime  the  Tennessee  River,  overflowing  its 
banks,  had  swept  the  entire  valley  and  created  a 
malaria  from  which  Mr.  Condon,  in  common  with 
many  others,  suffered  greatly.  He  was  finally  sent 
to  the  hospital,  and  in  a  few  brief  months  the  war 
had  practically  closed. 

Mr.  Condon  remained  under  treatment  at  Jeffer- 
sonville,  Ind.,  until  June  19,  1865,  when  he  was 
mustered  out  of  service  and  returned  to  his  home. 
He  remained  in  Indiana  until  August  following, 
and  then  coming  to  this  county  located  in  Sidney, 
where  he  was  occupied  in  such  labor  as  his  health 
would  permit.  After  two  years  and  a  half  he  leased 
eighty  acres  of  wild  land,  deciding  to  try'  the  ex- 
periment of  farming  for  the  restoration  of  his 
health.  The  result  proved  satisfactory,  and  two 
years  later  Mr.  C.  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Crit- 
tenden  Township,  where  he  built  a  house  and  which 
he  occupied  for  thirteen  years. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  became  the 
parents  of  four  children,  and  in  the  fall  of  1884, 
Mr.  Condon,  desirous  of  giving  them  better  ad- 
vantages of  education,  removed  to  the  city  of 
Champaign,  at  the  same  time  availing  himself  of  a 
much  needed  rest  from  labor  and  business  cares. 
Not  long  afterward,  however,  in  company  with 
A.  M.  Coffeen,  he  commenced  dealing  in  coal,  and 
the  year  following,  in  connection  with  W.  F.  Hardy, 
added  the  trade  in  agricultural  implements.  He 
and  his  partners  operated  together  in  Champaign 
until  February,  1887,  when  Mr.  C.  disposed  of  his 
interests  in-  that  city,  and  coming  to  Pesotum  en- 
gaged in  the  agricultural  implement  and  lumber 
business;  which  he  still  continues. 


The  faithful  wife  and  mother  departed  this  life  on 
the  23d  of  March,  1886.  Since  that  time  the  daugh- 
ters have  kept  house  for  their  father.  Agnes  is 
teaching  school  not  far  from  the  homestead ;  Mary 
L.  became  the  wife  of  Jonathan  Dubre,  and  died 
three  years  later,  leaving  one  child,  Artie  L.,  now 
with  his  father  in  Indiana;  Agnes  and  Edna  preside 
over  the  affairs  of  the  household.  Mr.  Condon  has 
never*  been  connected  with  any  church  organiza- 
tion. Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R,.and 
politically  is  liberal,  although  lie  usually  votes  with 
the  Republican  party. 


;ILLIAM  G.  CARSON.  The  name  of  this 
gentleman  is  favorably  known  throughout 
Philo  Township  as  a  successful  and  pro- 
gressive farmer  and  stock-raiser.  He  is  pleasantly 
located  on  section  33,  where  he  owns  160  acres, 
and  also  has  forty  acres  on  section  34.  His  land 
is  well  drained,  enclosed  with  neat  fencing,  and 
supplied  with  all  needful  farm  buildings,  including 
a  fine  residence,  a  good  barn,  and  ample  conven- 
iences for  the  shelter  of  stock  and  grain.  Our  sub- 
ject has  been  a  resident  of  Champaign  County 
since  1855,  and  purchased  his  land  directly  from 
the  Government.  As  may  be  supposed  it  was  totally 
uncultivated  at  the  time  he  took  possession  of  it,  and 
the  contrast  between  now  and  then  is  as  great  as  it  is 
satisfactory.  He  began  tilling  the  soil  after  the 
manner  of  the  other  early  settlers  before  the  march 
of  civilization  and  invention  had  given  the  labor- 
saving  machinery  which  the  agriculturist  of  the 
present  day  enjoys  in  such  a  large  measure.  A  har- 
vester in  the  fifties  was  a  curiosity  which  the  farmer 
would  go  several  miles  to  look  upon. 

Mr.  Carson  was  born  in  Vermillion  County, 
Ind.,  June  29,  1829.  His  father,  Isaac  Carson,  a 
native  of  South  Carolina,  was  of  Southern  parentage 
and  Irish  extraction.  The  family  remained  in  the 
South  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
in  which  various  members  of  the  family  partici- 
pated, together  with  the  Andrews  family,  of  whom 
the  mother  of  our  subject  was  a  daughter.  Her 
father,  James  Andrews,  also  served  in  the  War  of 
1812.  The  grandparents  of  both  the  Carson  and' 


f 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


391 


Andrews  families  died  in  the  South.  Isaac  Carson 
became  a  resident  of  Vermillion  County,  Ind.,  be- 
fore his  marriage  with  Miss  Maria  Andrews.  The 
father  departed  this  life  when  his  son,  our  subject, 
was  but  three  months  old.  and  the  mother  eight 
years  and  nine  months  later,  so  that  our  subject 
at  nine  years  of  age  was  left  an  orphan.  He  then 
went  to  live  with  his  grandfather,  James  Andrews, 
with  whom  he  remained  until  sixteen,  and  then  set 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account. 

Young  Carson  from  this  time  was  variously  em- 
ployed until  1851,  when  twenty  years  of  age. 
Then,  in  company  with  one  Amos  Curtis,  a  young 
man  about  his  own  age,  he  started  across  the  plains 
to  California.  They  visited  Salt  Lake  City  on  their 
journey,  and  there  met  a  Mr.  Holliday,  who  was 
largely  engaged  in  the  transportation  of  merchan- 
dise from  St.  Louis  to  the  Mormon  capital.  After 
reaching  San  Francisco  young  Carson  and  his 
friend  decided  upon  proceeding  to  Australia,  but 
owing  to  a  delay  in  the  sailing  of  the  vessel  they 
changed  their  minds  and  started  up  into  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley,  where  they  were  employed  on  a 
ranch  at  the  generous  stipend  of  $100  per  month. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  engagement  our  subject 
went  into  the  mountains  and  began  mining  upon 
what  is  known  as  Mormon  Island,  on  the  American 
River.  He  was  fairly  successful  in  this  venture, 
and  after  eighteen  months  thus  employed,  becom- 
ing anxious  for  a  sight  of  the  old  home  and  the 
faces  of  his  friends,  he  returned  to  Indiana. 

In  the  latter-named  State  he  was  married,  Feb. 
23,  1854,  to  Miss  Martha  Bales.  Mrs.  C.  was  born 
and  reared  in  Vermillion  County,  Ind.  Her  par- 
ents were  from  Virginia,  of  Irish  and  German  de- 
scent. Her  father,  Caleb  Bales,  removed  to  Ver- 
million County  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of 
that  section,  in  1816,  and  was  there  occupied  in 
farming  until  his  death.  He  married  Miss  Emma 
Spangler.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Carson  is  still  liv- 
ing on  the  old  homestead,  two  miles  from  Dana, 
with  one  of  her  sons.  She  is  now  seventy-seven 
years  of  age,  and  remembers  distinctly  many  of  the 
interesting  incidents  connected  with  pioneer  life. 
Mrs.  Carson  was  reared  and  educated  in  her  native 
county,  remaining  witli  her  parents  until  her  mar- 
riage. She  has  become  the  mother  of  ten  children, 


of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  Josephine  be- 
came the  wife  of  Eugene  Ford,  who  resides  in 
Garnett,  Anderson  Co.,  Kan.,  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law;  Caleb  married  Miss  Mattie  Congleton, 
and  lives  in  Ashland,  Boyd  Co.,  Kan.,  where  he  is 
Postmaster  of  Ashland  and  a  successful  real-estate 
dealer ;  Ellen  is  in  Kansas  with  her  brother  Caleb ; 
Marc  is  the  wife  of  D.  P.  Sirams,  a  dentist  of 
Schuyler,  Neb. ;  Villa  and  Frank  are  at  home  with 
their  parents.  Four  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Carson  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  politically,  and 
has  held  the  minor  offices  of  his  township.  He  is 
duly  respected  as  a  citizen  and  business  man,  and 
is  contributing  his  quota  toward  the  welfare  and 
advancement  of  his  community. 


EDWARD  DAVIS,  a  leading  stock  dealer  of 
Philo,  became  a  resident  of  Champaign 
County  in  1858,  purchasing  a  farm  and  lo- 
cating in  Crittenden  Township.  He  occupied  this, 
in  the  meantime  carrying  on  its  improvement  and 
cultivation,  for  ten  years  afterward,  after  which  he 
went  to  Chicago  and  for  a  period  of  six  years  was 
connected  with  the  stockyards  there.  In  1874  he 
returned  to  Philo,  of  which  he  has  since  been  a  resi- 
dent, owning  valuable  property  in  the  village  and 
land  in  the  township.  In  the  meantime  he  has  also 
dealt  quite  extensively  in  cattle,  buying  and  ship- 
ping, and  realizing  a  handsome  income  from  his 
transactions  in  this  line. 

Mr.  Davis  comes  of  excellent  and  substantial  an- 
cestry, and  was  born  in  Wales  in  1832.  His  father, 
Edward  Davis,  Sr.,  carried  on  farming  in  his  native 
country  and  spent  his  entire  life  in  the  land  which 
gave  him  birth.  The  mother,  who  in  her  girlhood 
was  Miss  Anna  Davis,  also  died  in  Wales  in  1 855. 
Onr  subject  received  a  fair  education  in  his  native 
country,  and  early  in  life  crossed  the  water  to  the 
United  States.  He  remained  in  New  York  State 
three  years  and  then  came  direct  to  this  county. 
Soon  afterward  he  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline 
Markle,  Dec.  2.  1867.  Mrs.  Davis  was  born  in  Jack- 
son County,  Mich.,  Oct.  13,  1841,  and  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  J.  J.  and  Doretha  (Almendinger)  Markle, 
who  were  natives  of  Germany,  where  they  were 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


married  and  whence  tliey  came  to  the  l'nitu(t  States 
in  about  1831,  locating  in  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.  From 
there  they  removed  to  Jackson  County,  where  Mr. 
M.  improved  a  farm.  He  afterward  sold  out  and 
removed  near  Grass  Lake,  Washtenaw  County, 
where  both  parents  died,  each  being  seventj'-five 
years  old.  Mrs.  Davis  was  reared  to  womanhood 
under  her  father's  roof  and  received  a  good  educa- 
tion, attending  school  at  Albion  and  Ann  Arbor. 
After  completing  her  studies  she  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, and  was  pursuing  that  occupation  in  Philo  when 
she  met  our  subject  and  afterward  became  his  wife. 
Among  her  pupils  were  many  of  the  now  prominent 
young  men  of  this  county  who  remember  her  as  a 
skillful  instructor  and  a  judicious  counselor  and 
friend. 

Mr  and  Mrs.  Davis  have  become  the  parents  of 
six  children,  of  whom  Gracie  M.  and  an  infant  un- 
named are  deceased.  Lizzie  is  attending  college  at 
Jacksonville,  111.,  and  is  a  bright  and  promising  girl; 
George  E.,  Charles  M.  and  Mary  B.  are  attending 
school  at  Philo.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
members  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  of  which  Mr.  Davis  is  Trustee. 
He  also  holds  the  same  office  in  the  school  district, 
and  politically  votes  the  Republican  ticket. 


AMES  M.  CAMPBELL,  a  gentleman  who  is 


esteemed   among  the  pioneers   of   Hensley 


« 

Jti 


•I 

,  I  Township,  is  pleasantly  located  on  section  34, 
((jjjfj  which  was  the  home  of  his  father  before  him. 
It  comprises  200  acres  of  valuable  land,  with  ex- 
cellent frame  buildings  and  all  other  modern  im- 
provements. Our  subject  has  been  a  resident  of 
Illinois  since  1856,  and  during  the  last  thirty  years, 
has  watched  with  interest  and  satisfaction  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  Prairie  State.  He 
has  distinguished  himself  as  an  honest  man  and  a 
good  citizen,  and  has  contributed  his  full  quota  to- 
ward bringing  his  township  to  its  present  condition, 
both  morally  and  financially. 

Our  subject  was  the  second  child  of  Washington 
and  Eleanora  (Lilley)  Campbell,  and  was  born  in 
Bird  Township,  Brown  Co.,  Ohio,  Nov.  11,  1834. 
He  was  reared  by  his  parents  and  pursued  his  pri- 


inaiy  studies  in  the  common  schools.  When  not  in 
school  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  labors  of  the 
farm.  He  came  with  the  family  to  Illinois  and  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  parental  household  until 
his  marriage.  He  then  purchased  the  old  homestead, 
upon  which  he  has  since  resided. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  formerly  Miss  Sarah  O. 
Cook,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  18G3,  was  born 
in  Urbana,  Ohio,  Oct.  28,  1844.  After  remaining 
his  faithful  and  affectionate  companion  for  a  period 
of  nearly  forty  years,  she  departed  this  life  April  2, 
1884.  Their  five  children  were  Lizzie  J.,  William, 
Minnie,  Frank  and  Sarah. 

Mr.  Campbell  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
John  C.  Fremont,  and  has  been  a  supporter  of  Re- 
publican principles  since  that  time.  As  a  farmer, 
business  man  and  citizen,  he  is  held  in  high  esteem, 
and  constitutes  one  of  the  valued  factors  of  the 
social  and  business  life  in  Hensley  Township. 


'HOMAS  F.  McCRACKEN,  who  came  to 
Ludlow  Township  in  1874,  taking  possession 
of  a  good  farm  on  section  22,  is  numbered 
among  its  most  substantial  and  reliable  citizens. 
The  forefathers  of  our  subject  originated  in  the 
Land  of  the  Thistle,  probably  as  far  back  as  the 
time  when  the  Stewarts  governed  Scotland,  and  his 
paternal  grandfather  emigrated  directly  from  that 
country,  which  in  addition  to  its  romantic  history 
produced  some  of  the  sturdiest  people  in  the  world, 
distinguished  for  their  scorn  of  a  mean  action.  After 
reaching  America  McGuire  McCracken  located  in 
Tennessee,  whence  he  removed  in  about  1826  to 
Illinois,  settling  with  his  family  in  Washington 
County.  The  country  around  him  was  practically 
unsettled  and  the  present  site  of  Chicago  tenanted 
by  a  few  emigrants  who  dwelt  in  structures  which 
would  now  scarcely  be  dignified  by  the  name  of 
houses.  Mr.  McM.  was  a  hatter  by  trade,  which  oc- 
cupation he  followed  the  greater  part  of  his  life. 

His  son,  Thomas  McGuire  McCracken,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  but  a  boy  when  the  family 
made  the  journey  overland  from  Tennessee.  He  was 
reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  assisted  in  the 
labors  of  the  farm,  receiving  a  limited  education 


*=) 


: 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


393 


in  the  subscription  schools.  After  reaching  man- 
hood he  was  married,  in  Washington  County,  111., 
to  Miss  Sarah  Goodner,  a  native  of  St.  Clair  Coun- 
ty, this  State.  Her  father,  Benjamin  Goodner,  emi- 
grated from  his  native  State  of  South  Carolina  to 
St.  Clair  County,  111.,  in  the  pioneer  daj's.  The 
young  people  located  upon  a  farm  seven  miles  from 
Nashville,  the  county  seat  x>f  Washington  County, 
which  they  occupied  until  1852.  Mr.  McC.  was  a 
man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  and  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  county.  He 
served  as  Clerk  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  was  re- 
elected  in  1856  and  1860.  He  did  not  live  to  serve 
out  the  latter  term,  departing  this  life  in  February, 
1861. 

The  subject  of  this  sketcli  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton County,  111.,  April  25,  184G.  There  were  four 
children  in  the  family,  which  two  years  later  was 
deprived  of  the  affectionate  care  of  the  mother,  who 
was  taken  from  their  midst  by  the  hand  of  the 
Destroyer  in  1848.  The  children  remained  with 
their  father  until  his  death,  our  subject  then  being 
fourteen  years  of  age.  His  brother,  James  W.,  lo- 
cated in  Macon  County,  where  he  now  lives.  Will- 
iam L.  and  Henry  are  deceased. 

Mr.  McCracken  of  this  sketch  received  a  good 
common-school  education,  and  when  twenty  years 
of  age  engaged  as  salesman  in  a  flouring-mill.  Two 
years  later  he  went  to  Pennsylvania  for  the  pur- 
pose of  selling  patent  rights,  spending  two  years  in 
that  locality.  Afterward  he  crossed  the  Mississippi 
and  traveled  over  the  State  of  Kansas  a  year, 
then  returned  to  Nashville,  Washington  County, 
and  engaged  in  the  mill  where  he  had  been  before 
employed.  He  was  then  occupied  in  farming  un- 
til 1874.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  came  to  this 
county,  first  farming  on  rented  land  in  this  and 
Ford  County,  and' after  ward  worked  by  the  day  or 
month  four  years.  He  had  now  saved  a  little  sum 
of  money,  and  going  southwest  into  the  Indian 
Territory  engaged  in  herding  cattle  one  year.  He 
then  returned  to  Champaign  County,  and  was  em- 
ployed by  B.  J.  Gifford  as  Superintendent  of  his 
farms,  a  position  which  he  occupied  for  a  period  of 
seven  years.  In  1886,  he  found  he  had  suffic- 
ient means  to  purchase  a  farm,  and  took  possession 
of  his  present  homestead.  This  now  includes  eighty 


acres  of  land  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation, 
with  a  good  residence,  barn,  and  all  other  buildings 
required  for  the  carrying  on  of  a  farm  after  the 
most  approved  methods. 

While  a  resident  of  this  county,  Mr.  McCracken 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Delia  Wheatley, 
Jan.  5,  1882.  Mrs.  McC.  is  a  native  of  Perry  Coun- 
ty, this  State,  her  birth  taking  place  in  1861.  The 
household  has  been  brightened  by  ihe  birth  of  two 
sons  and  a  daughter — Gracie  E.,  Litle  and  Ray  F. 
Our  subject  is  Democratic  in  politics,  but  has  little 
time  to  give  to  public  affairs,  his  private  business 
engrossing  most  of  his  attention. 


ANIEL  CONCANNON,  who  first  opened 
his  eyes  to  the  light  in  Erin's  Green  Isle, 
County  Galway,  on  the  22d  of  March, 
1833,  is  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of 
Tolono  Township,  this  county,  of  which  he  Became 
a  resident  in  1 857.  He  is  the  proprietor  of  240 
acres  of  choice  land,  furnished  with  good  buildings, 
and  is  industriously  engaged  in  general  farming. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Frank  and  Cath- 
erine (Gilgan)  Concannon,  and  the  mother  died  in 
about  1837,  leaving  two  children — our  subject, 
who  was  only  about  four  years  old,  and  a  daugh- 
ter, Adelia,  who  is  now  deceased.  Frank  Concan- 
non died  in  Ireland  in  about  1863,  having  survived 
his  wife  for  a  period  of  twenty-six  years.  He  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  little  Daniel,  as  soon 
as  old  enough,  commenced  to  assist  in  tilling  the 
soil,  and  remained  with  his  father  until  nineteen 
years  of  age.  He  then  set  sail  for  the  United 
States,  and  landed  in  New  York  Harbor  in  April, 
1852.  He  first  proceeded  to  Freehold,  N.  J.,  where 
he  engaged  as  a  farm  laborer  at  $8  per  month  for 
two  years. 

Our  subject  then  decided  to  seek  his  fortune  in 
the  Great  West.  Coming  to  Chicago  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany as  baggage-master,  and  was  thus  employed 
for  two  years.  From  there  he  went  to  Lodi,  Iro- 
quois  Co.,  111.,  still  in  the  employ  of  the  company, 
by  whom  he  was  transferred  in  1857,  to  Tolono. 
After  that  he  served  in  the  same  capacity  for  the 
1  '  •» 


394 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I.  C.  R.  R.  and  the  W.,St.  L.  <fe  P.  R.  R.,  following 
railroading  for  a  period  of  twenty-two  years.  Dur- 
ing the  last  years  thus  occupied,  he  received  $90 
per  month  salary,  and  as  he  had  lived  economically, 
soon  found  himself  in  possession  of  a  snug  sum  of 
money  saved  from  his  earnings.  With  this,  in 
1863,  he  purchased  120  acres  of  land  in  Tolono 
Township,  and  which  constitutes  a  part  of  his  pres- 
ent farm.  He  doubled  the  amount  of  his  real  es- 
tate in  1  882,  and  is  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  fine 
property.  His  farming  operations  have  been  car- 
ried on  skillfully  and  successfully,  and  he  is  rated 
among  the  intelligent  and  progressive  agriculturists 
of  this  section. 

Our  subject  was  married,  at  Tolono,  on  the  14th 
of  December,  1857,  to  Miss  Mary  O'Neil.  Mrs. 
Concannon  was  born  in  County  Antrim,  Ireland, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  Patrick  O'Neil,  who  is  now 
deceased.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  eight 
children  —  Frank  D.,  Mary,  Joseph  T.,  James  C.. 
Hugh  M.,  Henry  P.,  George  C.  and  John  E.  Our 
subject  is  Republican  in  polities,  and  has  taken  a 
genuine  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  county  and 
township.  He  served  as  Road  Commissioner 
twelve  years,  and  has  been  School  Director  almost 
from  the  time  of  taking  up  his  residence  here. 
Religiously  he  is  a  faithful  adherent  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church. 


A.  VOSS,  manufacturer  of  tile  and 
brick  at  Thomasboro,  has  been  identified 
with  the  business  interests  of  the  county 
since  1874.  He  is  wide-awake  and  full  of 
energy,  and  from  a  modest  beginning,  in  which  he 
was  dependent  upon  his  own  resources,  has  built 
up  a  good  business,  and  contributed  his  full  share 
toward  the  advancement  of  the  industries  of  this 
section.  He  is  a  worthy  representative  of  the  per- 
sistent German  element  which  has  figured  so  prom- 
inently in  the  settling  up  of  this  section,  being  a 
native  of  Mecklenburg,  his  birth  taking  place  Jan. 
10,  18.55.  His  parents,  Frederick  and  Sophia  Yoss, 
also  natives  of  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Mecklenburg, 
were  there  married,  and  became  the  parents  of 


nine  children,  of  whom  only  five  are  now  living. 
The  father  died  there  in  1879.  The  mother  still 
resides  there.  A  brother  and  sister  of  our  subject 
came  to  America:  George,  a  resident  of  Chicago, 
and  Minnie,  Mrs.  Peters,  who  lives  in  Thomasboro. 

Mr.  Voss  commenced  attending  school  when  a 
child  six  years  of  age,  continuing  his  studies  until 
fourteen.  He  was  afterward  employed  in  his  fa- 
ther's factory  until  1873,  being  then  eighteen  years 
of  age.  He  had  been  a  thoughtful  and  ambitious 
youth,  and  was  desirous  of  something  better  than 
the  prospects  held  out  to  him  in  his  native  land, 
and  he  now  determined  to  seek  his  fortune  across 
the  sea.  After  arriving  upon  American  shores,  he 
proceeded  directly  westward,  and  at  Chicago  was 
employed  for  one  season  in  a  lumber- yard.  The 
spring  following  he  went  into  De  Witt  County, 
where  he  worked  on  a  farm  by  the  month  for  five 
years.  For  two  years  afterward  he  was  employed 
in  a  tile  factory  at  Farmer  City,  whence  he  came 
to  this  county,  and  locating  in  Mahomet,  was  ap- 
pointed Superintendent  of  the  tile  factory  there. 
He  had  now  gained  a  good  insight  into  the  busi- 
ness, understanding  fully  all  its  details,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  two  years  entered  into  partnership 
with  Capt.  Howell,  at  Urbana,  where  they  oper- 
ated together  two  years.  Our  subject  then  with- 
drew, and  coming  to  Thomasboro  purchased  twelve 
acres  of  ground  adjacent  to  the  town,  and  putting 
up  suitable  buildings  and  machinery,  established 
his  present  business.  He  has  been  successful  from 
the  start,  and  gives  employment  to  nine  men.  The 
plant  consists  of  two  dry  houses,  one  135x28  feet, 
the  other  100x20  feet,  with  two  floors  in  each. 
He  also  has  two  kilns,  and  his  machinery  is  after 
the  most  approved  patterns. 

After  opening  the  way  for  the  establishment  of 
a  home  and  domestic  ties,  Mr.  yoss  was  married, 
on  the  24th  of  February,  1881,  to  Miss  Lena  Linn- 
grien.  Mrs.  Voss  was  born  in  the  city  of  Granse- 
beet,  Germany,  in  1858.  where  she  lived  until  1872, 
and  then,  accompanied  by  her  mother,  sister  and 
brother,  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  They  lo- 
cated in  the  city  of  Champaign,  where  Mrs.  Voss 
remained  with  her  mother's  family  until  her  mar- 
riage. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Voss  have  three  interesting 
young  daughters — Sophia,  Minnie  and  Matilda. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


397 


Our  subject  and  his  family  occupy  ;i  handsome 
and  commodious  residence,  which  he  erected  in 
1883,  from  brick  manufactured  at  his  own  yards. 
This  is  finished  and  furnished  in  modern  style,  and 
with  its  surroundings  makes  a  desirable  and  com- 
fortable home.  Mr.  Voss  as  a  man  and  a  citizen 
enjoys  the  thorough  respect  of  all  who  know  him, 
and  is  rated  at  his  full  value  as  one  holding  an 
important  position  among  the  business  interests  of 
Champaign  County. 

J9^.P§k 


ERRY  J.  GATES,  a   valued   farm  resident 
of  Pesotum  Township,  was  born  in   Gallia 


^  County,  Ohio,  July  10,  1849,  and  was  the 
fifth  child  of  David  M.  and  Mahala  B. 
(Armstrong)  Gates.  His  father  was  born  in  the 
same  county  in  December,  1816,  and  is  still  living. 
His  mother  was  born  in  Lawrence  County,  Ohio,  in 
1820,  and  died  in  1872.  The  father  of  our  subject 
purchased  land  in  this  county  in  1861  with  the 
view  of  locating  upon  it,  but  upon  reconsideration, 
concluded  not  to  do  so.  Although  a  farmer  he  was 
well  posted  in  business  matters  and  spent  much 
time  in  platting  and  making  deeds  to  lands,  and 
was  frequently  appointed  to  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility,  as  such  men  were  not  as  common  in 
those  days  as  at  the  present,  with  its  free  schools 
and  the  many  advantages  with  which  our  youth 
are  surrounded.  His  superior  knowledge  and  ex- 
cellent judgment  were  of  incalculable  value  to  those 
with  whom  he  was  associated  in  business,  nor  was  he 
less  successful  as  a  farmer  and  stock-grower,  but  in 
each  displayed  the  intelligence  and  executive  ability 
which  stamps  the  business  man  wherever  he  is  met. 
His  stock  farm  consists  of  about  1 ,000  acres,  and  is 
located  in  Gallia  County,  Ohio. 

When  our  subject  reached  his  majority  he  came 
to  this  count}',  locating  in  Crittenden  Township, 
where  he  purchased  240  acres  of  land,  which  he 
operated  for  the  following  five  years  during  the 
seasons  of  sowing  and  reaping,  and  teaching  school 
during  the  fall  and  winter. 

Mr.  Gates  sold  his  farm  in  Crittenden  Township 
in  the  spring  of  1875  and  settled  upon  his  present 
homestead,  which  he  had  purchased  the  previous 


fall.  Here  he  has  a  beautiful  farm  of  nearly  a  half 
section,  finely  improved  and  well  drained.  Mr. 
Gates  after  his  removal  here  devoted  the  following 
four  winters  to  teaching,  and  still  takes  a  genuine 
interest  in  school  matters. 

Our  subject  was  married,  Feb.  25,  1875,  to  Miss 
Philena  Nelson,  the  daughter  of  Benham  and  Lydia 
(Smith)  Nelson,  natives  of  Virginia  and  Ohio,  re- 
spectively. Her  father  was  a  man  known  far  and 
wide  for  his  large-hearted  generosity.  They  were 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  are 
still  living.  The  four  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gates,  all  at  home  with  their  parents,  are  Clarence 
C.,  Leslie  O.,  Scott  and  Orus.  Mr.  G.  is  now  serv- 
ing his  third  term  as  Township  Supervisor,  and  has 
frequently  officiated  as  Trustee  and  Town  Clerk. 
Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  holding  to  the 
principles  of  his  party  with  unwavering  devotion. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gates  have  been  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  many  years,  doing 
what  they  could  for  the  Master's  cause,  and  are 
held  in  high  esteem  by  their  friends  and  neighbors. 

As  a  fitting  accompaniment  to  the  foregoing 
sketch,  nothing  could  be  more  appropriate  than  the 
portrait  of  Mr.  Gates,  and  we  accordingly  present 
it  in  this  connection.  It  will  be  looked  upon  with 
pleasure  by  all  who  know  him,  and  will  certainly 
enhance  the  value  of  the  ALBUM  to  those  who  pos- 
sess it. 


<j|?  OHN  M.  SPENCER,  deceased.  Among  the 
early  pioneers  of  Illinois  who  have  passed  to 
"that  bourne  from  which  no  traveler  re- 
turns," none  are  more  deserving  of  having 
their  names  perpetuated  in  history  than  this  excel- 
lent and  worthy  gentleman,  who  is  held  in  kindly  re- 
membrance by  all  who  knew  him.  His  birth  took 
place  in  Allegauy  County,  N.  Y.,  on  the  oth  of 
September,  1827,  and  his  parents  were  Asa  A.  and 
Betsy  (Doty)  Spencer,  natives  of  New  York.  In 
1837  the  family  removed  to  Troy,  Ohio,  where 
John  M.  received  his  education  and  served  an  ap- 
prenticeship at  the  blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  about  ten  years  in  his  native  county.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  been  married,  Nov.  28,  1855, 


' 

I 


398 


CHAMPAION  COUNTY. 


to  Miss  Cyrena  Merry,  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
born  April  28,  1829. 

Four  years  later,  in  1859,  having  saved  a  sum  of 
money,  Mr.  Spencer,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  came 
to  Illinois,  and  located  in  this  county,  purchasing 
460  acres  of  land  on  sections  17  and  20,  in  Critten- 
den  Township.  He  brought  with  him  from  Ohio 
twenty  head  of  milch  cows,  and  for  several  years 
afterward  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cheese. 
His  land,  at  the  time  he  took  possession  of  it,  was 
unbroken  prairie.  He  at  once  set  about  its  improve- 
ment and  cultivation,  and  in  due  time  it  was  trans- 
formed into  a  fine  farm,  enclosed  with  neat  fencing 
and  furnished  with  a  shapely  and  substantial  set  of 
buildings.  Year  after  year  he  toiled  and  sowed, 
and  while  laying  the  foundation  for  a  permanent 
and  valuable  homestead,  also  established  himself  in 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens- 
His  later  years  were  principally  devoted  to  the 
feeding  of  cattle,  from  which  he  derived,  annually, 
a  handsome  income. 

Mr.  Spencer  was  a  man  always  prompt  to  meet 
his  obligations,  and  was  straightforward  and  up- 
right in  his  dealings  with  his  fellow-man.  He  had 
become  converted  and  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  1857,  and  ever  afterward  was 
one  of  the  most  faithful  laborers  in  the  vineyard, 
and  contributed  liberally  and  cheerfully  to  the 
building  up  of  the  cause  of  Christ  as  he  had  oppor- 
tunity, both  in  the  Sunday-school  and  in  the  world 
outside.  In  the  early  days  he  frequently  swam  the 
Embarrass  River  to  attend  church.  He  believed 
that  the  children  who  were  imbued  with  religious 
ideas  would  more  certainly  find  the  fold  than  those 
whose  early  impressions  were  lacking  in  this  re- 
spect. 

Politically  our  subject  was  an  uncompromising 
Republican,  and  could  always  be  relied  upon  for  his 
loyalty  to  his  party  and  the  interests  of  the  princi- 
ples in  which  he  sincerely  believed.  Although 
never  desiring  office,  he  served  as  Supervisor  of  his 
township,  and  his  opinions  were  always  regarded  as  ! 
those  of  a  man  well  balanced  and  liable  to  be 
founded  upon  reason  instead  of  caprice  or  senti- 
ment. During  the  last  eight  years  of  his  life  he 
was  afflicted  with  paralysis.  He  was  finally  re- 
lieved from  earthly  affliction  on  the  22d  of  Septcm- 


ber,  1885.  He  left  a  valuable  estate,  the  accumu- 
lation of  years  of  industry,  and  a  record  of  a  good 
life  replete  with  kindly  acts. 

Of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Spencer  there  were  born 
two  sons  only,  James  C.,  whose  birth  took  place  in 
Troy,  Ohio,  July  28,  1858,  and  Sheridan,  born  in 
Champaign  County,  April  3,  1865.  They  both  re- 
side on  the  homestead  with  their  mother,  and  carry 
on  the  operations  of  the  farm  with  excellent  judg- 
ment and  forethought.  They  are  model  young 
men  in  all  respects,  members  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  like  their  fa- 
ther, Republican  in  politics. 

This  brief  sketch  and  the  accompanying  portrait 
will  serve  as  a  means  of  perpetuating  the  memory 
of  one  of  the  most  esteemed  and  worthy  citizens  of 
Champaign  Count}1'. 


OHN  CRAWFORD,  a  dealer  in  general  mer- 
chandise in  the  village  of  Pesotum,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  born  in  Carroll  County,  Jan.  5, 
1853,  and  is  the  son  of  Lemuel  and  Sarah 
(Henderson)  Crawford,  who  are  also  natives  of  the 
same  county.  They  moved  from  Ohio  to  McLean 
County,  this  State,  in  1865,  settling  near  McLean 
Station,  where  the  father  carried  on  farming,  which 
had  been  his  occupation  in  Ohio.  He  remained  on 
the  farm  in  McLean  for  about  seven  years,  then, 
coming  into  this  county  bought  120  acres  of  wild 
land,  which11  he  at  once  set  about  to  cultivate  and 
improve,  making  it  a  beautiful  and  attractive 
homestead,  where  he  still  resides,  carrying  on  gen- 
era] farming. 

Our  subject  was  twelve  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  removed  from  Ohio  to  Illinois.  He  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof,  assisting  to  carry 
on  the  farm,  until  reaching  his  majority,  then 
started  for  himself,  following  agriculture  for  about 
nine  years,  after  which,  he,  in  company  with  Edwin 
Davis,  opened  a  tile  factory  at  Pesotum,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Davis  <fe  Crawford.  They  operated 
this  business  for  two  years,  then  sold  out  and 
bought  the  store  of  general  merchandise  in  the  vil- 
lage formerly  owned  by  S.  M.  Harvey,  which  they 
have  managed  successfully  since  that  time.  The 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


399 


firm  is  also  extensively  engaged  in  buy  ing  and  ship- 
ping grain,  and  has  the  entire  control  of  the  coal 
trade.  Mr.  Crawford  is  making  for  himself  an  en- 
viable reputation  for  business  integrity,  and  can 
reasonably  look  forward  to  the  future  with  hopes  of 
entire  success. 

Miss  Anna  Nelson,  daughter  of  William  and 
Sarah  (Weigner)  Nelson,  natives  of  Virginia,  cap- 
tivated the  heart  of  John  Crawford  when  he  was  a 
young  man,  and  they  were  united  in  marriage  Feb. 
25,  1876.  They  have  become  the  parents  of  three 
children,  two  of  whom  are  living,  Harry  L.  and  El- 
mer C.,  both  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  are 
members  of  the  Pesotum  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Politically  the  sentiments  of  our  subject 
are  Democratic,  but  when  at  the  polls  he  chooses  to 
be  governed  by  his  own  judgment  rather  than  that 
of  an}'  party.  He  has  been  Town  Collector  for  a 
period  of  five  years,  but  is  not  an  aspirant  for  office. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  are  highly  respected  in  so- 
ciety, and  are  filling  their  little  niche  in  life  with 
credit,  while  they  enjoy  the  esteem  of  all  who  know 
them. 


v  LIVER  DECK,  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
is  now  one  of  the  most  valued  residents  of 
Condit  Township,  where  he  owns  a  fine  farm 
on  section  18.  He  has  been  industriously  engaged 
in  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  this  land 
since  the  spring  of  1862,  and  besides  building  up 
for  himself  a  reputation  as  a  skilled  agriculturist, 
has  distinguished  himself  as  a  straightforward  busi- 
ness man  and  valuable  member  of  the  community. 
His  birth  took  place  on  the  14th  of  May,  1830,  six 
miles  north  of  Columbus,  in  Franklin  County, 
Ohio.  His  father,  John  Deck,  Jr.,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  his  grandfather,  John  Deck,  Sr., 
was  either  a  native  of  Germany  or  of  Pennsylvania, 
born  of  German  parents.  It  is  known,  however, 
that  his  early  life  was  passed  in  the  Keystone  State, 
whence  he  removed  to  Virginia  with  his  family  in 
about  1801.  He  located  on  a  farm  which  he  had 
purchased  near  Winchester,  and  there  engaged  in 
agriculture  and  the  rearing  of  an  interesting  fam- 
ily, and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

John  Deck,  Jr.,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a 


lad  of  eight  years  when  his  parents  migrated  to  the 
Old  Dominion.  There  he  grew  to  manhood,  learn- 
ing the 'trade  of  a  miller,  and  afterward  went  into 
Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  lie  purchased  a  mill  one 
mile  from  Dublin  in  that  county,  which  he  oper- 
ated until  1838,  about  which  time  the  death  of  his 
wife  occurred.  After  this  bereavement  he  sold 
out  and  removed  to  Union  County,  purchasing  a 
farm  in  Mill  Creek  Township,  which  he  conducted 
until  the  fall  of  1 858.  He  then  sold  out  there  and 
removed  across  the  Mississippi  into  the  territory  of 
Kansas,  locating  in  Miami  County  during  the  early 
settlement  of  that  section.  The  journey  was  made 
with  teams,  and  the  father  of  our  subject  was  ac- 
companied by  his  family,  which  included  five  chil- 
dren. It  proved  to  be  his  last  removal,  his  death 
occurring  in  Kansas  in  1876.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Eliza 
Wheeler,  who  was  of  German  parentage. 

The  parental  family  consisted  of  eight  children, 
and  when  the  mother  died  Oliver  was  a  lad  eight 
years  old.  He  remained  with  his  father  until  reach- 
ing manhood,  receiving  an  education  in  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  assisting  in  the  labors  of  the  farm. 
When  twenty  years  old  he  started  out  on  his  own 
account,  and  was  variously  employed  for  the  year 
following,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  en- 
gaged in  a  sawmill  in  Union  County,  where  he  re- 
mained the  greater  part  of  fiveN  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  took  a  trip  East,  and  spent  one  win- 
ter in  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Deck  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miso 
Sophia  A.  Goodsell,  in  September,  1857.  Mrs. 
Deck  is  a  native  of  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.  They 
have  two  bright  daughters — Ida'B.  and  Kittie  A. 
The  former  is  the  wife  of  S.  Bonner  Sale,  and  lives 
in  Fisher;  Kittie  married  Frank  E.  Putnam,  a 
farmer  of  East  Bend  Township.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  with  their  daughters  are  members  in  good 
standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr. 
Deck  politically,  was  Democratic  until  the  nomina- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President,  when  he  be- 
gan to  vote  the  Republican  ticket,  and  is  now  a 
Prohibitionist. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Deck  located  with  his 
bride  in  Watkins,  Union  County,  and  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  pcarlash,  which  proved  an  un- 


400 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-i- 


profitable  undertaking,  by  which  he  lost  nearly  all 
his  savings.  In  1859  he  went  into  Missouri  and 
located  on  a  piece  of  land  in  Camden  County, 
where  he  occupied  himself  at  farming  until  early  in 
1861.  He  then  recrossed  the  Father  of  Waters, 
and  coming  into  this  county  operated  on  rented 
land  in  Newcomb  Township  two  years,  with  suc- 
cess, and  then  purchased  his  present  homestead. 
Its  condition  at  that  time  was  widely  different  from 
the  present,  as  but  a  few  acres  had  been  broken 
and  there  were  no  improvements.  Mr.  Deck  has 
erected  a  substantial  set  of  frame  buildings,  planted 
an  orchard,  and  in  various  other  ways  improved 
and  embellished  his  homestead  so  that  it  is  a  pleas- 
ure to  the  eye,  besides  forming  a  comfortable  resi- 
dence for  his  family  and  a  cheerful  resort  for  his 
friends.  He  is  held  in  great  respect  as  a  citizen 
and  business  man,  and  has  contributed  materially 
to  the  advancement  and  welfare  of  the  community. 


OHN  N.  AXTELL,  a  leading  representative 
of  the  lumber  interests  of  Fisher,  was  born 
in  Washington  County,  Pa.,  Nov.  24,  1823, 
and  is   the  son   of   Charles   and   Elizabeth 
(Vennum)   Axtell,   also    natives  of  the  Keystone 
State.     They  were  reared  and  married  in  their  na- 
tive State,  settling  there,  in  Washington  County, 
where  they  lived  until  1833,  and  then  removing  to 
Iroquois   County,    111.,   established    a    permanent 
home  in  Milford  Township,  where  they  spent  the 
remainder  of  their  lives. 

The  parental  household  consisted  of  four  sons 
and  five  daughters,  John  N.  of  our  sketch  being 
the  second  child.  He  was  ten  years  old  when  the 
removal  was  made  to  this  State,  and  remained  with 
his  parents  until  reaching  his  majority,  acquiring  a 
common-school  education  and  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  farm  pursuits.  Upon  starting  out  for  him- 
self he  spent  his  first  five  years  in  Fayette  and 
Bremer  Counties,  Iowa,  and  then,  returning  to  the 
homestead  in  Iroquois  County,  111.,  took  up  his 
abode  there  until  the  spring  of  1880.  In  the  mean- 
time, among  other  things,  he  engaged  in  the  lumber 
trade,  and  at  the  date  mentioned  came  into  this 
'  county  and  established  his  present  business  at 

T= 


Fisher.  He  has,  however,  never  abandoned  his  taste 
for  agriculture,  and  purchased  220  acres  of  land  in 
Iroquois  County,  which  is  operated  by  a  tenant. 
At  Fisher  he  has  a  pleasant  home  within  the  village 
limits,  where  he  has  fully  identified  himself  with  the 
interests  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  is  held  by  them 
in  the  highest  respect,  both  for  his  qualities  as  a 
citizen  and  his  ability  as  a  business  man. 

Mr.  Axtel!  made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Martha 
Ray,  of  Vermilion  County,  which  ripened  into 
mutual  affection  and  they  became  husband  and 
wife.  This  lady  only  survived  her  marriage  one 
year,  dying  in  Vermilion  County.  The  second 
marriage  of  Mr.  Axtell  took  place  Nov.  7,  1854,  in 
Iroquois  County,  when  he  was  united  with  Miss 
Margaret  Strain.  Of  this  union  there  were  born 
two  children — Orien  I.  and  Charles  W.,  both  mar- 
ried and  residents  of  Nebraska.  The  mother  of 
these  children  died  in  Iroquois  County. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  the  village  of  Fisher,  Sept.  4,  1881,  was 
formerly  Mrs.  Sabrina  (Thrasher)  Warrenburg, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Millancy  (Cobern) 
Thrasher,  and  widow  of  John  Warrenburg.  Mrs. 
Axtell  was  born  in  Geauga  County,  Ohio,  Dec.  24, 
1845.  She  has  been  three  times  married;  her  first 
husband  was  Oliver  York,  by  whom  she  had  one 
daughter,  Eva,  now  the  wife  of  Harvey  B.  Platt, 
a  dentist  in  Fisher.  By  her  second  marriage  she 
became  the  mother  of  one  child,  Otis,  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Fisher.  Mr.  Axtell  uniformly  casts  his 
vote  with  the  Republican  party,  and  socially  be- 
longs to  Fisher  Lodge  No.  74,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


J"  OHN    CROUCH,   JR.,   a   highly    respected 
farmer  of  Condit  Township,   owns  a  good 
homestead  on  section  29.     He  is  a  native  of 
Illinois,   where  his  birth  took  place  Feb.  1^ 
1854.     His  father,  John  Crouch,  Sr.,  was  a  product 
of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  Dec.  23,  1824.     He  was 
reared  on  a  farm  near  Chillicothe,  and  after  reach- 
ing manhood  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Le- 
venia  McNett  in   the   year  1843,  who  was  born  in 
Virginia  July  4,  1827.       After  their   marriage  the 
young  people  settled  in  Madison    County,   Ohio, 


t 


* 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


401 


where  they  lived  until  the  fall  of  1851,  and  then 
started  overland  for  Illinois.  Their  outfit  consisted 
of  two  horses  and  a  wagon,  and  their  destina- 
tion was  Piatt  County,  where  the  elder  Crouch 
rented  land  which  he  cultivated  for  ten  years  fol- 
lowing. In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  came  to  this 
county  and  purchased  land  in  that  part  of  New- 
comb  Township  which  has  since  been  included  in 
Condit  Township,  which  he  improved  and  lived 
upon  until  resting  from  his  earthly  labors,  Nov.  6, 
1871. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  as  a  pioneer  citizen,  was 
one  eminently  worthy  and  useful  to  his  community, 
and  his  neighbors  and  old  friends  unitedly  bear 
testimony  to  his  sterling  worth  and  integrity. 
Upon  first  locating  in  Piatt  County  deer  and  other 
wild  animals  were  abundant.  There  was  no  mar- 
ket for  produce  within  thirty  miles  of  their  early 
home,  and  the  children  of  the  family  obtained  a 
limited  education  by  going  long  distances  through 
the  forests  and  studying  their  lessons  in  rude  log 
cabins.  The  system  of  education  in  those  days 
was  widely  different  from  that  of  the  present,  which 
the  sterner  duties  of  life  completed  and  gave  them 
a  practical  insight  into  business  methods  which 
served  them  fully  as  well  in  those  days  as  does  the 
ornamental  instruction  imparted  to  the  pupils  of 
this  later  period.  Amid  those  primitive  scenes  were 
developed  in  the  character  of  those  children  the 
qualities  which  constituted  them  worthy  citizens 
and  valued  members  of  their  community. 

The  nine  little  ones  who  came  to  that  household 
in  the  early  lives  of  the  parents  are  all  now  living, 
and  recorded  as  follows:  Samuel  is  a  resident  of 
Jasper  County,  Mo. ;  Mary  E.  became  the  wife  of 
Abrain  Frazier,  a  farmer  of  Condit  Township;  Clin- 
ton lives  in  Boone  County,  Iowa;  John,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  fifth  child;  Scott  is  living  in  Ma- 
homet, and  George  W.  in  Boone  County,  Iowa ;  Rich- 
ard. Andrew  and  Levina  H.  are  in  Coudit  Township. 
By  a  second  marriage  of  the  father  there  was  born 
a  daughter,  Lavina  E. 

Mr.  Crouch  of  this  sketch  was  a  lad  of  six  years 
when  his  parents  became  residents  of  Newcomb, 
now  Condit  Township.  When  not  in  school  he 

i.  assisted  his  father  and  brothers  on  the  farm,  and  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  household  until  the  death 


of  both  parents.  Afterward  he  became  a  resident 
of  Mahomet  for  a  year,  and  then  returned  and  pur- 
chased a  farm  adjoining  the  old  homestead,  where 
he  has  since  remained.  He  was  married,  Nov.  7, 
1877,  to  Miss  Stella  II.  French,  a  native  of  Johns- 
town, Licking  Co.,  Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Truman 
and  Rachel  M.  French.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  are  wor- 
thy members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  num- 
ber among  their  friends  and  associates  the  best  peo- 
ple of  the  community. 


HOMAS  E.  JEFFERSON,  senior  member 
of  the  firm  of  Jefferson  &  Ekstrand,  general 
merchants  at  Ludlow,  may  be  truly  termed 
a  self-made  man  and  one  who  has  generously  iden- 
tified himself  with  the  public  enterprises  of  his 
adopted  city.  His  birthplace  was  in  Essex  County, 
Del,  and  the  date  thereof  Feb.  9, 1844.  His  father, 
John  W.  Jefferson,  a  native  of  the  same  State,  de- 
scended from  excellent  English  ancestry,  which 
upon  coming  to  the  United  States,  located  first  in 
Virginia. 

John  W.  Jefferson,  during  the  earlier  years  of 
his  life,  was  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  the 
State  of  Delaware,  where  he  remained  until  1852. 
In  the  spring  of  that  same  year  he  emigrated  to 
this  State,  locating  in  Belleville,  St.  Clair  County. 
On  account  of  failing  health  he  only  remained 
there  one  year,  returning  then  to  his  native  State, 
where  he  died  one  year  later.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Mary  A.  Mor- 
ris, also  a  native  of  Delaware.  She  became  the 
mother  of  three  children,  and  departed  this  life  in 
1846,  when  her  son,  our  subject,  was  a  child  two 
years  of  age.  One  of  the  sons,  William  J.,  during 
the  late  war  served  as  a  Union  soldier  in  Co.  A, 
8th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Ft. 
Donelson ;  Ann  E.  became  the  wife  of  G.  F.  Eaton, 
and  lives  in  Brookston,  Irid. ;  Thomas  E.  of  our 
sketch  was  the  youngest  child. 

Our  subject  was  but  ten  years  old  when  the  death 
of  his  father  completed  his  orphaned  condition,  and 
he  was  taken  into  the  home  of  William  Gilmore, 
in  Monroe  County,  this  State,  He  lived  with  Mr. 


re, 

!ll 


4" 


t 


.  ,    402 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


G.  five  years,  and  then  going  to  Dec.itur  in  Macon 
County,  was  employed  on  a  farm  near  that  city 
until  1861.  Soon  after  the  first  call  for  troops  to 
put  down  the  Rebellion,  he  enlisted  among  the  first 
volunteers  in  Co.  A,  21st  III.  Vol.  Inf.,  under  com- 
mand of  (then  Col.)  U.  S.  Grant.  During  a  service 
of  three  years,  he  experienced  all  the  hardships, 
dangers  and  privations  of  n  soldier's  life,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  battles  of  Frederickstown,  Mo.,  Perry  - 
ville,  Ky.,  Stone  River  and  Chickamauga,  besides 
encountering  the  enemy  in  various  other  places. 
At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  on  the  5th 
of  July,  18G4,  he  received  his  honorable  discharge, 
and  was  mustered  out. 

Soon'  afterward  Mr.  Jefferson  located  in  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  and  engaged  in  the  sale  of  confection- 
ery one  year.  He  then  returned  to  Decatur,  and 
resolved  to  perfect  himself  as  a  book-keeper  and 
in  the  general  methods  of  doing  business.  He  at- 
tended public  school  one  year,  then  entered  the 
Commercial  College  at  Decatur,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1867.  He  afterward  taught  book- 
keeping in  the  same  school  one  year,  spent  the  next 
year  at  Belleville,  St.  Clair  County,  and  the  two 
years  following  traveled  as  salesman  for  a  St.  Louis  t 
grocery  house.  Two  years  later  he  went  to  Bloom- 
ington  and  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  house. 
After  a  year  thus  occupied  he  went  southwest  into 
the  Indian  Territory,  after  receiving  the  appoint- 
ment of  Assistant  United  States  Deputy  Marshal, 
and  remained  a  resident  of  that  section  of  country 
until  1877.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  returned 
to  Indiana  and  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  until 
-1880,  which  year  he  spent  at  Sheldon,  Iroquois 
County,  and  in  February,  1881>  came  to  Ludlow, 
and  in  company  with  his  half-brother,  James  W., 
engaged  in  merchandising  until  1883.  He  then 
sold  out,  and  the  firm  of  Jefferson  <fc  Ekstrand  was 
formed,  the  two  gentlemen  operating  together  since 
that  time. 

Air.  Jefferson  has  performed  the  duties  of  a  good 
citizen.  Socially  he  belongs  to  Pera  Lodge  No. 
574,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Mt.  Olivet  Commandery 
No.  38,  of  Paxton.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  with  which  he  became  connected  in 
Burrows.  Ind.,  and  in  Ludlow  is  connected  with 
pe  Witt  Lodge  No.  367,  I.  O.  G.  T.  He  belongs 


to  Ord  Post  No.  372,  G.  A.  R.  Religiously  he  is 
prominently  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  to  the  support  of  which  he  contributes 
liberally  and  cheerfully  as  his  means  justify.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  stanch  Republican. 


TEPIIEN  ENGLISH  came  into  Crittenden 
Township,  this  county,  in  1856,  during 
the  period  of  its  early  settlement.  lie  is  a 
native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in  Fay- 
ette  County,  Jan.  23,  1833,  and  the  son  of  James 
and  Marinda  (Mountjoy)  English,  both  natives  of 
Virginia,  whence  the}'  removed  to  Fayette  County, 
Ohio,  in  the  pioneer  days.  They  opened  up  a  farm 
in  the  wilderness,  and  became  the  parents  of  ten 
children,  who  were  reared  on  the  homestead  in 
Fayette  County,  where  the  father  died  in  1844. 
These  children  were:  Thomas,  now  deceased; 
Joseph;  George  and  James,  deceased;  William  D.  ; 
Stephen;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  George  Hewlin; 
Sarah,  Mrs.  Charles  Adams;  Nancy  and  Mary  J., 
both  deceased.  Four  brothers  of  our  subject, 
Thomas,  George,  William  D.  and  James  were  vol- 
unteers in  the  Union  army  during  the  late  Civil 
War,  George  and  James  dying  in  the  service. 
After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  the  mother  was 
married  to  Eli  Boulden,  and  lived  to  the  age  of 
over  ninety  years,  departing  this  life  at  her  home 
iu  Northern  Ohio,  in  1885. 

Stephen  English  was  reared  on  the  parental 
homestead  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  remaining 
there  until  twenty  years  of  age.  Then,  desirous  of 
seeing  something  of  the  world,  he  journeyed  west- 
ward into  Indiana,  and  was  there  employed  as  a 
farm  laborer  until  1856.  He  then  pushed  over  the 
line  into  Illinois,  arriving  in  this  county  on  the 
16th  of  May.  Here  he  was  employed  on  a  farm 
two  years,  and  then  returned  to  Indiana,  and  on 
the  4th  of  March,  1858,  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Nancy  Bocock,  whose  acquaintance  he 
had  made  during  his  former  sojourn  in  that  State. 
Mrs.  E.  was  also  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio^ 
and  the  daughter  of  Lewis  Bocock,  a  native  of  the 
same  State. 

Immediately  after  his  marriage  our  subject,  ac- 


T 


I 


if: 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


403 


fompanicd  by  his  bride,  returned  to  this  county, 
and  settling  in  Crittenden  Township,  followed 
farming  on  rented  land  until  1862.  He  then  pur- 
chased 120  acres  on  section  2,  which  he  improved 
and  cultivated  until  the  spring  of  1872.  Soon 
afterward  he  removed  to  Bates  County,  Mo.,  where 
he  followed  agricultural  pursuits  nearly  four 
years,  artd  then  retraced  his  steps  to  this  county, 
arriving  here  on  the  7th  of  November,  1880.  He 
this  time  decided  that  he  could  find  no  better  lo- 
cation and  accordingly  took  up  his  abode  perma- 
nently. Lie  now  ranks  among  the  prosperous  and 
respected  citizens  of  Crittenden  Township,  where 
he  has  served  as  Assessor  and  Collector,  and  in 
other  ways  has  identified  himself  with  the  interests 
of  his  community.  He  and  his  estimable  wife  have 
become  the  parents  of  nine  children — William, 
Charles,  Amie  E.,  Frank,  Morton,  Burt,  Edward 
W..  Harvey  and  Ida  B.  Me.  E.  became  connected 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1860,  and 
has  since  been  one  of  its  most  worthy  and  consist- 
ent members.  Politically  he  is  a  solid  Republican. 


:  OLUMBUS  WALKER  CONGLETON,  de- 
ceased, was  widely  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Crittenden  Township  for  his 
social  and  genial  disposition  as  a  neighbor  and  friend, 
and  for  his  straightforward  methods  as  a  business 
man  and  citizen.  He  was  highly  esteemed  by  a 
large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  at 
the  time  of  departing  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly 
labors  was  sincerely  mourned  by  scores  who  had 
learned  the  worth  of  his  character  and  his  relia- 
bility. 

Mr.  Congleton  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  his 
birth  taking  place  in  Bath  County  on  the  23d  of 
January,  1827.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
State,  and  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  imbibed  those  principles  of  honor 
and  virtue  which  became  the  basis  of  his  after  life. 
When  twenty-two  years  Of  age  he  was  married, 
Feb.  28,  1849,  to  Miss  Margaret  E.  Sharp,  who  was 
a  native  of  his  own  State,  and  born  Nov.  25.  1829. 
They  resided  first  in  Bath,  and  afterward  in  Mont- 


gomery  and  Nicholas  Counties,  from  which  latter 
place  they  removed  in  the  spring  of  1866,  to  Illi- 
nois. They  first  took  up  their  abode  in  Christian 
County,  but  in  the  fall  removed  to  Sangamon 
County  and  from  there,  in  the  spring  of  1869,  to 
Crittenden  Township,  in  this  county,  where  Mr. 
C.  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land.  This  was  lo- 
cated on  section  28,  and  was  but  slightly  improved. 

Mr.  Congleton  for  several  years  following  worked 
industriously  upon  his  little  farm,  building  fences 
and  putting  up  the  necessary  structures  for  the 
storing  of  grain,  the  shelter  of  stock,  and  the  family 
residence.  He  was  successful  in  his  labors  as  an 
agriculturist,  and  as  time  passed  on  and  his  means 
accumulated,  added  to  his  possessions  until  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  240  acres,  which,  under  his 
wise  manipulation  became  very  valuable.  The  lit- 
tle household  in  due  time  included  several  children, 
four  of  whom  died  in  childhood  and  four  lived  to 
survive  the  mother.  The  latter,  while  visiting  at 
her  old  home  in  Kentucky,  departed  this  life  on  the 
13th  of  October,  1872,  and  was  buried  among  her 
kinsfolk.  The  children  of  our  subject  who  survive 
are,  Frank  P. ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  John  L.  Love ; 
Martha,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Carson,  and  William  C.  The 
second  marriage  of  Mr.  Congleton  took  place  on 
the  1st  of  October,  1874.  The  lady  to  whom  he 
was  united  was  Miss  Mary  E.  Reddick,  who  was 
born  in  Kentucky,  Oct.  10,  1840.  Of  this  union 
there  were  two  children,  both  now  deceased.  The 
mother  died  at  the  old  home  Sept.  5,  1877. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  died  at  his  home  in 
Crittenden  Township  on  the  6th  of  July,  1880. 
Soon  after  attaining  his  majority  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  was  a  cheer- 
ful and  liberal  giver  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  He 
maintained  a  warm  interest  in  the  welfare  and 
prosperity  of  his  community  and  was  the  encour- 
ager  by  his  voice  and  means  of  every  enterprise 
calculated  for  its  moral  and  intellectual  growth. 
Although  a  warm  supporter  of  the  Democratic 
party,  he  always  treated  with  courtesy  those  who 
differed  with  him,  holding  the  right  that  every  man 
was  entitled  to  his  honest  opinion.  He  served  his 
township  as  Supervisor  several  terms,  and  from 
time  to  time  was  entrusted  with  the  various  minor 
offices.  He  was  ever  modest  and  unobtrusive  in 


404 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


demeanor,  and  possessed  that  uniform  kindness  of 
heart  which  made  him  a  ready  listener  to  the  tale 
of  affliction  and  distress,  while  no  one  in  need  w:is 
turned  empty-handed  from  his  door. 

Frank  Pierce  Congleton,  sou  of  the  above,  was 
born  in  Nicholas  County,  Ky.,  Nov.  3,  1852,  where 
he  was  reared  and  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. He  resided  in  his  native  State  during  his 
boyhood  days,  and  in  1866  came  with  his  parents 
to  Illinois  and  Champaign  County.  He  remained 
a  member  of  the  parental  household  and  assisted  in 
the  work  of  the  farm  until  the  death  of  his  father, 
when  he  was  appointed  administrator  of  the  estate, 
and  since  its  division  has  become  owner  of  the 
homestead  and  sixty  acres  of  land. 

Mr.  Congleton  was  married,  Feb.  21,  1883,  to 
Miss  Anna  M.  Davis,  who  was  born  in  Lawrence 
County,  Ohio,  in  1854,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John 
J.  and  Catherine  Davis,  natives  of  Wales  and  Penn- 
sylvania respectively.  Of  this  marriage  there  are 
two  children — Carl  Newton  and  John  Walker.  Mr. 
C.  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and  a  worthy  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  has  served 
as  School  Trustee,  and  has  inherited  in  a  marked 
degree  those  principles  which  made  his  father  so 
well  beloved  as  a  citizen  and  so  honored  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  community. 


HARLES  ELLS,  a  worthy  and  prominent 
resident  of  Champaign  Township,  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  light  in  New  England, 
being  a  native  of  Blandford,  Hatnpden  Co.,  Mass., 
and  was  born  on  the  30th  of  March,  1819.  He  is 
the  son  of  Joseph  Ells,  a  native  of  Stonington, 
Conn.  The  first  representative  of  the  family  in 
America  was  Maj.  Samuel  Ells,  an  English  officer  of 
Cromwell's  army,  who  came  to  this  country  in  the 
seventeenth  century  and  settled  in  Connecticut. 
There  were  preachers  in  each  of  the  six  succeeding 
generations,  who  faithfully  and  intelligently  ex- 
ixninded  the  doctrines  of  the  Congregational 

I  Church  in  New  England. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a 
fanner  by  occupation,  and    his  son   Joseph,  the  fa- 
ther of   our   subject,   also    followed    that   calling, 


after  his  marriage,  in  Hampden  County,  Mass.,  be- 
ing located  near  Blandford,  where  he  resided  until 
1835.  In  that  year  he  emigrated  to  Ohio,  locating 
near  Norwalk,  where  he  purchased  a  home  and 
dealt  in  stock  in  a  small  way,  and  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Elizabeth  War- 
ner, who  .was  born  in  Connecticut,  and  died  there 
in  1822.  The  parental  family  consisted  of  nine 
children. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  but  three  years 
old  when  he  was  deprived  by  death  of  the  tender 
and  affectionate  care  of  his  mother.  He  then  be- 
came the  especial  charge  of  his  elder  sisters,  and 
remained  under  his  father's  roof  until  he  was  six- 
teen years  old,  when,  going  to  Windsor,  Conn.,  he 
commenced  working  on  a  farm  in  summer  and  at- 
tended school  during  the  winter.  Two  years  later 
he  removed  with  his  father  to  Norwalk,  Ohio, 
where  he  lived  two  years,  then,  going  to  the  city  of 
Dayton,  he  engaged  as  clerk'  for  his  cousin  in  a 
book-store.  After  one  year  he  commenced  in  the 
book  business  on  his  own  account,  in  which  he  was 
occupied  for  six  years  following,  in  Dayton,  and 
then,  adding  pianos  and  other  musical  instruments 
to  his  stock,  continued  in  this  branch  of  trade  until 
1864.  He  then  came  to  Illinois,  and  deciding  to 
change  his  occupation  purchased  the  farm  which  he 
now  owns  and  occupies,  and  has  since  devoted  his 
attention  to  agricultural  pursuits. 

The  marriage  of  Charles  Ells  and  Miss  Mary 
Stanage  was  celebrated  on  the  24th  of  November, 
1859.  Mrs.  E.  was  born  in  West  Liberty,  Ohio, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  James  and  Sarah  Stanage. 
the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Vir- 

* 

ginia.  Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  two 
children:  Carrie  May,  the  wife  of  Irving  Hodges, 
lives  in  Diller,  Neb;  Harry  is  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign County,  this  State.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  are 
prominent  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  to 
the  support  of  which  they  contribute  liberally  and 
cheerfully,  and  our  subject  is  in  all  respects  the 
friend  and  encourager  of  every  enterprise  calculated 
to  increase  the  intelligence  and  welfare  of  society 
at  large.  During  his  early  life  he  was  a  Whig,  po- 
litically, but  since  the  abandonment  of  the  old 
party  by  the  organization  of  the  Republican  he  has 


,v 


RESIDENCE:  OF  Jos.  KAIYIP,  SEC.  £O.ToLONoTowNsmp 


RES. OF  J.  N.  NORTON  SEC.  18  ,  CRITTENDENTOWNSHIP 


RES. OF  JOHN  B.  NEAL,  SEC.  21 ,  PHILO  TOWNSHIP. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  /LLIHOPS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


407 


18(58. 


cheerfully  endorsed  the  principles  of  she  latter,  with 
which  he  uniformly  casts  his  vote. 

The  homestead  of  Mr.  Ells  joins  the  city  limits  of 
Champaign,  is  finely  located  on  section  13,  and  one 
of  the  most  desirable  farms  in  this  county.  The 
residence  is  a  commodious  and  tasteful  frame  build- 
ing, situated  on  a  rise  of  ground,  and  commands  a 
fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  Mr.  E.  has 
given  much  time  and  attention  to  the  beautifying 
of  his  home,  and  in  all  its  appointments  it  indicates 
the  care  and  supervision  of  the  intelligent  and  pro- 
gressive modern  farmer,  who  still  has  time  from  his 
manual  labors  to  devote  to  the  improvement  of  his 
mind  and  the  cultivation  of  naturally  fine  tastes. 

AVID  G.  FISHER,  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive farmers  and  land-owners  of  Tolono 
Township,  is  the  proprietor  of  a  fine  es- 
tate on  section  10,  where  he  located  in 
He  is  a  native  of  the  Prairie  State,  born  in 
Fulton  County,  Dec.  30,  1839,  and  the  son  of  Fred- 
erick and  Sarah  (Fonts)  Fisher.  The  former  was 
born  in  North  Carolina  and  the  latter  in  Clark 
County,  Ind.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Mary  Fonts.  When  Frederick  Fisher  was  five 
years  old,  his  father,  Frederick,  Sr.,and  his  mother, 
Barbara,  removed  with  their  family  from  North 
Carolina  to  Indiana,  where  they  reared  their  chil- 
dren and  lived  to  see  most  of  them  married  and 
settled  in  life.  David  G.,  of  our  sketch,  was  reared 
to  manhood  in  Illinois,  and  assisted  his  father  on 
the  farm,  in  the  meantime  receiving  careful  paren- 
tal training,  and  the  instruction  afforded  by  the 
district  schools. 

In  1832  Frederick  Fisher  removed  from  Indiana 
to  Illinois,  settling  near  Canton  in  Fulton  County, 
and  was  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  that  section, 
this  being  prior  to  the  Black  Hawk  War.  He  re- 
mained a  resident  of  Fulton  County  for  over  forty 
years,  and  departed  this  life  on  the  oth  of  July, 
1876.  He  had  been  very  successful  through  life, 
and  left  a  fortune  of  $30,000,  which  was  divided 
among  his  children.  He  was  a  man  of  great  force 
of  character,  in  former  years  a  Whig,  but  after- 
ward a  cordial  supporter  of  Republican  principles. 
He  was  strongly  opposed  to  slavery,  and  fearless  in 


the  expression  of  his  views  upon  this  subject. 
Early  in  life  he  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  but  later  united  with  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  and  contributed  liberally  and  cheer- 
fully to  the  support  of  the  Gospel.  He  enjoyed  to 
a  remarkable  degree  the  confidence  of  Lis  fellow- 
citizens,  and  was  entrusted  with  the  local  offices. 
The  wife  and  mother  survived  her  husband  for  a 
period  of  nearly  eleven  years,  and  died  at  her  home 
in  Fulton  County,  Feb.  17,  1887. 

The  parental  family  included  twelve  children, 
and  all  grew  to  become  men  and  women  with  the 
exception  of  one  daughter,  who  died  when  fourteen 
years  of  age.  Those  living  are,  Jacob,  John,  Henry ; 
Cynthia,  Mrs.  Copple;  Mary;  Sarah,  the  wife  of 
Marion  Kimberlin;  David  G.,  of  our  sketch;  Clara, 
the  wife  of  John  Ford  ;  Isabelle,  Mrs.  Jacob  Fouts ; 
Elizabeth*  Mrs. --.John  Carter,  and  Ellen,  the  wife 
of  Thomras  Beets. 

O.ur  subject  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
during  his  childhood  and  youth,  and  received  a 
common-school  education.  He  was  married  on  the 
21st  of  May,  1863,  to  Miss  Mary  Ellis,  who  was 
born  in  Fulton  County,  March  9,  1845.  Mrs. 
Fisher  is  the  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Nancy  Ellis, 
who  were  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Fulton 
County,  where  they  located  in  1832.  Our  subject 
continued  farming  in  Fulton  County  two  years 
after  his  marriage,  and  then,  on  account  of  failing 
health,  abandoned  active  labor,  and  removing  to 
Canton,  engaged  in  the  livery  business.  In  1868 
he  purchased  section  10,  in  Tolono  Township,  and 
taking  up  his  abode  there,  commenced  its  improve- 
ment and  cultivation.  It  was  but  little  removed 
from  its  original  condition  when  it  came  into  his 
possession,  but  he  in  the  course  of  time  transformed 
it  into  a  valuable  and  productive  farm.  He  after- 
ward sold  a  portion  of  the  land,  but  is  still  the 
owner  of  400  acres,  which  is  thoroughly  drained 
with  2,200  rods  of  tile.  He  has  one  of  the  finest 
residences  in  the  county,  which  was  erected  in  1886, 
and  all  necessary  out-buildings  for  the  storing  of 
grain  and  the  shelter  of  stock,  having  of  late  years 
given  much  attention  to  the  breeding  of  fine  horses 
and  cattle. 

The  household  circle  of  our  subject  and  wife  was 
completed  by  the  birth  of  five  children,  of  whom 


i 


408 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


two  little  oues,  Kate  and  Robert,  died  in  infancy. 
Those  surviving  are  tlattic,  Fred  and  Pearl.  Mr. 
Fisher  politically  is  a  supporter  of  Republican 
principles,  but  has  steadily  declined  to  become  an 
office-holder,  his  private  business  absorbing  all  his 
lime  and  attention.  He  takes  an  interest  in  the 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  his  township  and  county, 
however,  and  contributes  of  his  means  and  influ- 
ence to  every  enterprise  tending  to  its  advance- 
ment, socially,  morally  and  intellectually. 


WILLIAM  F.  CLENNON,  a  native  of  Grim- 

dy  Count}',  this  State,  is  now  pleasantly 
located  on  section  4,  in  Crittenden  Town- 
ship, on  a  fine  farm  of  which  he  took  possession  in 
1878.  His  homestead  comprises  199  acres  of  choice 
land,  which  helms  brought  to  a  good  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  which  is  supplied  with  all  conveniences 
necessary  for  the  successful  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1851,  and  consequently  for  a  period  of  over 
thirty  years  he  has  joined  in  a  double  celebration, 
of  his  own  birth  and  that  of  American  Independ- 
ence. 

Our  subject's  parents,  Martin  and  Mary  (Flynn) 
Clennon,  were  natives  of  Ireland,  the  father  born  in 
Queens  County  and  the  mother  in  County  Cavan. 
Before  marriage  they  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  and  first  located  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where 
they  became  acquainted  and  were  afterward  wed- 
ded. They  first  took  up  their  residence  in  Indiana, 
where  they  lived  until  1849,  then  came  to  Illinois 
and  spent  one  year  at  Peru,  in  La  Salle  County, 
where  they  still  reside  on  a  farm.  Martin  Clennon 
has  been  very  successful  as  a  business  man  and 
farmer  since  coming  to  the  United  States,  and  is 
the  owner  of  an  entire  section  of  land  which  is  finely 
improved  and  valuable.  On  the  farm  in  Grundy 
County,  the  little  household  was  completed  by  the 
birth  of  the  following  children:  Lawrence,  Martin, 
Andrew,  Patrick,  Katie,  Mary  (now  the  wife  of 
William  Moran)and  Susan. 

Our  subject,   with  his    brothers  and  sisters,  at- 
nded   the   common  school  during  his  childhood 
completed  his  studies  in  the   Christian   Broth- 


ers'  School  of  Peru.  After  this  he  returned  to  the 
farm  and  assisted  in  its  labors  and  duties  until  his 
marriage,  on  the  5th  of  March,  1878.  Mrs.  C., 
who  was  formerly  Miss  Adelia  Moran,  was  born  in 
Michigan,  and  is  the  daughter  of  William  and  Sa- 
rah Moran,  natives  of  Ireland  and  Canada  respect- 
ively. The  young  people  after  their  marriage  set- 
tled upon  the  land  which  constitutes  their  present 
homestead,  and  which  the  enterprise  and  industry 
of  its  proprietor  has  transformed  into  one  of 
the  most  attractive  spots  in  Crittenden  Township. 
The  five  children  of  the  household  are  Mary  A., 
Martin  J.,  Francis,  Sarah  and  Agatha.  The  par- 
ents and  children  are  members  and  regular  attend- 
ants of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  politically 
Mr.  Clcnuon  uniformly  votes  the  Democratic  ticket. 
He  is  highly  respected  in  his  community  for  his  en- 
terprise as  a  farmer  and  his  reliability  as  a  business 
man,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  Town- 
ship Collector. 


ENRY  NELSON  resides  on  section  28, 
Pesotum  Township.  His  life  has  been 
fraught  with  many  difficulties,  but  through 
all  he  has  preserved  the  even  tenor  of  his 
way  and  presents  the  life  of  a  quiet  and  unobtrusive 
citizen,  fulfilling  his  duties  manfully  and  enjoying 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  him. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  native  of  Pendleton  County,  W. 
Va.,  and  born  March  1,  1811.  He  was  the  second 
child  of  Benjamin  and  Delphia  (Arbaugh)  Nelson, 
both  natives  of  Greenbrier  County,  W.  Va.,  the 
father  born  in  1781,  and  the  mother  in  1792.  They 
remained  in  their  native  State  after  their  marriage 
until  1822,  and  then  removed  to  Lawrence  County, 
Ohio,  where  Benjamin  Nelson  purchased  a  quarter 
section  of  land  in  Syrnmes  Township.  For  a  period 
of  nineteen  years  he  endured  the  hardships  of  pio- 
neer life,  and  in  due  time  became  the  proprietor  of 
400  acres  of  land.  The  household  circle  included 
fourteen  children,  thirteen  of  whom  grew  to. 
mature  years,  married,  and  raised  families  of  their 
own.  In  1841  the  father  of  our  subject  sold  his 
farm  in  Lawrence  County,  and  removed  to  a  point 
*. 


t. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


409 


near  Anderson,  Madison  County,  where  he  pur- 
chased 280  acres  of  improved  laud,  which  he  oc- 
cupied until  his  death,  in  1846.  The  mother  died 
in  1877. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the  parental  household  until  his  marriage,  on 
the  9th  of  February,  1832.  The  maiden  of  his 
choice  was  Miss  Polly  Smith,  of  Gallia  County,  Ohio, 
and  the  young  people  after  their  marriage  located 
on  a  farm  adjoining  that  of  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, and  which  consisted  of  eighty  acres.  This 
amount  Henry  soon  doubled  by  purchase,  and  re- 
mained in  possession  of  it  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years,  when  he  sold  to  a  Mr.  Armstrong  who  had 
purchased  the  farm  of  his  father  twenty  years  be- 
fore, at  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  latter  to 
Indiana. 

When  Henry  Nelson  sold  his  property  in  Ohio  he 
followed  his  father-  to  Indiana  and  located  about 
ten  miles  north  of  Anderson,  upon  a  farm  partly 
improved  and  embracing  317  acres.  Five  years 
later  he  disposed  of  this  also  and  decided  to  be- 
come a  resident  of  this  county.  Here  he  first  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  on  section  28,  in  Pesotum 
Township,  where  the  family  residence  now  stands. 
He  is  now  the  possessor  of  a  half  section,  thoroughly 
drained  and  well  stocked,  and  furnished  with  all  the 
appliances  of  a  first-class  country  homestead. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  the  second  child  of 
John  and  Eve  (Proce)  Smith,  was  born  in  Gallia 
County,  Ohio,  in  1814.  Her  father  was  a  native 
of  Greenbrier  County,  W.  Va.,  and  her  mother  was 
probably  from  Pennsylvania.  The  four  children 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  have  all  passed  away. 
Their  son  Joseph  Washington,  who  was  born 
March  20,  1834,  married  Miss  Isabella  McMear,  of 
Madison  County,  Intl.,  and  coming  West  in  1857, 
located  on  a  farm  which  his  father  had  purchased  for 
him  in  Douglas  County,  111.  His  marriage  took 
place  in  1855  and  there  was  born  one  child.  His 
death  was  caused  by  an  accident,  which  took 
place  at  his  father's  homestead  in  this  county  while 
he  was  in  Pesotum  Township  on  business.  He  had 
his  gun  with  him,  and  after  starting  on  his  home- 
ward journey  this  was  accidentally  discharged,  both 
loads  cutting  across  the  bowels  and  going  through 
the  thick  part  of  the  thigh.  He  died  from  the  effects 


of  this  seven  days  later,  Dec.  22,  1858,  after  great 
suffering.  Their  little  sou  Denham,  when  but  two 
months  old  died  by  his  mother's  side  in  the  night, 
having  seemingly  been  in  perfect  health  up  to  that 
time.  The  daughter,  Elsie,  died  of  scarlet  fever 
when  eight  years  of  age;  the  youngest  child  yielded 
up  his  breath  before  he  had  been  given  a  name. 

While  remarkably  fortunate  in  many  respects, 
Mr.  Nelson  has  experienced  adversity  and  been 
quite  a  sufferer  from  accidents.  While  in  Ohio,  in 
a  playful  scuffle  with  a  friend  his  shoulder  was 
broken,  and  on  the  2d  of  January,  1861,  while  in 
Indiana  on  business,  a  horse  fell  upon  him  and 
broke  his  thigh.  After  recovering  from  this  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  Illinois,  and  one  dark  night 
in  1 867,  fell  from  the  church  steps  at  Nelson  Chapel, 
breaking  his  thigh  asecond  time.  In  1878  our  sub- 
ject was  visited  with  another  affliction  in  the  loss 
of  his  wife,  to  whom  he  was  greatly  attached,  her 
death  taking  place  in  the  spring  of  that  year.  Since 
that  time  his  grandson  and  wife  have  had  charge  of 
the  domestic  affairs.  This  latter  gentleman,  Morris 
Cook  Nelson,  was  married  in  1877,  to  Miss  Ella 
Snyder,  of  Champaign  County,  who  was  born  in 
Coshocton  County,  Ohio,  and  is  the  third  child  of 
Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Riggle)  Snyder,  also  na- 
tives of  the  Buckeye  State.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nel- 
son there  have  been  born  five  children,  four  now 
living,  and  at  home  with  their  parents  and  grand- 
father. They  are  named  respectively  Joseph  W., 
Willard  C.,  Elmer  R.  and  Jacob  R.  Edna  P.  died 
when  an  infant  of  seven  months. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  excellent 
health,  and  surrounded  by  his  grandchildren  and 
great-grand-children,  is  enjoying,  as  he  deserves, 
the  sunset  time  of  life,  comforted  with  a  good  con- 
science and  the  knowledge  that  he  has  fulfilled  his 
part  in  the  great  human  drama  to  the  best  of  his 
ability,  always  read}'  to  speak  a  kindly  word  or 
perform  a  kindly  act  whenever  opportunity  afforded. 
He  is  highly  esteemed  by  all.  He  possesses  in  a  re- 
markable degree  his  mental  facilities,  his  memory 
being  singularly  acute,  enabling  him  to  readily  re- 
call the  scenes  of  his  youth  and  early  manhood,  with 
the  tales  of  which  he  often  regales  both  young  and 
old.  He  relates  an  incident  of  1832,  when  the  re- 
markable immigration  of  squirrels  almost  entirely 


t 


110 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


\ 


destroyed  the  crops  of  the  fanners  in  that  region. 
During  their  passage  over  the  fields  Mr.  Nelson  and 
his  neighbors  killed  over  '2,700  of  these  little 
animals  by  actual  count. 


HRISTOPHER  BURLINGAME,  one  of  the 
honored  pioneers  of  Philo  Township,  .after 
'Jj  a  life  of  industry,  is  spending  his  declining 
years  in  the  village  of  Philo.  He  is  a  native  of 
Marietta,  Ohio,  born  April  18,  1803.  His  father, 
also  named  Christopher,  became  a  resident  of  Ma- 
rietta in  the  fall  of  1790,  two  years  before  that 
portion  of  the  county  was  opened  for  settlement. 
He  took  shelter  for  five  3'ears  following  in  a  block- 
house on  account  of  the  depredations  of  the  In- 
dians, who  were  a  constant  source  of  terror  and  an- 
noyance to  the  pioneers. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in 
Massachusetts,  of  which  the  mother  was  a  native, 
but  Christopher  Burlingame,  Sr.,  was  born  and 
reared  in  Rhode  Island.  He  was  a  descendant  of 
excellent  English  ancestry,  and  possessed  in  a  marked 
degree  their  reliable  and  substantial  traits  of  char- 
acter. Our  subject's  parents,  after  the  birth  of  two 
children,  removed  from  Rutland,  Mass.,  via  Pitts- 
burgh, down  the  Ohio  River  on  a  flatboat.  settling 
at  Marietta,  when  there  were  only  a  few  block- 
houses at  the  mouth  of  the  Muskinguui  River. 
Their  next  two  children  were  born  in  the  old  fort 
where  they,  with  several  other  families,  gathered 
together  for  protection  from  the  Indians. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Susanna  Putnam,  a  daughter  of  Gen. 
Rufus  Putnam,  of  Revolutionary  fame.  The  Gen- 
eral and  his  family  also  removed  to  Marietta  in 
1790,  where  the  sturdy  old  soldier  acted  as  a  kind 
of  protector  for  the  little  colony  at  the  fort.  He 
was  also  appointed  General  Surveyor  of  the  then 
Northwest  Territory,  receiving  his  commission  di- 
rect from  President  George  Washington.  Gen. 
Putnam  died  at  Marietta  in  1824. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  hatter  by  trade 
and  made  the  first  article  of  this  description  west 
of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  He  was  a  man  of 
great  energy  and  industry,  and  the  beaver  hats  of 


that  period  were  the  product  of  his  skill  and  inven- 
tion. In  addition  to  the  proceeds  of  his  trade,  he 
became  owner  of  108  acres  of  land,  but  pursued 
his  manufacture  of  hats,  in  connection  with  farm- 
ing, as  long  as  he  was  able  to  engage  in  active  labor. 
His  life  measured  the  span  of  fourscore  years  and 
eight,  his  death  occurring  in  July,  1841.  The 
mother  had  died  the  year  previously,  aged  seventy- 
two.  They  reared  a  family  of  eleven  children, 
five  sons  and  six  daughters,  all  of  whom,  with  one 
exception,  lived  to  maturity.  Our  subject  is  the 
second  living;  Edwin  is  a  resident  of  Delavan,  111., 
and  is  over  ninety  years  of  age;  Rufus  P.  is  living 
in  Calliope,  Iowa,  and  is  eighty-two  years  old. 

The  childhood  and  youth  of  Mr.  B.  of  our 
sketch  were  passed  under  the  parental  roof,  alter- 
nately as  a  farm  laborer  and  in  assisting  his  father 
!  at  his  trade.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
primitive  schools  of  that  day,  and  upon  reaching 
manhood  was  married  at  Marion,  Ohio,  on  the  loth 
of  November,  1826,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  R.  Bartlett. 
Mrs.  B.  was  a  native  of  New  York  City,  born  Sept. 
2G,  1802,  and  removed  to  Marietta  with  her  parents 
when  a  child.  Both  died  in  Marietta,  the  father 
in  1822,  of  an  epidemic  fever,  and  the  mother  in 
about  1840.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  R.  Burlingame  d^- 
parted  this  life  in  Champaign  in  1876,  aged  seventy- 
four  years.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the 
parents  of  seven  children:  Ann  M.  became  the 
wife  of  William  Newman,  a  farmer  of  Zanesville, 
Ohio;  Sarah  B.  married  Jonathan  Hutchinson,  who 
died  April  23,  1887;  Mrs.  H.  is  now  a  resident  of 
Champaign;  Edwin  married  Miss  Jennie  White- 
house,  and  resides  at  Duluth,  Minn.,  where  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trade;  Charles  L.,  a  lo- 
comotive engineer,  married  Miss  Eliza  Barker,  and 
resides  in  Green  Bay,  Wis. ;  Eliza  J.,  Mrs.  Thomas 
Wight,  is  a  resident  of  Chicago,  her  husband  being 
on  the  Board  of  Trade  there;  Luther  was  married, 
and  died  at  Marietta,  Ohio;  William  W.  met  with 
an  accidental  death  when  three  years  of  age  by  fall- 
ing backward  into  a  kettle  of  boiling  water. 

Mr.  Burlingame  after  his  marriage  resided  four 
years  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  then  removed  to  Zanos- 
ville,  in  the  same  State,  where  he  remained  a  resi- 
dent until  1856.  That  year  he  emigrated  to  Illi, 
nois,  and  locating  upon  a  farm  in  Champaign  Town- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ship,  operated  as  an  agriculturist  for  several  years. 
In  187G,  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  he  returned  to 
Zanesville,  Ohio,  and  lived  there  two  years.  In 
1878  he  came  back  to  this  county,  and  on  the  loth 
of  January  was  married  to  Mrs.  Eliza  A.  (Heath) 
Francisco,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  Count}',  Vt., 
Aug.  29,  1817.  The  present  wife  of  our  subject  is 
the  daughter  of  Samuel  L.  and  Susan  (Spaft'ord) 
Heath,  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  of  New  En- 
gland ancestry  and  parentage.  They  were  married 
at  Middlebury,  Vt.,  where  the  father  operated  as  a 
miller  for  many  years,  but  afterward  removed  to 
Whitehall,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  when  sixty-six 
years  of  age.  He  was  an  active  local  politician 
and  served  in  the  War  of  1812.  He  was  a  stanch 
Whig  and  a  man  of  decided  views.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  B.,  died  in  middle  life  in  New 
Haven,  Vt.  She  was  a  lady  of  excellent  Christian 
character  and  greatly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew 
her.  The  parental  household  included  eleven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Mrs.  B.  was  the  fourth.  She  was 
reared  and  educated  in  Vermont,  and  was  married 
to  Mr.  Francisco  in  Augusta,  Mich. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Philo,  to  the  support  of  which 
they  contribute  liberally  and  cheerfully.  Our  sub- 
ject was  one  of  the  chief  organizers  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church  at  Champaign.  Politically  he 
is  a  warm  supporter  of  Republican  principles,  and 
as  a  man  and  citizen,  has  contributed  his  full  share 
toward  sustaining  the  reputation  and  well-being  of 
his  township.  Mrs.  B.  is  a  lady  of  superior  attain- 
ments, and  is  universally  respected  wherever  known. 


ffi  OHN  M.  MATTHEWS.  The  first  settler  of 
Tolono  Township  was  Isaac  Miller,  the  sec- 
ond C.  M.  Hamilton,  and  the  third  the  sub- 
''  ject  of  this  biography.  The  two  former  de- 
parted from  the  scenes  of  their  earthly  labors  some 
years  since,  and  Mr.  Matthews  is  now  the  'oldest 
settler  in  the  township.  He  has  been  a  resident  of 
Champaign  County  since  February,  1854,  and  dur- 
ing a  period  of  over  thirty  years  has  gathered 
around  him  hosts  of  friends.  His  birth  occurred 
in  Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  April  8,  1830,  and 


since  coming  here  he  has  lived  on  his  present  farm. 

His  father,  William  Matthews,  was  born  in  Arm- 
strong County,  Pa.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and 
learned  the  trade  of  a  ship  carpenter.  For  his  wife, 
among  the  maidens  of  Armstrong  County  he  chose 
Miss  Jane  Guthrie,  who  was  also  a  native  of  that 
county.  Soon  after  marriage  they  proceeded^  to 
Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  and  settled  among  the 
early  pioneers  of  that  region,  where  William  Mat- 
thews followed  farming  -until  1854.  The  parents 
of  our  subject  then  came  to  Illinois  with  their 
family,  and  located  on  section  29,  in  Tolono  Town- 
ship. At  that  time  there  were  only  nine  families 
in  this  locality,  who  lived  amidst  the  timber  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  township.  On  the  north, 
the  nearest  settlement  was  where  the  city  of  Urbana 
now  stands.  Both  parents  died  the  following  year. 
Of  the  seven  children  comprising  the  parental 
household,  three  only  are  now  living,  namely,  Sarah, 
Mrs.  McKelvy,  of  this  township;  Nancy,  Mrs. 
Alen,  of  Olney,  111.,  and  John  M.  of  our  sketch. 

Mr.  Matthews  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
State  and  assisted  his  father  in  tilling  the  soil.  He 
removed  with  the  family  to  Illinois,  and  broke  the 
land  upon  which  were  raised  the  first  crops  in  To- 
lono Township.  He  has  all  his  life  been  engaged 
in  farming  pursuits,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  347 
acres  of  land,  which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state 
of  cultivation.  Of  late  years  he  has  devoted  con- 
siderable attention  to  the  breeding  of  fine  stock. 
The  homestead  comprises  a  convenient  and  substan- 
tial set  of  farm  buildings,  and  everything  about 
the  premises  is  kept  in  good  shape,  indicating  in  a 
marked  manner  the  intelligence  and  enterprise  of 
the  proprietor.  Mr.  Matthews,  both  as  a  citizen 
and  business  man,  is  highly  esteemed  in  the  com- 
munity which  has  known  him  long  and  well.  He 
is  a  believer  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  was  for 
some  years  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church  at 
Tolono.  The  society  disbanded  some  time  ago. 
His  children  are  connected  with  the  Methodist 
Church. 

Our  subject  after  coming  to  this  State  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Lovisa  Ann  Monroe,  on  the 
3d  of  January,  1856.  Mrs.  M.  was  born  in  Scioto 
County,  Ohio,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Nancy  (Snyder)  Monroe,  natives  respectively  of 


•  '   412 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Alleghany  County,  Md.,  and  Scioto  County,  Ohio. 
Joseph  Monroe  was  born  in  October,  1810,  and  his 
wife  the  nth  of  February,  1811.  Both  are  now  de- 
ceased. They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
named  as  follows:  William  J.,  Lovisa  A.,  Charles 
B.,  Lydia  M.,  Nancy,  Martha  J.,  Sarah  A.  and 
Eliza  A.  (twins),  and  George  W.,  only  four  of 
whom  are  living:  William  J.,  Lydia  M.,  Eliza  A. 
and  George  W. 

By  her  union  with  our  subject  Mrs.  Matthews 
became  the  mother  of  eight  children.  She  fulfilled 
all  life's  duties  in  a  faithful  and  praiseworthy  man- 
ner, and  after  a  consistent  Christian  life  closed  her 
eyes  to  the  scenes  of  earth  on  the  21st  of  January, 
1887.  The  last  struggle  continued  but  a  few  hours. 
as  she  was  stricken  down  with  paralysis  and  soon 
passed  from  this  world  to  the  higher  life  beyond. 
She  had  also  been  afflicted  with  dropsy  for  many 
years.  Her  remains  are  interred  in  Craw  Cemetery 
in  Colfax  Township. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Matthews,  living, 
are  Nancy  Jane,  Amanda  (Mrs.  Gilbert  Smith), 
John  W.,  Samantha,  Albertha  May  and  Joseph  A. 
(twins),  and  Addie  L.  One  died  in  infancy  un- 
named. They  have  been  carefully  trained  and  well 
educated,  and  prove  a  source  of  comfort  to  their 
father  in  his  declining  years.  Mr.  Matthews  sup- 
ports the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party,  and 
has  served  as  Road  Commissioner  of  Tolono  Town- 
ship. 


.  ANN  LOUISA  FERRIS.  The  home- 
stead of  this  highly  respected  lady  is  lo- 
cated in  East  Bend  Township,  on  section  1, 
of  which  her  late  husband,  Isaiah  Ferris 
took  possession  in  the  spring  of  about  1850.  He 
afterward  sold  the  farm  to  his  brother,  and  Mrs.  F. 
bought  it  back.  Mr.  Ferris  departed  this  life  Jan. 
27,  1873.  He  was  a  native  of  Hamilton  County 
Ohio,  and  located  in  East  Bend  Township  shortly 
after  coming  to  this  State.  The  subject  of  this  his- 
tory was  born  near  Covirgton,  Ky.,  Aug.  4,  1828 
Her  father  was  Daniel  Robbins,  of  Kentucky,  and 
her  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Maryland, 
who  became  a  sailor  and  was  lost  at  sea  when  his 
son  Daniel  was  a  young  boy.  The  latter  was  reared 


to  manhood  in  his  native  State,  and  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Vickers.  In  1835  they  removed  to  Illi- 
nois, the  journey  being  made  overland  with  wag- 
ons and  a  carriage.  They  located  near  the  present 
city  of  De  Witt,  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that 
region,  and  Mr.  Robbins  was  the  first  man  to  en- 
gage in  general  merchandise  there.  His  goods  were 
transported  from  Chicago  by  farmers  who  carried 
their  grain  there  to  market,  and  whom  he  hired  to 
bring  his  merchandise  on  their  way  back. 

Whenever  Mr.  Robbins  had  occasion  to  visit  the 
then  insignificant  little  town  of  Chicago  he  made  the 
journey  on  horseback,  traveling  through  a  district 
infested  by  wolves  and  Indians,  and  all  sorts  of 
game,  including  turkeys  and  deer.  It  was  no  un- 
common thing  for  a  member  of  the  family  to  go 
out  and  shoot  a  deer  before  breakfast.  Mr.  Rob- 
bins  and  his  brother  put  up  the  first  house  near  the 
present  site  of  the  city  of  De  Witt,  before  the  or- 
ganization of  De  Witt  County.  After  this  Mr. 
Robbins  was  elected  County  Judge,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  served  eight  or  twelve  years.  Later  in  life 
he  retired  to  the  city  of  Clinton,  where  his  death 
took  place  in  about  1872.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Fer- 
ris died  in  Kentucky  in  1834.  The  parental  house- 
hold included  eight  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to 
maturity.  Mrs.  F.  was  but  six  years  old  when  her 
mother  died,  and  a  year  later  her  father  came  to 
Illinois.  He  afterward  married  Miss  Rebecca  Day, 
who  still  survives. 

Mrs.  F.  made  her  home  with  her  father  until  her 
first  marriage,  Oct.  18,  1848,  to  Henry  Rudolph. 
The  latter  was  a  native  of  Logan  County,  III.,  and 
the  son  of  Peter  Rudolph,  who  was  born  in  South- 
ern Illinois  and  became  a  resident  of  Logan  County 
at  an  early  period  in  its  history.  Henry  Rudolph 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  which  he  followed  in  De 
Witt  County  until  1 858,  then  removed  to  Living- 
ston County,  Mo.,  and  purchased  a  small  farm  where 
he  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  He  then  returned 
to  Logan  County,  where  he  lived  a  year,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1862  came  to  this  county  and  rented  a 
farm  in  p]ast  Bend  Township. 

The  Civil  War  being  then  in  progress,  with  no 
prospect  of  an  immediate  settlement  of  the  diffi- 
culty between  the  North  and  South,  Mr.  Rudolph, 
in  the  fall  of  that  year,  laid  aside  his  personal  in- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


413 


terests  and  enlisted  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union  in  Co. 
F,  125th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  He  participated  in  many  of 
the  hard-fought  battles  of  the  war,  and  in  the  en- 
gagement at  Kennesaw  Mountain,  June  27,  1864, 
was  instantly  killed  by  a  ball  from  the  enemy.  Of 
his  marriage  there  were  born  six  sons  and  two 
daughters:  Miranda  Jane  is  deceased ;  Charles  F. 
is  a  resident  of  Meade  County,  Kan. ;  Francis  V. 
resides  on  the  homestead  with  his  mother;  Kansas 
F.  is  farming  in  Bourbon  County,  Kan ;  Fremont  is 
a  resident  of  Syracuse,  Ka.n. ;  William  lives  in  Bent 
County,  Col.,  and  Henry,  a  teacher,  makes  his  home 
with  his  mother.  Mr.  Rudolph  was  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Mrs.  Rudolph  was  married  to  Isaiah  Ferris  on 
the  Gth  of  July,  1865.  Since  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band she  has  managed  her  farming  and  business 
affairs  with  excellent  judgment,  and  is  a  lady 
greatly  respected  for  her  excellent  traits  of  charac- 
ter. As  a  mother  she  has  been  devoted  to  the  in- 
terests of  her  children,  rearing  them  wisely  and 
giving  them  the  benefits  of  a  good  education.  She 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
1861,  and  has  been  the  encourager  and  supporter  of 
every  enterprise  tending  to  the  intellectual  and 
moral  welfare  of  the  community. 


I 


IMON  P.  PERCIVAL,  one  of  the  honored 
pioneers  of  this  county  and  Champaign 
Township,  came  to  this  locality  in  the 
spring  of  1852,  and  in  the  years  that  fol- 
lowed has  thoroughly  identified  himself  with  the 
interests  of  his  adopted  county.  He  commenced 
in  life  with  but  little  capital  save  his  native  resolu- 
tion and  industry,  and  presents  a  fine  illustration  of 
the  self-made  man  who  has  arisen  from  a  humble 
position  to  the  front  ranks  among  his  fellow-citizens 
and  in  the  industrial  and  agricultural  community. 
His  fine  homestead,  located  on  section  24,  is  a 
model  farm  in  all  respects.  The  residence  is  finely 
located,  and  the  barns  and  other  out-buildings  are 
admirabty  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  extensive 
stock  and  grain  raiser. 

Mr.  Percival  was  born  in  Brownington.  Orleans 
Co.,  Vt.,  Jan.  20,  1818.     His  father,  Orin  Percival, 


a  native  of  Hampshire  County,  Mass.,  was  there 
reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  after  arriving  at 
years  of  manhood  married  Miss  Laney  Burroughs,  a 
native  of  Plainfield,  Mass.  After  their  marriage  the 
young  couple  located  in  Vermont,  being  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Orleans  County.  The  father  of 
our  subject  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  which  he 
cultivated  until  1824.  Then,  desiring  to  see  some- 
thing of  the  West,  he  emigrated  with  his  family  to 
Ohio,  and  being  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  the 
country,  bought  a  farm  in  Geauga  County,  and  es- 
tablished a  permanent  homestead,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of,  his  life.  Simon  Burroughs,  the 
maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  emigrated  from 
Massachusetts  to  Ohio  in  1803,  making  the  entire 
journey  with  ox-teams.  He  was  among  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Geauga  County,  where  he  cleared  a  farm 
from  the  wilderness,  and  occupied  it  until  his  death. 

Simon  P.  Percival  was  a  lad  of  six  years  when 
his  parents  removed  from  the  Green  Mountain 
State  to  Ohio.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Geauga  County,  and  received  a  fair  educa- 
tion in  the  pioneer  schools.  He  remained  under 
the  home  roof  until  twenty-five  years  old,  and 
afterward,  for  some  years,  made  his  home  with  his 
brother-in-law  in  Parkman  Township.  He  was  of  a 
speculative  turn  of  mind,  and  while  engaged  in 
farm  work  dealt,  considerably  in  horses  and  cattle. 
In  1850  he  came  to  Illinois  and  engaged  in  farming 
in  Cass  County. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  that  year,  Mr.  Percival  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Catherine  C.  Beals. 
Mrs.  P.  was  born  in  Geauga  County,  Ohio,  Aug.  14, 
1823,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Alvard  Beals,  who 
was  born  in  Cummington,  Mass.  Her  paternal 
grandfather  was  Peter  Beals,  also  a  native  of  the 
Bay  State.  Her  maternal  grandfather,  Jedediah 
Beard,  also  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  was  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  of  Geauga  County.  Ohio,  going 
there  soon  after  it  was  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a 
State.  For  many  years  afterward  Pittsburgh  was 
the  nearest  milling  point  and  depot  for  supplies, 
and  Mr.  Beard  used  to  make  the  journey  on  horse- 
back, following  an  Indian  trail.  Peter  Beals  settled 
in  Geauga  County  in  about  1812,  and  built  the 
first  hotel  in  the  town  of  Burton,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  some  time.  His  son,  Alvard,  was  fourteen 


,  ,    414 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


years  of  age  when  lie  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Ohio,  and  was  married  in  Geauga  County  to  Miss 
Charlotte  Beard.  He  purchased  laud  and  cleared 
a  farm  four  miles  from  Burton.  In  the  winter  of 
1842-43  he  sold  out,  and  removed  with  his  wife  to 
Illinois.  They  located  in  what  was  afterward 
Boardstown,  where  Mr.  B.  purchased  a  farm  and 
established  a  permanent  homestead,  where  he  passed 
the  last  years  of  his  life. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Percival  spent 
one  year  in  Cass  County,  where  our  subject  farmed 
on  rented  land.  In  the  spring  of  1852  he  came  to 
Champaign  County,  and  purchased  forty  acres  in 
Urbana  Township,  on  section  19.  Upon  this  was 
the  first  log  house  which  had  been  built  in  this 
township,  and  which  was  utilized  as  the  first  hotel. 
It  was  subsequently  taken  down  and  removed  to 
the  land  which  Mr.  Percival  had  purchased.  This 
he  occupied  with  his  family  for  a  period'  of  ten 
years.  He  was  prospered  in  his  farming  operations 
and  in  due  time  added  to  his  real  estate,  erecting, 
in  18C2,  the  more  modern  frame  dwelling  which  is 
now  the  family  residence.  Upon  coming  to  this 
State  Mr.  Percival  was  the  possessor  of  $400  in 
cash  and  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Michigan,  for  which 
he  had  traded  a  second-hand  wagon.  He  is  now 
the  owner  of  700  acres  of  choice  land,  besides 
valuable  personal  property  and  bank  stock.  The 
seven  children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
Charles  A.,  Alvard,  Curtis,  Otis,  Orin,  Joseph  and 
Abraham.  Mr.  Percival  is  Republican  in  politics 
and  has  for  many  years  been  prominent  among  the 
affairs  of  his  township  and  county. 


young 
native 
was 

born  on  the  3d  of  June,  1858.  He  became  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Prairie  State  in  1867,  and  is  now  pleas- 
antly located  upon  a  finely  improved  farm,  on 
which  is  erected  a  good  set  of  frame  buildings, 
and  which  in  all  respects  indicates  the  supervision 
of  the  modern  and  progressive  agriculturist.  Mr. 
V.  takes  a  just  pride  in  his  homestead  and  has 
spent  about  $1,000  in  tile  alone,  with  which  the 


land  is  thoroughly  drained,  and  is  now  capable  of 
producing  the  finest  crops  in  this  section  of  the 
State. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  James  Van  Wegen  by 
name,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  was  born 
in  Orange  County  on  the  3d  of  June,  1827.  It  is 
supposed  that  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Phil- 
lip Van  Wegen,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  in  which  the  great-grandfather,  a  native  of 
Germany,  settled  at  an  early  day,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  ancestors  of  our 
subject  were  farmers  for  several  generations  back. 
Phillip  Van  Wegen  owned  a  farm  in  Orange  County, 
N.  Y.,  six  miles  from  Port  Jarvis.  where  he  spent 
the  latter  part  of  his  life,  but  died  at  the  home  of 
his  son  in  about  1 876.  His  wife,  before  her  mar- 
riage, was  Miss  Clarissa  Skinner,  of  Orange  County, 
Their  son  James,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
reared  on  the  farm  in  Orange  County,  and  after 
arriving  at  years  of  manhood,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  May  E.  Wells,  on  the  29th  of  June, 
1850.  Mrs.  V.  was  born  in  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y., 
March  16,  1827.  Her  father,  AVilliam  Wells,  was 
also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  where  he  spent 
his  entire  life,  dying  in  Sullivan  County  in  1862. 
The  mother,  who  before  her  marriage  was  Miss 
Elizabeth  Skinner,  was  also  born  ir  Orange  County, 
and  was  the  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
Skinner,  natives  6f  New  York  State. 

After  their  marriage  the  parents  of  our  subject 
lived  on  the  old  homestead  in  Orange  County  four 
years,  then  removed  to  Sullivan  County,  to  the 
farm  belonging  to  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Wells,  where 
they  resided  until  May,  1867.  Thence  they  re- 
moved westward  to  this  State,  and  Mr.  V.  for  some 
years  operated  on  rented  land,  then  purchased  a 
farm  in  Tolono  Township.  They  made  their  home 
there  until  1883,  when,  on  account  of  failing  health 
he  sold  out,  and  removing  to  Kansas,  purchased 
property  in  Drury,  Sumner  County,  where  he  put 
up  a  store  building  and  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandise, which  he  carried  on  until  his  death  in 
January,  1886.  Mrs.  V.  now  lives  with  her  son, 
our  subject. 

Lee  Van  Wegen  was  a  lad  of  twelve  years  when 
he  came  into  this  county  with  his  parents.  Here 
his  education  was  completed,  and  he  made  his  home 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


417 


with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  .of 
age.  lie  was  then  married  and  commenced  life  for 
himself  on  a  rented  farm,  which  he  occupied  for 
five  years  following.  In  the  meantime  he  purchased 
two  eighty  raere  tracts  of  land  in  Tolono  Township, 
which,  in  1883,  he  traded  for  the  farm  he  now 
owns  and  occupies.  This  he  has  brought  to  a  good 
state  of  cultivation  and  it  is  supplied  with  a  good 
set  of  frame  buildings.  He  is  yet  a  young  man,  but 
his  energy  and  industry  bid  fair  to  pave  his  way 
to  prosperity  and  a  handsome  competency. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Ellen 
Hammer  took  place  in  Tolono  Township  on  the 
27th  of  February.  1879.  Mrs.  V.  was  born  in 
Scott  Township,  this  county,  April  30,  1859,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Harper)  Ham- 
mer, both  natives  of  Ohio,  who  came  to  this  vicin- 
ity and  located  in  Scott  Township  in  the  pioneer 
days.  Mr.  Hammer  there  purchased  a  tract  of 
wild  prairie  land,  from  which  he  opened  up  a  fine 
farm,  which  he  occupied  until  his  death,  in  1874. 
The  mother  had  died  two  years  previously,  in 
1872.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Wegeu  have  two  chil- 
dren— Nellie  and  Ettie.  In  politics  our  subject  is 
Democratic,  and  a  cordial  supporter  of  the  present 
administration.  In  local  affairs  he  is  independent. 


J JOSEPH  H.  WELLE.S,  a  resident  of  Com- 
promise Tp.,  for  over  twenty  years,  and 
i  whose  portrait  is  shown  in  this  connection, 
in  seeking  a  location  for  his  permanent  home, 
selected  a  spot  many  leagues  from  his  birthplace, 
the  latter  being  Glas.tonbury,  Conn.,  and  the  date 
thereof  Oct.  19,  1818.  His  parents,  Joseph  and 
Lucy  (House)  Welles,  natives  of  the  same  State, 
remover!  from  New  England  to  Ohio  in  1835,  lo- 
cating near  the  spot  which  is  now  occupied  by  a 
large  portion  of  the  city  of  Columbus.  The  father 
engaged  in  farming,  and  the  parents  made  their 
home  there  during  their  lifetime,  the  mother  pass- 
ing to  her  final  rest  in  1844.,  and  Joseph  Welles, 
eight  yours  later,  in  1852.  The  latter  was  a  cousin 
of  Gideon  Welles,  late  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
The  parental  family  included  fourteen  children, 
eleven  of  whom  grew  to  adu'.t  3'ears,  and  five  of 


these  still  survive,  viz.,  Delia  W.,  Mrs.  Weaver; 
Lucy  W.,  Mrs.  Maynard;  Clarissa  W.,  Mrs.  Butler; 
Samuel,  and  Joseph  II.  of  our  sketch. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  during  his  boyhood 
and  youth,  spent  his  time  after  the  manner  of  most 
farmers'  boys,  until  the  spring  of  1835,  when  he 
was  nearly  seventeen  years  of  age.  Then,  pro- 
ceeding to  New  York  City,  he  became  clerk  for 
his  brother  Edwin,  who  was  engaged  in  the  grocery 
trade.  After  two  and  one-half  years,  his  parents 
in  the  meantime  having  removed  to  Ohio,  he  joined 
them  therp,  and  in  1848  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Sarah  A.  Jones.  Mrs.  Welles  was  born 
in  the  town  of  Unity,  Waldo  Co.,  Me.,  March  8,, 
1 830,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Nancy 
A.  (Ames)  Jones,  who  removed  from  Maine  to 
Ohio  in  1844.  Mr.  Welles,  having  inherited  fifty 
acres  of  land  from  his  father's  estate,  located  upon 
this  after  his  marriage,  remaining  there  until  1863. 
In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  came  to  this  State,  and 
lived  in  Tazewell  County  two  years,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Champaign  County,  locating  upon  his 
present  homestead.  This  originally  consisted  of 
320  acres,  half  of  which  he  afterward  sold,  and  has 
now  160.  The  thorough  and  proper  cultivation  of 
this  employs  most  of  his  time.  At  the  time  of  pur- 
chase, not  a  foot  of  his  land  had  been  broken,  and 
it  may  easily  be  imagined  how  faithfully  and  in- 
dustriously he  has  labored  to  perfect  it  as  the  prop- 
erty of  the  modern  and  progressive  farmer. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Welles  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  nine  children,  who  are  recorded  as 
follows:  Lucy  is  the  wife  of  C.  C.  White,  of  Gif- 
ford,  111.;  Fannie  died  when  seventeen  years  old; 
Samuel  resides  near  Penfield;  Hattie,  the  wife  of 
Mahlon  K.  Taylor,  lives  in  Columbus,  Ohio;  Lidie 
is  at  home  with  her  parents;  Mary  B.  married 
Charles  W.  Ellis,  and  they  live  in  Gifford;  Maria 
W.,  with  her  husband,  Joseph  McHenry,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Brazil,  Ind. ;  Thomas  B.  and  Winthrop 
are  at  home. 

Mr.  Welles  politically  affiliates  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  of  which  he  has  been  a  member  since 
its  organization,  in  1856.  He  has  been  a  man 
prominent  in  his  community,  and  one  whose  opin- 
ions arc  held  in  respect.  He  served  as  Town  Clerk 
for  several  years,  and,  with  his  wife,  is  a  believer 


*£+•- 

418 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


in  the  Christian   religion,  although    not  identified 
with  any  Church  deuoniination. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Welles  were 
Amos  and  Mary  Jones.  The  former  was  born  in 
Massachusetts  in  1761,  and  was  of  Scotch  ancestry. 
Directly  after  the  Revolution  he  migrated  with  a 
family  named  Coster,  with  whom  he  was  related, 
to  Unit3'.  Me.  His  wife,  Mary  Pattee,  was  the 
oldest  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Pattee,  of  the  State  of 
Maine.  Her  parents  were  of  Irish  descent.  Her 
father  built  the  first  mill  in  the  village  of  Unity. 
Amos  .lones  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  and  received  an  honorable  wound,  on  ac- 
count of  which  he  afterward  drew  a  pension  from 
the  Government.  He  died  April  20,  1842;  his 
wife  June  8,  1838,  aged  seventy-two.  Mrs.  Welles' 
mother's  parents,  John  and  Naticy  Ames,  also  na- 
tives of  Maine,  spent  their  entire  lives  near  the 
place  of  their  birth.  A  brother  and  sister  of  Mrs. 
Welles  are  living  in  Kansas.  Thomas  Jones  and 
his  second  wife  died  in  Piatt  County,  this  State. 
The  mother  of  Mrs.  Welles  died  in  her  native  State 
of  Maine. 


IDNEY  KETCHUM,  retired  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  is  now  occupying  a  pleasant 
and  tasteful  residence  in  the  village  of 
Fisher,  where  he  owns  valuable  property, 
besides  a  fine  farm  of  320  acres  in  Condit  Town- 
ship and  170  acres  in  Marshall  County,  this  State. 
His  land  is  nearly  all  improved,  and  the  farm  fur- 
nished with  suitable  buildings  and  the  latest  im- 
proved machinery.  Mr.  Ketchum  may  be  fairly 
ranked  among  the  representative  men  of  this  county, 
who  by  his  energy  and  enterprise  has  contributed 
materially  to  its  growth  and  prosperity.  His  birth 
occurred  in  BUCJTUS,  Crawford  Co.,  Ohio,  -Dec.  3, 
1844,  his  parents  remaining  in  the  Buckeye  State 
seven  years  afterward,  when  they  disposed  of  their 
property  there  and  removed  to  Illinois.  They 
were  Eddie  and  Harriet  (Smith)  Ketchum,  the  for- 
mer., born  near  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  in  1802,  and  the 
latter  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  After  marriage 
they  settled  in  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  among  the 
pioneers  of  that  region,  where  Mr.  K.  carried  on 
farming  until  his  removal  to  the  Prairie  State,  in 


1S;")2.  The  father  for  several  years  afterward  car- 
ried on  agriculture  in  Marshall  County,  and  finally 
retired  to  the  residence  of  his  son,  Kliphalet,  in 
Ford  County,  111.,  where  he  departed  this  life  in 
October,  1884.  The  mother  is  still  living,  and  a 
resident  of  this  county. 

The  parental,  family  comprised  six  sous  and  four 
daughters,  the  eldest  of  whom  died  when  quite 
young.  The  record  of  the  survivors  is  as  follows : 
Daniel  married  Miss  Mary  C.  McYicker,  and  resides 
in  Henry,  111. ;  Nancy,  the  wife  of  John  Combs, 
is  living  on  a  farm  near  Bushnell,  this  State: 
Eliphalet  married  Miss  Amanda  Hiltabrand,  and 
is  a  resident  of  Ford  County:  Ichabod  married 
Miss  Aurilla  Doud,  and  lives  near  Rantoul;  Smith 
married  Miss  Martha  Clement,  and  lives  three 
miles  northwest  of  Elmwuod,  this  State,  where  he 
is  minister  of  the  Baptist  Congregation ;  Spencer 
married  Miss  Electa  Atwood,  and  is  farming  in 
Marshall  County,  111. ;  Harriett  S.  became  the  wife 
of  C.  W.  Peck,  a  farmer  of  Condit  Township,  where 
also  resides  Martha  E.,  now  Mrs.  H.  J.  Stansell; 
Sidney  of  this  sketch  was  the  youngest  son. 

Our  subject  was  bred  to  farming  pursuits,  which 
he  has  been  contented  to  follow  thus  far  in  life.  He 
is  yet  in  his  prime,  but  was  obliged  to  abandon  act- 
ive labor  on  account  of  ill-health.  Although  hav- 
ing the  general  supervision  of  his  land,  it  is  chiefly 
operated  by  a  tenant,  and  from  the  proceeds  Mr.  K. 
realizes  a  handsome  income  annually.  In  politics  he 
is  a  stanch  Democrat. 


ALEM  HENSLEY,  a  highly  respected 
farmer  of  the  township  which  bears  his 
name,  is  the  owner  of  240  acres  of  valua- 
ble land,  finely  improved  and  thoroughly 
drained,  located  on  section  26.  He  is  a  representa- 
tive citizen  in  all  respects,  and  a  practical  illustra- 
tion of  what  may  be  accomplished  by  industry,  en- 
ergy, and  the  exercise  of  wise  judgment.  Our  sub- 
ject is  a  native  of  Brown  County,  Ohio,  and  was 
born  Dec.  10,  1836.  He  is  the  son  of  Archibald 
P.  Hensley,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1806. 
The  mother  of  the  latter  was  left  a  widow  when 
Archibald  was  quite  small,  but  remained  with  her 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


419 


family  in  Ohio,  and;lu'  there  grow  to  manhood.  He 
\v:is  reared  on  a  farm  until  seventeen  years  old,  then 
became  an  apprentice  to  learn  the  tanner's  trade,  at 
which  he  served  some  years,  but  only  worked  as  a 
''jour"  a  short  time.  Soon  after  becoming  master 
of  his  trade  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  near  Rip- 
ley,  Brown  Co.,  Ohio,  where  he  established  a  tan- 
nery and  conducted  this  in  connection  with  farm- 
ing until  1855.  In  that  year  he  sold  out,  and  com- 
ing West  to  Illinois  laid  his  plans  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  future  home.  The  journey  hither  was 
made  via  the  Ohio  and  Wabash  Rivers  to  Cov- 
ington,  Ind.,  and  thence  to  Champaign  overland. 
He  had  visited  this  section  the  fall  previous  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  what  is  now  Hens- 
ley  Township.  This  land  was  little  removed 
from  its  original  condition.  The  family  remained 
in  Champaign  a  few  weeks  while  the  father  cut 
lumber  at  Urbana  and  removed  it  to  his  embryo 
farm,  where  he  erected  a  frame  house  and  com- 
menced the  improvement  of  his  land,  following 
this  up  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Aug.  1, 
1876. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Wealth}'  T.  Shaw,  also  a  native  of  Brown 
County,  Ohio,  who  came  West  with  her  family. 
She  is  still  living  and  makes  her  home  with  her 
children.  Archibald  Hensley  was  the  first  Super- 
visor of  the  township,  and  became  a  man  of  influ- 
ence, holding  the  various  offices  of  trust  within  the 
gift  of  his  townsmen.  He  was  Assistant  Super- 
visor when  this  was  a  part  of  Champaign  Town- 
ship. He  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  early  life  in  Ohio,  and  was  a  cheerful 
and  liberal  contributor  to  the  cause  of  education 
and  morality. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  fifth  child 
and  third  son  of  his  parents.  He  received  his  early 
education  in  the  district  school,  and  upon  becoming 
of  suitable  age  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm.  He 
was  eighteen  years  old  when  he  came  to  Illinois,  on 
which  journey  he  was  accompanied  by  his  brother. 
Their  outfit  consisted  of  one  pair  of  oxen,  a  span 
of  horses  and  two  wagons.  They  left  the  oxen  in 
Cincinnati,  as  they  had  become,  unfit  for  further 
service,  and  finished  their  journey  with  their 
horses  alone.  After  the  parents  joined  them  our 

«•  


subject  took  up  his  abode  with  them,  remaining  un- 
til his  marriage.  About  this  time  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  which  constitutes  a  part  of  his 
present  farm.  The  wife  of  our  subject  before  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Rebecca  A.  Howard,  and  the 
wedding  occurred  in  January,  1H64.  Mrs.  H.  was 
born  in  Brown  Count}',  Ohio,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Campbell  and  Angeline  (Forsythe)  Howard,  also 
natives  of  the  Buckeye  State.  Our  subject's  fam- 
ily included  seven  children,  namely :  Weltha  Ange- 
line, who  married  Curtis  Paul,  and  died  Jan.  9,  1886, 
leaving  two  children — May  and  Florence;  the  lat- 
ter died  July  28,  1886;  Howard,  Frank,  William  C., 
Charles  Marion,  Alfred  Salem  and  Mary  Eliza- 
beth. Our  subject  is  Republican  in  politics,  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  are  prominently  connected 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  Howard  family  settled  in  Brown  County, 
Ohio,  at  an  early  day,  taking  up  their  abode  in 
Union  Township  while  it  was  yet  a  wilderness. 
There  the  father  cleared  a  farm  and  established  a 
comfortable  homestead,  which  he  occupied  until 
his  death.  In  early  manhood  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Whig  party,  but  after  the  organization  of  the 
Republicans  cordially  endorsed  their  principles, 
and  afterward  cast  his  vote  in  support  of  them. 
Both  parents  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church. 


HARLES  PARKER.  Among  those  who  as- 
sisted in  redeeming  the  prairie  from  its  origi- 
nal  condition  and  fitting  it  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  rich  crops  indigenous  to  the  soil  of 
Illinois,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  took  a  prominent 
part.  He  came  West  in  March,  1866,  and  after  a 
brief  residence  in  Woodford  and  Livingston  Coun- 
ties, this  State,  purchased  the  land  which  he  has 
now  transformed  into  one  of  the  finest  farms  in 
Ludlow  Township  and  which  embraces  ISO  acres  of 
section  4,  and  eighty  acres  adjoining  in  Ford 
County.  The  fields  are  outlined  by  beautiful  hedge 
fences  and  most  of  them  include  forty  acres,  a  part 
devoted  to  pasturage  and  the  balance  to  grain-rais- 
ing. As  a  farmer  Mr.  Parker  has  been  methodical 
in  his  operations  and  uniformly  successful,  while  as 


f 


420 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


a  business  men  he  is  prompt  to  meet  his  obligations, 
his  word  being  considered  as  good  as  his  bond. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  the  wealthy  and  popu- 
lous State  of  Ohio,  his  birth  taking  place  in  Tate 
Township,  Clermont  County,  Feb.  13,  1836.  His 
ancestors  were  English  and  located  in  New  Jersey, 
whence  his  grandfather,  Isaac  Parker,  in  1847  emi- 
grated to  Ohio,  locating  in  Hamilton  County.  Cin- 
cinnati, the  Queen  City  of  the  West,  was  then  but 
a  small  village,  and  it  is  said  that  Isaac  Parker  was 
offered  a  tract  of  seventy  acres  now  included  in 
the  city  limits  in  exchange  for  a  horse,  but  declined, 
considering  that  he  would  be  no  gainer  by  the  bar- 
gain. He  resided  in  Hamilton  County  but  a  short 
time,  then  going  into  Clermont  County,  cleared  a 
farm  from  the  wilderness  and  established  a  com- 
fortable homestead,  which  he  occupied  until  his 
death.  There  also  he  retired  a  fine  family  of  chil- 
dren, among  whom  was  Isaac  Parker,  the  father  of 
our  subject. 

When  but  a  youth  of  eighteen  years  old  the  lat- 
ter had  located  with  his  parents  amid  the  wilds  of 
Clermont  County,  Ohio,  where  not  long  afterward 
he  married,  and  purchased  the  farm  in  Tate  Town- 
ship, upon  which  he  settled  in  1830,  and  which  his 
father-in-law,  Robert  Burnett,  opened  up  in  1803. 
This  property  still  remains  in  possession  of  the 
family.  In  those  days  there  was  no  market  for 
produce  in  the  whole  State,  and  Isaac  Parker  was 
obliged  to  carry  his  corn  to  a  distillery  and  have  it 
made  into  whisky,  which,  with  bacon  and  other 
produce,  he  transported  on  a  flatboat  down  the 
river  and  sold  at  the  plantations  or  in  different 
towns.  He  occupied  the  farm  upon  which  he  first 
settled  until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  Decem- 
ber, 188G,  when  he  was  eighty-six  years  old.  His 
wife,  who  was  formerly  Mrs.  Hannah  Burnett,  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  and  was  of  Welsh  parentage 
and  ancestry. 

The  children  of  this  worthy  pair  received  care- 
ful home  training  and  such  education  as  the-district 
schools  of  those  days  afforded.  Charles,  of  our 
sketch,  later  entered  Clermont  Acidemy,  where  he 
fitted  himself  for  college,  by  a  three  years'  course. 
When  nineteen  years  old  he  became  a  student  of 
Farmer  College,  in  Hamilton  County,  where  he  at- 
tended three  years,  and  completed  his  education, 


after  coining  to  Illinois,  in  Eureka  College,  in 
Woodford  County.  After  graduating  he  accepted 
a  position  as  book-keeper  with  the  firm  of  Burnett 
<fe  Abrahams,  merchants  in  Bowie  County,  Tex. 
After  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion  he  returned  to 
Ohio,  taught  school  in  the  winter,  and  worked  on  a 
farm  the  balance  of  the  year  until  18G6,  the  year 
of  his  arrival  in  this  State. 

The  marriage  of  Charles  Parker  and  Miss  Louisa 
Marion  took  place  in  Tazewell  County,  March  18, 
1875.  They  have  one  child,  a  son,  Jean  Chester, 
born  Jan.  12.  1885.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Parker 
were  Calvin  and  Elizabeth  (Hughes)  Marion.  The 
paternal  grandfather,  Elijah  Marion,  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  emigrated  to  Ohio  in  about  1805, 
and  located  in  Franklin  County  soon  after  its  or- 
ganization. The  farm  which  he  cleared  from  the 
wilderness  is  now  included  in  the  city  of  Columbus, 
where  he  died  when  eighty-six  years  of  age. 

Calvin  Marion  was  three  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  removed  from  Massachusetts  to  Ohio,  where 
he  was  reared  to  manhood  and  whence,  in  1 832, 
after  his  marriage,  he  emigrated  overland  to  Illi- 
nois, locating  first  in  Tazewell  County.  The  land 
which  he  entered  was  finally  included  in  Groveland 
Township.  Peoria,  then  Ft.  Clark,  was  the  nearest 
depot  for  supplies.  He  sometimes  transported  his 
wheat  with  teams  to  Chicago,  which  was  170  miles 
distant.  Both  parents  are  living,  and  occupy  the 
old  homestead  in  Tazewell  County,  the  father  being 
eighty-five  years  old  and  the  mother  eight  years 
younger. 

Mrs.  Parker  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  having  joined  when  eighteen  years 
old.  In  politics  Mr.  Parker  is  a  stanch  supporter 
of  the  Democratic  party.  All  his  family  have 
always  been  Democrats  since  the  organization  of 
the  party. 


HOMAS  LYONS,  of  Tolono  Township,  lo- 
cated on  section  17  in  1873.  Here  he  has 
200  acres  of  highly  cultivated  land,  and  one 
of  the  finest  residences  in  the  county,  a  view  of 
which  is  to  be  seen  on  another  page.  He  is  well 
known  as  one  of  the  most  successful  and  skillful 
farmers  of  this  locality,  who  has  secured  a  buauti- 


HP* 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


421 


ful  home  and  a  competency  through  his  own  un- 
aided efforts.  Mr.  Lyons  is  a  native  of  "  Erin's 
Green  Isle,"  and  was  born  in  County  Kerry,  in 
December,  1829.  He  is  the  son  of  Timothy  and 
Julia  (Kane)  Lyons,  and  early  in  life  was  taught 
those  habits  of  industry  and  economy  which  have 
been  the  secret  of  his  success. 

Our  subject,  in  1855,  in  company  with  his  father, 
set  sail  for  the  United  States.  From  New  York 
City  they  proceeded  to  Chester  County,  Pa.,  where 
they  remained  until  1859,  the  mother  having  joined 
her  husband  and  son  the  year  after  their  arrival 
here.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  the  parents 
came  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Sangamon  County, 
where  the  father  died  iu  18C1,  and  his  remains 
were  laid  to  rest  in  Oak  Ridge  Cemetery  in  Spring- 
field. The  mother  afterward  joined  her  son  in 
Champaign  County,  and  departed  this  life  at  her 
home  in  Tolono  Township.  She  was  buried  in 
Champaign  Cemetery.  Of  their  family  there  are 
now  only  two  children  living — Thomas,  of  our 
sketch,  and  his  brother  Michael,  a  resident  of  Col- 
fax  Township. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  years  in  his  native 
county,  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age  sought  the 
great  city  of  London,  England,  where  for  a  time 
he  secured  employment  as  a  general  laborer.  Af- 
ter emigrating  to  this  country  he  remained  with 
his  parents  in  Pennsylvania  four  years,  working  for 
one  man  during  the  entire  time.  After  coming 
west  to  Sangamon  County  he  was  employed  by 
one  man  seven  years,  beginning  with  $10  per 
month,  which  was  increased  to  $20.  in  due  time, 
b}'  careful  management  and  the  exercise  of  close 
economy,  he  found  himself  possessed  of  $500,  with 
which  he  purchased  a  team  and  other  necessary 
farm  implements,  and  commenced  as  an  agricultur- 
ist on  his  own  hook.  For  seven  years  he  carried 
on  a  farm  in  De  Witt  County,  whence  he  removed 
to  Champaign  County  in  1873.  He  has  been  most 
prosperous  in  his  undertakings,  and  considering  the 
fact  that  he  had  but  twenty -five  cents  in  his  pocket 
when  landing  upon  American  shores,  his  career  has 
been  truly  remarkable. 

The  faithful  and  devoted  companion  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  has  followed  him  through  all  his  wander- 
ings, and  rejoiced  in  his  successes,  was  Miss  Lizzie 


Clifford,  who  became  his  wife  in  London,  England, 
in  1853.  She  was  a  native  of  his  own  county  in 
Ireland,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  Julia  be- 
came the  wife  of  Col.  George  Butler,  of  Indianap- 
olis, Ind.,  and  died  there  in  1883;  she  is  buried  in 
Crown  Hill  Cemetery.  Mary  married  John  Lof- 
t;is,  and  is  living  in  Urbana;  Jeremiah  is  deceased, 
and  his  remains  are  interred  in  Oak  Ridge  Ceme- 
tery;  Ellen  is  keeping  house  for  her  brother  in 
Urbana*  John  F.  is  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade 
in  the  latter-named  place ;  Thomas  E.  is  a  partner 
in  the  grocery  trade  at  Urbana;  William,  deceased, 
is  buried  in  Oak  Ridge  Cemetery;  Daniel  W.  is 
also  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  with  his  brothers, 
John  and  Thomas,  and  the  firm  is  well  known  as 
Lyons  Brothers ;  one  child  died  in  infancy,  and  is 
also  buried  in  Oak  Ridge  Cemetery. 

Mr.  Lyons,  politically,  usually  affiliates  with  the 
Democratic  party,  although  not  by  any  means  a 
partisan,  but  in  1860  cast  his  presidential  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln.  Religiously  he  adheres  to  the 
Catholic  faith  of  his  fathers,  and  attends  religious 
services  at  Tolono. 


eORNELIUS  DYER,  a  highly  esteemed  farm 
resident  of  Hensley  Township,  is  a  native  of 
Bloomingburg,  Fayette  Co.,  Ohio,  and  was 
born  Sept.  21,  1841.  His  father,  Hugh  C.  Dyer, 
and  his  grandfather,  Isaac  Dyer,  were  both  natives 
of  Virginia,  whence  the  latter  removed  late  in  life 
and  spent  his  last  days  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio. 
His  son  Hugh,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  reared 
to  manhood  in  the  Old  Dominion,  and  was  there 
first  married.  After  his  wife's  death  he  went  to 
Ohio  and  purchased  a  partially  cleared  tract  of  laud 
in  Favette  County.  He  had  learned  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter  and  miller  in  Virginia,  but  after  becoming 
a  resident  of  the  Buckeye  State  devoted  the  princi- 
pal part  of  his  time  to  farming.  He  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  in  Fayette  County,  and  died  in 
about  1859.  The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Mary  A.  Abernathy,  of  Virginia, 
and  by  her  union  with  Hugh  Dyer  she  became  the 
mother  of  twelve  children, 


422 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


..f 

i 


Cornelius  Dyer,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  seventh 
child  of  the  family,  and  spent  his  childhood  and 
youth  on  the  farm,  in  the  meantime  pursuing  his 
studies  in  the  public  schools;  later  his  education 
was  advanced  by  attendance  at  Audubon  Univer- 
sity. After  leaving  school  he  engaged  as  clerk  in 
a  boot-and-shoe  store  at  Bloomingburg,  Ohio,  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  war.  He  then  proffered  his 
services  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army  under  the 
first  call  for  troops,  becoming  a  member  of  Co.  F, 
21st  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  for  the  three  months'  service. 
At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment  he  re- 
turned home  and  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the 
store  where  he  had  been  employed,  and  engaged  in 
business  in  Ohio  until  January,  1862.  He  then  de- 
cided to  seek  the  Prairie  State,  and  coming  into 
this  county  engaged  in  teaching.  The  war  still 
being  in  progress,  he  enlisted  again  in  1863,  in  Co- 
H,  71st  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  for  100  days.  He  served  his 
time  once  more,  and  then  returning  home  resumed 
teaching  one  year,  afterward  returning  to  Ohio,  and 
was  occupied  as  clerk  until  1860.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  he  returned  to  Champaign  County,  and 
the  following  summer  herded  cattle  on  the  open 
prairie. 

In  the  fall  of  that  year  Mr.  Dyer  was  married, 
and  returning  with  his  bride  to  Ohio,  resumed 
clerking  two  years,  and  then  came  back  to  Illinois 
and  locating  in  Ashmore,  Coles  County,  engaged  in 
the  furniture  trade  until  1870.  He  then  sold  out 
and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  until  fall.  In 
1871  he  returned  to  this  county  and  established  a 
general  store  at  Fisher,  which  was  the  first  institu- 
tion of  the  kind  there.  After  two  years  he  removed 
his  goods  to  Foosland,  where  he  erected  a  store 
building  and  continued  in  business  seven  years.  He 
was  greatly  prospered  in  this  venture,  and  in  due 
time  put  up  four  dwellings  and  accumulated  other 
property  of  value  in  town.  He  remained  there 
until  the  spring  of  1881,  when  he  decided  to  change 
his  occupation,  and  selling  his  interest  in  Foosland 
removed  to  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. This  consists  of  180  acres' of  finely  cultivated 
land,  all  enclosed  and  improved  and  supplied  with 
a  good  set  of  frame  buildings.  His  farm  operations 
have  been  conducted  in  a  skillful  manner,  the  stock 
and  faun  machinery  are  of  the  best  class,  and  ev- 


erythiug  about  the  premises  indicates  the  industry 
and  enterprise  of  the  proprietor.  While  in  Foos- 
land  Mr.  Dyer  dealt  extensively  in  grain  and  prod- 
uce, and  in  that  line  his  good  judgment  served  him 
as  faithfully  as  in  all  his  other  undertakings. 

The  marriage  of  Cornelius  Dyer  and  Miss  Eliza- 
beth S.  Waugh  was  celebrated  in  the  Sucker  State, 
Aug.  29,  1866.  Mrs.  Dyer  was  born  in  Ross  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Richard  and  Re- 
becca (Coyner)  Waugh  (see  sketch.)  Our  subject 
and  his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  politically  Mr.  D. 
is  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  Republican  party. 


ICHARD  WAUGH.  of  Mahomet  Township, 
is  the  proprietor  of  a  good  homestead  lying 
on  section  14,  the  land  under  a  good  state  of 
fe@)  cultivation,  and  the  farm  buildings  possess- 
ing all  the  modern  improvements  for  the  shelter  of 
stock  and  storage  of  grain.  Our  subject  is  the  sou 
of  Lemon  and  Rachel  (Holland)  Waugh,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of  Mary- 
land. Soon  after  their  marriage  they  emigrated  to 
Ross  County,  Ohio,  where  Lemon  Waugh  engaged 
in  farming,  and  where  both  parents  resided  until 
their  death.  Their  five  children  included  three 
boys  and  two  girls,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the 
youngest. 

Richard  Waugh  was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,. 
Feb.  4,  1816,  and  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 
place  until  1 849,  when  he  was  thirt3'-three  years  of 
age.  He  had  in  the  meantime  been  married  and 
become  the  father  of  four  children.  He  now  con- 
cluded to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  Prairie  State, 
and  accordingly,  coming  to  this  count}',  located  in 
Heusley  Township  and  followed  farming  until  1881. 
He  then  sold  out  and  purchased  107  acres  of  land 
in  Mahomet  Township,  where,  he  now  lives.  He 
owns  120  acres,  and  has  from  year  to  year  added 
improvements  here  and  there  so  that  his  home  is  a 
model  of  comfort  and  an  attractive  spot  for  the 
eye  to  rest  upon. 

The  marriage  of  Richard  Waugh  and  Miss  Re- 
becca Coyner,  was  celebrated  in  Ross  County, 
Ohio,  May  21,  1840.  Mrs.  Waugh  is  the  daughter 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


423 


of  John  and  Hannah  (Lewell)  Coyner,  the  former 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of  Virginia. 
After  their  marriage  they  settled  in  Augusta  Coun- 
ty, W.  Va.,  whence  they  afterward  removed  to 
Ross  County,  Ohio,  and  were  among  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  that  region.  They  there  opened  up  a  farm 
and  established  a  comfortable  homestead,  upon 
which  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  dy- 
ing at  a  ripe  old  age,  surrounded  by  their  children 
and  a  large  circle  of  friends.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  ten  daughters  and  three  sons,  of  whom 
Rebecca,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  was  theyoungegt. 
She  was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  June  8,  1823. 
Her  union  with  our  subject  was  blest  by  the  birth 
of  four  children — Julia  A.,  David  C.,  Elizabeth  S. 
and  John  A.  Julia  is  the  wife  of  Alfred  Dyer,  and 
resides  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  David  enlisted  in  the 
army  during  the  late  war  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years,  and  died  in  the  hospital  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
April  5,  1863,  after  a  long  period  of  illness;  his  re- 
mains were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Soldiers'  Cemetery 
near  that  city ;  J^lizabeth  is  the  wife  of  Cornelius 
Dyer,  of  Hensley  Township;  John  A.  married  Miss 
Emma  Feltham,  and  resides  in  Champaign.  Mr. 
Waugh  politically  is  a  straight  Republican,  and  has 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  School  Treasurer 
in  his  township.  Both  he  and  his  excellent  wife 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 


J"    OHN  T.   BEIER  owns    117    acres    of   good 
land   on   section  29,   East  Bend   Township, 
which  he  transformed  from  wild  prairie  into 
fertile  fields,   which  now  produce  some  of 
the  best  crops  in  the  "Prairie  State.     He   was  born 
in  the  Kingdom  of  Prussia,  March  25.  1839,  and  is 
the  son  of  Henry  and  Minnie  Beier,  natives  of  the 
same  country,  who  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
with  their  four  children  in  1857,  and  became  res- 
idents  of   Blue    Mound    Township,    McLean  Co., 
111.     The  father  of  our  subject  engaged  in  farming 
until  his  years  of  active  labor  were  passed,  and  de- 
parted  this  life  in  January,  1887,  at  the   advanced 
age  of  eighty-four.     The  wife  and  mother  died  in 
1878.     Of  their  five  children,  due  died  in  Prussia; 


Frederick  is  a  resident  of  Chenoa,  111. ;  Charles  and 
August  are  farming  in  Blue  Mound  Township; 
John,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  the  oldest  of  the 
family. 

Mr.  Beier  was  eighteen  years  old  when  he  came 
with  his  parents  to  America.  He  resided  with  them 
in  McLean  County,  111.,  until  1862,  and  then,  the 
Civil  War  being  in  progress,  enlisted  as  a  Union 
soldier  in  Co.  H,  94th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  ^His  regiment 
was  assigned  to  the  department  of  the  Gulf,  and  he 
participated  in  some  of  the  most  important  battles 
of  the  war,  including  the  siege  and  capture  of 
Vicksburg.  He  was  also  with  the  Red  River  ex- 
pedition, and  present  at  the  principal  engagements 
of  that  campaign,  including  Ft.  Morgan  and  Span- 
ish Fort.  He  followed  the  fortunes  of  his  com- 
rades on  the  march  and  in  the  field,  enduring  with 
patience  and  courage  the  hardships  and  privations 
incident  to  a  soldier's  life,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
war  received  his  honorable  discharge  at  Galveston, 
Tex.,  in  August,  1865.  He  then  returned  to  his 
home  in  McLean  County,  where  he  resumed  farm- 
ing and  lived  until  1868.  That  year  he  came  to 
East  Bend  Township,  in  this  county,  and  purchased 
120  acres  of  uncultivated  land.  He  was  successful 
in  its  improvement,  and  put  up  a  good  set  of  frame 
buildings.  He  afterward  sold  a  part  of  his  land 
but  still  has  sufficient  left  to  meet  all  necessary 
wants,  and  provide  for  his  comfort  and  that  of  his 
family. 

Mr.  Beier  was  married  in  1868,  to  Miss  Mary  S. 
Swain,  a  native  of  Bavaria,  and  the  five  children 
born'  to  them  are  Laura,  Ida,  Amelia,  George  and 
Mary.  Mr.  Beier  votes  the  Republican  ticket,  and 
with  his  worthy  wife  is  a  member  in  good  standing 
of  the  Lutheran  Church. 


1; 


AMES  HOWARD,  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
emigrated  to  Logan  County,  111.,  in  1851,  and 
Champaign  County  in  1873.  He  is  now  the 
owner  of  about  150  acres  of  good  land  in 
Brown  Township,  on  section  31,  on  which  the  town 
of  Howard  (named  in  his  honor)  is  situated,  at  the 
crossing  of  the  Wabash  and  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
roads. His  land  is  well  cultivated,  and  his  farm 


424 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


buildings  convenient  and  substantial.  He  has  de- 
voted the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  is  conducting  the  various  departments 
of  his  farm  in  a  successful  and  intelligent  manner. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  David  and 
Sarah  (Morgan)  Howard.  He  was  born  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  in  Wales,  his  wife  in  New 
Jersey.  They  first  settled  in  Sussex  County,  N.  J., 
and  from  there,  in  1836,  emigrated  to  Warren 
County,  Ohio,  where  the  mother  died  in  1840.  Da-, 
vid  Howard  afterward  removed  to  Union  County, 
Ind.,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1844.  The  par- 
ental family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, and  James  of  our  sketch  was  the  fifth  child. 
He  was  born  in  Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  March  2, 
1828.  He  removed  with  the  family  of  his  father 
first  to  Ohio  and  then  to  Indiana,  and  after  the 
death  of  the  head  of  the  household  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  family  of  his  brother  in  Butler  County, 
Ohio.  Two  years  later  he  returned  to  Warren 
County,  and  afterward  lived  in  different  places  in 
Ohio  until  1851,  when  he  took  up  his  residence  in 
Sangamori  County.  111.,  but  shortly  afterward  went 
to  Logan  County,  and  thence  to  Tazewell  County, 
where  for  a  period  of  seventeen  years  he  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Boyington  Township.  In  1873  he  removed 
to  Brown  Township,  this  county,  of  which  he  has 
since  been  a  resident. 

While  a  resident  of  Logan  County,  this  State, 
Mr.  Howard  was  united  in  marriage,  Feb.  26,  1856, 
with  Miss  Sarah  Ware,  of  Do  Witt  County,  111. 
Mrs.  Howard  was  born  June  29,  1827,  in  Amherst 
County,  Va.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Cynthia  A.  (Burfort)  Ware.  She  became  the  mother 
of  eight  children,  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  hus- 
band in  Brown  Township,  May  31,  1879.  The  sons 
and  daughters  of  our  subject  are  recorded  as  fol- 
lows: Uavid  A.  married  Miss  Mary  M.  Gibbons, 
and  is  farming  in  Brown  Township;  John  E.  mar- 
ried Miss  Susan  Blair,  and  is  a  resident  of  Wichita, 
Kan.;  Marion  married  Miss  Anna  Gibbons,  and  is 
operating  a  farm  in  East  Bend  Township;  Cassius 
P.  is  at  home ;  James  A.  is  residing  at  Ft.  Meade, 
Dak.,  where  he  is  Postmaster,  also  partner  and  local 
manager  of  the  store  at  the  Post;  Joseph  died  when 
eighteen  years  of  age,  on  the  29th  of  September, 
5;  Martha  L.  and  Cynthia  A.  remain  on  the 


home  farm  with  their  father.  Martha  was  appointed 
Postmistress  of  Howard  in  June,  1885,  and  still 
holds  that  position.  The  deceased  wife  and  mother 
was  a  lady  greatly  respected  for  her  womanly  vir- 
tues and  kindness  of  heart:  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  a  period  of 
thirty  years  and  adorned  the  profession  in  her 
daily  life,  both  at  home  and  in  the  outside  world. 
Mr.  Howard  is  also  connected  with  the  Methodist 
Church;  he  is  a  Prohibitionist. 


bEVI  FURST.  Among  the  active  and  snc- 
j)  cessful  farm  residents  of  Philo  Township, 
;>  the  subject  of  the  following  sketch  is  enti- 
tled to  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He  owns  and 
occupies  a  finely  improved  farm  of  160  acres,  of 
which  he  took  possession  in  1870,  and  which  he 
purchased  of  G.  W.  Riley,  now  deceased.  Previous 
to  this  he  had  operated  it  for  a  period  of  thirteen 
years  on  shares.  He  became  its  proprietor  in  1883, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  laboring  industriously 
for  its  improvement  and  cultivation,  and  has  spent 
much  time  and  money  in  effecting  its  thorough 
drainage. 

Mr.  Furst  is  a  native  of  Cumberland  County, 
Pa.,  and  was  born  Aug.  1,  1841.  He  is  the  son  of 
John  Furst,  who  was  born  in  Dolphin  County,  and 
was  of  German  ancestry  and  parentage.  He  was 
reared  in  his  native  county,  and  is  now  living  in 
Champaign.  He  was  formerly  a  successful  farmer 
and  highly  respected  citizen.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Sabina  Poor- 
man,  who  was  the  descendant  of  an  excellent  En- 
glish family  and,  like  her  husband,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania.  They  located  in  Cumberland  Coun- 
ty, that  State,  where  they  resided  until  1857,  and 
then  removed  with  their  family  to  Clarke  County, 
Ohio.  From  there,  in  the  fall  of  1865,  they  came 
to  Champaign  County,  of  which  they  are  now  resi- 
dents, both  being  well  advanced  in  years. 

Levi  Furst  was  the  second  child  of  his  parents. 
By  a  former  marriage  Mrs.  F.  had  become  the 
mother  of  two  children,  the  name  of  her  first  hus- 
band being  Christian  Liber.  Levi  remained  under 
the  parental  roof  until  twenty  years  of  age,  and 


~ 


RESIDENCE  or  E.W.  PARKER..SEC.IO  ,  PH  i  LO    TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCEOFS. W.MOORE, SEC. 30  .CRITTENDEN TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE  OF  W-.  DAWLEY.  SEC.  3  ,  SCOTT  TOWNSHIP. 


LIBRARY 

ILLINOIS 


•f* 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


427 


i 


was  married  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  27.  1861, 
to  Miss  Christina  Smith.  Mrs.  F.  was  born  in  the 
latter-named  county.  May  22,  1 842,  and  was  there 
reared  and  educated  in  the  public  schools.  She  is 
the  daughter  of  Peter  and  .lane  (Maxon)  Smith, 
the  former  of  whom  died  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio, 
Nov.  23,  1885.  The  mother  is  yet  living  there  in 
the  town  of  New  Carlisle,  and  is  seventy-four  years 
of  age.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  par- 
ents of  eleven  children,  of  whom  Florence  and 
George  are  deceased.  Sabina  J.  became  the  wife 
of  Elisha  M.  Woolever,  a  farmer  of  Sidney  Town- 
ship; Elzina,  Christian,  William,  Lizzie,  John,  Pe- 
ter, Jessie  and  Charles  are  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Furst  have  been  residents  of  Champaign  County 
since  1865.  They  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Christian  Church  of  this  vicinity,  of  which  Mr.  P. 
has  been  Deacon  since  1873.  Politically  he  affiliates 
with  the  Democratic  party. 


J.  REED  owns  and  occupies  a  good  farm' 
of  160  acres  in  Philo  Township,  which  is 
located  on  section  25,  and  of  which  he  took 
possession  on  the  22d  of  October,  1868. 
It  was  then  an  unbroken  stretch  of  prairie,  but  after 
years  of  industrious  labor  our  subject  has  converted 
it  into  one  of  the  most  attractive  farms  in  his 
locality.  He  has  brought  the  land  to  a  flue  state  of 
cultivation,  and  it  is  now  provided  with  a  sub- 
stantial and  convenient  residence,  a  good  barn,  and 
all  other  conveniences  for  the  shelter  of  stock  and 
the  storing  of  grain.  A  lithographic  view  of  the 
place  is  shown  on  another  page.  The  land  is 
drained  by  900  rods  of  tile,  and  yields  in  abund- 
ance the  rich  products  of  the  Prairie  State.  As  a 
farmer  and  business  man  Mr.  Reed  occupies  a  po- 
sition in  the  front  ranks  among  his  fellow-citizens, 
and  is  esteemed  not  only  for  his  straightforward 
business  methods  but  for  his  excellent  qualities  as  a 
neighbor,  friend  and  citizen. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Chester  County,  Pa,, 
Aug.  4,  1824,  and  resided  in  his  native  county  un- 
til twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  is  the  fourth  son 
of  Hugh  and  Catherine  (Gordon)  Reed,  who  were 
born,  married  and  died  in  Chester  County.  The 


1852 


father  was  engaged  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in 
farming  pursuits  and  was  uniformly  successful  as 
an  agriculturist  and  a  business  man.  He  departed 
this  life  June  14,  1873,  when  seventy-five  years  of 
age.  He  possessed  a  fair  education,  took  an  active 
interest  in  general  politics,  and  was  an  adherent  of 
the  Democratic  party.  The  mother  died  April  19. 
1841,  aged  forty-five  years.  Both  parents  wt  re 
reared  in  the  Quaker  faith,  to  which  they  remained 
loyal  during  their  lifetime.  The  maternal  grand- 
father served  creditably  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  The  grandmother  of  our 
Anna  Reed,  at  the  time  of  the  Revjo^tfti 
was  fifteen  years  old,  and  lived  tiHwJter 
the  Rebellion,  dying  at  the  advanced  a 
hundred  and  five  years,  having  retained  her 
and  physical  vigor  until  the  last.. 

After  reaching  manhood  our  subj 
ried,  in  his  native  county,  Oct.  15, 
Mary  A.  Miller.  Mrs.  Reed  is  a  native  of  the 
safwe  county  as  her  husband,  born  in  Brandy  wine 
Township,  Feb.  27,  1829,  and  the  daughter  of 
Jacob  W.  and  A^nn  G.  (Batton)  Miller,  both  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania.  Her  father  was  a  shoemaker 
by  trade,  and  for  a  number  of  years  carried  on 
business  for  himself  as  a  dealer  in  shoes.  He  de- 
parted this  life  May  22, 1862,  when  fifty-nine  years 
of  age,  having  been  born  Nov.  13,  1803.  The 
mother  was  born  Aug.  5,  1808.  She  removed  to 
Illinois  and  died  in  La  Salle  County,  Nov.  22, 
1856.  Of  the  five  children  which  completed  the 
household  circle  Mrs.  Reed  was  the  eldest.  Three 
others  are  still  living,  and  all  married. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  became  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  two  of  whom  were  removed  from  the  home 
circle  to  a  brighter  world,  Anna  in  infancy  and 
Charles  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years;  Fannie  be- 
came the  wife  of  H.  F.  Young,  a  master  mechanic 
in  the  railroad  shops  at  Cairo,  111. ;  Laura  M.,  the 
wife  of  William  O'Neal,  resides  in  Urbaiia  with  her 
husband,  who  is  a  fireman  of  the  I.,  B.  &  W.  R.  R. ; 
G.  F..  unmarried,  is  farming  on  his  own  account  in 
Raymond  Township;  Harry  T.  is  a  resident  of  Colo- 
rado; Edwin  A.  remains  at  home  and  assists  in  con- 
ducting the  farm;  Ella  and  Asher  are  also  at  home. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  after  their  marriage, 
united  their  efforts  in  securing  a  permanent  home. 


I 


428 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


They  first  located  on  a  farm  in  Kendall  County, 
this  State,  when  there  were  more -wolves,  deer  and 
other  wild  animals  than  people  around  them.  Four 
years  later  they  removed  to  La  Salle  Countj',  again 
taking  up  a  tract  of  unbroken  prairie,  •  which  our 
subject  improved  and  cultivated  for  a  period  of 
sixteen  years.  In  1868  he  disposed  of  his  interests 
there  and  located  on  his  present  homestead.  While 
industriously  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil  he  has  also 
labored  to  make  his  home  attractive  by  the  erection 
of  tasteful  buildings  and  the  planting  of  choice 
trees  and  shrubbery.  At  the  same  time  he  has  es- 
tablished himself  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
his  fellow-citizens  and  has  held  the  various  town- 
ship offices,  including  those  of  Assessor  and  Col- 
lector. 

Politically  Mr.  Reed  is  a  first-class  Republican, 
and  religiously,  with  his  excellent  wife,  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Of 
this  he  is  now  Class-Leader,  Steward  and  Trustee, 
and  from  the  time  of  coming  into  the  county,  has 
been  active  in  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  Sunday-schools,  acting  as  Superintendent  for 
many  years,  and  in  other  respects  giving  much  time 
and  attention  to  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  of 
religion. 


(gj, 


fOHN  O.  DARMER,  who  has  been  a  resident 
of  -  Champaign  County  since  1869,  is  one  of 
the  self-made  men  who  have  distinguished 
themselves  as  good  citizens  and  useful  mem- 
bers of  society,  assisting  materially  in  the  building 
up  of  this  section  of  country.  Our  subject  was 
born  in  Shelby  County,  Ind.,  March  28,  1840.  His 
father,  Benedict  M.  Darmer,  was  H  native  of  Mary- 
land, and  his  grandfather,  John  C.,  was  born  in 
Germany.  The  great-grandfather  of  our  subject 
was  a  sailor,  and  took  his  son  John  C.  with  him 
when  quite  young,  They  were  captured  and  sold 
to  the  Turks,  and  nothing  was  heard  from  the 
great-grandfather  afterward. 

John  C.  Darmer  escaped  from  bondage  after 
he  had  grown  to  manhood,  and  coming  to  America, 
located  in  Maryland.  He  there  married  a  lady  of 
American  birth  but  German  ancestry,  and  remov- 


ing  west  to  Indiana  was  among  the  earliest  pio- 
neers of  Shelby  County,  where  he  improved  a  farm 
and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  Among  the 
members  of  his  household  was  Benedict  M.,  the  fa- 
ther of  our  subject,  who  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  State  of  Maryland,  and  accompanied  his  fa- 
ther to  Indiana.  Prior  to  this  removal  he  had  been 
married,  and  after  locating  in  Indiana  purchased  a 
tract  of  land,  upon  which  he  made  some  improve- 
ments and  then  sold  out.  He  repeated  this  several 
times,  buying  and  selling  land  in  Indiana  until 
1843.  In  that  year  he  removed  to  Iowa  and  set- 
tled near  Muscatine.  After  three  j'ears-he  returned 
to  Shelby  County,  Ind.,  and  lived  there  until  1853. 
Thence  he  removed  to  Illinois  and  located  in 
Christian  County,  where  he  died  the  following  year 
of  cholera.  The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Harriet  W.  Cook,  a  native  of 
Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  Cor- 
nelius Cook,  a  pioneer  of  Hamilton  County,  of 
German  ancestry,  and  a  native  of  Virginia. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  second  of 
nine  children.  He  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Christian  County,  111., 
where  he  grew_to  manhood  on  the  farm,  and  ob- 
tained a  limited  education  in  the  subscription 
schools.  His  father  died  when  he  was  but  fourteen, 
and  at  an  early  age  he  commenced  working  out 
by  the  month.  When  nineteen  years  old  he 
assumed  the  management  of  the  home  farm,  upon 
which  he  remained  until  1869,  the  year  of  his  ar- 
rival in  this  county.  His  first  purchase  here  was 
forty  acres  in  Sadorus  Township,  which  he  occu- 
pied two  years,  then  sold  out  and  purchased  land 
in  Colfax  Township.  This  tract  he  also  held  only 
two  years  and  removed  thence  to  Crittenden 
Township,  after  which  he  rented  land  for  one  year 
following  and  then  purchased  and  sold  again.  He 
then  moved  to  Macou  County  and  rented  land  one 
year.  In  1876  he  returned  to  Colfax  Townsjiip 
and  bought  a  farm,  remaining  there  five  years,  when 
he  sold  and  moved  to  Tolono  Township,  remain- 
ing one  year.  In  1882  he  came  to  Champaign 
Township  and  purchased  the  place  he  now  owns 
and  occupies.  His  homestead  consists  of  180  acres 
of  choice  land,  which  he  has  brought  to  a  good  state 
of  cultivation,  and  erected  a  large  barn  and  corn- 


f 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


429 


cribs,  besides  making  a  large  addition  to  the  dwell- 
ing. He  has  .'300  black  walnut  trees  in  bearing 
condition,  which  are  quite  a  curiosity  in  this  sec- 
tion of  countiy. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Darnier  and  Miss  Ann  Rob- 
ertson took  place  in  18(>2.  Mrs.  D.  was  born  in 
Tennessee,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Dolly  II.  Robertson,  natives  of  Tennessee.  Onr 
subject's  family  consists  of  five  children — William 
D.,  Charles  O.,  George  A.,  Minnie  E.  and  John  E. 
Mr.  Darmer  and  his  family  are  regular  attendants 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  with 
which  he  has  been  connected  .many  years.  He  is 
highly  esteemed  in  his  community  as  a  citizen  and 
business  man,  and  has  set  an  example  of  resolution 
and  perseverance  under  difficulties  which  the 
young  men  of  to-day  would  be  wise  in  following. 


AMUEL  FURNISH.  This  highly  respected 
resident  of  Condit  Township  became  a 
citizen  of  Illinois  in  1863,  locating  first  in 
Marshall  County,  whence  he  removed  two 
years  later  to  Peoria  and  resided  there  for  a  period 
of  nine  years,  when  he  came  to  Champaign  County. 
In  1872  he  purchased  the  land  which  he  now  owns 
and  occupies,  and  since  that  time  has  been  indus- 
triously engaged  in  its  improvement  and  cultiva- 
tion. He  ranks  among  the  intelligent  and  success- 
ful farmers  of  this  section,  and  is  in  possession  of 
a  comfortable  residence,  with  all  needful  substantial 
farm  buildings  around  it.  While  engaged  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil  he  has  also  kept  pace  with 
passing  events,  and  possesses  an  excellent  fund  of 
general  information  obtained  from  extensive  read- 
ing and  an  observant  eye  upon  what  has  been  going 
on  around  him. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Carroll  County,  Ky., 
his  birth  taking  place  July  17,  1816.  His  father, 
John  Furnish,  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  The  pa- 
ternal grandparents  of  our  subject  were  natives  of 
Virginia,  whence  they  emigrated  to  the  Blue  Grass 
region  during  the  early  settlement  of  the  State, 
when  Indians  and  wild  animals  roamed  through  the 
forests  almost  undisturbed  by  man.  Amid  these 
primitive  scenes  John  Furnish  was  reared  to  man- 


hood  and  fitted  for  the  stern  duties  of  the  life  which 
lay  before  him  in  a  new  country.  When  (irst  start- 
ing out  for  himself  he  purchased  a  tract  of  timber 
land  seven  miles  from  the  embryo  town  of  Carroll- 
ton,  a  portion  of  which  he  cleared  and  then  sold. 
He  repeated  this  experiment  several  times,  buying 
wild  land,  then  clearing  a  part  and  selling  at  an  ad- 
vanced price.  In  this  way  he  accumulated  means 
to  establish  a  comfortable  home  and  secure  a  com- 
petency. The  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent 
about  seven  miles  from  Carrollton,  and  he  died  in 
1855.  The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  mar- 
riage was  Miss  Lucretia  Gofer,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky. 

The  household  circle  was  completed  by  the  birth 
of  twelve  children,  of  whom  eleven  grew  to  ma- 
turity. Onr  subject  with  the  other  sons  assisted 
his  father  in  clearing  the  farm  and  tilling  the  soil 
until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  then  started  out 
for  himself.  Proceeding  northward  into  Indiana  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  timber  laud  in  Switzerland 
County,  where  he  put  up  a  log  house  and  com- 
menced clearing  the  farm.  Soon  afterward  he  took 
unto  himself  a  wife  and  helpmeet  in  the  person  of 
Miss  Elizabeth  Atkinson,  a  native  of  that  county, 
who  remained  his  companion  for  a  period  of  about 
twenty-one  years,  and  departed  this  life  in  Peoria 
County  in  1868.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  born 
seven  children,  of  whom  only  two  are  now  living, 
viz.,  Sylvester  and  Mary. 

Our  subject  was  married  the  second  time  in  Oc- 
tober, 1869,  to  Mrs.  Jane  Collins,  who  was  born  in 
New  York  State,  Oct.  20,  1835.  Her  parents  were 
Henry  and  Sarah  (Taylor)  Martin,  natives  of  Can- 
ada, where  they  were  reared  and  married,  and  whence 
they  removed  to  New  York  State.  From  there 
they  came  to  Illinois  in  1839,  and  settled  among 
the  early  pioneers  of  Peoria  County.  Mr.  Martin 
purchased  a  claim  in  what  is  now  Benton  Township, 
entering  the  land  from  the  Government.  Soon 
afterward  he  was  seized  with  fatal  illness  and  died 
before  making  any  improvements.  The  mother, 
who  was  left  with  eight  children,  entered  the  land 
and  reared  her  family  there.  She  lived  to  see  them 
comfortably  settled  in  life,  and  departed  from  the 
scenes  of  her  e.irthly  labors  in  1885,  at  the  home  of 
one  of  her  children  in  Cambridge,  Henry  County, 


430 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


this  State.  Her  father  was  Daniel  Taylor.  The 
present  wife  of  our  subject  was  first  married  in 
Peoria  County  to  John  Collins,  a  native  of  Ohio. 
During  the  late  war  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army 
ami  died  in  the  service  when  thirty-four  years  of 
age.  Of  her  union  with  Mr.  Collins  there  were 
born  four  children,  of  whom  three  are  living — 
William,  Taylor  and  Eliza.  By  her  union  with  our 
subject  there  have  been  born  two  children — Laura 
and  Emma. 

Mr.  Furnish  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  in  all  respects  is 
fulfilling  the  obligations  of  a  good  citizen.  He 
takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  com- 
munity, both  morally  and  intellectually,  and  is  the 
encourager  and  supporter  of  whatever  will  be  for 
its  best  interests. 


ellARLES  M.  GROVES.  This  gentleman, 
a  resident  of  Ivesdale,  and  a  native  of  the 
Buckeye  State,  came  to  Illinois  when  a 
young  man,  soon  after  his  marriage,  arriving  here 
in  the  spring  of  1860.  He  first  located  in  Piatt 
County,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres, .began 
improving  it,  and  soon  afterward  doubled  the 
amount  of  his  real  estate  by  the  purchase  of  an- 
other eighty  acres  in  Champaign  County  adjoin- 
ing. He  subsequently  added  forty  acres  more  to 
this  and  occupied  it  until  1871.  He  then  sold  out 
and  returned  to  Ohio  on  a  visit,  but  with  the  in- 
tention of  finally  locating  in  the  West,  and  engag- 
ing in  some  other  business  more  suited  to  his  cir- 
cumstances. His  wife  was  then  in  poor  health, 
which  was  augmented  by  her  grief  at  the.  loss  of 
their  two  children,  John  H.  F.  and  Cora,  who  died 
of  diphtheria,  within  nine  days  of  each  other,  the 
son  being  thirteen  years  of  age  and  the  daughter 
four.  Since  then  two  more  children  have  been  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Groves,  both  sons,  named  Frank 
and  Harry,  who  are  still  at  home  with  their  parents. 
The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  in  Hancock 
County,  Ohio,  Aug.  14,  1830,  and  he  was  the 
second  child  born  to  John  and  Elizabeth  (Clark) 
Groves,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  latter  of  Ohio.  John  Groves  was  born  April 


11,  1800,  and  became  a  resident  of  Ohio  twelve 
years  later.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and  followed 
agricultural  pursuits  until  too  old  to  labor.  In  1  884 
he  came  to  Illinois  to  make  his  home  with  his  son, 
our  subject,  with  whom  he  now  resides,  a  well  pre- 
served old  man,  and  able  to  read  without  spectacles. 
His  recollections  of  the  early  days  in  Ohio  are  still 
quite  clear  and  distinct,  and  he  relates  many  an  in- 
teresting incident,  connected  with  the  times,  before 
the  face  of  the  country  had  been  disturbed  by 
canal  or  railroad. 

The  early  life  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
passed  on  his  father's  farm  in  Ohio,  and  he  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  until  his  marriage, 
in  1855,  when  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age. 
The  wife  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss  Lucinda 
Shively.  She  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1832,  and  was 
the  fifth  child  of  Henry  and  Margaret  (McCarty) 
Shively,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  subsequent 
life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Groves  we  have  already  indi- 
cated up  to  1872. 

Upon  the  return  of  Mr.  Groves  to  Illinois,  at  the 
i  date  above  mentioned,  he  engaged  in  the  agricult- 
ural implement  trade,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  in  Piatt 
County,  where  he  remained  three  years,  and  then, 
selling  out,  came  to  Ivesdale  and  established  him- 
self in  the  same  line  of  business,  adding  hardware 
and  builders'  supplies.  His  correct  business  meth- 
ods and  square  business  dealings  have  secured  him 
a  first-class  patronage,  and  he  in  all  respects  ranks 
among  the  representative  men  of  Sadorus  Town- 
ship. He  has  frequently  served  as  Town  Clerk,  and 
affiliates  with  the  Republican  party. 


F.  JORDAN,  a  prominent  farmer 
and  land-owner  of  Tolono  Township,  is  the 
proprietor  of  400  acres  on  section  16,  of 
which  he  took  possession  in  the  spring  of  1860. 
He  is  a  skillful  agriculturist  and  thorough  business 
man,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  important  fac- 
tors of  an  intelligent  and  prosperous  community. 
He  is  a  native  of  the  wealthy  and  populous  State  of 
Ohio,  where  his  birth  took  place  in  Cnyahoga 
County,  July  23,  1833.  His  father,  William  Jor- 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


431 


I 


dan,  was  :i  native  of  the  Kinpire  State,  where  he 
grew  to  manhood  on  a  farm  and  was  married  to 
Miss  'Mary  Usher,  whose  parents  were  natives  of 
Connecticut, 

After  their  marriage  William  Jordan  and  his 
young  wife  emigrated  to  Ohio  and  settled  upon  a 
timber  tract.  The  forest  stood  around  them  in  its 
native  wildness,  but  Mr.  Jordan  proceeded  to  clear 
the  land,  and  in  due  time  had  established  a  com- 
fortable home  for  his  family.  They  experienced 
all  the  hardships  and  difficulties  of  settlement  in  a 
new  country,  but  possessed  the  true  pioneer  spirit 
which  never  gave  way  to  discouragement,  but  pro- 
vided a  way  through  every  emergency.  After 
building  a  record  of  most  worthy  lives,  the  parents 
passed  to  their  final  rest  in  about  1845.  To  this 
humble  home  thus  established  in  the  wildenness 
there  came  thirteen  children,  as  follows:  John  W. ; 
Jane,  now  the  wife  of  Sidney  Lawrence;  Hezekiah 
H. ;  William;  Myron,  who  died  in  1879;  Theron 
F.}  of  our  sketch;  Marj',  who  married  Samuel 
Brown;  Benson;  Cynthia;  Allen;  Lucy;  Newton, 
who  died  when  four  years  old,  and  James. 

Mr.  Jordan  of  our  sketch  resided  with  his  father's 
family  in  Ohio  until  1860.  Then,  accompanied  by 
his  brother  Benson,  he  came  to  Illinois,  and  they 
joined  their  brother  Myron,  who  was  then  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county.  Theron  F.  and  Benson  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  land,  which  com  prised  the  north- 
east quarter  of  section  16,  of  which  they  took  pos- 
session in  1865.  Since  that  time  our  subject  has 
been  a  resident  of  this  county,  adding  to  his  landed 
interests  as  time  passed  on  and  his  means  accumu- 
lated. He  has  been  prospered  in  his  farming  oper- 
ations and  secured  a  competency  for  his  old  age. 

The  marriage  of  Theron  F.  Jordan  and  Miss  El- 
len Barnum  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the 
bride  in  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio,  on  the  12th  of 
January,  1864.  Mrs.  J.  is  a  native  of  that  county, 
born  Sept.  26,  1841,  and  the  daughter  of  George 
T.  and  Phcbe  (Brown)  Barnum,  who  established  a 
home  in  the  Buckey*  State  in  the  pioneer  days. 
George  T.  Barnum  was  born  in  Vergennes,  Vt..and 
his  wife,  Phebe,  in  Rhode  Island. 

Our  subject  and  wife  became  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  who,  with  the  exception  of  a  son. 
Theron  F.,  who  died  in  infancy,  are  all  living  and 


named  as  follows:  Illinois,  Theodore  N.,  Mary, 
Helen,  George  T.  and  Agnes.  Politically  Mr.  Jor- 
dan is  an  uncompromising  Republican,  and  has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  School  Board  in  Tolono 
Township  for  a  number  of  years.  He  has  noted 
with  satisfaction  the  progress  and  development  of 
his  adopted  county,  and  has  been  an  important  fac- 
tor in  bringing  about  its  present  prosperity. 


JAMES  BEVER,  when  twenty-eight  years  of 
age,  began  the  year  1875   by  taking  up  his 
residence  in  Brown  Township,  where  he  has 
since  remained.     He  is  pleasantly  located  on 
section  35,  where  he  has  160  acres  of  tillable  land, 
with  a  good  house  and  convenient  farm  buildings. 
Although  not  the  hero  of  any  thrilling  adventures 
he  has  filled  his  niche  in  life  worthily  as  a  peacea- 
ble and  law-abiding  citizen,  contributing  his  quota 
to  the   agricultural   interests  of  his  township,  and 
encouraging    the    enterprises    calculated    to   be  of 
benefit  to  his  community. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Eliza  (Cur- 
tis) Bever,  the 'former  a  native  of  Adams  County, 
Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Fountain  County,  Ind. 
After  marriage  they  located  in  the  latter  county, 
of  which  they  remained  residents  for  a  period  of 
twelve  years,  and  thence  they  came  to  McLean 
County,  this  State,  settling  near  Shirley.  After- 
ward they  removed  to  Tazewell  County,  where  the 
death  of  the  mother  occurred  in  1885.  The  father 
still  survives.  Their  family  of  eleven  children 
consisted  of  four  boys  and  seven  girls,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth.  His 
native  place  was  Fountain  County,  Ind.,  where  his 
birth  occurred  Nov.  9,  1846.  He  was  about 
three  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  Mc- 
Lean County.  He  remained  with  them  during  their 
residence  in  Tazewell  County  until  twenty-three 
years  of  age,  and  after  their  removal  from  there 
continued  in  charge  of  the  farm  for  five  years  fol- 
lowing, after  which  he  took  up  his  residence  in  this 
county. 

Mr.  Bever  was  married  in  Tazewell  County,  Oct. 
3,  186i),  to  Miss  Julia  A.  Pearson,  also  a  native  of 
Fountain  County,  Ind.,  born  April  22,  1850,  and 


f 


f. 


13-2 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Ann  K.  (Livelihood) 
Pearson.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  six  chil- 
dren": Clarence  M.  died  when  about  two  years  of 
age.  Those  surviving  are  Olive  E.,  Florence  A., 
Walter  E.,  Iva  E.  and  Eunice  E.  Mr.  Bever  casts 
his  vote  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  has  held 
the  various  minor  offices  of  Brown  Township.  In 
all  respects  he  is  discharging  his  duties  as  an  honest 
man  and  a  good  citizen. 


TEPHEN  DOTY,  of  Crittenden  Township, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Champaign  County 
since  February,  1868,  when  he  took  posses- 
sion of  a  part  of  his  present  homestead. 
This  lies  on  section  8,  and  now  includes  180  acres 
of  choice  land,  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation 
and  supplied  with  shapely  and  substantial  build- 
ings. He  first  opened  his  eyes  to  "the  light  in 
Greene  County,  Pa.,  on  the  7th  of  September,  1834. 
in  the  home  of  his  parents,  Lewis  and  Nancy 
(Sibert)  Doty.  The  former  was  a  native  of  New 
Jersey,  and  the  latter  was  born  in  the  same  county 
as  her  son,  our  subject.  The  family  resided  on  a  farm 
in  Greene  County,  Pa.,  the  greater  part  of  their 
lives,  and  still  occupy  their  original  homestead,  the 
father  being  eighty-two  years  old  and  the  mother 
seventy-seven.  The  household  included  ten  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  attained  to  man  and  womanhood, 
and  are  recorded  as  follows:  Rachel,  the  eldest 
daughter,  is  at  home  with  her  parents;  Hannah  be-- 
came  the  wife  of  John  Kilgore;  Stephen  is  our  sub- 
ject; Peter  and  Thomas  are  deceased  ;  Wilson,  Isaac, 
Francis  and  Jacob,  live  in  Pennsylvania;  Joseph 
lives  in  Tolono  Township,  this  county. 

Stephen  Doty  started  for  the  West  in  1855,  soon 
after  becoming  of  age.  After  reaching  this  State 
he  engaged  as  a  laborer  on  a  farm  in  La  Salle 
County,  where  he  remained  until  1 858.  He  then 
returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Maria  Roche,  a  native  of  his  own 
county,  and  born  Nov.  1,  1838.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Rachel  Roche,  natives  of 
Greene  County,  Pa.  After  their  marriage  Mr.  D.  and 
his  bride  settled  down  in  Greene  County,  where 
they  lived  two  years,  but  our  subject  not  being 


satisfied  with  his  prospects  in  that  locality  once 
more  started  for  the  West,  accompanied  1>3'  his 
wife.  He  again  sought  his  old  haunts  in  La  Salle 
County,  where  he  had  made  many  pleasant  acquaint- 
ances, and  renting  a  tract  of  land,  followed  farming 
until  the  fall  of  1808.  He  then  came  to. this 
county  and  purchased  eighty-one  acres  of  unim- 
proved land,  which  is  now  included  in  his  present 
homestead.  He  has  been  uniformly  successful  in 
his  undertakings,  and  is  valued  as  a  skillful  farmer 
and  straightforward  business  man. 

Of  the  six  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doty, 
three  were  snatched  from  the  home  circle  in  their 
childhood  by  the-  hand  of  the  Destroyer.  Eliza- 
beth remained  with  her  parents  until  reaching 
womanhood,  and  was  then  married  to  Mr.  T.  C. 
Retherford,  of  Moultrie  County,  111.;  Charles  T. 
and  Daisy  remain  with  their  parents.  Our  subject 
and  his  wife  are  earnest  Christian  people,  the  for- 
mer being  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  Mrs.  D.  attending  the  Baptist  Church, 
of  which  she  became  a  member  over  thirty  years 
ago.  Politically  Mr.  Doty  is  an  uncompromising 
Democrat,  and  has  served  fifteen  years  as  School 
Director. 

A  lithographic  view  of  the  residence  and  sur- 
roundings of  Mr.  Doty  is  shown  on  another  page 
of  this  work. 


\w)OHN  THRASH.  Pleasantly  located  on  sec- 
tion 28  in  Philo  Township,  is  a  finely  im- 
proved farm  of  120  acres,  which  invariably 
attracts  the  attention  of  the  passing  traveler 
through  that  locality  as  the  home  of  a  prosperous 
and  progressive  farmer  and  intelligent  citizen  and 
business  man.  Thi-  snug  homestead  is  the  prop- 
erty of  the  gentleman  whose  name  stands  at  the 
head  of  this  sketch.  It  is  finely  laid  out,  and  en- 
closed with  well-kept  fences,  and  the  residence  and 
other  buildings  arc  tasteful  and  substantial  in  their 
character. 

Mr.  Thrash  took  possession  of  the  above  de- 
scribed place  in  the  spring  of  1S7-1,  coming  to 
this  county  from  Ohio.  He  is  a  native  of  the 
Buckeye  State,  born  in  Bloom  Township,  Fail-field 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


433 


County,  Jan.  22,  183!).  His  childhood  and  youth 
were  passed  under  the  home  roof,  and  he  remained '. 
a  resident  of  his  native  county  until  coming  to  this 
vicinity.  His  father,  Michael  Thrash,  who  was 
born  in  Baltimore  County,  Md.,  was  of  German- 
Irisb  parentage.  The  father  of  the  latter  was  a 
stanch  defender  of  American  liberty  and  put  his 
theories  into  practice  by  serving  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  War  upon  the  side  of  the  Colonists. 
In  fact  he  practically  gave  up  his  life  to  this  cause, 
as  he  contracted  a  disease  in  the  army  which  was  the 
cause  of  his  death  not  long  afterward.  His  son 
Michael,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  then  a  young 
boy  of  six  or  seven  years.  The  mother  followed 
her  husband  to  the  silent  land  a  few  years  later, 
leaving  the  orphan  boy  without  other  means  of 
support  than  that  of  his  own  hands. 

Michael  Thrash  learned  the  trade  of  a  tanner,  at 
which  he  worked,  however,  but  a  short  time,  when 
he  left  his  native  State,  and  going  into  Franklin 
County,  Ohio,  bought  a  farm,  which  he  sold  the  fol- 
lowing year,  and  then  moved  into  Fairfield  County 
and  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  in  Bloom 
Township.  He  cleared  the  land  and  brought  it  to 
a  tillable  condition  and  established  a  comfortable 
home  in  the  wilderness,  where  he  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  days.  He  departed  this  life  in  1863, 
after  having  arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety 
years.  He  was  first  married  in  Franklin  County, 
Ohio,  to  Miss  Cramer,  who  became  the  mother  of 
three  children,  all  now  deceased.  Mrs.  T.  died  in 
middle  life  in  Fairfield  County.  Michael  Thrash 
contracted  a  second  marriage  in  that  county,  with 
Miss  Rebecca  Rush,  who  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, whence  she  removed  when  a  young  woman 
to  Ohio  with  her  parents.  The  latter,  Jacob  and 
Elizabeth  (Cramer)  Rush,  were  natives  of  Berks 
County,  Pa.,  of  German  descent,  and  died  in  Fair- 
field  County,  Ohio.  The  mother  of  our  subject  after 
arriving  at  the  age  of  eighty  years  also  died  in  the 
latter-named  county,  in  1880.  Michael  Thrash 
served  through  the  War  of  1812. 

John  Thrash  was  the  fourth  of  his  parents'  six 
children,  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom 
only  one  daughter  is  now  living,  Mrs.  Caroline 
Zahn,  a  resident  of  Lithopolis,  Fairfield  Co.,  Ohio. 
The  surviving  brother  is  Levi,  a  successful  Buck- 


eye fanner.  The  childhood  and  youth  of  our  sub- 
ject were  passed  on  the  family  homestead  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  was  married  in 
his  native  township  to  Miss  Matilda  Knepper,  who 
was  born  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  Aug.  9,  1839. 
Her  parents  were  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Knoyer) 
Knepper.  who  were  born,  reared  and  married  in 
Ohio,  and  were  of  Dutch  parentage.  After  their 
marriage  they  located  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio, 
where  the  mother  died  in  middle  life.  The  father 
afterward  removed  to  Jay  County,  Ind.,  where  he 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Mrs.  Thrash  re- 
mained with  her  father  until  a  short  time  before 
her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there 
have  been  born  seven  children,  five  living;  Emma, 
who  married  A.  J.  Pettigrew,  a  farmer  of  Wayne 
County,  111.,  and  Perry,  William,  Lydia-  and  John 
H.  at  home.  Two  died  in  infancy. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  remained  for  a  time 
after  their  marriage  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio, 
where  he  cultivated  a  tract  of  land.  In  the  fall  of 
1873  he  came  to  this  State,  and  purchased  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  Philo  Township,  upon  which  he  located 
the  following  spring.  Politically  he  is  a  reliable 
Democrat,  and  religiously  is,  with  his  highly  re- 
spected lady,  a  prominent  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church. 


fif  OSEPH  COVINGTON  is  pleasantly  located 
on  section  33,  in  East  Bend  Township,  where 
he  settled  in  1875.  He  owns  eighty  acres  of 
good  land,  which  he  has  successfully  culti- 
vated since  taking  possession  of  it.  lie  was  born 
near  Lincoln,  in  Logan  County,  this  State,  Jan.  18, 
1  844,  and  is  the  son  of  James  B.  Covington,  whose 
birth  took  place  in  Wales,  June  20,  1790.  The  fa- 
ther of  our  subject  emigrated  to  America  when  a 
young  man  and  located  near  LaFayette,  Ind.,  in  the 
pioneer  days.  He  was  a  weaver  by  trade  and  fol- 
lowed his  occupation  in  Indiana  until  his  removal 
to  this  State,  in  1825.  After  crossing  over  the  line 
he  settled  in  Eminence  Township,  Logan  County, 
while  it  was  still  a  part  of  Fayette  County,  and  was 
one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  that  section  before  the 
land  had  been  surveyed.  He  entered  a  timber 


,  ,    434 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


\ 


claim,  and  in  common  with  other  settlers,  supposed 
that  the  prairie  land  was  useless.  He  accordingly 
cleared  the  ground  sufficiently  for  a  dwelling  and 
put  in  the  crops  for  a  fow  years.  His  death  oc- 
curred on  the  23d  of  March,  1852. 

The  first  wife  of  James  B.  Covington  was  Miss 
Mary  Murphy,  who  died  in  1842.  He  was  then 
married  to  Mrs.  Mary  Reese,  who  was  of  German 
parentage,  and  was  brought  from  the  old  country 
when  twelve  years  old  to  Pennsylvania,  where  she 
was  married,  and  came  to  Illinois  with  her  first  hus- 
band during  the  early  days,  settling  in  Eminence 
Township,  Logan  County.  Indians  and  wild  beasts 
were  plenty  at  that  time,  and  like  many  of  their 
neighbors,  they  settled  amidst  the  timber  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  prairie,  and  cleared  the  forest  in  order 
to  cultivate  the  land.  The  journey  from  Pennsyl- 
vania had  been  made  with  a  team  of  horses.  Soon 
after  their  arrival  one  of  the  horses  got  loose  and 

o 

returned  to  Pennsylvania,  leaving  them  with  only 
one  to  asssist  in  the  plowing  of  the  ground  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  crops.  The  plow  way  home-made, 
constructed  from  a  hickory  limb.  The  only  build- 
ing where  the  great  city  of  Chicago  now  stands  was 
a  fort  in  which  the  thinly  scattered  settlers  fre- 
quently sought  refuge  from  the  Indians.  St.  Louis, 
across  the  Mississippi,  was  the  nearest  trading  point. 
Of  the  second  marriage  of  James  B.  Covington 
there  were  born  two  children,  and  the  father  de- 
parted this  life  in  1852,  when  his  son  Joseph,  of  our 
sketch,  was  a  lad  of  eight  years  old.  He  remained 
with  his  mother  until  thirteen,  then  went  to  live 
with  a  Methodist  preacher,  with  whom  he  remained 
five  years  and  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late 
war.  Although  then  but  a  youth  of  eighteen  he 
enlisted  in  the  106th  Illinois  Infantry  and  served 
until  the  close.  He  was  in  many  of  the  important 
battles,  but  came  out  without  a  scratch. 

After  being  mustered  out  of  service  our  subject 
returned  to'  Logan  County.  111.,  and  commenced 
the  study  of  medicine  with  John  M.  Garner,  in 
Lincoln,  and  two  years  later  entered  the  Homeo- 
pathic College  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  taking  the  full 
course.  He  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine 
in  Lawndale,  Logan  County,  which  he  followed, 
however,  but  six  months,  being  obliged  to  abandon 
the  profession  on  account  of  failing  health.  After- 


ward he  taught  school  through  the  winters  and 
worked  on  a  farm  during  the  summer  for  several 
years.  His  time,  until  1875,  was  variously  em- 
ployed. In  the  spring  of  that,  year  he  came  to  this 
county  and  purchased  a  farm  which  he  now  owns 
and  occupies. 

The  marriage  of  Joseph  Covington  and  Miss 
Henrietta  Garner  took  place  near  Lincoln,  Logan 
County,  Sept.  26,  18G7.  Mrs.  E.  was  born  in 
Richmond,  Mo.,  Jan.  3,  1848,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Dr.  John  M.  Garner,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who 
located  in  Richmond,  Mo.,  after  his  marriage, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
He  was  a  Union  man  during  the  war,  and  the  first 
to  enlist  from  Carroll  County,  Mo.  He  served 
three  years,  most  of  the  time  as  a  staff  officer.  In 
1864  he  came  to  this  State  and  located  in  Lincoln, 
but  afterward  returned  to  Missouri,  and  is  now  a 
resident  of  Greene  County.  The  mother  of  Mrs. 
C.  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Eleanor  Hayes,  of 
Missouri.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  six  chil- 
dren— May,  Lena  B.,  Eleanor,  Edith,  John  and 
Walter. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  are  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Christian  Church,  and  our  subject,  politi- 
cally, casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  part}'. 
His  experience  in  life  has  been  one  full  of  interest- 
ing and  thrilling  incidents,  and  as  one  .of  the  hon- 
ored pioneers  he  is  accorded  that  respect  which  is 
due  all  those  who  assisted  in  the  development  and 
building  up  of  one  of  the  richest  sections  in  the 
Prairie  State. 


ON.  EMERY  C.  BARTHOLOW,  of  Ma- 
homet Township,  is  the  son  of  Rev.  Benja- 
min and  Mary  (Heller)  Bartholow,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Maryland  and  the  latter  of 
Ohio.  After  marriage  the  parents  of  our  subject 
located  in  Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio,  where  they 
lived  until  1854,  then  came  to  this  State  and  lo- 
cated in  the  city  of  Bloomington.  They  remained 
there  fora  short  period  ;  being  a  minister  he  had  no 
established  home  until  1874,  when  he  removed  to 
Urbana,  where  the  mother  die/1  March  26.  1884; 
the  father  July  15,  1  ss5,  in  Pliilo.  Rev.  Bartholow 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


435 


was  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which 
he  labored  as  preacher  and  pastor  for  a  period  of 
forty  years.  The  parental  household  comprised 
three  children — Emery  C.,  of  our  sketch;  Dr.  J. 
M.,  who  is  a  resident  'of  Philo,  and  John  II.,  of 
Mansfield,  111. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Uhrichs- 
ville,  Tuscarawas  Co.,  Ohio,  Dec.  31,  1844.  He 
came  to  Bloomington  with  his  parents,  and  attended 
the  common  schools  until  fourteen  years  of  age. 
His  studies  were  continued  in  Marshall  College  in 
Clark  County,  111.,  and  completed  in  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, Bloomington,  where  he  prepared  himself 
for  teaching.  After  the  breaking  out  of  the  war. 
however,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  G,  94th  111.  Vol.  Inf., 
from  which,  after  eighteen  months,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  37th  Regiment,  where  he  was  promo- 
ted Sergeant,  and  served  one  year  in  that  regiment. 
He  was  in  the  army  two  and  one-half  years  and, 
with  the  exception  of  a  serious  sunstroke,  escaped 
injury.  After  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment he  went  to  Chicago,  and  continued  his  studies 
in  Rush  Medical  College  one  year,  after  which  he 
practiced  in  Mahomet  for  several  years,  then  re- 
turi^ed  to  college  and  graduated  in  1871. 

Mr.  Bartholow  became  a  resident  of  Mahomet 
in  February,  1867,  where  he  has  lived,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  year,  since  that  date.  In  1884  he 
purchased  a  stock  of  drugs  and  has  carried  on  the 
store  successfully  since  that  time.  He  was  married 
at  Le  Roy,  111.,  May  9,  1867,  to  Miss  Mary  O'. 
Moorehouse,  who  was  a  native  of  Batavia,  N.  Y., 
and  born  July  5,  1843.  They  became  the  parents 
of  five  children,  of  whom  one  is  deceased.  These 
surviving  are  Edgar  L.,  Lena  B.,  Nellie  and  Cyrus 
D.  Frank  died  when  five  years  old,  on  the  25th 
of  March,  1881.  The  first  wife  of  our  subject  died 
at  Mahomet,  Jan.  14,  1886,  and  he  was  again  mar- 
ried, Dec.  15,  1886.  at  Le  Roy,  111.,  to  Mrs.  Eliza 
(Smith)  Gay,  daughter  of  11.  S.  Smith,  and  widow 
of  Daniel  Gay,  who  died  in  1882.  Mrs.  Bartholow 
was  born  at  Warsav^,  N.  Y.,  in  1852,  and  was  the 
daughter  of  R.  S.  and  Eliza  A.  Smith. 

Dr.  Bartholow,  in  1876,  was  elected  to  the  Thir- 
tieth General  Assembly  of  the  State,  where  he 
served  two  terms.  He  has  been  President  of  the 
Village  Board  two  terms,  officiated  as  Magistrate 


and  School  Trustee,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the 
Village  Board.  Socially  he  belongs  to  Eph.  Scott 
Post  No.  464,  G.  A.  R.  With  his  excellent  and 
accomplished  wife  he  is  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Methodist  Church.  Politically  he  is  a 
straight  Republican. 


?ILEY  DAVIS.  The  subject  of  the  fol- 
lowing history  bears  no  unimportant  part 
among  the  business  and  agricultural  inter- 
ests of  Champaign  County.  He  owns  and  occupies 
a  fine  farm  on  section  22,  in  Mahomet  Township, 
of  which  he  took  possession  in  1849.  Since  that  time 
he  has  been  industriously  employed  in  its  improve- 
ment and  cultivation,  and  has  made  of  it  one  of  the 
most  attractive  spots  in  the  landscape  of  Cham- 
paign Country.  The  family  residence  is  a  handsome 
and  substantial  structure,  finely  located.  The  barns 
and  other  out-buildings  are  conveniently  arranged 
for  the  shelter  of  stock  and  the  storage  of  grain, 
and  the  farm  machinery  and  other  appliances  are 
of  first-class  description.  The  homestead  includes 
740  acres,  all  improved,  and  under  a  good  state  of 
cultivation.  Mr.  Davis  of  late  years  has  given 
much  attention  to  the  breeding  of  fine  stock,  and 
keeps  about  150  head  of  cattle,  a  flock  of  sheep, 
and  a  number  of  fine  horses.  His  grain  and  stock 
operations  probably  aggregate  more  than  those  of 
any  other  man  fn  this  locality. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Newark, 
Licking  County,  on  the  5th  of  May,  1819.  He  is 
the  son  of  Zachariah  and  Elizabeth  (Roberts)  Da- 
vis, the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the 
latter  of  Virginia.  Both  became  residents  of  the 
Buckeye  State  early  in  life,  and  were  married  in 
Newark,  where  they  permanently  located  and  where 
the  mother  died  in  1846.  After  the  death  of  his 
wife  Zachariah  Davis  came  to  Illinois,  and  located 
in  Champaign  County  at  an  early  period  in  its 
history.  After  farming  here  a  number  of  years  he 
removed  to  Vermilion  County,  and  died  at  Dan- 
ville about  1872.  The  parental  household  included 
eight  children,  six  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom 
four  only  survive — James,  Wiley,  Eliza  and  Will- 
iam. Zachariah,  the  youngest,  died  in  1827;  Mar- 


I 


t. 


.  .    436 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


garct  became  the  wife  of  William  Robinson,  and 
died  at  Danville  in  1882. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  spent  the  first  thirty 
years  of  his  life  in  his  native  county  in  the  Buckeye 
State,  where  after  reaching  years  of  manhood,  he 
carried  on  farming  and  was  quite  extensively  en- 
gaged in  the  shipping  of  stock.  He  was  married  at 
Dayton,  Ohio,  Feb.  18,  1847,  to  Miss  Mary  ,!., 
daughter  of  Elijah  and  Margaret  (Koogler)  Slider, 
both  natives  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  Davis  was  born  at 
Dayton,  June  28,  1821.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
have  no  children.  He  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party,  a  member  of  Mahomet  Lodge 
No.  220,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  with  his  wife  is  promi- 
nently connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

Mr.  Davis  has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  the 
development  and  welfare  of  his  adopted  county, 
and  has  been  connected  with  many  of  its  most 
worthy  enterprises.  He  is  held  in  the  highest  re- 
spect, not  only  for  his  rare  business  talents,  which 
have  enabled  him  to  accumulate  a  handsome  prop- 
erty, but  for  his  goodness  of  heart  and  genial  dis- 
position, which  have  led  him  to  perform  a  thousand 
acts  of  kindness  unknown  to  the  outside  world,  but 
held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  the  objects  of 
his  sympathy  and  generosity. 


rei 

:\Y  pa 

Wfes 


THOMAS  J.  SCOTT,  a  retired  farmer,  and  ex- 
Sheriff  of  Champaign  County,  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  throughout  this  section,  as 
a  man  possessing  strong  and  excellent  points  of 
character,  which  have  constituted  him  a  most  re- 
liable, enterprising  and  valuable  citizen.  He  comes 
from  an  excellent  family,  being  the  son  of  Hon. 
Fielding  L.  and  Julia  A.  (Herriott)  Scott,  mention 
of  whom  is  made  in  the  sketch  of  Judge  F.  L. 
Scott,  deceased,  which  will  be  found  elsewhere  in 
this  ALIIUM.  The  marriage  of  the  parents  was 
blest  by  the  birth  of  ten  children,  of  whom  our 
subject  was  the  sixth. 

Thomas  J.  Scott  was  born  on  the  old  Scott  home- 
stead in  Mahomet  Township,  Nov.  20,  1838.  He 
received  careful  home  training  from  his  worthy 
parents,  and  pursued  his  primary  studies  in  the 


common  schools.  He  remained  under  the  home 
roof  until  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and  then,  as 
the  Civil  War  was  in  progress,  proffered  his  serv- 
ices as  a  I'nion  soldier,  and  enlisted  in  Co.  I,  2oth 
111.  Vol.  Inf.  He  entered  the  army  as  a  private, 
and  was  promoted  First  Sergeant.  At  the  battle 
of  Chickamauga  he  received  thirteen  bullet  wounds 
in  different  parts  of  his  body,  and  was  conveyed  to 
the  hospital  at  Nashville.  A  week  later  his  father, 
who  had  hurried1  to  the  South  with  the  expectation 
of  carrying  his  body  home  to  be  buried,  brought 
him  home  alive,  and  he  recovered,  contrary  to  the 
expectation  of  all  his  friends.  He  remained  at  home 
under  a  physician's  care  from  the  fall  of  1863  to 
1864,  when  he  was  ordered  back  to  his  regiment, 
though  still  on  crutches.  After  reaching  Nashville 
again  he  was  attacke'd  with  varioloid,  and  confined 
in  the  pest-house  five  weeks.  He  applied  for  trans- 
portation to  the  North,  but  as  his  name  could  not 
be  found  in  the  list,  he  was  sent  to  the  front,  and 
three  days  later  gangrene  set  in  his  heel,  and  he 
then  succeeded  in  getting  a  furlough.  At  the 
above-named  battle,  Mr.  Scott  was  also  captured 
by  the  rebels,  but  soon  exchanged.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  at  Springfield,  111.,  after  serv- 
ing nearly  three  years.  He  considers  that  he  is 
justly  entitled  to  the  pension  which  he  now  receives 
from  the  Government. 

In  the  fall  of  1866  Mr.  Scott  was  elected  Sheriff 
of  Champaign  County,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  two  years,  returned  to  Mahomet,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  has  since  lived,  with  the 
exception  of  two  years  spent  in  Colfax  Township. 
In  1876  he  removed  into  the  village,  where  he  has 
a  good  residence  and  pleasant  home.  Besides  his 
village  property  he  is  the  owner  of  400  acres  of 
land  in  Mahomet  Township,  half  of  which  is  in 
timber. 

Mr.  Scott  was  married,  in  Mahomet  Township, 
Jan.  24,  1864,  to  Miss  Sarah  Rea,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  the  daughter  of  J.  J.  Rea.  Of  this 
union  there  were  born  twin  girls — Sarah 'and  Kate. 
The  former  is  the  wife  of  S.  J.  Purnell.  and  resides 
in  Champaign  City.  Kate  married  William  Gancy, 
and  lives  on  a  farm' in  Newcomb  Township.  .Mr-. 
Sarah  Scott  departed  this  life  Feb.  18,  186.5,  at  her 
home  in  Mahomet  Township.  Our  subject  was 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


437 


married  the  second  time,  in  London,  Ohio,  Oct.  16, 
1H(>(!,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Davidson.  This  lady  is  a 
native  of  Madison  County,  Ohio,  born  Oct.  12, 
1842.  Their  five  children  are  Daisy,  Anna,  Fred, 
Vera  and  Paul.  Politically  Mr.  Scott  is  a  stanch 
Prohibitionist.  Socially  he  belongs  to  Eph.  Scott 
Post  No.  4G4,  G.  A.  It.,  and  religiously,  is  con- 
nected with  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  Mrs. 
Scott  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 


ENZO  DUN  LAP,  proprietor  of  the  well- 
known  Evergreen  Home  Farm  in  Cham- 
paign Township,  is  one  of  the  early  pio- 
neers of  this  and  Cook  County,  and  is 
pleasantly  located  on  section  36,  Champaign  Town- 
ship, of  which  he  took  possession  in  1855.  At  the 
time  of  its  purchase  by  our  subject  the  farm  was 
wild  land,  whicli  he  has  now  brought  to  a  fine  state 
of  cultivation,  enclosed  it  with  good  fences,  and 
erected  upon  it  a  substantial  and  convenient  set  of 
frame  buildings. 

Mr.  Dunlap  is  a  native  of  Otsego  County,  N.  Y., 
and  was  born  Dec.  19,  1816.  His  father,  William 
J.  Dunlap,  was  a  native  of  Montgomery  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  the  son  of  John  Duulap,  whose  father, 
a  native  of  Ireland  and  of  Scotch  ancestry,  emi- 
grated to  America  when  a  young  man.  John  Dun- 
lap  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits  and  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y.,  of 
which  State  he  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  and 
served  in  the  War  of  1812.  During  that  struggle 
his  family,  in  common  with  man}'  others  in  that 
section  of  country,  suffered  greatly  from  the  dep- 
redations of  Indians  and  for  a  long  period  lived  in 
fear  of  their  lives.  Amid  these  thrilling  scenes 
William  J.  Dunlap,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
reared  to  principles  of  honesty  and  the  courage  re- 
quired by  the  men  of  those  times  to  successfully 
cope  with  the  difficulties  that  surrounded  them. 
Young  Dunlap  followed  farming  during  the  earlier 
years  of  his  life,  some  of  the  time  kept  hotel  and 
also  operated  a  flouring-mill.  In  1836  he  emigrated 
to  the  Prairie  State,  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
pioneers  of  La  Salle  County.  After  a  brief  resi- 
dence there  he  removed  to  Cook  County,  of  whicli 


he  remained  a  resident  until  1857.  Thence  he  came 
to  Champaign  County,  soon  afterward  retiring  from 
the  active  labors  of  life,  his  decease  occurring  in 
Champaign  Township. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  mar- 
riage was  Miss  Margaret  Lane,  was  a  native  of 
Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y.  Of  her  marriage  with  Will- 
iam J.  Dunlap  there  were  born  ten  children,  all  of 
whom  lived  to  become  men  and  women.  Of  these, 
Menzo  was  the  fifth  child.  He  was  fifteen  years 
old  when  his  parents  became  residents  of  Lewis 
Count}-,  N.  Y.,  where  they  lived  two  years,  and 
thence  removed  to  Jefferson  County,  spending  two 
years  there  also.  In  1836  the  parents  with  their 
eight  children  started  with  four  horses  and  two 
wagons  for  Illinois,  making  the  entire  journey  over- 
land, and  being  seven  weeks  on  the  road.  The 
father  purchased  a  farm  in  La  Salle  County,  where 
they  lived  a  brief  time,  then  took  up  their  abode  on 
a  tract  of  wild  land  in  Cook  County.  Their  loca- 
tion was  fifteen  miles  from  Chicago,  then  a  humble 
hamlet.  Here  our  subject  in  due  time  purchased 
forty  acres  of  Government  land,  upon  which  he 
built  a  frame  house,  and  placed  the  whole  under  a 
good  state  of  cultivation.  He  occupied  this  until 
1856,  then  selling  out  came  to  this  county  and  pur- 
chased the  tract  of  land  which  he  now  owns  and 
which  he  has  converted  into  a  valuable  farm.  It 
was  at  that  time  a  wild,  uncultivated  prairie,  no 
part  of  which  had  been  turned  by  the  plowshare. 
Mr.  Dunlap,  after  years  of  industry,  has  placed  it 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  erected  all 
needful  farm  buildings.  Upon  a  part  of  his  original 
purchase  now  stands  the  flourishing  town  of  Savoy. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Isabella 
Pierce  took  place  in  Du  Page  County,  this  State, 
the  day  before  Christmas,  1841.  Mrs.  D.  was  a  na- 
tive of  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  and  was  born  April 
3,  1825.  Her  parents  were  Smith  D.  and  Polly 
(Dunlap)  Pierce,  both  natives  of  the  Empire  State. 
The  father,  now  eighty  years  of  age,  makes  his 
home  in  Belmont,  Iowa.  Of  the  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunlap,  nine  in  number,  seven  are 
now  living:  Isabelle  became  the  wife  of  Jackson 
Burt,  and  is  .a  resident  of  Urbana,  111. ;  Maggie 
married  Willoughby  Condit,  and  lives  in  Scott 
County.  Kan.;  Burleigh  is  practicing  law  in  De 


I 


'  '438 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Smet,  Dak.;  J.  Hammil  married  Miss  Ella  Coon, 
and  lives  at  Savoy  ;  Mary,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Jordan,  is  a 
resident  of  Champaign  Township;  R.  Livingston 
married  Miss  Lettie  Jutkins  and  they  live  on  the 
home  farm  ;  Lillian,  the  wife  of  J.  C.  Cliue,  lives  in 
Monticello,  Minn.  The  mother  of  these  children 
departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Champaign  Town- 
ship on  the  13th  of  May,  1880. 

Mr.  Dunlap,  who  was  formerly  Democratic  in 
politics,  has  since  the  organization  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  identified  himself  with  it,  and  uniformly 
casts  his  vote  in  support  of  its  principles.  He  has 
been  a  stirring  business  man  and  a  skillful  farmer, 
keeping  full  pace  with  the  march  of  progress  in  the 
great  and  rapidly  developed  West.  In  1886  he 
added  a  new  feature  to  his  farming  operations,  in 
the  shape  of  a  steam  engine  and  other  necessary 
apparatus  for  the  manufacture  of  apple  jelly  and 
pure  cider  vinegar.  This  he  carries  on  in  partner- 
ship with  his  son,  R.  Livingston. 


BRAM  FRAZIER,  a  native  of  Knox  County, 
Ohio,  for  the  past  fifteen  years  has  been 
operating  a  good  farm  on  section  20,  in 
Condit  Township.  His  birth  took  place  on 
the  9th  of  June,  1841.  His  father,  Jacob  Frazier, 
of  Virginia,  was  the  son  of  John  Frazier,  who  de- 
scended from  Scottish  ancestry.  The  first  repre- 
sentatives of  the  family  in  this  country  located 
first  in  Virginia,  and  the  grandfather  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  At  the  close  of  the 
struggle  and  upon  returning  to  civil  life  he  visited 
the  State  of  Ohio,  and  being  greatly  pleased  with 
the  outlook  in  that  section  concluded  to  settle 
there. 

It  took  him  three  years  to  wind  up  his  affairs  in 
Virginia  so  that  he  could  effect  his  removal,  and 
when  this  was  done  he  selected  Coshocton  County 
as  his  place  of  abode.  He  was  among  the  earliest 
pioneers  there,  and  taking  up  a  tract  of  Govern- 
ment land  occupied  it  until  1841,  when  he  removed 
to  Knox  County.  He  had  been  crippled  by  an 
ulcer  for  some  time,  and  spent  a  large  part  of  his 
property  in  seeking  relief.  After  settling  in  Knox 
County  he  had  a  limb  amputated  and  not  being 


able  to  perform  very  active  labor  employed  his 
time  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes  and  shingles. 
His  death  took  place  in  1864.  In  early  manhood 
he  had  married  Miss  Rachel  Cosner,  a  native  of 
Maryland,  and  the  daughter  of  Philip  Cosner. ' 

Of  a  family  of  twelve,  Abram  of  our  sketch  is 
the  only  representative  in  this  county.  He  spent 
his  youth  and  childhood  in  attendance  at  the  dis- 
trict schools  and  in  assisting  to  perform  the  lighter 
labors  of  the  farm.  He  came  to  this  county  when 
a  young  man  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  two 
years  afterward  was  united  in  marriage,  Oct.  15, 
1 868,  with  Miss  Mary  E.  Crouch.  Mrs.  F.  was  born 
in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Lavena  (McNett)  Crouch,  a  sketch  of 
whom  appears  on  another  page  in  this  volume. 
Our  subject,  with  his  wife,  in  1870  located  on  the 
old  Crouch  homestead,  which  they  have  since  occu- 
pied. Their  four  children  are  Eleanor  A.,  Delia  P., 
Clinton  G.  and  Kittie  N. 

Mr.  Frazier  enlisted  in  the  service  on  the  20th 
of  April,  1861,  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  in  the  4th 
Infantry,  and  served  till  the  1st  of  September,  the 
same  year;  he  re-enlisted  Sept.  20,  1861,  in  the 
20th  Ohio  Infantry,  serving  until  Jan.  1,  1864,  and 
re-enlisted  the  same  day  in  the  same  regiment,  and 
served  until  the  war  closed  in  1865. 


R.  CALVIN  E.  PARKER.  Among  the 
successful  young  business  men  of  Cham- 
paign County,  there  are  none  possessing 
greater  enterprise  and  energy  than  the 
subject  of  this  history,  who  is  now  engaged  as  a 
banker  and  dealer  in  real  estate  at  Philo.  He  has 
been  thus  occupied  since  1883,  and  his  operations- 
extend  over  a  wide  stretch  of  territory,  embracing 
lands  in  Kansas,  and  a  large  amount  of  real  estate 
in  Illinois.  He  was  the  pioneer  banker  of  Philo, 
and  since  his  establishment  here  in  connection  with 
this  enterprise,  has  met  with  uniform  success. 

Dr.  Parker  was  born  in  Worcester,  Mass.,  Sept. 
7,  1850.  The  history  of  his  parents  will  be  found 
in  the  sketch  of  E.  W.  Parker,  published  elsewhere 
in  this  volume.  He  was  but  a  boy  when  his  fa- 
ther emigrated  from  the  Bay  State  to  Illinois  and 


' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


439! 


located  at  Philo,  where  the  son  grew  to  manhood, 
in  the  meantime  pursuing  his  primary  studies  in 
the  public  schools  and  graduating  at  Champaign 
University  in  the  class  of  1872.  He  was  afterward 
engaged  as  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  this 
county,  and  at  the  same  time  employed  his  leisure 
hours  in  the  study  of  medicine,  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  Dr.  Howard,  of  Champaign.  Afterward  he 
went  to  St.  Louis  and  took  two  courses  of  lectures 
at  the  Medical  College  there.  In  1877,  after  grad- 
uating, he  returned  to  Philo,  and  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  In  connection  with  his 
practice  he  also  conducted  a  drug-store,  but  after 
a  time  abandoned  both,  finding  that  he  could  reap 
more  benefit  in  another  branch  of  business.  His 
banking  operations  have  been  conducted  with  good 
judgment,  and  his  upright  methods  have  secured 
for  him  the  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens  and 
patrons. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Calvin  E.  Parker  and  Miss 
Martha  E.  Baker  was  celebrated  on  the  3d  of  July, 

1873,  in  Philo  Township.     Mrs.  Parker  was  born 
in  Bellefontaine,   Ohio,  Sept.  1,    1851,  and   is  the 
daughter  of  Reuben  and  Susan  (Kimbrough)  Baker, 
who  came  to    this   county  and    located    in    Philo 
Township  on  a  farm,  where  the  father  died  in  about 

1874.  The  mother,  now  about  fifty-six  years  of 
age,  is  a  resident  of  Champaign.     Mrs.  Parker  was 
educated   in    the  public  schools,  and  was  sixteen 
years  of  age  when  she  came  with  her  parents  to 
this  county.     Dr.  Parker  has  been  Township  Su- 
pervisor for  three  years,  and  is  also  Treasurer.     He 
was  appointed  Postmaster  in  1879.     Politically  he 
endorses  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party. 


<ffl       WILLIAM  H.  ALLISON,  well  known  as  one 

\r\///    of   the    worthiest  farmers    of   East   Bend 

Wf\/i 

yyy      Township,  is  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion, 

born  in  Loudoun  County  on  the  23d  of  February, 
1837.  His  father,  Wilfred  Allison,  was  born  in 
Fairfax  County,  Va.,  in  April,  1799,  and  his  grand- 
father, John  Allison,  is  supposed  to  have  been  a 
native  of  the  same  county,  where  he  owned  a  planta- 
tion and  spent  his  entire  life.  Wilfred  Allison 
served  for  a  number  of  years  as  overseer  on  a  large 


plantation  belonging  to  a  nephew  of  George  Wash- 
ington. After  marriage  he  removed  from  Fairfax 
to  Loudoun  County,  where  he  lived  until  1839, 
when,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  six  children,  he 
started  overland  with  wagons  for  the  young  and 
rapidly  growing  State  of  Ohio.  He  settled  upon  a 
tract  of  partially  cleared  land  in  Goshen  Township, 
Champaign  County,  which  he  had  purchased,  and 
making  further  improvements  by  clearing  the  bal- 
ance of  the  timber  and  thoroughly  cultivating  the 
soil,  established  a  good  homestead,  where  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  days. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Susan  Littleton,  who  was  born  near  Lees- 
burg,  Va.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  John  Littleton, 
a  natjve  of  the  same  State.  In  the  family  of  Wil- 
fred Allison  there  were  ten  children.  Of  these 
seven  grew  to  man  and  womanhood :  Mary,  Mrs. 
Stewart,  died  in  Mechanicsburg,  Ohio ;  Mrs.  Ann  O. 
Roberts  is  a  resident  of  Urbana,  that  State;  Mrs. 
Martha  Frankenberger  lives  in  Mechanicsburg, 
Ohio;  Charles  C.  died  at  Wichita,  Kan. ;  William  H. 
is  the  subject  of  our  sketch ;  Edwin  M.  is  a  resident 
of  Brown  Township,  this  county ;  Mrs.  Kate  Gibson 
lives  in  Oregon. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  but  two  years  old 
when  his  parents  made  the  removal  to  Ohio.  Dur- 
ing his  boyhood  and  youth  he  attended  the  Clover 
Run  district  school  and  completed  his  studies  in 
the  public  school  at  Urbana.  He  commenced  teach- 
ing in  Champaign  County,  Ohio,  when  nineteen 
years  of  age,  which  he  followed  for  three  winters. 
Soon  afterward,  in  1857,  he  came  to  this  State,  and 
locating  in  De  Witt  County,  followed  teaching 
during  the  winter  and  farmed  in  summer  for  a 

O 

period  of  nearly  thirteen  years.  In  1869  he  came 
to  this  county  and  settled  in  Brown  Township,  pur- 
chasing a  farm  on  section  35,  which  he  occupied 
until  1881,  then  sold  out  and  purchased  his  present 
homestead.  This  includes  100  acres  of  land,  with 
a  good  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  everything 
necessary  for  its  proper  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment. 

Mr.  Allison  was  married  on  the  8th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1861,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Karr.  She  was  born  in 
DC  Witt  County,  111.,  March  10,  1844,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  John  Karr,  formerly  of  Ohio,  and  who 


i 

It 


440 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


came  to  Illinois  and  located  in  De  Witt  County 
during  its  early  settlement,  in  1840.  He  improved 
a  farm  in  Wapella  Township,  and  spent  the  last 
years  of  his  life  there.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Allison, 
who  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Mary  Morgan, 
was  born  in  Ohio,  then  went  to  Kentucky,  and  re- 
moved to  Illinois  in  her  girlhood.  The  parents  are 
now  residents  of  McLean  County,  this  State.  The 
five  children  of  our  subject  and  wife  are  Lolo  L., 
Eva,  Mary  E.,  Carrie  and  Minnie  Myrtle.  The 
family  name  was  formerly  spelled  Alliston,  but  the 
father  of  our  subject  dropped  the  "t"  during  the 
latter  years  of  his  life. 

Mr.  Allison  i5  a  gentleman  of  good  education, 
with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  law,  in  the  practice 
of  which  he  has  been  engaged  of  late  year's,  doing 
a  large  business  in  the  country  districts.  He  was 
formerly  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Clerk  of  Brown 
Township.  He  has  served  as  Supervisor  at  East 
Bend  for  three  terms  and  has  held  various  other 
local  offices.  He  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Repub- 
lican principles. 


ffiOHN  H.  FUNSTON,  a  successful  farmer  of 
Newcomb  Township,  is  pleasantly  located  on 
a  fine  farm  on  section  1 4,  of  which  he  took  pos- 
session in  1 857.  This  consists  of  400  acres  of 
land,  most  of  which  is  improved,  and  a  convenient 
and  substantial  set  of  farm  buildings.  Mr.  F.  is  in  all 
respects  a  representative  citizen  and  progressive 
farmer,  and  is  properly  classed  among  the  first  citi- 
zens of  his  community.  Upon  first  coming  to  this 
locality  he  occupied  a  cabin  12x14  feet,  which  was 
the  only  structure  on  the  (arm.  One  and  one-half 
years  later  he  put  up  a  more  convenient  dwelling, 
to  which  he  has  since  added,  and  furnished  with 
modern  conveniences.  Upon  one  occasion,  while 
occupying  their  cabin  home,  they  entertained  twen- 
ty- four  visitors,  a  part  of  whom  would  partake  of 
refreshments  at  the  table  within  and  then  go  out- 
side to  make  room  for  others. 

The  subject  of  this  history  is  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Nancy  (Hubbard)  Funston,  the  father  of  Irish 
:md  German  descent.  After  their  marriage  they 
located  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  where,  after  a  period 


of  twelve  years  the  father  died  in  the  house  which 
the  family  first  occupied.  With  the  exception  of 
the  time  spent  in  the  army  during  the  War  of  1812, 
Thomas  Funston  was  engaged  in  farming  pursuits, 
and  was  never  forty -five  miles  away  from  his  home. 
His  death  occurred  in  1858.  Afterward,  the  mother, 
with  her  family,  came  to  Champaign  County,  where 
she  resided  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in 
1862,  in  Newcomb  Township. 

Of  the  eleven  children  which  constituted  the  pa- 
rental family,  seven  daughters  and  four  sons,  our 
subject  was  the  second  son  and  sixth  child.  He 
was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  9,  1828,  and 
remained  with  the  family  until  twenty-two  years 
old.  After  completing  his  limited  education  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  worked  as  a 
"jour"  one  3Tear  in  Ross  County.  In  1851  he 
came  to  Illinois,  first  locating  in  Monticello,  Piatt 
County,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  until  in 
March,  1857.  That  year  he  became  a  resident  of 
Champaign  County,  locating  in  Newcomb  Town- 
ship, upon  the  farm  which  he  still  occupies.  He 
added  to  his  original  purchase  as  time  passed  on 
and  his  means  accumulated,  and  for  a  period  of 
over  twenty  years  pursued  uninterruptedly  the  cul- 
tivation and  improvement  of  his  property. 

The  marriage  of  John  H.  Funston  and  Miss 
Elizabeth  E.  Bailey  took  place  in  Piatt  County, 
111.,  Nov.  18,  1852.  Mrs.  F.  is  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  (Hubbard)  Bailey,  natives  respect- 
ively of  Ireland  and  Ohio.  After  marriage  they 
located  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  Piatt  County,  this  State,  about  1834.  In 
1879  they  crossed  the  Mississippi  into  Iowa,  where 
the  mother  died  in  March,  1885.  Mr.  Bailey  is 
still  living,. and  is  now  seventy-nine  years  old.  The 
thirteen  children  which  comprised  the  parental 
family  embraced  eight  daughters  and  five  sons.  Of 
these  Mrs.  F.  of  our  sketch  was  the  eldest.  She 
was  born  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  26,  1832, 
and  by  her  union  with  our  subject  became  the 
mother  also  of  thirteen  children.  Of  these  the 
record  is  as  follows:  Thomas  A.  died  when  one 
year  old ;  Eliza  J.  became  the  wife  of  J.  F.  Trotter, 
and  is  a  resident  of  Newcomb  Township;  Margaret 
A.  died  when  thirteen  months  old;  Mary  A.  is  the 
wife  of  Henry  J.  Hinton,  of  Newcomb  Township; 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


411 


Nancy  I.,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Downs,  lives  in  Newcomb 
Township  ;  John.  W.  and  George  Wiley  are  at  home  ;  , 
Cora  is  Mrs.  Mark  Hazen,  of  Nevvcomb  Township; 
Fannie  died  when  a  little  over  three  years  of  age, 
and  Charles  when  two  years  old;  Edmund  B.,  Jesse 
G.  and  Minnie  E.  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 
Mr.  F.  has  been  Assessor  several  years  and  was 
School  Trustee  of  Newcomb  Township  for  a  period 
of  nineteen  years.  He  is  a  member  of  Mahomet 
Lodge  No.  220,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Mahomet,  111. 
lie  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
F^piscopal  Church,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


LBERT  NOFFTZ,  a  prominent  and  pros- 
(J3£JJ|  perous  stock  and  grain  raiser  of  Champaign 
County,  residing  on  section  8,  Pesotum 
Township,  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  born 
Dec.  28,  1  844,  and  the  youngest  child  of  Charles 
and  Anna  (Zenkil)  Nofftz,  natives  of  the  same 
country.  After  the  death  of  his  father,  which 
occurred  in  1853,  young  Albert  came  with  his 
widowed  mother  to  America.  The  long  journey 
was  made  across  the  sea  in  185G,  and  after  landing 
on  American  shores  they  proceeded  directly  to  Chi- 
cago to  meet  a  sister,  who  had  previously  emigrated 
to  this  country,  and  was  living  in  that  city.  He 
remained  with  his  sister  a  few  months  and  then 
carne  to  Sadorus,  where  he  worked  on  his  brother's 
farm  until  1862. 

The  late  Civil  War  then  assuming  alarming  pro- 
portions, Mr.  Nofftz  at  once  tendered  his  services  in 
support  of  the  Union  cause,  enlisting  in  Co.  B,  76th 
111.  Vol.  Inf.  He  was  engaged  in  many  battles  and 
skirmishes,  doing  his  whole  duty  as  a  soldier,  and 
participated  with  his  comrades  in  the  long  siege  of 
Vicksburg,  being  present  at  its  surrender  on  the 
memorable  4th  of  July,  1863.  He  was  also  at  the 
siege  and  evacuation  of  Jackson,  Miss.,  July  17, 
at  Champion  Hills  and  Benton,  Miss.,  and  Jackson, 
La.,  the  same  year.  He  was  at  the  siege  and  assault 
on  Ft.  Blakely,  Ala.,  in  1865,  and  on  the  22d  of 
July  of  that  year,  received  an  honorable  discharge. 
At  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  he  contracted  rheumatism 
from  exposure,  by  being  compelled  to  lie  in  the 
ditches  in  the  cold  and  vvet,  and  at  the  engagement 


at  Blakely,  Ala.,  was  so  jarred  by  the  bursting  of  a 
shell,  that  he  was  almost  deprived  of  his  hearing 
and  memory,  which  for  a  time  seriously  incapaci- 
tated him  for  duty.  His  company  was  under  the 
command  of  Col.  S.  T.  Busey,  who  had  been  pro- 
moted to  the  post  made  vacant  by  the  resignation 
of  Ool.  Mack. 

After  his  discharge  from  service,  our  subject  re- 
turned to  Sadorus  and  bought  forty  acres  of  unim- 
proved land  upon  which  he  at  once  commenced 
operating  successfully,  one  of  his  first  duties  being 
the  erection  of  a  small  house.  In  November,  1866, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Messuian,  and  with 
his  young  bride  immediately  took  up  his  abode  at 
his  little  home.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Nofftz  were 
Michael  and  Arena  (Glove)  Messman,  natives  of 
Germany,  and  now  residents  of  this  county.  Mr. 
Nofftz  has  since  added  to  his  original  tract,  by 
three  more  purchases,  and  now  has  280  acres  of  fine 
land  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  In  1876 
the  first  humble  dwelling  was  replaced  by  a  com- 
modious residence,  and  here  the  family  reside,  in 
comfort  and  enjoyment. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nofftz  have  become  the  parents 
of  nine  children  —  Flora  A.,  Emma  M.,  Anna  A., 
Frederick  A.,  Rudolph  T.,  Hulda  L.,  Edward  T., 
Frank  W.  and  Henry  J.  ;  the  latter  is  deceased. 
Those  living  are  all  at  home  with  their  parents. 
Politically  Mr.  N.  is  independent,  voting  accord  ing 
to  his  honest  convictions,  regardless  of  party.  He 
has  served  his  district  as  School  Director  for  several 
terms. 


J"~l  AMES  O'BRIEN,  a   valued  member  of  the 
farming  community  of  Pesotum  Township, 
is  a  native  of   Tipperary    County,    Ireland, 
and  was  born  in  1841.     His  parents,  Morgan 
Patrick  and  Mary  (Henesy)  O'Brien,  were  natives  of 
the  same  county  as  their  son,  where  they    followed 
farming  through  life,  the  death  of  the  father  occur- 
ring   in    1847,  and  that    of   his    widow    eighteen 
years  later,  in  1865. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  our  subject  became  im- 
pressed with  the  great  possibilities  lying  on  the 
other  side  of  the  sea,  and  the  prospects  held  out  to 
the  enterprising  young  men  of  the  day,  and  uccord- 


442 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


injrly  ho  bade  farewell  to  tlie  Emerald  Isle  and  set 
sail  for  the  I'nited  States,  with  anticipations  of  a 
bright  future.  Me  landed  at  New  York  and  re- 
mained in  that  vicinity  for  one  year,  engaged  in 
farming  and  railroading,  then  migrated  to  San- 
dusky,  Ohio,  where  he  was  similarly  engaged  for 
years. 

March  27,  1853,  our  subject  was  married  to 
Margaret  Duggan,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Dennis 
and  Ellen  (Doherty)  Duggan,  natives  of  Ireland, 
who  immigrated  to  this  country  in  1855.  Their 
(laughter,  Mrs.  O'Brien,  came  in  1850  with  friends. 
Mr.  Duggan  first  located  in  Ohio,  but  shortly  after- 
ward came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  the  vicinity  of 
Champaign,  this  county,  where  his  death  occurred 
in  February,  1856.  His  widow  survived  him 
twenty  years  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-five. 

When  James  O'Brien  first  came  to  this  county. 
he  located  in  the  city  of  Champaign,  but  in  1858 
removed  to  Tolono  and  bought  property  in  that 
place.  In  1863  he  determined  on  a  trip  to  Ireland 
to  visit  his  mother  and  brothers  who  were  still  liv- 
ing there,  and  to  arrange  some  unsettled  business. 
His  father  had  died  in  1847.  He  remained  six 
months,  and  re-embarking  sailed  for  his  adopted 
country,  and  returned  to  his  home  in  Tolono.  The 
following  year  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  12,  in  Pesotum  Township,  and  at  once  com- 
menced improving  it.  Afterward  he  purchased 
120  acres  more,  but  selling  forty  has  now  only  160 
in  the  home  farm.  This  is  under  a  good  state  of 
cultivation  and  well  drained. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  O'Brien  have  become  the  parents 
of  three  children,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  liv- 
ing: Morgan  P.,  who  was  born  March  10,  1854;  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Conner,  of  Rantoul ;  he  is  route 
agent  on  the  Wabash  Railroad.  Dennis  W.  was 
born  Sept.  22,  1850,  and  died  in  1857;  Mary  E.  was 
born  Sept.  24,  1858;  she  married  William  E.  Mur- 
phy, a  merchant  of  Tolono,  and  died  Jan.  14,  1885, 
leaving  one  child. 

Prior  to  the  late  Civil  War  our  subject  spent 
some  time  in  Louisiana  as  a  contractor  and  builder 
on  the  levees,  and  while  there  became  strongly  im- 
bued with  pro-slavery  ideas,  entering  thoroughly 
into  the  spirit  of  the  Southern  sentiment,  but  on 
his  trip  to  Ireland,  as  above  mentioned,  he  took 


p:is-:ige  on  the  steamer  Glasgow,  which  had  on 
board  the  crew  of  the  Alabama,  the  famous  block- 
side  runner,  with  the  history  of  which  all  patriots 
are  familiar.  During  the  passage  the  crew  indulged 
in  so  many  petty  insinuations,  tending  to  aggra- 
vate Mr.  O'Brien  and  his  associates,  that  they  be- 
came disgusted,  and  the  consequence  was  their 
sympathies  were  aroused  in  favor  of  the  Union,  and 
they  stood  by  it  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Mr.  O'Brien  has  never  had  any  political  aspira- 
tions, but  has  served  on  the  School  Board  for  six 
years,  and  has  always  voted  an  independent  ticket, 
but  is  Democratic  in  principle.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  at 
Tolono,  and  are  highly  esteemed  for  their  excellent 
traits  of  character. 


AMUEL  A.  TODD,  a  representative  of  the 
hardware  trade  in  Thomasboro,  established 
his  present  business  there  in  1882.  He  car- 
ries a  full  line  of  shelf  articles,  and  also 
deals  largely  in  stoves,  tinware,  and  everything 
kept  in  a  well-appointed  store  of  the  kind.  lie  has 
studied  the  wants  of  the  people  and  by  strict  atten- 
tion to  business  and  square  dealing  has  established 
a  good  business. 

Mr.  Todd  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  born 
in  Clarke  County,  March  14,  1850.  His  father, 
James  Todd,  was  a  native  of  Dauphin  County, 
Pa.,  where  his  grandfather.  Samuel  Todd,  carried 
on  farming  extensively  and  spent  the  last  years  of 
his  life.  James  Todd  was  reared  in  his  native 
county,  whence  after  his  marriage  he  removed  to 
Clarke  County,  Ohio,  and  renting  a  tract  of  land 
engaged  for  a  few  years  in  farming.  He  then  took 
up  his  abode  in  Springfield,  the  county  seat,  and 
purchasing  an  interest  in  a  sawmill  there,  operated 
it  until  about  1857.  He  then  sold  out  his  interest  in 
the  mill,  and  coming  to  this  State  farmed  on  rented 
laud  in  Tazewell  County  until  his  earthly  labors 
ceased,  in  1861.  He  had  married  in  early  life 
Miss  Ann  Maria  Espy,  a  native  of  his  own  county 
in  Pennsylvania.  The  household  circle  included 
four  children,  of  whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch 


f 


RESIDENCE  or  J.  C.  REED  ,  5  EC. 16  ,  PHI  uo  TOWNSHIP. 


F?ES.  or  JOHN  D.  SELTZER  ,  SEC. 30  ,  RAYMOND  TOWNSHIP 


- -- . -  -  - .. 

RESIDENCE  orD.B.  GEORGE, SEC.  2.,  ToLONoTowNSH IP. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


445 


was  the  eldest.  One  brother,  David  E.,  is  a  min- 
ister of  the  Congregational  Church,  stationed  in 
Florida:  Nancy  M.  became  the  wife  of  Oliver 
Pettyjohn,  who  is  engaged  in  business  at  Farming- 
ton,  111.;  William  A.  is  farming  in  Tazewell  County, 
this  State. 

Our  subject  was  seven  years  of  age  when  his  par- 
ents removed  from  Pennsylvania  to  Illinois,  and 
four  years  later  his  father  died.  Two  years  after- 
ward the  mother  was  again  married,  and  Samuel  A. 
resided  with  her  until  he  was  nineteen  years  old. 
In  the  meantime  he  had  received  a  good  education 
and  was  now  competent  to  engage  in  business  for 
himself.  In  the  years  1872-73  he  was  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  C.,  P.  &  S.  W.  R.  R.  Co.,  as  Station 
Agent  at  Groveland,  and  after  leaving  this  position 
engaged  on  a  farm  by  the  month.  He  lived  econ- 
omically, having  a  due  respect  for  the  value  of 
money,  and  in  187(5  was  enabled  to  purchase  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Vermilion  County,  111.,  where  he 
carried  on  farming  until  1882.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  he  came  to  Thomasboro  and  established 
his  present  business. 

Mr.  Todd  was  married  in  Ta/ewell  County,  Sept 
10,  1874,  to  Miss  Mary  Snifh'n.  Mrs.  Todd  was 
born  in  Tazewell  County,  of  which  her  parents 
were  early  pioneers;  they  are  now  deceased.  Polit- 
ically Mr.  Todd  is  a  "true-blue"  Republican,  and 
as  a  citizen  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the  welfare 
and  advancement  of  his  community. 


J~~l  ACOB  G.  CHAMBERS,  M.  D.,  who  in  1882 
I    abandoned  the  practice  of  his  profession  for 
|    the  more  congenial  pursuits  of  farm  life,  is 
'    the  possessor  of  a  beautiful  country  estate 
located  on  section  1 1  of  Sadorus  Township.  Here  he 
has  480  acres  of  land,  and  a  residence  which  would 
do  credit  to  a  modern  city,  being  supplied  with  all 
the  conveniences  of  life  and  the  inventions  which 
have  contributed  so  much  to  the  comfort  of   the 
household  in  its  domestic  relations.     The  dwelling 
.stands  in  the  midst  of  grounds  finely  laid  out,  and 
planted    with   choice   shrubbery    and    shade   trees, 
while  the  out-buildings  in  the  rear  are  shapely  and 
substantial.     The  fields  stretch  away  on  either  side, 

«• 


and  in  the  summer  season  present  a  series  of  grain 
and  pasture  lands  that  are  delightful  to  look  upon. 
The  Doctor  devotes  most  of  his  attention  to  grain- 
raising,  but  has  his  farm  well  stocked  with  good 
grades  of  cattle  and  several  fine  horses.  He  may  be 
readily  pardoned  for  taking  pride  in  his  farm  and 
household,  while  at  the  same  time  he  possesses  that 
liberal  and  public  spirit  which  induces  him  when- 
ever opportunity  occurs  to  interest  himself  in  what- 
ever will  benefit  the  community  around  him. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  is  a  native-of  the  Em. 
pire  State,  born  in  Tompkins  County  in  1842.  He 
is  the  youngest  child  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Rymph) 
Chambers,  natives  of  Ulster  County,  N.  Y.,  and 
spent  his  early  years  at  home  pursuing  his  first 
studies  in  the  common  schools.  He  was  fond  of  his 
books  and  advanced  rapidly,  and  when  thirteen 
years  of  age  entered  the  Classical  Department  of 
Hobart  College,  where  he  remained  two  years,  and 
thencefwent  into  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
same.  After1  a  two  years'  course  he  was  considered 
frilly  qualified  to  assifine  the  duties  of  a  physician, 
and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Tioga, 
Pa.,  where  he  remained  until  the  24th  of  June, 
1864.  He  then  entered  the  army  as  Surgeon,  be- 
coming a  member  of  the  190th  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry, in  which  he  served  his  country  until  the 
preservation  of  the  Union  had  been  assured. 

Dr.  Chambers  then  returned  to  the  Keystone 
State,  where  he  resumed  practice,  but  six  months 
later  removed  to  Watkins,  N.  Y,  After  practicing 
there  two  years  he  came  to  Illinois,  locating  in 
Douglas  County  in  the  spring  of  1868.  A  year  later 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Rock,  a  native  of  this 
township,  and  the  daughter  of  William  and  Nancy 
(Beaver)  Rock,  who  resided  on  a  farm  in  this  coun- 
ty. Soon  after  their  marriage  the  young  people 
settled  down  in  Sadorus,  where  our  subject  contin- 
ued in  practice  for  three  years.  In  riding  through 
the  country  from  time  to  time,  the  green  fields  and 
the  air  of  contentment  pervading  the  rural  districts 
bred  within  him  a  desire  to  change  his  occupation. 
Accordingly,  in  the  spring  of  1872,  having  secured 
a  farm  of  160  acres,  one  and  one-half  miles  from 
the  village  of  Sadorus,  he  became  a  member  of  the 
agricultural  community,  and  commenced  with  en- 
ergy the  duties  of  the  new  life  before  him.  Pie  has 


*r 


t 


446 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


never  h;ul  reason  to  regret  the  change,  and  in  his 
various  employments  pertaining  to  the  farm  ha> 
been  remarkably  successful.  The  property  of  his 
wife  and  himself  includes  480  acres,  which  consti- 
tutes the  home  farm,  and  is  all  under  a  flue  state  of 
cultivation. 

To  the  household  of  our  subject  and  his  wife 
there  came  in  due  time  a  little  family  of  six  chil- 
dren. George,  the  first  born,  died  when  eighteen 
mouths  old;  those  surviving — William,  Gertrude, 
Josephus,  Clifton  and  Ralph — are  at  home  with 
their  parents.  In  1 8G9  the  first  residence  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  The  following  year  another  was 
erected,  which  the  family  occupied  until  1886, 
when  it  was  abandoned  to  other  parties,  the  Doctor 
and  his  family  leaving  it  to  take  up  their  residence 
at  their  present  home. 

Dr.  Chambers  has  been  prominent  in  the  affairs 
of  his  township,  and  is  now  serving  his  fourth  term 
as  Supervisor.  He  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and 
although  not  aspiring  to  office  takes  an  intelligent 
interest  in  county  affairs,  and  exerts  his  influence 
in  electing  the  men  best  qualified  to  look  after  the 
interests  of  the  people.  He  is  not  at  present  con- 
nected with  any  religious  organization,  but  Mrs. 
Chambers  is  a  member  and  regular  attendant  of  the 
Baptist  Church.  Sociall}'  the  Doctor  is  a  member 
of  J.  R.  Gorm  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Sadorus, 
and  Sadorus  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  at  the  same  place. 


J^ARED  D.  BUSH,  Postmaster  at  Rising  Sta- 
|    tion,  is  also  extensively  engaged  as  a  mer- 
|    chant   and    grain  buyer  in  Hensley  Town- 
'    ship,  of  which  he  has  been  a  resident  since 
18G9.     He  is  a  native  of  Tippecauoe  County,  Ind., 
born   Aug.  23,  1848,  and  the  son    of   Jared    and 
Charlotte  Bush,  natives  respectively  of  New  York 
and    Kentucky.     His  grandfather,    William  Bush, 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  of  Welsh  ances- 
try,    lie  removed  to  Indiana  while  it  was  yet  a 
Territory,  and  before  the  days  of  railroads,  the  en- 
tire journey  being  made  overland,   and  on   which 
he  was  accompanied  by  his  family,      lie  purchased 
land  from   the  Indians,  and  located  near   Dayton, 


seven  miles  from  Lafayette,  in  the  locality  known 
as  Wild  Cat  Prairie.  There  he  improved  a  large 
tract  of  land,  which  he  occupied  until  his  death, 
and  was  In  id  to  rest  in  a  pleasant  spot  on  the  old 
homestead  which  he  had  established  in  Sheffield 
Township. 

His  son,  Jared,  Sr.,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  near  Utica,  N.  Y.,  in  1807.  and  was  a 
young  child  when  his  parents  removed  to  Indiana. 
He  grew  to  manhood  in  Tippecanoe  County,  in 
the  meantime  learning  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker, 
and  when  quite  young  had  a  shop  of  his  own  and 
carried  on  business  in  Dayton.  He  was  of  a  spec- 
ulative turn  of  mind,  and  also  engaged  in  the  buy- 
ing and  selling  of  land.  During  the  last  years  of 
his  life  he  devoted  his  time  principally  to  farm- 
ing. His  death  occurred  in  1848,  seven  months 
before  the  birth  of  our  subject.  He  was  cut  down 
very  suddenly,  and  while  away  from  his  family. 
He  left  home  one  Monday  morning  with  a  neigh- 
bor, bound  for  Peru,  Ind.,  nearly  100  miles  dis- 
tant. The  journey  was  made  on  horseback,  and 
Mr.  Bush  was  taken  ill  the  day  of  his  arrival,  and 
died  eight  days  following.  There  being  no  rail- 
roads nor  telegraphs  it  was  several  days  before  his 
family  knew  of  his  death.  The  eldest  child  of  the 
bereaved  mother  was  but  fifteen  years  old  when  de- 
prived of  the  father's  care.  Mrs.  Bush  bravely 
managed  and  kept  her  children  together  until  they 
grew  to  man  and  womanhood.  They  were  William 
R.,  now  a  resident  of  Howard  County,  Ind. ;  David 
F.,  who  enlisted  in  the  array  when  eighteen  years 
of  age,  becoming  a  member  of  the  10th  Indiana 
Battery,  and  died  in  the  service;  Alma,  Mrs.  Mc- 
Kee,  of  Hensley  Township,  this  county,  and  Char- 
lotte, who  lives  in  Howard  County,  Ind. 

Our  subject  assisted  his  elder  brothers  in  clear- 
ing the  farm,  and  when  fifteen  years  old  com- 
menced working  out  by  the  day  'or  month.  He 
made  his  home  with  his  mother  until  his  marriage, 
then  rented  a  farm  in  Benton  County,  Ind.,  which, 
however,  he  only  occupied  a  few  months.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1882,  he  opened  a  store  at  Rising  Station  in 
this  county,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
business.  He  succeeded  in  having  the  post-office 
re-established  here,  and  was  appointed  Postm.-i.-U'r 
May  2,  1.S82.  The  year  following  he  commenced 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


447 


buying  grain,  and  has  been  remarkably  successful 
in  this  branch  of  trade. 

The  marriage  of  Jared  D.  Bush  and  Miss  Ellen 
A,  Royal  took  place  March  30,  1 882,  at  the  home 
of  the  bride's  parents  in  Dayton,  Tippecanoe  Co., 
Ind.  Mrs.  Bush  was  born  in  that  count}',  and  is 
the  daughter  of  William  and  Eunice  Royal,  both 
natives  of  Ohio,  whence  they  removed  to  Tippe- 
canoe County  in  1850.  Of  this  union  there  have 
been  born  three  children — Mabel  C.,  Alma  K.  and 
Julia  F.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bush  are  prominently  con- 
nected with  the  Methodist  -Episcopal  Church  at 
Rising,  and  our  subject,  politically,  is  a  firm  sup- 
porter of  the  Republican  party. 

The  maternal  grandmother  of  Mr.  Bush  was  a 
native  of  Scotland,  and  when  twelve  years  of  age 
was  enticed  on  board  an  ocean  steamer  by  a  law- 
yer and  his  wife  who  were  bound  for  America. 
By  threats  she  was  induced  to  keep  quiet  during 
the  voyage,  but  after  their  arrival  in  the  United 
States  she-  ran  away  from  them  and  for  a  time 
made  her  own  living.  She  finally  married  and  set- 
tled in  the  South.  Her  husband,  Mr.  Clarke,  was 
of  American  birth  and  Scotch  ancestry. 


1  ** — -*r 

bEWIS  H.  LORENX.  This  highly  respected 
resident  of  East  Bend  Township  is  essen- 
tially a  self-made  man,  one  who  began  life 
with  only  his  own  resources,  and  attained  to  a 
good  position  as  a  business  man  and  citizen.  His 
birthplace  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  in 
the  Kingdom  of  Saxony,  and  his  parents  were  Gott- 
lieb and  Theodora  Lorenz,  a  brief  sketch  of  whom 
is  given  in  the  biography  of  Ernst  Lorenz,  else- 
where in  this  ALBUM.  The  parents  emigrated  to 
America  when  their  son,  our  subject,  was  but  two 
years  old,  locating  first  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  whence 
they  shortly  afterward  removed  to  Covington,  Ky., 
where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  attended  school 
quite  steadily  until  seventeen  years  old,  but  in  the 
meantime  had  been  trained  to  habits  of  industry 
and  was  accustomed  to  assist  his  father  in  the  shop 
and  market,  which  he  continued  until  leaving  the 
parental  roof  to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  West. 
After  coming  into  this  county  Mr.  Lorenz  rented 


land  and  engaged  in  farming  with  fair  success,  then 
purchased  a  tract  on  section  27,  in  East  Bend 
Township,  which  he  occupied  until  1878.  He  then 
went  to  Elliott,  Ford  County,  where  he  opened  a 
stock  of  goods  costing  $17.  He  then  decided  to 
change  his  occupation  and  opened  a  meat-market 
which  he  conducted  one  year,  when  he  sold  out  and 
removed  to  Paxton,  where  he  carried  on  a  hotel  for 
eighteen  months  following.  In  February,  1881, 
he  removed  to  Dewey,  and  in  partnership  with  his 
brother  conducted  a  mercantile  business  four 
months.  He  then  put  up  a  store  building,  and  pre- 
pared to  engage  in  general  merchandising. 

He  now  carries  a  large  and  varied  stock  and  has 
built  up  a  good  patronage.  He  has  been  honest  and 
methodical  in  his  transactions,  prompt  to  meet  his 
obligations,  and  in  all  respects  has  gained  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Our  subject  has  been  particularly  fortunate  in  the 
choice  of  a  wife  and  helpmeet,  Mrs.  L.  being  of 
a  business  turn  of  mind  and  increasing  the  income 
by  carrying  on  a  millinery  store.  This  lady,  who 
was  formerly  Miss  Matilda  Heinemann,  and  who 
was  married  to  our  subject  Aug.  5,  1872,  was  born 
in  Aurora,  Ind.,  Feb.  20,  1854.  Her  parents  were 
John  N.  and  Julia  (Market)  Heinemann.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  L.  have  two  interesting  children — Lillian  A. 
and  Minnie  M.  They  belong  to  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  our  subject  uniformly  casts  his  vote 
with  the  Republican  party. 


APT.  THOMAS  JEFFERSON  MATHENY, 

Postmaster  of  Thomasboro,  came  to  this 
vicinity  in  the  spring  of  1869.  For  the  fol- 
lowing three  years  he  engaged  in  farming  in  this 
county,  and  in  1873,  with  limited  means,  com- 
menced in  the  grocery  business  at  Thomasboro.  His 
first  move  was  to  buy  a  lot,  where  he  put  up  a  small 
frame  building,  in  the  front  part  of  which  he 
opened  a  store,  and  the  rear  part  consisted  of  a 
small  room  occupied  by  his  famity.  The  contrast 
between  then  and  now  is  indeed  great.  He  still 
carries  on  the  grocery  business,  but  has  now  a  large 
line  store  building,  with  a  handsome  dwelling  ad- 
joining, and  is  enjoying  the  patronage  of  the  best 


f. 


448 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


people  of  liis  township.  He  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  Postmaster  after  President  Cleveland  be- 
came Chief  Executive,  the  duties  of  which  office  lie 
has  discharged  in  a  creditable  manner. 

Capt.  Matheny  is  a  descendant  of  a  good  family, 
originally  from  England,  his  great-grandfather  hav- 
ing emigrated  to  America  during  the  Revolutionary 
War.  He  located  in  Virginia,  where  he  reared  a 
family  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days.  His 
son,  Michael,  born  in  the  Old  Dominion,  removed 
to  Kentucky  previous  to  1800,  being  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Jessamine  County.  He  carried 
on  a  farm  and  was  the  owner  of  slaves,  but  after- 
ward purchased  a  large  plantation  in  Mercer 
County,  where  he  remained  until  his  death.  In  his 
family  was  Francis  A.,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
who  studied  medicine  and  became  eminent  as  a 
practitioner.  He  married  in  Kentucky,  and  in 
1830  removed  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Morgan 
County,  from  which,  in  about  1850,  he  removed  to 
Brown  Count}'.  After  this  latter  removal  he 
abandoned  his  practice  and  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising, carrying  on  a  general  store  at  Nashville. 

Francis  Matheny  was  a  man  of  much  force  of 
character  and  succeeded  well  in  business.  In  due 
time  he  purchased  a  farm  a  mile  north  of  Nash- 
vilLe,  to  which  he  retired  and  spent  his  declining 
years,  relieved  from  active  labor  and  business  cares. 
Politically  he  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  was  elec- 
ted to  represent  Mercer  County  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature. Before  leaving  Kentucky  he  had  been  mar- 
ried in  Mercer  County,  to  Miss  Eliza  L.  Ekles.  who 
was  a  native  of  that  county.  She  removed  with 
her  husband  to  Brown  County,  and  died  on  the 
homestead  in  1866.  The  parental  family  included 
thirteen  children. 

Thomas  Matheny  of  our  sketch  was  born  in  Mor- 
gan County,  Ind.,  Jan.  31.  1844.  He  received  a 
common-school  education,  and  after  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  volunteered  as  a  Union  soldier  in  Co.  II, 
82d  Ind.  Vol.  Inf.  He  participated  in  the  battles 
of  Perryville,  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  the  cap- 
ture and  siege  of  Atlanta,  going  with  Sherman  on 
his  famous  march  to  the  sea,  and  afterward  being 
present  at  the  grand  review  in  Washington  after  the 
surrender  of  Lee,  and  when  the  troops  were  prepar- 
ing to  be  mustered  out  and  return  home.  He  en- 


listed as  a  private,  was  promoted  First  Lieutenant 
in  1864,  and  presented  with  a  Captain's  commission, 
and  commanded  the  company  until  receiving  his 
honorable  discharge.  His  war  record  was  eminently 
a  creditable  one.  which  he  may  justly  look  back 
upon  with  pride  and  satisfaction. 

After  bidding  adieu  to  his  comrades  of  the  tented 
field,  Capt.  Matheny  returned  home  and  visited  for 
a  short  time  among  his  old  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances, then  started  out  to  view  the  country  west  of 
the  Mississippi.  After  visiting  the  States  of  Iowa 
and  Nebraska  he  returned  to  Illinois,  and  located 
upon  a  farm  in  Mason  County,  where  he  lived  two 
years.  In  1870  he  came  to  this  county,  continued 
farming  until  1873,  and  then  removed  to  Thomas- 
boro,  where  he  established  himself  in  the  grocery 
business.  His  subsequent  history  we  have  already 
detailed.  Mr.  Matheny  was  married,  July  22,  1870, 
to  Miss  Susan  C.  Freisner,  a  native  of  Fairfield 
County,  Ohio,  born  in  1849,  and  the  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  Freisner. 


i|/  EONIDAS  STEPHENSON,  retired  farmer, 
I  (@  's  now  a  resident  of  Thomasboro,  where, 
LA.  s 


surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  of  life,  he  is 
enjoying  the  fruits  of  the  labor  of  earlier  years, 
and  the  respect  and  confidence  of  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  He  commenced  life  for  himself  in  an  ex- 
tremely modest  manner,  having  only  his  own  re- 
sources to  depend  upon,  and  is  what  may  be  termed 
a  self-made  man.  He  has  battled  bravely  and  suc- 
cessfully with  the  difficulties  of  life,  built  up  a 
good  home  and  a  competency,  and  with  his  worthy 
and  excellent  wife  reared  a  family  of  ten  children, 
of  whom  any  parents  may  be  proud,  for  they,  like 
their  fathers,  are  industrious,  honest,  faithful  to 
duty,  and  will  hand  down  to  future  generations  a 
name  of  which  their  descendants  will  be  justly 
proud. 

The  Stephenson  family  possesses  a  good  record, 
having  descended  from  Scottish  ancestry,  and  pos- 
sessing in  a  remarkable  degree  the  sterling  integrity 
and  uncompromising  honesty  of  their  race.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  Henry  Stephenson,  was  born 
in  Glasgow,  and  when  a  youth  sixteen  years  old 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


440 


emigrated  to  America  with  his  parents.  They  lo- 
cated upon  the  present  site  of  Cincinnati,  which 
was  then  occupied  by  a  few  straggling  log  houses. 
After  residing  there  a  few  years  they  removed  into 
Warren  County,  Ohio,  where  the  father  purchased 
land,  and  where  the  family  remained  until  the 
death  of  the  latter.  The  son  Henry  had  learned 
the  trade  of  a  weaver  in  Scotland,  at  which  he 
worked  in  Cincinnati,  but  after  the  removal  to 
Warren  County  devoted  his  time  to  farming. 

After  reaching  manhood  Henry  Stephenson  pur- 
chased land  near  Lebanon,  was  married,  and  lived 
there  until  about  1825,  when,  accompanied  by  his 
family,  he  started  for  the  new  State  of  Indiana, 
making  the  journey  overland  with  teams.  \They 
camped  and  cooked  by  the  wayside  and  slept  in 
their  wagons  at  night.  After  reaching  their  desti- 
nation Mr.  Stephenson  entered  a  tract  of  Govern- 
ment land  in  Union  Township,  Boone  County,  in  the 
wilderness,  where  he  first  built  a  log  cabin  for  the 
shelter  of  his  family,  and  in  due  time  cleared  a 
large  farm  and  erected  suitable  frame  buildings. 
After  a  life  of  industry,  during  which  he  built  up 
a  good  record  as  a  father  and  citizen,  he  departed 
this  life  in  the  summer  of  1843.  The  maiden 
whom  he  had  chosen  to  share  his  fortunes,  Miss 
Phebe  Foote,  was  born  in  West  Virginia,  and  sur- 
vived her  husband  for  a  period  of  thirty -one  years. 

Of  the  nine  children  in  the  parental  family, 
Leonidas  of  our  sketch  was  the  second  in  order  of 
birth.  He  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in 
Warren  County,  Ohio,  Sept.  11,  1822,  and  was  but 
eleven  years  old  when  the  family  removed  to  Indi- 
ana. His  early  studies  were  conducted  on  the  sub- 
scription plan,  in  a  log  cabin  during  the  winter  sea- 
sons, and  when  old  enough  he  assisted  his  father  on 
the  farm.  He  remained  with  the  family  after  the 
father's  death  until  he  assumed  domestic  ties  of  his 
own.  After  this  event  he  rented  first  a  farm  near 
Lebanon,  operating  there  for  ten  years,  and  then 
purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  ten  miles  from 
the  old  homestead  in  Center  Township.  Here  he 
pursued  the  same  routine  of  his  father  before  him, 
chopping  down  the  forest  trees  and  first  building  a 
cabin  for  the  reception  of  his  family.  He  cleared 
a  part  of  the  land  and  occupied  it  until  1865,  then 
sold  out,  and  coming  to  this  State  first  purchased  a 


farm  in  East  Lincoln  Township,  Logan  County, 
which  he  occupied  until  1883.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  he  parted  with  his  property  and  purchased 
land  lying  adjacent  to  the  village  of  Thomasboro. 
At  the  same  time  he  purchased  a  section  of  land  in 
Somer  and  Rantoul  Townships,  which  is  now  man- 
aged by  his  children.  Since  taking  possession  of 
his  property  near  Thomasboro  Mr.  Stephenson  has 
put  up  a  set  of  fine  frame  buildings  which  are  fur- 
nished with  all  the  conveniences  and  comforts  of 
modern  life. 

Our  subject  was  married,  Nov.  2,  1843,  to  Miss 

.    Nancy  Stephenson,  a  native  of   his    own    county, 

and  born  May  28.   1824.     Mrs.    S.  has   been    the 

j    cheerful  sharer  of   her  husband's  life  in  storm  as 

1    well  as  sunshine,  and  the  tie    between    them    was 

;   strengthened  by  the  birth  of  ten  children.    Of  these 

the  record  is  as  follows:     Henry  W.  is  married  and 

farming  in  Hensley  Township;  Lydia,  the  wife  of 

William  N.  Beck,  is  living  with  her  husband  on  a 

farm  in  Scott  Township;  Laura  died  at  the  age  of 

four  years;  Amazetta  married   G.  B.  Roberts,  and 

resides   in    Chillicothe,    Mo. ;   Mary,    the.    wife   of 

Charles  Thompson,  lives  in  Rantoul  Township,  this 

county  ;  Anna,  Mrs.  Wiley  Buckles,  is  a  resident  of 

the  city  of    Champaign;   John  W.   is'   fanning  in 

Rantoul  Township;  Charles  and  Roy  are  twins,  the 

former  remains  with  his   parents  and  the   latter  is 

located  at  Chillicothe,  Mo.;  Ora  L.  is  still  with  his 

parents. 

Mr.  Stephenson  votes  the  Democratic  ticket,  and 
by  a  thorough  course  of  reading  and  communica- 
tion with  other  intelligent  men,  keeps  himself  well 
posted  upon  current  events.  Mrs.  Stephenson  early 
became  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 


FREDERICK  PELL,  a  representative  farmer 


and  citizen  of  Philo  Township,  is  proprietor 
of  a  valuable  country  estate,  consisting  of 
200  acres  of  good  land,  a  fine  residence,  and 
ample  and  convenient  barns  and  outhouses.  A 
view  of  the  premises  will  be  found  on  another  page 
of  this  work.  The  land  has  been  brought  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  by  the  aid  of  2,000  rods  of  tile, 
and  in  all  other  respects  constitutes  the  model 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


homestead,  conducted  by  a  first-class  and  progres- 
sive agriculturist.  Besides  the  property  where  he 
resides,  Mr.  Pell  owns  eighty  acres  on  section  s, 
in  Philo  Township,  and  120  acres  on  section  20, 
in  Urbana,  all  of  which  is  adapted  to  the  produc- 
tion of  the  choicest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State. 

Our  subject  became  a  resident  of  Champaign 
County  in  1856.  He  was  then  a  young  man  and 
emigrated  alone  from  Lewis  County,  Ky.,  whel-e  he 
was  born  on  Quick's  Run,  Sept.  8,  1832.  He  is  the 
son  of  Henry  Pell,  a  native  of  Virginia,  of  English 
descent.  The  latter,  when  about  sixteen  years  old, 
removed  from  his  native  State  with  his  widowed 
mother  to  Lewis  County,  Ky.,  where  they  took  up 
a  homestead  on  Quick's  Run,  and  there  lived  until 
the  death  of  the  mother,  which  took  place  at  the 
age  of  eighty  years.  Henry  Pell  was  married  in 
early  manhood  to  Miss  Sarah  Orms,  who  was  born, 
reared,  married  and  died  in  Lewis  County,  her  de- 
cease occurring  in  March,  1885,  when  she  was 
eighty-five  years  old.  The  father  of  our  subject, 
who  was  born  the  same  year  as  his  wife,  in  1800,  is 
yet  living  on  the  old  homestead  in  Kentucky,  a 
hale  and  hearty  old  man,  who  still  preserves  his 
early  habits  of  industry  and  is  remarkably  active 
for  one  of  his  years.  He  was  for  a  long  period  a 
Deacon  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which 
the  mother  was  also  a  worthy  and  consistent  mem- 
ber. Henry  Pell  before  the  war  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party,  but  since  that  time  has  warmly 
supported  Republican  principles. 

Mr.  Pell  of  this  history  was  the  fifth  of  ten 
children,  four  sons  and  six  daughters.  All  of  the 
former  and  four  of  the  latter  still  survive.  The  en- 
tire family  lived  to  maturity  and  located  in  homes  of 
their  own.  The  early  life  of  our  subject  was  passed 
in  his  native  county,  and  he  pursued  his  first  studies 
in  the  subscription  schools,  remaining  under  the 
home  roof  until  the  spring  of  1850,  when  he  set  out 
for  the  prairies  of  Illinois.  He  was  equipped  with 
two  horses  and  a  small  amount  of  money,  and  after 
arriving  in  this  county,  rented  a  farm,  upon  which 
he  remained  until  1861.  He  then  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  which  he  has  now  converted  into  a  highly 
improved  farm  and  comfortable  homestead.  Of 
late  years  he  has  given  much  attention  to  stock-rais- 
ing, feeding  and  selling  annually  numbers  of  cattle 


and  hogs,  and  has  also  been  engaged  at  times  in  the 
breeding  of  horses.  His  present  possessions  are 
the  result  of  his  own  industry  and  economy,  and  he 
furnishes  a  forcible  illustration  of  what  may  be  ac- 
complished from  a  small  beginning. 

Mr.  Pell  was  married,  Sept.  24,  1857,  in  Urbana 
Township,  to  Miss  Martha  Jones,  who  was  born  in 
Brown  County,  Ohio,  in  1830,  and  came  to  Illinois 
with  a  married  sister  in  1856.  She  died  at  her 
home  in  Urbana  on  the  20th  of  March,  1865,  while 
Mr.  Pell  was  serving  in  the  army.  By  this  union 
there  were  born  four  children:  Ida  died  in  infancy; 
Charles  ,1.  married  Miss  Delia  Pratt,  who  died  in 
1885  ;  he  lives  in  Kansas,  as  also  does  James  R.,  who 
is  single;  Martha  died  in  infancy. 

Two  years  after  the  close  of  the  war,  on  the  24th 
of  September,  1867,  Mr.  Pell  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  (Kiler)  Cover,  daughter  of  John  and  Re- 
becca (Lowe)  Kiler,  who  were  both  natives  of 
Baltimore,  Md.  They  emigrated  to  Ohio  after  their 
marriage  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Greene  County, 
where  they  died,  the  father  when  sixty  and  the 
mother  when  about  fifty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Kiler 
had  been  successful,  financially,  during  his  lifetime, 
and  both  parents  were  members  of  the  Universalist 
Church.  Mr.  K.  was  elected  Representative  of 
Greene  County  in  the  State  Legislature,  serving 
three  years.  Politically  he  was  a  firm  adherent  of 
the  Whig  party.  Mrs.  Pell  was  the  fourth  child  of 
the  parental  household,  which  included  three  sons 
and  six  daughters.  Of  these  only  three  are  now 
living.  The  wife  of  our  subject  was  first  married 
in  Greene  County,  Ohio,  April  16, 1850,  to  John  P. 
Cover,  also  a  native  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  but  reared 
in  Greene  County,  Ohio,  whence  he  removed  to 
Illinois  the  same  year  of  his  marriage.  He  de- 
parted this  life  in  Urbana  Township  in  1863.  He 
served  as  a  Union  soldier  during  the  late  war,  be- 
ing a  member  of  Co.  G,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  Eight- 
een months  after  enlisting  he  was  taken  ill  at  Nat- 
chez, Miss.,  and  after  being  sent  home,  died  a  week 
later.  He  left  four  children,  one  of  whom,  Frank, 
is  now  deceased.  John,  a  tile-maker,  married  M  i>~ 
Eunice  Barton,  and  resides  near  Camargo,  Douglas 
Co.,  111. ;  Frances,  Mrs.  George  Garrett,  is  a  resident 
of  Urbana  Township;  Sallie  lives  in  Peoria.  Of 
her  marriage  with  Mr.  Pell  there  have  been  born 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


451 


five  children,  of  whom  three  are  deceased — Fred, 
Blanche  and  Harry,  all  dying-  3-011115.  Those  sur- 
viving are  Henry  N.  and  Mary  M.,  at  home. 

On  the  12th  of  February,  1862,  during  the  prog- 
ress of  the  late  war,  Mr.  Pell  enlisted  in  Co.  CJ, 
76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  under  command  of  Capt.  Park, 
of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Vicksb.urg  and  Jackson,  and  was  in  many 
other  engagements  and  skirmishes,  escaping,  how- 
ever, without  a  wound.  He  received  his  honorable 
discharge  Aug.  5,  1865,  and  was  mustered  out  at 
Chicago.  Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  and 
has  held  the  office  of  Commissioner  of  Highways. 


S.  COLER,  now  living  in  quiet  re- 
tirement in  the  village  of  Sad orus,  spent  his 
early  life  among  the  hills  of  Knox  County. 
Ohio,  where  he  was  born  on  bis  father's 
farm,  Sept.  30,  1831.  He  was  the  third  in  the  first 
family  of  children  born  to  Isaac  Coler.  whose  first 
wife  was  formerly  Miss  Amelia  Nichols,  a  native  of 
New  Jersey.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  Vir- 
ginian by  birth.  Mrs.  Amelia  Coler  passed  from 
earth  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Knox  County, 
Ohio,  in  1837.  Mr.  C.  was  afterward  married  to 
Miss  Mary  Gathers,  and  in  1863  he  removed  from 
Ohio  to  Sadorus,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life. 

The  subject  of  this  biography,  when  a  youth  of 
nineteen  years,  left  home  to  care  for  himself,  and 
coming  West  spent  eight  or  nine  months  in  this 
county.  He  then  went  back  to  Ohio,  and  four 
months  later  returned  to  Illinois  with  his  brother- 
in-law,  James  Hoskinson,  locating  in  Clark  County, 
They  remained  there  until  1853,  then  came  to  this 
county,  where  our  subject  purchased  240  acres  of 
wild  land  and  began  to  improve  it.  In  this  he  was 
aided  by  Mr.  H.,  with  whom  he  made  his  home. 
Two  years  later  the  sister  of  our  subject,  who  had 
come  with  her  husband  to  the  West,  was  called 
hence.  Mr.  H.  then  returned  to  Ohio,  and  Mr.  Coler 
occupied  the  premises  alone  for  two  years  follow- 
ing; he  then  sold  out  and  purchased  480  acres  on 
section  2,  in  Sadorus  Township,  which  he  took  pos- 
session of  and  began  to  improve. 


On  the  12th  of  July,  1857,  there  occurred  a  very 
important  event  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Coler,  namely, 
his  marriage  with  Miss  Rebecca  Rock.  This  lady 
was  the  seventh  child  in  a  family  of  ten  born  to 
William  and  Nancy  (Beavers)  Rock,  natives  of 
Maryland,  who  came  to  Champaign  County  during 
the  pioneer  days.  Her  parents  long  since  passed 
away,  but  their  children  are  living  in  this  county. 
and  the  important  points  in  the  history  of  their 
lives  are  recorded  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coler,  after  their  marriage,  remained 
but  a  year  on  their  farm,  on  account  of  the  fail- 
ing health  of  our  subject.  They  then  moved  into 
Urbana,  where  not  long  afterward  Mr.  Coler  was 
stricken  down  with  typhoid  fever,  from  the  effects 
of  which  he  did  not  recover  for  two  years.  At  the 
expiration  of  this  time,  his  health  being  much  im- 
proved, they  returned  to  rural  life.  Mr.  C.  pur- 
chased his  father's  homestead  of  the  heirs,  in  1867. 
This  was  located  on  the  line  between  Sadorus  and 
Colfax  Townships.  They  lived  upon  this  about 
nine  years,  and  in  the  meantime  Mr.  Coler  had 
purchased  a  stock  of  drugs,  which  he  placed  in  a 
store  at  Sadorus,  and  in  which  he  carried  on  a 
lucrative  trade,  in  connection  with  farming,  with  his 
brother-in-law,  Dr.  Chambers.  His  health  again  fail- 
ing, he  was  now  obliged  to  retire  entirely  from  busi- 
ness and  farming  pursuits.  The  following  six  years 
were  spent  in  traveling  west  and  south,  in  which 
journeying  he  was  accompanied  by  his  wife.  At  the 
expiration  of  this  time,  having  somewhat  recovered 
his  vitality,  he  returned  to  Sadorus,  and  purchased 
the  home  where  he  and  his  wife  now  live.  Mr. 
Coler  devotes  his  attention  to  the  simple  duties 
connected  with  his  family  affairs. 

The  four  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coler  were 
born  as  follows:  Ida  N.,  June  3,  1858;  Dora  A., 
July  31,  1861 ;  Fannie  M.,  Sept.  2,  1876,  and  Annie 
C..  April  9,  1883.  The  latter  was  born  in  Kansas 
while  the  parents  were  traveling  in  that  State.  Ida 
N.,  in  1876,  became  the  wife  of  W.  F.  Nelson,  a 
real-estate  dealer  in  Kansas  City  and  Nebraska; 
they  have  one  child.  Benham  C.  Coler,  born  in 
1877.  Dora,  in  1878,  became  the  wife  of  W.  C. 
Chapmnn,  who  owns  and  occupies  a  good  farm  in 
Pesotum  Township.  There  were  born  to  them 
four  children,  of  whom  one,  Fannie  L.,  is  deceased. 


*H*=S 


452 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Those  surviving  niv  Wilfred  C.,  IdaC.  and  Francis 
B.  Fannie  M.  Color  died  in  infancy;  Annie  C.,  the 
youngest,  is  a  bright  little  girl  of  four  years  old, 
the  joy  and  pride  of  her  parents'  hearts.  Mr.  Coler, 
although  no  politician,  casts  his  vote  with  the  Dem- 
ocratic party.  Mrs.  C.  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  Their  home  is  pleasantly  located,  and 
they  are  surrounded  by  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


UG  UST  SPERLING,  a  representative  farm- 
er of  East  Bend  Township,  has  established 
his  permanent  home  a  long  way  from  the 
place  of  his  birth,  the  latter  being  at  the 
foot  of  the  Hartz  Mountains  in  the  Province  of 
Saxony,  Prussia.  The  date  thereof  was  June  14. 
1834.  His  father,  Freidrich,  was  born  at  the  same 
place,  where  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  in  early 
manhood,  learned  the 'trade  of  a.- jnillw.right,  and 
operated  a  flouring  and  oil  mill  for.  many  years, 
and  until  he  departed  from  ihe|scenes  of  hisearthlv 
labors.  He  had  married,-  and"  rateed  a  fine  family, 
among  the  sons  being  Freidrich,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  who  attended  school  during  his  boyhood 
and  youth,  and  when- of." suitable  years  went  into 
the  mills  with  his  father.  After  the  death  of  the 
latter  he  inherited  the  mill  property,  of  which  he 
retained  possession  until  1850.  ' 

During  the  latter-named  year  Mr.  Sperling  sold 
his  interest  in  the  paternal  estate,  and  setting  sail 
from  Hamburg,  after  a  safe  voyage,  landed  in  New 
York  City  with  his  wife  and  two  children.  They 
proceeded  directly  to  Wisconsin,  and  the  father, 
locating  in  Sheboygan,  lived  upon  the  interest  of 
his  money  for  two  years  following.  He  then  pur- 
chased a  farm  four  miles  south  of  the  city,  to 
which  he  removed,  and  made  every  preparation  to 
live  happily  and  comfortably  without  excessive 
labor.  He  was  a  man  of  great  generosity,  and  be- 
came security  for  friends,  by  which  he  lost  all  his 
property  excepting  the  homestead  of  forty  acres. 
Five  years  later  he  sold  this  and  became  a  resident 
of  East  Bend  Township,  this  county,  making  his 
home  with  his  son,  our  subject.  He  has  now  ar- 
rived at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years.  The 
mother,  who  was  formerly  Miss  Christine  Bailer, 


died  on  the  .'id  of  July,  liSiJO.  One  daughter, 
Dorothea,  died  in  Prussia  when  about  nine  years 
old;  the  second  child  died  in  infancy;  Frederick  is 
fanning  in  East  Bend  Township,  and  August,  of 
our  sketch,  was  the  fourth  and  youngest  child. 

In  accordance  with  the  laws  and  customs  of  his 
native  country,  our  subject  was  placed  in  school  at 
an  early  age,  which  he  attended  quite  steadily  until 
the  family  came  to  this  country,  at  which  time  he 
was  eleven  years  old.  After  reaching  Sheboygan, 
Wis.,  he  resumed  his  studies  in  an  English  school 
for  about  two  years,  after  which  he  was  engaged 
on  a  farm  with  his  father  and  in  a  flouring-mill  in 
Sheboygan  until  18(il.  In  the  spring  of  that  year 
he  commenced  operating  a  mill  at  Winona,  Minn., 
which  he  afterward  abandoned  to  engage  in  the 
grain  trade.  A  brief  experience  in  this  depart- 
ment of  business  was  satisfactoiy,  and  he  resumed 
farming.  In  18G5  he  came  to  this  count}' and  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  in  East  Bend  Township,  where  he 
operated  as  a  renter  for  six  years.  In  the  mean- 
time, in  company  with  his  brother,  he  purchased 
240  acres,  which  they  fenced  and  broke  as  oppor- 
tunity permitted,  and  in  1871  put  up  a  dwelling 
and  other  necessary  buildings  and  took  possession. 
The  brothers  afterward  divided  the  property,  our 
subject  coming  into  possession  of  the  north  half  of 
the  tract  purchased.  Upon  this  he  has  planted  a 
large  variety  of  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and  erected 
a  fine  set  of  frame  buildings,  which  are  second  to 
none  in  the  township.  He  has  also  operated  quite 
extensively  as  a  beekeeper;  he  has  about  thirty-five 
stands,  and  in  this  department  of  agriculture  has 
been  very  successful,  and  is  enlarging  his  facilities 
as  an  apiarist  each  year.  In  the  breeding  of  fine 
stock  also  he  has  been  very  successful. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the 
22d  of  April,  1861,  the  maiden  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Anna  J.  Burkhardt.  Mrs.  Sperling  was  born 
in  the  Kingdom  of  Wurtemberg,  Oct.  30,  1841, 
and.  is  the  daughter  of  Conrad  and  Maria  Burk- 
hardt. Her  father  died  in  the  old  country  in  about 
1850,  and  afterward  the  mother,  with  six  of  her 
children,  in  1852,  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
where  two  of  her  brothers  had  preceded  her.  She 
located  first  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  later  removed 
to  Kiel,  Wis.,  where  her  death  took  place  about 


•R 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


455 


1884.  The  children  of  Mr.^and  Mr>.  Sperling  are, 
Emma,  Frederick,  Anna,  Alwin,  Godfrey  arid  Han- 
nah. 

Mr.  Sperling  votes  the  Republican  ticket,  and  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  valued  members  of 
his  community.  His  farm  is  one  of  the  best  con- 
ducted in  East  Bend  Township,  and  invariably  at- 
tracts the  eye  of  the  passing  traveler  on  account 
of  its  shapely  and  substantial  buildings  and  the 
general  air  of  thrift  and  prosperity  that  surrounds  it. 

RS.  ANN  M.  YEAZEL,  widow  of  the  late 
Abraham  Yeazel,  who  was  a  prosperous 
and  highly  respected  farmer  of  Homer 
Township,  was  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  (Spangler)  Umbenhower,  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania, where  they  were  reared  and  married.  Her 
father  was  born  in  1785,  and  died  in  Champaign 
County,  111.,  in  1830.  He  was  a  worthy  citizen, 
and  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  His  wife,  Mary,  was  born  in 
1787,  survived  her  husband  twenty-seven  years, 
and  departed  this  life  in  Sidney  Township  in  1857. 
The  thirteen  children  of  this  household  were  James, 
Anthony,  Ann  M.,  John,  Samuel,  Mary,  Elizabeth, 
William,  Isaiah,  Jacob,  George,  Thomas  and  Nellie. 
Their  daughter,  Ann  M.  of  our  sketch,  was  born 
Oct.  12,  1813,  and  was  but  two  years  of  age  when 
her  parents  removed  to  Berkeley  County,  W.  Va., 
where  she  received  her  education. 

When  a  young  -lady  of  nineteen  years  old  Miss 
Umbenhower  went  to  Ohio,  and  there  became  ac- 
quainted with  her  future  husband,  Abraham  Yea- 
zel. This  friendship  ripened  into  a  mutual  af- 
fection, and  they  united  their  lives  and  fortunes  on 
the  30th  of  October,  1834,  with  the  assistance  of 
Rev.  Hinkle,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
the  wedding  taking  place  near  Springfield,  Ohio. 
Mr.  Yeazel  was  a  native  of  Clarke  County,  Ohio, 
born  six  miles  east  of  Springfield,  May  15,  1813. 
He  commenced  the  struggle  of  life  without  means, 
but  was  possessed  of  much  natural  ability,  being 
enterprising  and  industrious,  and  in  due  time  after 
coming  to  Illinois  had  accumulated  a  sum  sufficient 
to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land.  When  this  was 
paid  for  he  had  fifty  cents  left.  The  land  was  only 


partially  improved,  and  the  task  before  him  would 
have  discouraged  a  man  with  less  resolution  and 
energy.  He  kept  steadily  onward,  however,  living 
economically  and  disbursing  his  funds  in  the  wisest 
manner,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  besides  giv- 
ing to  each  of  his  adopted  children  a  small  farm, 
had  200  acres  reserved  for  his  own  use. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yeazel  became  the  parents  of  one 
child  only,  William  J.,  who  only  lived  a  few  weeks. 
He  was  born  Aug.  13,  1835,  and  died  on  the  4th  of 
October  following.  Early  in  life  they  united  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  but  in  1876  be- 
came members  of  the  Christian  Church,  with  which 
Mr.  Y.  was  connected  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
This  sad  event  occurred  on  the  4th  of  March,  1887, 
upon  the  homestead  which  he  had  labored  so  many 
years  to  build  up  and  in  which  efforts  he  succeeded 
so  admirably. 

Mr.  Yeazel  is  remembered  by  all  as  an  honest 
man  and  a  good  citizen,  and  one  who  contributed 
his  full  share  toward  the  building  up  of  his  town- 
ship, having  come  here  in  the  early  days  (May, 
1835,)  while  a  large  portion  of  the  prairie  was  wait- 
ing to  be  cultivated  by  the  enterprising  emigrant. 
He  represented  Homer  Township  on  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  for  several  years  and  was  otherwise 
connected  with  local  affairs.  Since  the  death  of  her 
husband  Mrs.  Yeazel  has  managed  the  farm  with 
rare  good  judgment  and  ability,  her  aim  and  object 
being  to  sustain  the  reputation  which  it  gained  by 
the  efforts  of  her  deceased  husband. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yeazel  lived  together,  sharing  each 
other's  joys  and  sorrows,  for  over  half  a  century, 
laboring  with  one  object  in  view,  the  establishment 
of  a  home,  but  at  the  same  time  helping  others. 
Their  portraits,  which  are  placed  on  a  contiguous 
page,  will  be  recognized  arid  appreciated  by  all  who 
enjoyed  their  friendship  or  acquaintance. 


DOLPHUS  W.  HYDE,  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive and  successful  farmers  of  East 
Bend  Township,  owns  a  tract  of  valuable 
land  on  section  25,  which  he  has  brought 
to  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  upon  it  erected  a 
handsome  and  substantial  set  of  frame  buildings. 


O  456 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I 


He  came  on  horseback  to  this  State  from  Indiana, 
in  1850.  After  his  marriage  he  located  first  in 
Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  whence  he  removed  two 
years  later  to  this  county,  making  the  journey  with  a 
pair  of  horses  and  wagon.  He  and  his  young  wife  the 
first  year  lived  three  miles  east  of  Mahomet,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1 853  came  to  the  present  site  of  Cham- 
paign, where  our  subject  rented  land,  which  is 
now  included  in  the  city  limits  and  covered  with 
dwellings.  He  remained  in  that  vicinity  until  1869, 
in  the  meantime  having  purchased  a  part  of  his 
present  farm.  It  now  contains  320  acres,  most  of 
which  was  uncultivated  at  the  time  of  purchase. 
The  fields  are  now  mostly  enclosed  with  beautiful 
hedges,  and  Mr.  A.  has  embellished  the  ground 
around  the  residence  by  the  planting  of  shade 
trees  and  choice  shrubs.  The  barn  and  other  out- 
buildings are  of  first-class  description,  and  the 
stock  and  machinery  well  sheltered  and  cared  for. 

Mr.  Hyde  is  a  native  of  Allensville,  Switzerland 
Co.,  Ind.,  his  birth  taking  place  Feb.  16,  1825. 
His  father,  Amasa  Hyde,  a  native  of  Vermont,  was 
born  near  Rutland  in  1796.  He  was  the  son  of  Walter 
Hyde,  a  native  of  the  same  State.  His  father,  it  is  sup- 
posed, was  of  English  birth  and  parentage,  and 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  Green  Mount- 
ain State,  where  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life. 
Walter  Hyde  removed  from  Vermont  to  New  York 
when  a  young  man,  and  thence  to  Indiana  in  1835, 
where  his  death  occurred  about  1844,  at  the  home  of 
his  son,  in  Switzerland  County.  He  married,  in 
Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  Miss  Paulina  Bennett,  a 
native  of  that  county,  born  March  10,  1797.  In 
1818  they  removed  to  Indiana,  making  the  journey 
via  the  Allegheny  and  Ohio  Rivers  on  a  raft.  He 
leased  a  tract  of  land  in  Switzerland  County  for 
a  period  of  seven  years,  then  purchased  seventy 
acres  in  Cotton  Township,  of  which  fifty  acres  were 
cleared,  and  which  he  soon  afterward  sold  at  a 
good  profit,  and  bought  160  acres  of  heavy  timber, 
where  he  first  put  up  a  log  cabin  and  proceeded  to 
chop  down  the  forest  trees.  The  logs  were  rolled 
together  and  burned,  the  stumps  dug  out  of  the 
ground  and  also  burned,  and  after  being  raked  off 
the  land  was  ready  for  the  plow. 

Amasa  Hyde  in  the  above  manner  prepared 
about  120  acres  for  cultivation,  and  in  due  time 


put  up  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings.  He  \var-  :i. 
man  of  influence  and  standing  in  his  community, 
and  after  building  up  a  good  record  as  a  citizen, 
neighbor,  friend  and  father,  departed  this  life  on  the 
10th  of  February,  1864.  The  mother  survived  for 
a  period  of  twenty-one  years,  and  died  at  the  home 
of  her  son,  two  miles  distant  from  the  old  home- 
stead, in  November,  1885.  The  parental  family  in- 
cluded eleven  children,  of  whom  four  died  young 
and  seven  lived  to  mature  years.  William  B.  is  a 
resident  of  Polk  County,  Mo.;  Samuel  died  in 
Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  in  about  1885;  Rosina 
married  William  McFadden,  and  lives  in  Switzer- 
land County,  Ind. ;  Adolphus  W.  of  our  sketch  was 
the  fourth  child;  Olive  became  the  wife  of  William 
Peabody,  and  died  in  East  Bend  Township  in  1872; 
Wesley  is  a  resident  of  Maples,  Allen  Co.,  Ind.; 
Albert  occupies  the  old  homestead. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and 
educated  in  the  pioneer  schools.  His  first  studies  were 
conducted  in  a  log  cabin,  and  he  attended  school 
principally  in  the  winter  season,  the  remainder  of  the 
year  assisting  to  clear  the  land  and  till  the  soil.  He 
remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  attaining  his 
majority,  and  then,  in  partnership  with  his  brother, 
engaged  in  farming  on  a  portion  of  the  land  be- 
longing to  his  father.  They  operated  together  for 
three  years,  when  our  subject  assumed  the  manage- 
ment of  the  homestead.  Two  years  later  he  de- 
cided to  locate  in  the  Prairie  State. 

After  having  laid  his  plans  for  the  establishment 
of  a  future  home,  Mr.  Hyde,  on  the  6th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1850,  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sophia 
H.  Choat.  Mrs.  H.  was  born  in  Posey  Township, 
Switzerland  Co.,  Ind.,  Jan.  25,  1 828,  on  the  farm 
of  her  father,  Cautious  J.  Choat,  and  was  reared  to 
womanhood  by  her  parents,  with  whom  she  re- 
mained until  her  marriage.  Mr.  Choat,  a  native  of 
Vermont,  was  the  son  of  Seth  S.  Choat,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. The  latter  located  in  Vermont  at  an 
early  period  in  its  history,  whence  he  emigrated 
later  to  Indiana,  and  in  1850  to  Illinois,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  death  occurred 
at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Moss,  in  1864. 
His  son,  Cautious  J.,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hj'de,  was 
about  sixteen  years  old  when  his  parents  removed 
from  Vermont  to  Indiana.  He  remained  with  them 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


457 


until  reaching  manhood,  and  was  married  in  Switz- 
erland County  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Cunningham.  She 
also  was  a  native  of  the  Green  Mountain  State. 

After  marriage  the  young  people  remained  in 
Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  until  1845,  when  they 
came  to  Illinois,  and  Mr.  C.  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  five  miles  south  of  the  city  of  Feoria,  upon 
which  he  located  and  remained  until  his  death.  The 
mother  had  died  in  Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  in 
1835.  The  six  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hyde  are  lo- 
cated as  follows:  Elizabeth  C.,  the  wife  of  George 
Durbin,  lives  in  Wolcott,  Ind. ;  Peoria  A.  is  the  wife 
of  Joseph  Neal,  a  prosperous  fanner  of  East  Bend 
Township,  this  county;  Albert  A.  is  a  resident  of 
Hoopeston,  Vermilion  Co.,  111. ;  Callie  A.  became 
the  wife  of  James  H.  Abbott,  and  lives  in  Logan 
County,  this  State;  Bruce  A.  and  Lewis  "A.  are  at 
home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  became  members  of  the  Prot- 
estant Methodist  Church  in  1873,  and  have  con- 
tributed liberally  and  cheerfully  to  the  support  of 
the  society  in  their  community  since  that  time.  Mr. 
Hyde  was  an  adherent  of  the  Whig  party  early  in 
liferbut  on  its  abandonment  by  the  organization  of 
the  Republican,  cheerfully  endorsed  the  principles 
of  the  latter,  with  which  he  haslcast  his  vote  con- 
tinuously [si  nee  that  time. 


ELIAS  L.  HARLESS.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch,  a  resident  of  Condit  Township,  was 
born  among  the  hills  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
and  with  its  free  air  imbibed  that  self-dependent 
spirit  which  has  distinguished  him  as  a  worthy  rep- 
resentative of  the  industrious  element  which  has 
brought  this  country  to  its  present  proud  position. 
He  began  the  serious  business  of  life  with  limited 
means,  but  took  good  care  of  his  funds  as  they  ac- 
cumulated, and  in  due  time  was  rewarded  by  the 
consciousness  that  he  was  "  getting  on "  in  the 
world,  and  the  prospect  of  becoming  of  some  im- 
portance in  both  business  and  social  circles.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  this  is  a  most  comfortable  state  of 
mind  and  spurs  a  man  on  to  still  greater  exertions. 
He  was  a  wise  man  who  some  time  since  made  the 
statement  that  "nothing  succeeds  like  success." 


Mr.  Harless  is  a  descendant  of  excellent  German 
ancestry,  being  the  son  of  Elias  Harless,  Sr.,  and  the 
grandson  of  Julias  Harless,  whose  parents  came  di- 
j  rect  from  the  Fatherland.  They  located  in  the 
Keystone  State  when  it  was  scarcely  removed  from 
its  condition  as  a  Territory,  where  they  remained  a 
number  pf  years,  and  then,  with  a  family  of  chil- 
dren, removed  to  Virginia,  where  the  latter  were 
reared  to  the  estate  of  men  and  women.  Among 
them  was  Elias,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who  was 
born  in  the  Old  Dominion  and  there  reared  and 
married.  Afterward  he  removed  to  Ohio,  locating 
first  in  Miami  County,  whence  he  removed  two 
years  later  to  Darke  County,  and  was  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Washington  Township.  He  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  timber  land  and  erected  a  cabin 
in  the  wilderness  when  game  of  all  kinds  was  plenty 
and  he  could  stand  in  his  doorway  and  shoot  deer 
as  they  passed  by. 

Elias  Harness,  Sr.,  lived  to  see  the  country  well 
developed,  and  cleared  a  farm,  establishing  a  com- 
fortable home,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  His  death  occurred  in  May,  1881,  when  he 
was  about  eighty-four  years  of  age.  The  mother 
of  our  subject  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Naomi 
Layfon.  She  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1796,  and 
departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Skidmore.  in  Darke  County,  Ohio,  on  the 
Gth  of  March,  1886,  in  the  ninetieth  year  of  her 
age.  She  was  a  lady  remarkable  for  her  sprightli- 
ness  and  intelligence,  and  was  in  perfectly  good 
health,  her  death  being  the  result  of  an  accident, 
she  having  fallen  and  broken  her  hip,  which  proved 
fatal  ten  days  later.  She  was  the  mother  of  four- 
teen children,  all  of  whom,  with  one  exception, 
grew  to  mature  years. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  eleventh  child 
of  the  parental  household,  and  passed  his  boyhood 
and  youth  in  the  manner  common  to  the  sons  of 
pioneers,  receiving  his  early  education  in  a  log 
cabin.  He  pursued  his  studies  at  the  Seminary  in 
Randolph  County  and  fitted  himself  for  a  teacher. 
He  came  to  Illinois  in  1855,  and  opened  his  first 
school  in  Logan  County,  where  he  taught  nine  years 
in  succession.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he 
concluded  to  turn  his  attention  to  fanning,  and 
operated  on  rented  land  until  1868,  then  came  into 


458 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Champaign  County  and  took  possession  of  the  farm 
which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  It  was  a  wild 
tract  of  open  prairie  at  the  time  of  purchase,  as 
was  also  the  greater  part  of  the  land  adjacent.  He 
at  once  commenced  its  improvement  and  cultiva- 
tion, erected  a  good  set  of  frame  buildings,  has  all 
the  land  enclosed,  and  produces  some  of  the  finest 
crops  in  the  Prairie  State.  The  residence  is  a  taste- 
ful and  substantial  structure  and  the  barn  and  other 
out-buildings  are  those  of  the  modern  and  progres- 
sive farmer. 

Mr.  Harless  was  married  in  Logan  County,  to 
Miss  Martha  E.  Myers,  a  native  of  Springfield,  111., 
and  the  daughter  of  Elijah  Myers,  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Sangamon  County. 
Mr.  M.  was  a  skillful  farmer  and  mechanic,  and  re- 
moved from  Springfield  to  Logan  County,  where 
he  purchased  a  farm  and  still  lives.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  have  been  born  three  children :  Joseph- 
ine, Mrs.  White,  is  a  resident  of  East  Bend  Town- 
ship; Zeni  was  born  in  1'872,  and  Alvah  in  1883. 
These  two  latter  reside  at  home  with  their  parents. 
Our  subject  and  wife  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  Mr.  H.,  politically,  is  a  de- 
cided Republican. 


r=^3  MANUEL  RADEBAUGH,  who  has  been  a 
resident  of  this  county  since  the  spring  of 
1 872,  is  the  possessor  of  a  comfortable  home- 
stead on  section  16,  Champaign  Township,  which 
comprises  100  acres  of  finely  improved  land  and  a 
good  set  of  farm  buildings.  He  is  a  native  of  the 
Buckeye  State,  born  in  Pleasant  Township,  Fair- 
field  County,  Nov.  11,  1841.  His  father,  Peter, 
and  his  grandfather.  John  Radebangh,  were  natives 
of  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  to  which  the  grandfather, 
Nicholas  It.,  removed  from  the  eastern  part  of  the 
Keystone  State  in  the  pioneer  days.  The  latter 
cleared  a  large  farm  in  Bedford  County,  of  which 
he  remained  a  resident  until  1802.  He  then  sold 
out  his  interests  in  Pennsylvania,  and,  accompanied 
by  his  wife,  children  and  grandchildren,  turned  his 
steps  westward,  and  settled  in  Fairfield  County, 
Ohio,  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  that 
region.  The  Indians  still  roamed  the  wilderness, 


the  present  site  of  Lancaster,  the  county  seat,  being 
one  of  their  camping  grounds. 

Nicholas  Radebangh  at  this  time,  although  be- 
yond his  prime,  still  possessed  the  energy  which 
characterized  his  youth,  and  immediately  com- 
menced the  improvement  of  a  farm.  He  added  to 
his  first  claim  as  time  passed  on,  and  at  one  time 
owned  upward  of  5,000  acres  of  land.  He  lived 
and  labored  until  1850,  his  death  then  occurring 
after  he  had  arrived  at  the  unusual  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  three  years.  His  son  John,  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  who  was  at  the  time  of  the  removal 
to  Ohio  a  married  man  with  a  family,  also  cleared  a 
farm  from  the  wilderness  and  established  a  com- 
fortable homestead,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  dying  in  about  1849,  a  short  time  before 
the  death  of  his  venerable  father. 

Peter  Radebaugh,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
in  his  second  year  when  his  parents  located  in 
Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  to 
manhood.  In  the  meantime  he  assisted  his  father 
in  clearing  the  farm,  received  a  limited  education 
in  the  pioneer  schools,  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  his  marriage.  After  this  event 
he  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Pleasant  Town- 
ship. Fairfield  County,  which  had  been  given  him 
by  his  grandfather,  and  where  he  lived  until  his 
death  in  1864.  His  wife,  formerly  Miss  Sarah 
Simon,  was  born  in  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  and  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Ohio. 

Of  the  eight  children  born  to  the  parents  of  our 
subject,  Emanuel  was  the  third.  He  was  reared, 
like  his  forefathers,  to  farming  pursuits,  attended 
school  during  his  childhood  and  youth,  and  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  when  he  married,  and  rented  land  near  the  old 
home.  This  he  operated  for  three  years,  and  in 
1865  purchased  a  small  farm  of  sixty-two  acres, 
which  he  occupied  seven  years.  Then,  not  being 
quite  satisfied  with  his  condition  or  prospects  in  his 
native  State,  he  set  out  for  the  prairies  of  Illinois, 
and  locating  in  this  county,  rented  land,  first  in 
Champaign  Township  for  three  years,  then  in  Ur- 
bana  Township  for  two  years,  and  afterward  in 
Tolono  Township,  until  1881.  That  year  he  pur- 
chased the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies. 
Here  with  his  family  he  is  enjoying  all  the  com- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


459 


I 


forts  of  life  and  the  esteem  and   confidence  of  his 
neighbors  and  friends. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  No- 
vember, 18G2,  the  lad}-  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Sarah  Banner.  She  also  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born 
in  Greenfield  Township,  Fairfield  County,  Jan.  9, 
1842.  Her  father,  John  Banner,  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, emigrated  to  America  when  a  young  man 
and  located  in  Ohio.  He  was  there  married  to 
Miss  Caroline  Shaffer,  a  native  of  his  own  country, 
;iii(l  they  located  on  a  farm,  where  the  father  still 
resides.  The  mother  departed  this  life  in  1884. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Radebaugh  are  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  namely,  Clara  Alice,  S.  P.  Willis,  Susie 
H.,  John  W.,  Cyrus  Emanuel,  C.  Estella,  Harry  E., 
Roy  and  Russell.  The  eldest  daughter  is  the  wife 
of  Alfred  Reed,  and  resides  in  San  Biego,  Cal. 
Mr.  Radebaugh  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  his  township  and  county,  and  uniformly 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


J~~  OHN  B.  SELTZER,  a  substantial  and  pros- 
perous farmer  of  Raymond  Township,  comes 
I    of  excellent   Pennsylvania   stock,  and   was 
'    born  in  Schuylkill  County,  that  State,  April 
6,  1843.     His  parents,  Michael  and  Mary  (Fryer) 
Seltzer,  were  natives  of  the  same  county  as  their 
son, 'the  former  born  in  1810  and  the  latter  in  1808. 
Their  parents  were   also   natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
born  in  the  same  neighborhood  where  the  first  rep- 
resentatives of  the  Seltzer  family  in  this  country 
located  during  the  first  settlement  of  tlie  State. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in 
1833,  and  while  residing  on  a  farm  also  kept  hotel 
for  a  time.  The  father  was  a  stanch  Bemocrat, 
and  at  one  time  served  as  Beputy  Sheriff  in  Schuyl- 
kill County.  They  reared  a  family  of  four  sons 
and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  reached  their  ma- 
jority. The  eldest,  Francis  B.,  was  married,  be- 
came the  father  of  three  children,  and  died  in 
Pennsylvania;  Abraham,  during  the  late  war,  was 
a  private  in  Co.  A,  48th  Pa.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served 
until  the  close;  he  then  returned  to  his  home,  and 
from  there  went  to  New  York  City,  whence  he 
wrote  back  to  his  parents  that  he  was  .about  to  sail 


on  an  ocean  vessel  for  a  voyage,  and  was  never  af- 
terward heard  from.  Charles  is  a  resident  of  Par- 
sons, Kan. ;  John  B.  of  our  sketch,  was  the  fourth 
son ;  Rebecca  became  the  wife  of  John  Meddler, 
and  is  a  resident  of  Pennsylvania;  Amanda  mar- 
ried Jacob  Kimmel,  and  Elizabeth  became  Mrs. 
Joseph  Bordy ;  both  reside  in  Schuylkill  County, 
Pa. 

The  parents  remained  in  their  native  county  until 
1878,  and  then  going  to  one  of  their  grandchildren 
in  Kansas,  lived  there  one  year,  then  returning 
East  as  far  as  Illinois,  took  up  their  abode  with 
their  son,  our  subject.  The  mother  departed  this 
life  March  11,  1882.  The  father  is  still  living,  and 
in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health.  Both  were  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Brethren  Church. 

Mr.  Seltzer  of  our  sketch,  in  common  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  received  his  primary  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools.  He  subsequently  en- 
tered Eastman  Business  College  at  Poughkeepsie, 
N.  Y.,  whence  he  graduated  in  1863.  His  father 
had  pui-chased  a  piece  of  land  in  Dn  Page  County, 
111.,  and .  as  the  sister  did  not  wish  to  go  West,  his 
father  told  him  that  if  he  desired  to  go,  he  should 
have  a  claim  upon  the  land.  There  having  been 
paid  $500,  our  subject  was  quick  to  accept  the 
proposition.  The  land  included  1 90  acres,  and  had 
been  partially  improved.  He  remained  upon  it 
two  seasons  and  then  sold  out.  His  father  in  the 
meantime  had  sent  him  $1 ,000  in  money,  and  from 
the  sale  of  the  land  he  realized  a  small  profit,  so 
that  he  now  considered  himself  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
able  to  provide  for  the  needs  of  a  family.  Accord- 
ingly on  the  15th  of  February,  1866,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  (Erb)  Bavis.  Mrs.  Seltzer 
is  a  native  of  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  born  in  1838. 
After  our  subject  disposed  of  his  farm  in  Cook 
County,  he  located  in  Naperville,  and  during  the 
county  seat  contest,  he  was  appointed  as  one  of 
the  policemen  to  guard  the  County  Records,  and 
subsequently  served  as  a  Street  Commissioner.  In 
1871  he  removed  to  Champaign  County,  and  on 
the  26th  of  July  following,  purchased  160  acres  of 
raw  prairie,  which  is  now  included  in  his  present 
homestead.  His  wife  remained  in  Bu  Page  County 
until  the  following  fall,  by  which  time  Mr.  Seltzer 
had  put  up  a  suitable  dwelling,  He  was  very  sue- 


m 


t. 


160 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


cessful  in  this  venture  and  added  to  his  real  estate 
from  time  to  time  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of 
440  acres,  all  improved  and  supplied  with  two  sets 
of  farm  buildings.  His  residence  and  its  surround- 
ings, a  view  of  which  is  shown  in  this  AI.UUM,  is 
one  of  the  finest  in  this  section  of  the  country,  and 
of  late  years  he  has  been  principally  engaged  in 
the  raising  of  grain  and  stock. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  namely,  Ella,  Amanda,  Lydia, 
John  and  Susie.  Mrs.  Seltzer  had  one  child  by 
her  former  marriage,  a  son,  Charles  Davis.  All  the 
brothers  of  Mr.  Seltzer  served  as  soldiers  of  the 
Union  army  during  the  late  war.  John  D.  desired 
also  to  join  them,  but  his  father  persuaded  him  to 
attend  school  instead.  Mr.  Seltzer  takes  an  active 
interest  in  all  public  enterprises,  and  although  not 
a  member  of  any  church,  has  assisted  in  putting  up 
the  buildings  of  the  religious  denominations  in  his 
neighborhood.  He  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party,  and  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  and 
Highway  Commissioner,  besides  being  Township 
Treasurer  for  several  years. 


EDWIN  M.  ALLISON,  a  native  of  the  Buck- 
eye State,  wherein  he  was  reared  until  he 
reached  his  majority,  in  starting  out  for 
himself  in  life  journeyed  into  Illinois,  of  which  he 
became  a  resident  in  November.  1868.  He  was  bred 
to  farming  pursuits,  which  he  has  followed  thus  far 
in  life,  and  is  now  located  in  Brown  Township,  on 
section  35.  Here  he  has  100  acres-  conveniently 
laid  off  in  pasture  and  grain  fields,  with  a  comforta- 
ble dwelling,  good  barn,  and  all  the  other  buildings 
necessary  for  the  carrying  on  of  agriculture  after 
the  most  approved  methods. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  occurred  in  Champaign 
County,  Ohio,  Sept.  7,  1846.  His  parents,  Wilfred 
aud  Susan  (Littleton)  Allison,  were  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, where  they  were  reared  and  manied.  They 
removed  from  the  Old  Dominion  to  Champaign 
County.  Ohio,  in  1830,  and  built  up  a  home  in  a 
new  country,  where  they  passed  the  remainder  of 
their  days.  The  mother  passed  to  her  final  rest  on 


the  5th  of  August,  1855.  The  death  of  Wilfn-d 
Allison  occurred  Nov.  5,  1867.  The  household  in- 
cluded ten  children,  of  whom  Edwin  M.  of  our 
sketch  was  the  youngest.  In  common  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters  he  attended  school  during  his 
boyhood,  and  as  soon  as  his  services  could  be  made 
available  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm. 

Three  years  after  locating  in  this  county,  and 
feeling  that  his  financial  prospects  would  justify 
him  in  taking  the  step,  Mr.  Allison  began  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  home  by  taking  unto  himself  a  wife, 
Miss  Nancj'  Sinners,  to  whom  he  was  married  April 
14,  1871.  Mrs.  A.  was  born  in  De  Witt  County,  111., 
Sept.  2,  1849,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Elizabeth  (Swermgen)  Sinners,  natives  respectively 
of  Indiana  and  Illinois.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  A.  after 
marriage  took  up  their  abode  in  Wapella  Township, 
De  Witt  County,  where  they  still  reside,  and  where 
their  family  of  eleven  children  one  by  one  gathered 
around  the  hearthstone.  Before  her  marriage  Mrs. 
A.,  who  had  received  a  good  education,  taught 
school  in  De  Witt,  McLean  and  Champaign  Coun- 
ties. After  her  marriage  the  eight  children  who 
claimed  her  attention, as  mother  and  tutor  were 
Frank,  Lulu  B.,  Edna  M.,  Nola  E.,  Kate  G.,  Byron 
W.,  Oris  W.  and  Irene  G.  Of  these,  three  daugh- 
ters— Lulu,  Edna  and  Kate — lie  in  the  quiet  conn- 
try  burying-ground,  and  their  names  are  held  in 
tender  remembrance  by  those  who  are  left  behind. 

Mr.  Allison  has  held  the  various  offices  of  his 
township,  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  socially  is  a 
member  of  Lodge  No.  704,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  at  Fisher. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church  at  Fisher,  and  still  hold  their  membership 
in  a  worthy  and  consistent  manner. 


AVID  L.  YANCEY,  the  proprietor  of  433 
acres  on  section  34,  of  Newcomb  Town- 
ship, has  been  a  resident  of  this  county 
since  1860.  Three  years  later  he  located 
in  the  above-named  township,  of  which  he  re- 
mained a  resident  for  seventeen  years,  and  then  i;e- 
moved  to  Mahomet,  where  for  six  months  he  was 


~ 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


461 


engaged  in  tlie  grocery  trade.  In  1885  he  returned 
to  Newcomb  Township,  thence  in  1887  to  Ma- 
in unet,  which  will  probably  become  his  permanent 
home.  He  has  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  sec- 
tion of  country,  with  a  handsome  and  substantial 
residence  and  all  modern  improvements.  He  has 
also  by  his  straightforward  business  methods  and 
excellent  qualities  as  a  citizen,  established  himself 
in  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  residents  of  the 
township  and  enjoys  the  association  of  its  best 
people. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  William  and  Katurah 
(Arnold)  Yancey,  were  both  natives  of  Kentucky, 
where  the  father  learned  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith 
but  gave  his  principal  attention  to  farming.  They 
spent  their  entire  lives  in  their  native  State  and  in 
the  county  which  gave  them  birth.  The  parental 
household  included  two  children  only,  David  L.  of 
our  sketch  and  his  brother,  John.  Our  subject  was 
born  in  Lewis  County,  Ky.,  March  13,  1827.  When 
but  an  infant  his  parents  removed  to  Fleming  Coun- 
ty, that  State,  where  he  lived  until  twenty-five  years 
of  age.  He  then  took  up  his  abode  in  Mason 
County,  where  he  lived  until  1860,  the  year  of  his 
removal  to  this  county.  His  subsequent  career  we 
have  briefly  indicated.  Included  in  his  homestead 
are  124  acres  of  valuable  timber.  The  land  has  been 
well  tilled  and  produces  the  finest  crops  of  the 
Prairie  State. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  New- 
comb  Township,  Aug.  26,  1858,  the  maiden  of  his 
choice  being  Miss  Margaret  A.,  daughter  of  Joseph 
T.  and  Jemima  M.  (Piper)  Everett,  also  natives  of 
Lewis  County,  Ky.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  became  resi- 
dents of  Champaign  County  in  1841,  locating  in 
Newcomb  Township,  where  the  mother  died  nine 
years  later.  Mr.  Everett  had  been  here  in  1837,  when 
he  entered  land  in  Newcomb  and  Mahomet  Town- 
ships. Mr.  E.  was  married  a  second  time  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  Champaign  City,  where  his  decease  took 
place  June  11,  1878.  Their  three  children  were 
Margaret  A.,  wife  of  our  subject;  Martha,  and 
Louisa  L.  Mrs.  Yancey  was  born  in  Newcomb 
Township,  Dec.  14,  1841,  and  became  the  mother 
of  three  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy  un- 
named;  Josephine  died  when  eight  months  old; 
William  married  Miss  Kate  Scott,  and  is  farming 


in  Newcomb  Township.  Mr.  Yancey  is  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and,  with 
his  wife,  is  connected  with  the  Baptist  Church. 
Politically  he  is  a  firm  supporter  of  Democratic 
principles. 


J"  O1IN  M.  SMITHSON,of  Pesotum  Township, 
was  born    in   Highland   County,  Ohio,  June 
13,  1823.     His  father,  a  native  of  Virginia, 
was  born  about  the  year  1780.     He  located 
in  Highland  County,  Ohio,  after  his  marriage.    The 
bride,    formerly   Miss    Millie    Murrell,  lived  near 
Lynchburg.      In    1836    they  removed    from    the 
Buckeye  State  to  Indiana,  but  four  years  afterward 
returned  to  Ohio,  settling  in  Clinton  County,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  his  death  occur- 
ring in  1879,  when  he  had  arrived  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-nine  years. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  the  fifth  child  of  a 
family  of  twelve,  and  was  born  and  reared  on 
a  farm.  When  called  upon  to  choose  his  vocation 
he  at  once  determined  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of 
his  father  and  grandfathers,  and  unhesitatingly 
made  his  arrangements  to  continue  rural  life.  Com- 
ing to  Illinois  he  located  in  this  county  and  first 
purchased  forty  acres  of  land,  which  amount  he 
soon  afterward  doubled. 

In  1845  Mr.  Smithson  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Moon,  eldest  child  of  Solomon  and  Hannah  (Mc- 
Lin)  Moon.  Her  parents,  both  born  in  1803  and 
natives  of  Tennessee,  removed  to  Ohio  in  1809,  be- 
ing among  its  earliest  pioneers.  They  were  strong 
advocates  of  temperance,  and  practiced  its  principles 
through  life.  Religiously  they  were  connected  with 
the  Society  of  Friends.  The  paternal  grandparents 
of  Mrs.  S.  were  natives  of  Georgia,  while  her  moth- 
er's family  were  from  Tennessee,  and  were  also 
Quakers  in  religious  faith,  being  among  its  teachers 
and  preachers. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smithson  became  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — Mahala  E., 
Lydia  M.,  Florence,  Frank  and  Louis  Carter. 
Hannah  died  in  infancy ;  Helena  married  Isaac  M. 
Bundy,  a  Methodist  minister  of  this  county,  and  on 
Jan,  25,  1884,  passed  away,  leaving  three  children ; 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Mabala  married  Matthew  B.  McFadden,  a  Method- 
ist minister  of  Adams  County;  L/3Tdia  married 
James  R.  Pucket,  and  resides  on  the  home  farm 
which  he  lately  purchased,  adjoining  that  of  our 
subject;  Florence  married  Elijah  M.  Jeffers,  a 
Methodist  minister  of  Piatt  County,  this  State; 
Frank  and  Louis  remain  single,  and  are  at  home 
with  their  parents.  Mr.  Smithson  was  formerly  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  but  is  now,  with 
his  wife,  associated  with  the  Friends.  lie  has  served 
as  School  Director  for  many  years,  and  politically 
is  a  Republican  of  the  first  water. 


WILLIAM  WILSON,  deceased,  who  estab- 
lished a  permanent  homestead  in  Raymond 
Township  in  the  spring  of  1866,  and  be- 
came one  of  its  most  highly  respected  'citizens,  was 
a  native  of  County  Armagh,  Ireland,  where  lie 
was  reared  to  manhood  and  engaged  in  teaching 
until  his  marriage  with  Miss  Martha  Fulton,  a  na- 
tive of  County  Tyrone.  After  becoming  the  par- 
ents of  three  children  they  set  sail  for  the  New 
World  in  the  hope  of  bettering  their  condition  and 
giving  to  their  offspring  those  advantages  which 
were  denied  them  in  their  native  country.  They 
arrived  in  the  city  of  New  York  in  the  fall  of 
1846,  and  after  a  residence  there  of  eight  months, 
came  to  this  State.  They  remained  here,  however, 
only  until  1849,  when  they  returned  eastward  as 
far  as  Ohio,  and  took  up  their  abode  in  Cincinnati. 
From  there  they  removed  to  Springfield,  and 
thence  to  nearUrbana,  Ohio.  In  1856  they  returned 
to  Illinois  and  once  more  became  residents  of  Ver- 
milion County,  where  they  remained  until  1864, 
and  in  that  year  came  into  Champaign  County. 

William  Wilson  was  a  man  of  excellent  educa- 
tion and  had  followed  the  profession  of  a  teacher 
in  his  native  Ireland  before  coining  to  the  United 
States.  He  resumed  his  chosen  calling  in  this 
country  until  about  four  years  before  locating 
upon  his  farm  in  Raymond  Township.  This  in- 
cluded 240  acres  of  choice  land,  which  he  cultivated 
and  supplied  with  good  buildings,  and  where  he 
.•spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  his  decease  occur- 
ring in  October,  1874,  at  the  age  of  fiftj'-five  years, 


ten  months  and  twenty  days.  The  faithful  com- 
panion of  his  joys  and  sorrows  still  survives  and  is 
now  seventy  years  old.  She  makes  her  home  on 
the  old  home  place. 

William  Wilson  and  his  wife  became  the  parents 
of  nine  children,  of  whom  two  daughters  died  in 
childhood  and  Martha  J.,  when  thirty  years  of  age, 
March  25,  1883.  There  are  yet  living  six  sons, 
namely,  George,  William,  Thomas,  John,  Henry 
and  James.  These,  with  the  exception  of  John, 
who  is  living  near  Savoy,  are  farming  in  Ray- 
mond Township.  Mr.  Wilson  proved  himself  a 
worthy  and  valued  citizen  and  was  held  in  high  re- 
spect by  all  who  knew  him.  Religiously  he  held 
to  the  belief  of  Episcopalian  doctrines,  and  politi- 
cally he  was  a  stanch  Democrat. 


AVID  NAYLOR.  This  highly  esteemed 
citizen  of  Newcomb  Township  owns  and 
occupies  a  good  farm  of  160  acres  on  sec- 
tion 3.  He  was  at  one  time  the  owner  of 
400  in  Newcomb  and  Brown  Townships,  a  part  of 
which  he  divided  among  his  children.  The  home- 
stead is  supplied  with  a  good  residence,  barn  and 
out-buildings,  which  are  kept  in  first-class  order, 
and  the  entire  premises  give  evidence  of  the  indus- 
try and  good  taste  of  their  proprietor.  When  Mr. 
Naylor  came  to  this  section  there  were  no  houses 
to  rent  and  he  with  his  family  occupied  a  school- 
house,  12x14  feet,  until  he  could  put  up  a  dwell- 
ing. He  has  been  eminently  successful  as  a  farmer 
and  business  man.  and  besides  his  land'  in  this 
township,  owns  440  acres  in  Iowa. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  born  in  Adams 
County,  Ohio,  Oct.  28,  1819,  and  is  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (Tucker)  Naylor,  natives  re- 
spectively of  Kentucky  and  Virginia.  Samuel  Nay- 
lor was  of  English  descent,  and  after  his  marriage 
located  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  where  with  his  ex- 
cellent wife  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
The  mother  died  in  1851,  and  the  father  a  few 
years  later.  The  twelve  children  born  to  them  con- 
sisted of  seven  sons  and  five  daughters. 

David  Naylor   was  reared  on   his   father's   farm 


LIBRARY 

ILUHOIS 


r 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


465 


and  remained  with  his  parents  _until  twenty-five 
years  old.  He  then  married  and  engaged  in  busi- 
ness for  himself.  He  continued  in  Adams  County 
the  following  year  and  thence  removed  to  Brown 
County,  where  he  engaged  in  mercantile  business 
eighteen  months.  He  then  returned  to  his  native 
county  and  engaged  in  merchandising  and  the  sale 
of  cord  wood  from  1845  to  1854,  when  his  father 
died.  He  then  settled  up  the  estate,  purchased  the 
interest  of  the  heirs  in  the  homestead,  and  continued 
a  resident  of  Adams  County'  until  1865.  That 
year  he  came  to  Illinois,  and  located  in  Newcomb 
Township,  this  county,  of  which  he  has  since  been 
a  resident. 

The  marriage  of  David  Naylor  and  Miss  Mahala 
Wade  took  place  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  May  15, 
1845.  Mrs.  N.  is  the  daughter  of  Zephaniah  and 
Mary  (Washburne)  Wade,  who  were  of  German 
ancestry  .and  became  residents  of  Adams  County, 
Ohio,  soon  after  their  marriage,  where  they  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  days.  They  became  the  par- 
ents of  fifteen  children,  eight  boys  and  seven  girls, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  mature  years.  Mrs.  Naylor 
was  a  twin.  She  was  born  in  Adams  County,  Ohio, 
Oct.  17,  1816.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject 
there  have  been  born  eleven  children,  of  whom  only 
four  survive,  namely,  Edmund,  Sarah  A.,  James 
B.  and  Ida  M.  Five  of  their  children  died  in  in- 
fancy. Edmund  married  Miss  Fannie  M.  Mider, 
and  resides  in  Brown  Township,  this  county ;  Sarah 
is  the  wife  of  Alfred  Loveless,  a  farmer  of  New- 
comb  Township;  James  married  Miss  Sarah  Fair- 
field,  and  is  farming  in  Condit  Township;  Mary, 
who  married  Rev.  Joel  Corley,  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church,  died  in  Say  brook,  McLean  Co.,  111., 
March  19,  1872,  leaving  one  child,  David  B.,  who 
was  only  eight  days  old.  Before  her  death  she 
gave  the  boy  to  her  parents  to  bring  up,  by  whom 
he  was  tenderly  cared  for,  but  the  cords  of  love 
which  had  been  broken  by  the  death  of  their  daugh- 
ter, were  only  destined  to  be  more  rudely  shocked 
by  the  sudden  death  of  their  dearly  loved  grand- 
son, when  he  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age.  On 
the  18th  of  June,  _  1887,  while  at  the  village  of 
Fisher,  he  was  jerked  from  his  feet  by  his  frightened 
horse,  and  instantly  killed,  his  neck  being  dislocated. 
Zipporah  Naylor  died  in  Newcomb  Township  in 


November,  1871,  of   diphtheria.     Ida  M.  is  resid- 
ing with  her  parents. 

Politically  Mr.  Naylor  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
He  has  been  a  very  abstemious  man,  never  tasting 
liquor,  and  never  using  tobacco  in  any  form.  It 
is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  he  is  warmly  in- 
terested in  the  success  of  the  Prohibition  move- 
ment. Both  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  members 
in  good  standing  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
in  which  Mr.  N.  holds  a  license  to  preach  and  has 
been  Class-Leader  and  Trustee.  A  lithographic 
view  of  the  handsome  residence  and  home  place  of 
Mr.  Naylor  is  shown  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


ETER  THOMPSON,  a  retired  farmer,  who 
has  spent  the  last  few  years  in  comfortable 
retirement  in  the  village  of  Fisher,  has 
with  the  exception  of  the  time  spent  in  the 
army,  been  a  resident  of  the  Prairie  State  for  sev- 
eral years,  mostly  _engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  is  a  descendant  of  an  excellent  Scottish  family, 
the  first  representatives  of  whom  in  America,  Peter 
and  Mary  Thompson,  the  parents  of  our  subject, 
located  first  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  in  1818. 
They  were  born  in  Scotland  and  spent  their  last 
days  in  the  Buckeye  State. 

The  parental  household,  of  whom  Peter  Thomp- 
son was  the  seventh  child,  included  seven  sons  and 
three  daughters,  a  part  of  whom  were  born  in  Scot- 
land. The  subject  of  our  sketch  is  a  native  of 
Adams  County,  Ohio,  and  was  first  introduced  to 
the  busy  world  on  the  23d  of  March,  1832.  He 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  during  the  win- 
ter seasons  employed  his  time  in  study  at  the  dis- 
trict schools,  continuing  an  inmate  of  his  father's 
house  until  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  was  more 
than  ordinarily  intelligent  and  had  made  good  use  of 
his  opportunities,  and  was  now  well  fitted  for  the 
duties  of  a  teacher  of  those  days.  He  followed 
teaching  in  his  native  State  for  twelve  years  suc- 
cessively, and  afterward  a  short  time  in  Illinois.  He 
first  visited  this  State  in  March,  1854,  sojourning 
in  DeWitt  County  three  years,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Ohio  and  remained  a  resident  of  his  na- 
tive county  until  1874. 


t 


400 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


In  the  meantime,  after  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war,  Mr.  Thompson  enlisted  in  -Inly,  1861,  soon 
after  the  first  call  for  troops,  in  Co.  I,  39th  Ohio 
Vol.  Inf.,  serving  until  the  close.  He  entered  upon 
his  duties  as  a  private,  was  first  commissioned 
Second  Lieutenant,  and  in  the  spring  of  1805  pro- 
moted First  Lieutenant.  He  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Corinth,  was  in  Sherman's  Georgia  Cam- 
paign and  the  march  to  Atlanta  and  the  sea,  also 
through  the  Carolinas  back  to  Washington,  where 
he  participated  in  the  grand  review.  He  came  out 
of  the-  service  unharmed  and  returned  to  his  na- 
tive county  in  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1  874. 

Our  subject  then  determined  to  try  his  fortunes 
in  the  West,  and  coming  to  this  county  purchased 
480  acres  of  land  in  Newcomb  Township,  which  he 
afterward  sold,  and  bought  various  tracts  of  land  on 
other  sections.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  700  acres, 
all  improved  and  with  suitable  buildings.  Since 
1880  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Fisher.  He  cnsts  his 
vote  with  the  Republican  party,  and  socially  is  a 
member  of  Van  \Vert  Post  No.  300.  Although 
perhaps  not  the  hero  of  any  thrilling  incidents  in 
life  hs  has  filled  his  niche  worthily  as  a  reliable 
citizen,  prompt  to  meet  his  obligations,  and  present- 
ing the  example  of  a  man  whose  word  is  as  good 
as  his  bond. 


J  "JONATHAN  H.  LINEBARGER,  a  tile  manu- 
facturer and  dealer  in  grain  and  coal,  hav- 
ing his  headquarters  in  the  village  of  Fisher, 
1  Brown  Township,  is  one  of  the  important 
factors  of  the  business  community  of  this  section, 
possessing  all  the  enterprise  and  energy  requisite 
for  the  successful  prosecution  of  his  chosen  calling. 
We  give  the  main  points  of  his  history  as  follows: 
His  parents,  Henry  and  Nancy  (Hougham)  Line- 
barger,  were  natives  respectively  of  North  Caro- 
lina and  Ohio,  the  former  a  descendant  of  excel- 
lent German  ancestry,  and  the  latter  of  English 
and  Welsh.  After  marriage  they  located  in  Parke 
County,  Ind.,  whence  they  removed,  in  1832,  to 
Will  County,  this  State,  locating  about  seven  miles 
from  the  present  site  of  Joliet,  then  a  mere  hamlet, 


where  they  engaged  in  farming,  and  spent  the  last 
years  of  their  lives. 

The  parental  household  included  three  daughters 
and  four  sons,  our  subject  being  the  fourth  child. 
He  was  born  on  the  farm  in  Jackson,  Feb.  1,  1836, 
and  lived  with  his  mother  until  attaining  his  ma- 
jority, his  father  having  died  when  he  was  but  six 
years  of  age.  Henry  Linebarger,  by  industry  and 
forethought  had  laid  the  basis  of  a  home  and  a  compe- 
tency for  his  family,  and  with  the  money  inherited 
from  his  mother's  estate  our  subject,  upon  coining 
of  age,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  near  the  old  home- 
stead in  Will  County,  which  he  improved  and  cul- 
tivated until  1868.  Then,  deciding  upon  a  change 
of  location  and  occupation,  he  sold  his  farm  and 
repairing  to  Elwood,  in  that  same  county,  en- 
gaged in  merchandising,  his  stock  in  trade  compris- 
ing dry-goods,  grain  and  lumber. 

Two  years  later,  abandoning  this  project,  Mr. 
Linebarger  removed  to  Stanford,  McLean  County, 
and  in  company  with  his  two  brothers,  Lewis  and 
Henry,  built  an  elevator,  and  besides  large  transac- 
tion in  grain  dealt  also  in  lumber.  They  erected 
an  elevator  at  Varney,  in  Marshall  County,  in  the 
fall  of  1871,  made  memorable  by  the  Chicago  fire> 
and  two  years  later  put  up  another  elevator  at  La 
Rose.  In  about  1876,  extending  their  operations, 
they  built  an  elevator  at  Minier,  Tazewell  County- 
This,  however,  after  two  years  they  sold,  and  pur- 
chased the  elevator  at  Washburn,  in  Woodford 
County.  In  1874  they  provided  Foosland,  in 
Brown  Township,  with  a  structure  of  the  same  de- 
scription, and  that  same  year  Mr.  Lineberger  re- 
moved there  with  his  family.  This  last  elevator 
the  partner  disposed  of  in  1879,  and  the  following 
year  our  subject  became  a  resident  of  Fisher.  In 
1877  Linebarger  Bros,  purchased  the  elevator  at 
Oxford,  Johnson  Co.,  Iowa,  which  they  operated 
with  the  same  success  that  had  distinguished  their 
other  ventures. 

The  brothers  continued  together  until  1884,  dur- 
ing which  time  they  had  erected  a  building  for  the 
reception  of  grain  at  Dickerson,  111.  Since  the  date 
above  mentioned  our  subject  has  conducted  busi- 
ness alone,  erecting  in  1886  a  building  for  the 
manufacture  of  tile.  Soon  after  this  industry  had 
been  fairly  started  the  boiler  burst,  incurring  seri- 


t. 

It 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


107 


I 


ons  damages,  but  without  the  loss  of  life.  In  the 
tile  factory  Mr.  L.  gives  employment  to  from  eight 
to  ten  men,  and  the  proceeds  yield  him  annually  a 
handsome  income.  Besides  his  property  in  Fisher 
he  has  a  fine  farm  of  152  acres  in  Brown  Township, 
and  a  valuable  tract  of  ninety-two  in  East  Bend 
Township.  He  erected  a  tile  factory  at  Savoy  in 
this  county  in  1887,  which  is  now  being  carried  on 
"by  Samuel  J.  Felton. 

The  lady  who  became  Mrs.  Linebarger  on  the 
26th  of  February,  1857,  formerly  Miss  Sarah  Davis, 
was  born  in  Will  County,  July  2,  1838.  Her  par- 
ents were  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Davis.  Jacob  was 
born  in  Centerville,  Wayne  Co.,  Ind.,  and  Eliza- 
beth Parsons  in  Kentucky,  whence  she  moved  to 
Indiana  when  fourteen  years  of  age.  They  were 
married  in  1835,  and  moved  to  Illinois  the  same 
year.  Mrs.  L.  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
during  her  childhood  and  youth,  receiving  a  com- 
mon-school education,  and  was  married  at  her 
home  in  Will  County.  Of  the  seven  children  born 
to  our  subject  and  his  wife  only  three  survive, 
namely,  John  H.,  Mary  E.  and  George  E.  All  are 
at  home  with  their  parents.  Those  deceased  are 
Levi  H.,  Clara  I..  Frank  and  Willie.  Clara  died 
when  an  interesting  girl  of  fourteen  years,  and  the 
others  in  infancy.  Mr.  L.  casts  his  vote  with  the 
Democratic  party.  He  is  a  strong  temperance 
man,  anxious  for  the  success  of  the  prohibition 
movement.  He  and  his  wife  became  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1859  and  1857 
respectively. 


iHOMAS  GORDY,  a  retired  farmer  of  Philo 
Township,  is  now  living  within  the  vil- 
lage limits  where,  after  a  busy  and  active 
life,  he  took  up  his  residence  in  1 885  to  pass  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days  in  the  comfort  and  qniet  justly 
earned  after  a  career  of  active  industry.  He  be- 
came a  resident  of  Champaign  County  in  1876,  lo- 
cating on  section  1 5,  in  Philo  Township.  He  first 
purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  and  then  another 
tract  of  land  elsewhere  in  the  township.  In  due 
time  he  sold  the  homestead  to  his  eldest  son,  W.  N. 
by  whom  it  is  now  occupied.  Besides  five 


acres  within  the  village,  Mr.  G.  owns  eighty  just 
south  of  the  limits  and  240  acres  in  Crittenden 
Township,  which  is  finely  located  and  improved, 
and  forms  one  of  the  choicest  bodies  of  land  in 
that  section. 

Mr.  Gordy  is  a  native  of  Pickaway  County, 
Ohio,  born  in  August,  1821,  and  is  the  son  of  John 
Gordy,  who  died  when  our  subject  was  a  small 
child.  Although  having  been  a  soldier  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary War  he  was  but  seventy-three  years  of 
age  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  enlisted  as  a 
drummer  boy  when  eighteen  years  old.  Our  sub- 
ject is  sixty-six  years  old,  and  this  is  probably  the 
only  instance  on  record  of  a  man  of  his  age  having 
a  father  who  assisted  in  bringing  about  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  Colonies.  John  Gordy  after  his 
retirement  from  the  army  resumed  his  trade  as  a 
cooper,  and  it  is  supposed  was  married  in  Dela- 
ware, whence  he  removed  to  Ohio.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  was  formerly  Miss  Sarah 
Handy,  a  native  of  Delaware ;  she  was  the  second 
wife  of  John  Gordy.  She  accompanied  her  hus- 
band to  Ohio,  and  after  his  death  came  to  Illinois 
and  located  in  Douglas  County,  where  she  died  in 
about  1862  or  1863. 

Thomas  Gordy  was  the  youngest  but  two  of  his 
mother's  children,  and  passed  his  childhood  and 
youth  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio.  He  remained 
the  supporter  of  his  widowed  mother  until  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age.  He  was  married,  Feb.  22,  1 850, 
to  Miss  Millie  A.  Maddox,  a  native  of  that  county, 
and  who  removed  with  her  parents  to  Illinois  when 
a  young  lady.  She  was  born  in  1822,  and  died  in 
Christian  County,  111.,  in  1869,  leaving  seven  chil- 
dren— William  W.,  Benjamin,  Nancy  M.,  Francis 
V.,  all  married ;  Margaret,  Sarah  E.,  married,  and 
Mary  A. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Gordj'  took  place  in 
Coles  County,  III.,  Sept.  5,  1870,  with  Mrs.  Marga- 
ret L.  (Maddox)»Redden,  who  was  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife.  She  was  born  in  Monroe  Township,  Pick- 
away  Co.,  Ohio,  Dec.  15,  1830,  and  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Benjamin  and  Nancy  (O'Neil)  Maddox,  na- 
tives of  Kentucky,  where  they  were  reared  and 
married.  After  the  birth  of  one  child,  they  moved  to 
Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  where  they  lived  for  some 
years  on  a  farm,  and  in  1848  came  to  Illinois,  set- 


f 


468 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tling  in  Douglas  County  among  the  other  pioneers 
of  that  section.  There  the  father  died  in  1802, 
when  sixty-three  years  of  age.  The  mother  is  yet 
living  on  the  old  homestead  in  Sargent  Township, 
Douglas  County,  and  is  now  arrived  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-seven  y,ears. 

Onr  subject  and  his  wife  have  lived  in  Christian, 
Macun  and  Champaign  Counties,  in  each  of  which 
Mr.  G.  has  dealt  considerably  in  real  estate.  They 
have  one  son,  Arthur-C.  Mrs.  G.  by  her  first  mar- 
riage became  the  mother  of  seven  children :  Mary 
A.  is  deceased;  George  W.,  Amanda  E.,  Sarah  F., 
James  W.,  and  Dora  B.  are  married;  Eliza  J.  is  at 
home.  The  parents  and  most  of  the  children  are 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
of  which  our  subject  is  a  Trustee  and  a  prominent 
member  in  its  counsels.  Politically  he  upholds  the 
principles  of  the  Democratic  party.  , 


RNST  LORENZ,  the  pioneer  merchant  of 
Dewey,  is  one  of  the  independent  spirits 
who  was  not  afraid  to  risk  his  fortunes  in  a 
new  and  untried  country,  having  full  faith  in  the 
abundance  of  its  resources  and  development.  He 
is  a  gentleman  still  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  has 
watched  with  unabated  interest  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  his  adopted  State,  to  which  he  came 
with  his  parents  when  but  a  lad.  His  birthplace 
was  Saxe-Weimer,  Germany,  and  the  date  thereof, 
March  7,  1843. 

Gotlieb  Lorenz,  the  father  of  our  subject,  and  a 
native  of  the  same  Province,  was  born  Oct.  18, 
1813.  He  attended  school  in  his  youth,  and  served 
an  apprenticeship  to  the  tailor's  trade,  after  which 
he  engaged  in  business  on  his  own  account  in  his 
native  county,  until  1841).  Then,  with  his  wife  and 
family,  he  set  sail  from  Bremen,  and  after  a  voyage 
of  five  weeks,  landed  in  New  York  City  safely  with 
his  four  children  and  their  mother.  They  located 
first  in  Cincinnati,  whence  after  a  3'ear  they  re- 
moved to  Covington,  Ky.,  of  which  they  remained 
residents  until  1866.  Mr.  Lorenz  then  decided  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  the  western  country,  and  also  to 
change  his  occupation.  After  reaching  Illinois  he 
came  to  this  county,  and  purchased  a  tract  of  wild 


land  on  section  22,  in  East  Bend  Township.  He 
at  once  put  up  a  dwelling,  into  which  he  removed 
his  family  and  proceeded  with  his  farming  opera- 
tions. The  death  of  the  wife  and  mother,  Mrs. 
Dorothea  (Beisch)  Lorenz,  occurred  in  1874.  Four 
of  their  five  children  are  now  living:  Edward,  in 
Covington,  Ky. ;  Ernst,  of  our  sketch;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Philip  Hummel,  Jr.,  and  Louis  II. 

Our  subject  was  the  second  child  of  the  parental 
household,  and  after  coming  to  this  country  con- 
tinued his  studies  in  the  public  schools  at  Coving- 
ton.  As  soon  as  old  enough,  in  common  with  his 
brothers  and  sister,  he  assisted  his  father,  remaining 
a  member  of  the  family  until  1861.  By  this  time 
he  had  become  a  genuine  American,  and  after  the 
first  call  for  troops  to  defend  the  Union,  was  will- 
ing to  lay  aside  his  personal  and  private  interests 
to  join  the  Union  army.  He  enlisted  in  the  6th 
Ohio  Infantry,  and  served  three  years  and  three 
months,  receiving  his  first  discharge  at  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  of  service.  He  then  veteranized 
in  Co.  G,  llth  Ky.  Cav.,  with  which  regiment  he 
remained  until  the  close  of  the  war,  making  more 
than  four  years  spent  in  the  service  of  his  adopted 
country.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  enlist  and  one 
of  the  last  to  be  mustered  out.  He  was  present  at 
many  of  the  important  battles  of  the  war,  includ- 
ing Shiloh,  Stone  River,  Chattanooga  and  Mission- 
ary Ridge,  besides  innumerable  engagements. 

After  retiring  from  military  service  Mr.  Lorenz 
came  West  and  located  in  East  Bend  Township, 
this  count}',  where  he  rented  land  the  first  year, 
then  purchased  forty  acres  on  section  4,  put  up  a 
house,  commenced  improving  his  purchase,  and  oc- 
cupied it  two  years.  He  then  removed  to  section 
31,  and  leased  a  farm,  upon  which  he  operated  four 
years,  and  thence  removed  to  Houstonville,  in  this 
county,  where  he  established  a  store  of  general 
merchandise,  was  appointed  Postmaster,  and  re- 
mained in  business  there  until  1876.  In  July  of 
that  j'ear  he  came  to  the  present  site  of  Dewey, 
and  in  the  middle  of  an  oat  field  erected  the  first 
building  of  the  kind  which  was  utilized  as  a  store, 
dwelling  and  post-office.  Mr.  L.  was  the  first  in- 
cumbent of  the  office,  which  he  held  until  the 
change  of  administration  in  1885. 

The    wife   of    our   subject    was   formerly    Miss 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Catherine  Bowman,  a  native  of  Darke  County, 
Ohio,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Mitchel  (Blizzard) 
Bowman,  natives  respective!}'  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland,  and  of  German  descent.  Their  wedding 
took  place  in  the  summer  of  1866,  and  their  eight 
children  are,  Ida.  Dora,  Emma,  Edward,  Carrie, 
Minnie,  Ernst  and  Annie.  Mr.  Lorenz  is  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party.  He  has  served 
as  Assessor  in  East  Bend  Township  for  twelve  years, 
Justice  of  the  Peace  fifteen,  and  School  Director 
for  an  almost  equal  length  of  time.  Social!}'  he 
belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternit}',  being  a  member 
of  Fisher  Lodge  No.  704,  and  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  Dewey  Post  No.  282,  G.  A.  R.,  has  been  its 
Commander. 


I 


AMUEL  McKEE.  For  the  last  thirty-five 
years  this  worthy  citizen  of  Homer  Town- 
ship, has  walked  in  and  out  among  its  peo- 
ple and  watched  with  in.terest  the  growth 
and  prosperity  of  the  county  to  which  he  came  in 
its  primitive  days.  His  early  education  was  con- 
ducted in  the  pioneer  log  school-house,  with  its 
greased  paper  for  window-panes  and  rude  slabs  for 
benches  and  writing-desks.  The  dwellings  around 
it  usually  corresponded  with  the  temple  of  learn- 
ing, and  the  people  of  those  days,  with  their  simple 
tastes  and  habits,  probably  had  less  of  bitterness 
and  discontentment  in  their  lives  than  those  sur- 
rounded by  the  luxuries  of  a  later  civilization. 

Our  subject  has  been  fairly  successful  in  his  hon- 
est efforts  to  obtain  a  livelihood,  being  in  the  en- 
joyment of  a  comfortable  homestead  in  Homer 
Township  on  section  16,  where  he  is  carrying  on 
farming  and  stock  breeding  with  the  intelligence 
which  years  of  experience  and  observation  have 
brought  him.  He  was  born  among  the  hills  of 
Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  on  the  16th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1819,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Annie 
(Ross)  McKee,  the,  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  latter  of  Ireland.  Joseph  McKee  followed 
farming  all  his  life  and  was  gathered  to  his  fathers 
many  years  ago.  Early  in  life  he  was  a  sturdy 
Jackson  Democrat,  but  later  changed  his  views  and 
cast  his  lot  with  the  Republican  party.  Both  par- 


ents were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  wife  and  mother  preceded  her  hus- 
band a  few  years,  departing  this  life  in  about  18,37, 
in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio.  The  nine  children 
of  the  household  we're  Thomas  Jackson,  John, 
Elizabeth,  Robert  and  Margaret  (twins),  Rebecca, 
Samuel,  Joseph  and  William,  the  two  latter  deceased. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  our  subject  were 
passed  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons,  en- 
gaged in  the  lighter  labors  around  the  homestead 
and  attending  the  pioneer  school  during  the  winter 
season.  After  reaching  his  majority  he  remained 
in  Ohio  a  few  years,  but  in  1851  decided  to  try  his 
fortunes  in  the  farther  West.  He  accordingly  emi- 
grated to  Vermilion  County,  111.,  where  he  re- 
mained one  3'ear,  and  then,  coming  to  Champaign 
County,  purchased  the  quarter  section  of  land  of 
which  he  now  owns  120  acres.  Upon  this  he  has 
made  great  improvements,  redeeming  the  soil  from 
its  wild  condition  so  that  now  he  has  a  series  of 
fertile  fields,  rich  in  grain  and  pasturage,  neatly 
fenced,  and  upon  the  pleasantest  part  of  the  farm, 
a  substantial  residence 'with  all  necessary  out-build- 
ings. His  industry  and  straightforward  method  of 
doing  business,  have  gained  him  the  esteem  and  con- 
fidence of  his  fellow-townsmen,  who  have  entrusted 
him  with  the  minor  offices,  including  those  of  Treas- 
urer and  School  Director.  Politically  he  is  decid- 
edly Republican,  ever  ready  to  fight  valiantly  in 
defense  of  his  principles. 

Mr.  McKee,  when  about  twenty-eight  years  of 
age,  finding  life  very  unsatisfactory  without  a  per- 
manent home  and  a  cheerful  companion  at  the 
hearthstone,  invited  a  greatly  respected  lady  to  be- 
come the  sharer  of  his  fortune,  namely,  Miss  Jane 
Neblock,  who  became  his  wife  on  the  19th  of  March, 
1 849,  and  has  since  most  worthily  filled  the  posi- 
tion as  head  of  his  domestic  affairs  and  the  mother 
of  his  children.  Mrs.  McKee,  like  her  husband,  is 
also  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in  Guern- 
sey County,  June  30,  1822.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  David  and  Ann  (Matthews)  Neblock,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  Her  father  followed  farming  all  his 
life  and  rested  from  his  labors  in  about  1850.  The 
mother  died  on  the  8th  of  December,  18G7,  at  the 
old  homestead  in  Ohio.  The  nine  children  of  the 
parental  household  are  as  follows :  Maria,  the  eld- 


470 


CHAMPAIGN  CO  UK  TV. 


est  daughter,  is  deceased ;  Adaline  became  the  wife 
of  John  Hayes,  now  deceased.  She  lives  in  Ver- 
milion County,  III.  Carl  died  in  early  childhood, 
also  William ;  Richard  M.  died  when  an  infant  of 
five  months;  James  M.  married  Miss  Nancy  Hen- 
line,  and  lives  in  Homer;  John  J.  married  a  Miss 
Davis,  who  is  deceased ;  David  Y.  married  Miss 
Mary  A.  Pelt/  ;  Solomon  N.  married  Miss  Edith  Jett. 
The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKee  gradually  be- 
came tenanted  with  little  people  until  their  offspring 
numbered  twelve  children,  of  whom  the  record  is 
as  follows :  Adaline  died  when  eighteen  years  of 
age,  on  the  3d  of  April,  1863,  leaving  a  sad  va- 
cancy in  the  household  of  which  she  was  the  eldest 
child;  John  married  Miss  Celia  Roach,  of  Ohio; 
Charlotte  A.  is  living  at  home;  Vincent  II.  married 
Miss  Ellen  East,  who  died  within  a  few  years,  and 
he  has  been  since  married  to  Miss  Sadie  Hub  bard. 
This  son  is  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  lives  in  Dan- 
ville, 111.  Robert  L.  is  single  and  at  home ;  Eliza- 
beth C.  became  the  wife  of  Van  C.  Thompson; 
Maria  I.  died  when  three  years  of  age,  Oct.  1, 1869, 
and  Mary  Jane  when  fifteen  months  old,  Aug.  15, 
1856;  Thomas  married  Miss  Belle  Hill;  James  C. 
died  of  consumption  on  the  loth  of  June,  1886, 
aged  twenty-three  years  and  six  months.  He  was  a 
promising  young  man,  an  active  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  a  teacher  in  the 
Sabbath-school,  presenting  in  his  daily  walk  a  bright 
example  of  early  piety,  and  whom  to  know  was 
but  to  love  and  respect.  His  death  was  a  sad  blow 
to. the  stricken  parents,  and  he  passed  away  lamented 
by  a  large  circle  of  friends.  Clara  E.  was  the 
eleventh  child;  Cora  A'.,  the  youngest,  is  a  bright 
and  interesting  girl  of  seventeen  years. 


V 


RS.  ANNA  SAXON,  daughter  of  John  and 
Sarah  (Vanzalas)  Shultz,  and  widow  of 
James  R.  Saxon,  came  with  her  husband  to 
this  county  in  1870,  and  took  possession  of 
the  fine  farm  which  she  now  occupies,  and  which  is 
located  on  section  21,  Ludlow  Township.  The 
homestead  embraces  320  acres  of  fertile  land,  under 
a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  supplied  with  ex- 
cellent frame  buildings. 


Mrs.  Saxon  was  born  four  miles  from  Lebanon  in 
Warren  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  14,  1822.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  of  German  an- 
cestry. The  first  representatives  of  the  family  in 
this  country  were  four  brothers  who  emigrated 
prior  to  the  Revolutionary  War.  They  married 
and  raised  families  and  were  a  people  universally 
respected  wherever  known.  They  mostly  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Saxon 
was  reared  on  a  farm,  but  when  young  went  to 
Philadelphia  and  learned  the  hatter's  trade.  This, 
however,  was  unsuited  to  his  tastes,  and  he  con- 
cluded to  return  to  the  farm.  In  about  1815,  he 
emigrated  to  Ohio  and  bought  land  near  Lebanon 
in  Warren  County,  where  he  became  extensively 
engaged  in  raising  grain  and  stock,  and  also  put  up 
a  distillery  which  he  operated  for  many  years. 
His  produce  was  transported  on  flatboats  down 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers  to  New  Orleans. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  industry,  be- 
came widely  and  favorably  known  throughout  War- 
ren County,  and  remained  a  resident  there  until  his 
death,  in  about  1833.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Saxon, 
also  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  passed  to  the  land  of 
the  hereafter  previous  to  the  death  of  her  husband, 
in  about  1827.  The  household  was  composed  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  Milton,  the  eldest,  died  in 
Brown  County,  Ohio;  Watson  is  a  resident  of  Ran- 
toul,  this  county;  John  is  farming  in  Tazewell 
County;  Delia,  Mrs.  Randolph,  died  in  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.;  Eliza  J.,  Mrs.  Hufford,  is  a  resident 
of  Warren  County,  Ohio;  Rachel,  Mrs.  Verbright, 
died  in  Tazewell  Count}',  111.;  Huston  and  Robert 
were  children  of  the  second  marriage. 

Mrs.  Saxon  was  the  fifth  child  of  the  household 
and  was  but  five  years  old  when  deprived  of  a 
mother's  care.  Six  years  later  her  father  also  (lied, 
so  that  she  was  left  an  orphan  when  a  young  girl 
of  eleven  years.  She  was  cared  for  by  her  brother 
Milton,  with  whom  she  made  her  home  until  her 
marriage,  which  event  took  place  June  20,  1843. 
Her  husband,  James  R.  Saxon, -was  born  in  White 
County.  Ind.  After  marriage  they  located  in  War- 
ren County,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  as 
a  carpenter  two  years,  then  removed  to  Brown 
Count}'  and  purchased  a  farm  which  lie  operated 
fourteen  years.  Subsequently  he  came  with  his 
' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


471 


1 


family  to  this  State.  They  first  located  in  this 
county,  but  afterward  removed  to  a  farm  which  he 
had  purchased  in  Carroll  County,  Ind.,  three  miles 
from  the  city  of  Delphi.  He  sold  that  property  in 
1870,  and  returned  to  this  county,  locating  in  Lnd- 
low  Township,  which  has  remained  his  permanent 
home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Saxon  became  the  parents  of  the 
following  children,  viz.,  Robert;  Kate,  the  wife  of 
Harry  Carson,  of  St.  Louis:  Emma,  now  Mrs.  Jo- 
seph Amberg,  of  Minneapolis;  Sarah,  wife  of 
Thomas  Wright,  a  farmer  of  East  Bend  Township, 
this  county;  James  M.  and  William,  at  home  with 
their  mother.  Mrs.  Saxon  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  early  youth.  Mr. 
S.  was  a  believer  in  the  Universalist  doctrines. 


jipp>REDERICK  SPERLING  owns  one  of  the 

r@>  most  finely  cultivated  farms  in  East  Bend 
Township,  lying  on  section  32,  and  which 
comprises  114  acres.  Mr.  S.  is  ranked  among  the 
enterprising  German  citizens  of  this  county,  and 
has  inherited  in  a  marked  degree  the  substantial 
traits  of  an  excellent  ancestry,  which  have  made  of 
him  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen.  His  birth 
took  place  at  the  foot  of  the  Hartz  Mountains,  in 
the  Province  of'  Saxony,  Prussia,  on  the  1st  of 
September,  1836,  and  he  is  the  eldest  son  of  God- 
fried  and  Christine  (Bailer)  Sperling,  of  whom  men- 
tion is  made  in  the  sketch  of  August  Sperling  on 
another  page  in  this  volume. 

Our  subject  commenced  attending  school  when 
six  years  old,  pursuing  his  studies  in  Germany  un- 
til coming  to  the  United  States  with  his  parents. 
After  reaching  the  shores  of  the  New  World  they 
located  in  Sheboygan,  Wis.,  where  yo'ing  Frederick 
continued  his  studies  in  the  schools  and  assisted 
his  father  on  the  farm.  After  the  breaking  out  of 
the  late  Rebellion  he  proffered  his  services  as  a 
soldier  of  the  Union  army,  and  became  a  member 
of  Co.  A,  9th  Wis.  Vol.  Inf.,  giving  his  time  to  his 
adopted  country  from  August,  1861,  until  Decem- 
ber, 1864,  when  its  union  and  safety  had  become 
assured.  lie  endured  with  his  comrades  bravely- 
all  the  vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life,  participating 


in  a  number  of  regular  battles  _and  minor  engage- 
ments, and  during  that  time  traveled  through  the 
States  of  Missouri,  Kansas,  Arkansas  and  Indian 
Territory. 

At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service  Mr. 
Sperling  received  his  honorable  discharge  and  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  Wisconsin,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  following  year.  He  then  came  to 
this  State,  and  locating  in  Bloomington  was  em- 
ployed first  in  a  nursery  and  afterward  in  a  lumber- 
yard, and  finally  rented  a  farm  which  he  occupied 
six  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  purchased  a 
tract  of  wild  land  in  East  Bend  Township,  this 
county,  and  in  1869  commenced  in  earnest  its  im- 
provement and  cultivation.  He  was  successful  in 
his  operations  and  in  due  time  added  to  his  acreage 
and  erected  a  good  set  of  frame  buildings.  The 
homestead  now  embraces  114  acres  under  a  fine 
state  of  cultivation  and  producing  in  abundance 
the  choice  crops  of  the  Prairie  State.  As  a  business 
man  and  a  member  of  the  community  he  is  held  in 
the  highest  esteem  for  his  personal  qualities  and  his 
systematic  and  praiseworthy  method  of  transacting 
business. 

The  marriage  of  Frederick  Sperling  and  Miss 
Ann  M.  Miller  took  place  in  Sheboygan  County, 
Wis.,  in  the  summer  of  1860.  Mrs.  S.  is  a  na- 
tive of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  and  by  her 
union  with  our  subject  has  become  the  mother  of 
seven  children,  viz.,  Dorothea,  J.  C.  Rudolph, 
Laura,  Edwin  S.,  Minerva,  Frederick  W.  and  Annie 
Maria  C.  The  wife  and  mother  is  a  lady  greatly 
respected  in  the  community  and  beloved  by  her 
family.  Of  late  years  she  has  been  in  delicate 
health,  but  is  remarkably  patient  under  her  afflic- 
tion. Mr.  Sperling  since  becoming  a  voter  has 
uniformly  supported  the  principles  of  the  Repub- 
lican party. 


EV.  JOHN  H.  PAYTON,  deceased.  The 
record  of  this  gentleman,  who  filled  worthily 
an  important  position  in  life,  is,  in  its  main 
I  features,  as  follows:  He  was  born  in  But- 
ler County,  Ohio,  June  1,  1814,  and  was  the  second 
child  of  Jacob  and  Lois  (Hutchings)  Payton,  also 
natives  of  the  Buckeye  State.  While  he  was  yet  a 


-  >    472 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


child  liis  parents  removed  to  Delaware  County, 
Ind.,  where  his  youth  and  early  manhood  were 
spent  on  his  father's  farm.  On  the  29th  of  June, 
1829,  at  the  early  age  of  fifteen,  he  was  converted 
to  the  Christian  religion,  and  united  with  the 
church  that  same  year.  He  was  soon  given  a  license 
to  exhort,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  active  du- 
ties of  his  chosen  life  work.  His  first  license  was 
conferred  by  the  Baptist  Conference,  but  failing  to 
find  the  full  measure  of  satisfaction  with  this  de- 
nomination, he  afterward  withdrew  and  united  with 
the  Methodists. 

Mr.  Payton  was  united  in  marriage,  March  23, 
1 837,  with  Miss  Temperance  Dragoo,  who  was  a 
native  of  Preston  County,  W.  Va.,  born  Sept.  22, 
1819,  and  the  fourth  child  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth (Prunty)  Dragoo,  natives  of  the  Old  Domin- 
ion. The  maternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Payton, 
David  and  Anna  Prunty,  were  also  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  north- 
western part  of  that  State.  Their  residence  for 
many  years  was  in  Taylor  County,  where  David 
Prunty  founded  the  village  of  what  is  now  Prunty  - 
town,  a  thriving  town,  and  the  best  monument 
which  could  have  been  reared  to  his  memory.  He 
was  active  and  enterprising  in  its  building  up,  and 
viewed  with  satisfaction  the  progress  and  prosperity 
of  its  people.  He  walked  in  and  out  among  them 
during  the  later  years  of  a  long  life,  and  his  re- 
mains were  laid  to  rest  near  by. 

After  receiving  his  license  to  preach,  by  the 
Methodist  denomination,  Mr.  Payton  became  a 
member  of  the  Northern  Indiana  Conference,  in 
1849,  at  its  Logansport  session.  He  had  been  or- 
dained as  Local  Deacon  by  Bishop  Janes  two  years 
previously,  and  in  1853  was  ordained  Elder,  by 
Bishop  Ames,  at  Richmond.  His  first  charge  was 
at  Bluffton,  in  1849,  where  he  remained  one  year, 
and  was  then  assigned  to  Monmouth.  Adams 
Co.,  Ind.  In  1851  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  a 
congregation  at  Auburn,  De  Kalb  Co.,  Ind.,  and 
the  following  year  stationed  in  Allen  County,  that 
State,  where  he  remained  until  the  close  of  1852. 
In  1853-54  he  labored  in  behalf  of  the  Gospel  at 
Leesburg,  Ind.,  and  the  following  year  found  him 
at  Manchester,  Ind.,  whence  he  was  removed  n 
short  time  afterward  to  Columbia  City,  that  State. 


Iii  1857  he  was  invited  to  return  to  his  old  friends 
at  Bluffton.  his  first  charge,  where  he  remained  one 
year  and  was  afterward  called  to  Winchester. 
There  he  passed  the  year  1859,  and  spent  1860  at 
Albany.  His  next  station  was  at  Farmland,  from 
which  he  was  transferred  at  the  end  of  the  year  to 
Munsey  Circuit,  where  he  remained  during  1863. 
In  1864  he  served  at  Camden. 

Mr.  Payton  now  felt  that  his  usually  robust  con- 
stitution was  weakening  under  the  strain  of  the 
various  duties  assigned  him,  and  resolved  to  change 
his  manner  of  life.  Going  to  Henry  County  he  lo- 
cated upon  a  farm  of  160  acres,  which  he  had  pre- 
viously purchased,  and  life  in  the  rural  regions 
soon  had  the  desired  effect.  In  1866  he  returned 
to  his  ministerial  labors,  being  assigned  first  to  Ed- 
ward's Mission  for  six  months,  after  which  he  en- 
tered the  Central  Illinois  Conference,  and  in  this 
was  first  assigned  to  Millersburg.  Believing  then 
that  his  health  would  permit,  he  requested  to  be  re- 
turned to  the  work  permanently,  and  in  1868  was 
reinstated  in  the  regular  ministry,  his  first  appoint- 
ment being  on  the  Warren  Circuit.  His  hopes, 
however,  were  destined  to  disappointment.  In  less 
than  a  year  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  his  labors 
as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  was  again  super- 
annuated. He  was  not  content,  however,  to  give  up 
the  work  entirely,  but  continued  to  preach  when- 
ever opportunity  afforded,  serving  the  Master  to 
the  best  of  his  ability  in  his  weakened  state. 

In  1867  Mr.  Payton  exchanged  his  farm  in  Henry 
County,  and  purchased  220  acres  on  section  20,  in 
Harvvood  Township.  He  occupied  several  years  in 
the  improvement  and  thorough  cultivation  of  this 
farm,  and  in  the  meantime  not  neglecting  his 
Church  duties.  In  1869  he  organized  the  Pera 
Circuit,  in  Central  Illinois,  which  has  since  been 
changed  to  Ludlow  Circuit,  and  was  serving  as  a 
supply  for  this  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  took 
place  Dec.  14,  1883.  He  preached  his  last  sermon 
in  Ludlow  Church,  the  Sunday  before  his  death, 
also  administering  the  Lord's  Supper  on  that  day, 
which  was  the  last  time  on  earth  that  he  broke 
bread  with  his  congregation. 

Mr.  Payton  was  a  man  of  marked  ability  .and 
keen  perceptive  faculties.  His  fertile  brain  was  al- 
ways devising  some  method  by  which  the  progress 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


473 


and  improvement  of  the  people  around  him  might 
be  effected.  His  exertions  were  not  confined  solely 
to  religious  matters,  for  he  believed  in  a  healthy 
attention  to  the  practical  concerns  of  life,  the  best 
and  most  convenient  methods  of  labor,  and  advo- 
cated the  use  of  machinery  as  involving  more  time 
for  rest  on  the  part  of  the  laboring  classes.  He  in- 
vented and  constructed  an  improved  plow,  which 
he  designed  to  manufacture,  but  his  inexperience 
in  the  use  of  machinery  made  it  impossible  for  him 
to  succeed,  and  after  seven  abortive  efforts  he  gave 
it  up,  and  much  against  his  inclination  turned  his 
sole  attention  to  the  farm.  During  his  entire  pil- 
grimage through  life  he  constantly  labored  to  build 
up  society,  and  further  the  cause  of  Christianity  in 
his  immediate  community.  He  had  been  ill  but  a 
short  time  before  his  death,  which  was  very  sudden 
and  entirely  unexpected.  After  laboring  thirty- 
four  years  in  the  ministry,  during  which  he  had 
built  up  a  good  record,  he  was  stricken  down  with 
apoplexy,  and  his  life  went  out  like  the  departing 
sunshine  at  eventide.  Upon  this  ever-to-be-remem- 
bered morning  he  arose  and  attended  to  the  first 
duties  around  the  homestead,  appearing  to  be  in  his 
usual  health,  and  conducted  the  services  at  the 
family  altar  with  his  wonted  zeal  and  earnestness. 

As  a  husband,  father  and  friend,  Mr.  Payton  pos- 
sessed all  the  manly  virtues,  being  indulgent  to  his 
family  almost  to  a  fault,  and  earnestly  devoted  to 
the  cause  of  humanity.  .  He  never  failed  in  meet- 
ing an  appointment,  never  neglected  his  duty  or 
grew  weary  in  well  doing.  His  pious  and  exem- 
plary life  was  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  its  usefulness, 
before  those  who  were  nearest  to  him  on  earth  had 
had  warning  of  the  approaching  Destroyer. 

Of  the  thirteen  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Payton  seven  had  preceded  their  father  to  the 
other  shore.  Thes.e  were  named  respectively  Charles 
Crawl,  Elmer  Ellsworth,  Jacob,  Griffy  Thomas, 
Cora  Ellen,  Mary  Alice  and  John  Lemon.  Those 
surviving  are  William  Wesley.  Melissa  Jane,  Loia 
Amanda,  Rebecca  Emeline,  Sarah  Ann  and  Lizzie 
Belle.  Wesley  Payton,  who  was  born  Sept.  16, 
1840,  was  married  in  1862,  to  Miss  Adeline,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Rebecca  Bowen,  of  Indiana. 
After  spending  three  years  in  the  army  he  returned 
home  and  is  now  merchandising  in  Dunkirk,  Ind.; 


his  good  wife  departed  this  life  Dec.  1G,  1880.  Me- 
lissa Payton  became  the  wife  of  Joshua  Kenagy,  of 
Ohio,  a  miller  by  trade,  and  now  dealing  in  agri- 
cultural implements  at  Bluffton,  Ind.;  the  eight 
children  belonging  to  this  household  are  John  W., 
Mary  A.,  Samuel  A..  William  Carlen,  Gertie  Belle, 
Susie  Harris,  Carrie  Dragoo  and  Harry  Earl.  Emma 
Payton  married  Courtland  Brown,  and  is  living  on 
the  farm  with  her  husband  a  few  rods  from  her 
mother's  home  (see  sketch.)  Sarah  Payton  mar- 
ried Porter  Lennox,  a  farmer  of  Harwood  Town- 
ship, but  now  deceased ;  they  had  four  children — 
Flora  Belle,  Nettie  Maude,  Clara  May  and  Claude 
Porter.  Belle  Payton,  the  youngest  daughter,  is 
the  wife  of  James  Rollin,  who  is  carrying  on  a  farm 
near  the  Payton  homestead. 

Mrs.  Payton  and  her  daughter,  Loia  Amanda, 
still  occupy  the  farm,  and  carry  forward  the  work 
it  involves  to  the  best  of  their  ability  and  with  a 
reasonable  degree  of  success.  Mrs.  P.  is  a  lady 
highly  respected  for  her  many  estimable  qualities, 
and  her  children  in  a  large  degree  emulate  the  vir- 
tues of  their  honored  and  lamented  father. 


LBERT  L.  KUDER,  a  sketch  of  whose  par- 
ents appears  on  another  page  in  this  volume, 
lives  on  a  part  of  his  father's  farm,  on  sec- 
tion 28,  in  Kerr  Township,  although  he  is 
himself  owner  of  150  acres  in  Kerr  Township,  located 
in  the  very  northeast  corner  of  Champaign  County. 
He  prefers  to  rent  his  own  property  while  he  fol- 
lows stock-raising  on  his  father's  land.  He  has  a 
fine  herd  of  fifty  cattle,  his  favorite  breed  being  the 
Short-horn,  and  he  also  gives  considerable  attention 
to  Chester  White  hogs,  while  his  stables  contain 
some  fine  specimens  of  Norman  horses.  His  agri- 
cultural operations  are  carried  on  mostly  in  part- 
nership with  his  father,  the  former  having  the 
muscle  and  endurance  and  the  latter  the  matured 
judgment  essential  to  success. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Kerr  Township,  on  the 
6th  of  June,  1858,  and  was  the  sixth  child  in  a 
family  of  nine,  the  offspring  of  Lewis  and  Susanna 
(Wood)  Kuder.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  near  his  home  and  continued  with 


'i  474 


CHAMPAIGN  COTTNTY. 


4- 


his  parents  until  his  marriage.  The  young  people 
then  established  themselves  in  a  dwelling  adjoining 
his  father.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Ella  Wat- 
kins,  a  native  of  Vermilion  County,  this  State,  born 
Jan.  20,  18G2,  and  the  daughter  of  Isaiah  and  Mary 
E.  (Layton)  Watkins.  also  natives  of  Illinois  and 
still  residents  of  Vermilion  County,  where  the 
father  owns  a  good  farm  property. 

Isaiah  Watkins  during  the  late  war  served  three 
years  as  a  Union  soldier  and  was  in  many  of  the 
hard-fought  battles  of  that  desperate  struggle,  re- 
ceiving, however,  but  one  wound.  In  1876  he  took 
up  his  residence  in  Champaign  County,  but  re- 
moved to  Ford  County  three  years  later.  It  was 
during  the  residence  of  the  family  in  this  county 
that  our  subject  became  acquainted  with  his  future 
wife.  They  were  married  Dec.  19,  1882,  and  have 
one  child,  a  daughter,  Gracie,  born  July  21,  188,5. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watkins,  six  in  num- 
ber, namely,  Ella,  Elon,  Charles,  Katie,  Benni  and 
Maggie,  are  all  living,  and  with  the  exception  of 
Mrs.  Kuder,  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 


ASSIUS  M.  CRAIG,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  pop- 
ular young  physicians  of  Tolono,  is  the  only 
son  of  Walter  Craig,  and  was  born  in  Ripley 
County,  Ind.,  Sept.  26,  1857.  His  father,  who  was 
a  native  of  Ohio,  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Watts,  of 
Indiana.  Both  parents  are  living,  and  reside  on  a 
farm  in  Ripley  County,  Ind.  Cassius  M.  was  the 
eldest  of  three  children,  and  was  reared  on  his  fa- 
ther's farm.  He  pursued  his  early  studies  in  the 
district  schools,  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age  at- 
tended the  Normal  School  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  one 
year.  He  afterward  entered  Moore's  Hill  College, 
in  Indiana,  and  after  a  course  of  two  years  com- 
menced the  study  of  medicine,  under  the  instruction 
of  Dr.  James  Lamb,  of  Aurora,  Ind.  Subsequently 
he  attended  the  Ohio  Medical  College,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1882.  He  entered  upon  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  at  Mt.  Auburn,  Ind.,  where  he 
remained  two  years,  and  thence  removed  to  Ives- 
dale,  Champaign  Co.,  111.  He  remained  there  until 
August,  1886,  then  formed  a  partnership  with  Dr. 


L.  K.  Lamb,  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Tolono. 
Since  that  time  he  has  been  successfully  engaged  as 
a  physician,  and  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree  the  con- 
fidence of  his  patrons  and  the  citizens  at  large. 

Dr.  Craig  was  married  on  the  28th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1886,  to  Miss  Carrie  M.  Rice,  a  native  of  this 
county,  and  the  daughter  of  David  and  Sarah 
(Haines)  Rice,  who  located  here  in  the  pioneer 
days.  Mrs.  C.  is  a  lady  highly  respected,  and  our 
subject,  socially,  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craig  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  a 
daughter,  as  yet  unnamed. 


>HOMAS  M-.  O'CONOR,  Supervisor  of  Col- 
fax  Township  and  a  resident  of  this  county 
since  the  spring  of  '1877,  owns  eighty  acres 
of  valuable  land  on  section  33.  This  was  raw 
prairie  when  he  took  possession  of  it,  and  by  years 
of  industry  he  has  transformed  it  into  a  beautiful 
farm.  He  is  a  native  of  this  State  and  was  born  in  La 
Salle,  Sept.  3,  1851.  His  father,  John  O'Conor,  was 
born  and  grew  to  manhood  in  Ireland  and  there  mar- 
ried Miss  Catherine  Gearty.  They  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  in  1847,  locating  at  once  in  the  vil- 
lage of  La  Salle  while  it  was  still  in  its  infancy. 
The  elder  O'Conor  became  a  contractor  on  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  and  also  on  the  canal.  He 
only  lived,  however,  eleven  years  after  coming  to 
this  country,  his  death  taking  place  in  1858.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  still  survives  and  is  a  resi- 
dent of  La  Salle.  Their  family  consisted  of  five 
sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  only  three  sons 
and  one  daughter  are  living :  Joseph  is  a  resident 
of  Baxter  Springs,  Kan. ;  Thomas,  of  our  sketch, 
is  the  next  eldest;  Luke  and  Catherine  still  live  at 
La  Salle.  John  died  in  La  Salle  July  30,  1881. 

Thomas  O'Conor  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
town  and  was  educated  in  the  school  of  the  Chris- 
tian Brothers  there.  As  soon  as  old  enough  he  com- 
menced working  in  the  coal  mines  of  that  vicinity, 
filling  nearly  all  the  positions  incident  to  the  busi- 
ness, from  driving  a  mule  to  that  of  pit  boss.  In 
1871  he  crossed  the  Mississippi,  and  for  three  years 
dealt  in  grain  at  Plattsmouth,  Neb.  He  then  re- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


475 


turned  to  his  native  town  and  accepted  a  position 
as  foreman  in  the  Gas  Works,  attending  to  the  eon- 
tracts  and  doing  general  plumbing,  etc.  In  1877, 
desirous  of  changing  his  occupation  and  making  a 
permanent  settlement,  he  came  to  this  county  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  which  he  has  since  occu- 
pied. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
in  1876,  was  formerly  Miss  Bridget,  daughter  of 
James  and  Wiunifred  Kane,  of  Col  fax  Township. 
Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  four  children — <• 
John,  Winnifred,  Luke  arid  James.  Mr.  O'Conor 
politically  aftiliates  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  is 
serving  his  third  term  as  Supervisor.  In  1886  he 
was  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  the  office  of 
Sheriff,  but  was  defeated  with  the  balance  of  his 
ticket.  He  is  an  intelligent  and  useful  citizen  and 
has  served  as  School  Director  for  a  .period  of  nine 
years.  Religiously  he  adheres  loyally  to  the  faith 
of  his  forefathers,  being  a  firm  adherent  of  the 
Catholic  Church. 


ENRY  WILSON,  a  native  of  Springfield, 
Ohio,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  28th  of 
June,  1850,  became  a  resident  of  this  coun- 
ty in  the  spring  of  1864.  He  is  now  pleas- 
antly located  on  section  9  in  Raymond  Township, 
where  he  owns  forty  acres  of  land  and  also  has  an 
interest  in  his  father's  farm,  a  fine  estate  consisting 
of  240  acres. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  William  and  Martha 
(Fulton)  Wilson,  who  were  born  in  the  North  of 
Ireland,  the  fomcr  in  County  Armagh,  and  the  lat- 
ter in  County  Tyrone.  They  were  married  in  Ire- 
land and  their  three  oldest  children  were  born  there. 
In  1846  they  emigrated  from  their  native  land, 
taking  passage  on  a  sailing-vessel  for  the  New 
World,  and  after  a  tedious  voyage  of  thirty  days 
landed  in  New  York  Harbor.  They  remained  in 
the  Empire  City  for  a  period  of  eight  months,  and 
then  coining  to  Illinois,  via  Chicago,  located  at 
Pilot  Grove  in  Vermilion  County,  about  the  1st  of 
July,  1847.  They  resided  in  that  county  until 
early  in  1849,  whence  they  removed  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  from  there,  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  to 


Springfield,  in  the  same  State.  Afterward  they 
became  residents  near  Urbana  in  Champaign  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  from  there  in  1856,  again  turned 
their  steps  westward,  returning  to  Vermilion  Coun- 
ty, this  State,  and  removing  from  there  in  1864,  to 
Champaign  County.  The  father  of  our  subject 
was  a  well  educated  man  and  taught  school  in  his 
native  Ireland,  resuming  the  same  occupation  after 
coming  to  the  United  States.  Upon  becoming  a 
resident  of  this  State  he  located  on  a  farm  in  Ver- 
milion -County  and  carried  on  agriculture  success- 
fully. In  1864  he  first  settled  in  this  county,  and 
later  removed  to  a  farm  on  section  9,  in  Raymond 
Township,  which  he  had  purchased  and  which  in- 
cluded 240  acres.  This  he  continued  to  cultivate 
and  improve  until  the  illness  which  terminated  in 
his  death  in  October,  1874,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five 
years,  ten  months  and  twenty  days.  The  wife  and 
mother  is  still  living,  having  reached  threescore 
years  and  ten.  Of  the  nine  children  included  in 
the  parental  household  two  daughters  died  young, 
and  Martha  J.  departed  this  life  when  thirty  years 
of  age,  March  25,  1883.  Six  sons  are  living, 
namely,  George,  William,  Thomas,  John,  Henry,  of 
our  sketch,  and  James.  All  of  these  with  the  ex- 
ception of  John,  who  is  a  farmer  near  Savoy,  are 
farming  in  Raymond  Township. 

Our  subject  was  but  seven  years  of  age  when  the 
family  made  their  final  removal  to  Illinois.  He  was 
educated  under  the  thorough  instruction  of  his  fa- 
ther and  remained  a  member  of  the  parental  house- 
hold until  in  1886.  On  the  17th  of  February, 
1886,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah 
Fulton,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Hamblen 
County,  Tenn.  Mr.  Wilson  made  her  acquaintance 
while  sojourning  in  the  South  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health.  Of  this  marriage  there  has  been  born  one 
child,  a  daughter,  Mary  Bessie. 


ARIS  ROBINSON,  the  leading  hardware 
merchant  and  tinner  of  Philo  Village,  es- 
tablished his  business  there  in  August, 
1877,  which  he  has  followed  continuously 
since  that  time,  and  has  built  up  a  thriving  and 
profitable  trade.  He  carries  a  full  line  of  every- 
thing necessary  in  an  agricultural  community  and 


'  •  476 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


a  country  town,  and  is  prominently  identified  with 
the  business  interests  of  this  section.  In  former 
years  he  was  engaged  as  a  farmer  in  Sidell  Town- 
ship, Vermilion  County,  this  State,  and  still  owns 
a  good  farm  there  of  1(50  acres,  finely  improved, 
with  first-class  drainage,  being  well  tiled.  His  life 
has  been  one  of  industry  and  energy,  and  he  is  a 
fair  representative  of  the  prosperous  element  of 
Champaign  County. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Jeffersonville,  Fayette 
Co.,  Ohio,  and  was  born  Nov.  27,  1843.  He  is  the 
son  of  Singleton  Robinson,  a  native  and  farmer  of 
the  Buckeye  State,  who  was  reared  in  Fayette 
County  and  there  married  Miss  Ann  Janes,  of  Vir- 
ginia. The  mother  of  our  subject  removed  with 
her  parents  from  the  Old  Dominion  when  a  young 
child,  and  located  with  them  in  Fayette  County, 
Ohio,  where  they  followed  farming  until  the  father 
retired  from  active  labor.  He  is  still  living,  hav- 
ing arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-eight 
years.  The  mother  died  in  1857.  The  household 
included  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom 
one  of  the  latter  died  in  infancy. 

.  Mr.  Robinson  was  the  third  son  and  fourth  child 
of  his  parents,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  county,  remaining  un- 
der the  parental  roof  until  the  second  call  for 
troops  to  put  down  the  Rebellion.  He  was  greatly 
opposed  to  slavery,  and  with  the  hope  of  being 
able  to  assist  in  its  abolition,  cheerfully  took  upon 
himself  the  duties  of  a  soldier,  with  its  attendant 
hardships  and  dangers,  becoming  a  member  of  Co. 
C,  90th  Ohio  Vol4  Inf.,  commanded  by  Capt.  Black, 
of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  He  was  in  the 
battle  of  Stone  River,  and  at  the  first  attack  was 
wounded  in  the  breast  by  a  piece  of  shell,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  he  was  confined  in  the  hospital  a 
brief  time.  After  his  recovery  he  was  appointed 
Orderly  by  Col.  Sweet,  and  retained  this  rank  until 
his  honorable  discharge  in  July,  1865. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Robinson  returned 
to  Ohio,  whence  he  came  to  Vermilion  County, 
this  State,  in]  1868.  Four  years  later  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Carrie  Mandeville,  their  wedding  oc- 
curring at  the  residence  of  Henry  Michener,  Nov. 
19,  1872.  Mrs.  R.  was  born  in  Seneca  County, 
N.  Y.,  April  19,  1850,  and  was  the  daughter  of 


Elijah  and  Ilulda  (Benton)  Mandeville,  who  re- 
moved to  the  West  when  she  was  fourteen  years  of 
age.  They  located  in  this  county,  and  the  mother 
died  in  Champaign,  111.  Mr.  M.  survived  his  wife 
a  number  of  years,  and  died  at  the  home  of  his  son, 
in  about  1886.  Mrs.  R.  received  a  good  education 
and  became  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  this 
county.  Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there 
were  born  four  children,  one  of  whom  died  when 
an  infant.  Those  surviving  are  Glenn,  Jessie  and 
Willis.  Our  subject  is  a  stanch  adherent  of  the 
Democratic  party,  and  Mrs.  Robinson  is  a  consist- 
ent member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


W.  WILSON,  of  Raymond  Town- 
ship, is  the  eldest  son  of  William  and  Mar- 
tha (Fulton)  Wilson,  and  was  born  at  the 
early  home  of  his  parents  in  County  Tyrone,  Ire- 
land, on  the  20th  of  October,  1841.  Five  years 
later  the  family  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
and  voung  George  received  his  principal  educa- 
tion under  the  tuition  of  his  father,  who  had  fol- 
lowed the  profession  of  a  teacher  in  his  native  Ire- 
land, and  resumed  it  after  becoming  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States.  Our  subject  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the  parental  household  until  the  1st  of  De- 
cember, 1870,  in  the  meantime  assisting  in  the 
labors  of  the  farm,  and  following  the  fortunes  of 
his  parents  until  their  final  removal  to  and  loca- 
tion in,  this  count3r. 

Our  subject  was  married,  Dec.  1,  1870,  to  Miss 
Malinda,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Hannah  Porter- 
field,  and  who  was  a  native  of  Armstrong  County, 
Pa.  After  becoming  the  mother  of  two  children, 
she  departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Raymond 
Township,  on  the  1st  of  August,  1876.  One  of 
these  children  died  in  infancy  ;  the  surviving  daugh- 
ter, Anna  J.,  resides  with  her  grandmother.  Af- 
ter his  marriage,  Mr.  Wilson  engaged  in  farming  on 
his  own  account.  He  was  fairly  properous  and  is 
now  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  good  land,  which  he 
has  cultivated  and  improved  with  excellent  results. 
Upon  this  are  two  dwellings  and  all  other  neces- 
sary buildings  for  the  carrying  on  of  genenil  farm- 
ing. Mr.  Wilson  was  the  first  Constable  of  Ray- 


' 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


477   (  k] 


m  ond  Township,  which  office  he  held  for  a  period 
of  four  years.  Although  Democratic  in  politics,  he 
has  never  been  a  partisan,  but  aims  to  support  the 
man  best  qualified  for  the  office  sought.  Relig- 
iously, he  is  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  March  15,  1881,  was  Miss  Jane  Carleton, 
a  native  of  County  Derry,  in  the  North  of  Ireland. 
Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  three  children, 
namely,  William  George,  Mary  and  Ida. 


I 


J~  OHN  W.  GIDDINGS,  a  highly  respected 
farm  resident  of  Ludlow  Township,  came  to 
Champaign  County  in  1878,  and  located 
first  on  a  tract  of  rented  land,  two  years 
later  purchasing  eighty  acres,  which  after  a  year  he 
sold  and  became  possessor  of  the  farm  which  he 
now  owns  and  occupies.  This  embraces  160  acres, 
and  was  only  partially  improved  when  he  took  pos- 
session of  it.  He  has  labored  industriously,  keep- 
ing steadily  in  view  the  purpose  to  build  up  a  per- 
manent and  comfortable  home,  and  to  secure  for 
himself  a  good  position  in  the  community.  This 
he  has  fairly  accomplished.  The  farm  is  now  un- 
der a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and  supplied  with 
suitable  and  necessary  buildings.  Mr.  Giddings  is 
still  a  gentleman  in  the  prime  of  life,  surrounded 
by  its  comforts  and  enjoying  the  esteem  of  his 
neighbors  and  friends.  Although',  perhaps,  he  has 
been  the  witness  of  no  very  thrilling  events,'  or  the 
central  figure  of  any  important  occurrence,  he  has 
faithfully  attended  to  the  duties  before  him,  and 
made  a  good  record  as  an  honest  man  and  a  worthy 
member  of  the  community. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Erie  County,  Pa.,  and 
was  born  June  25,  1841,  being  the  seventh  child  of 
Moses  and  Sophronia  (Stafford)  Giddings,  whose 
parental  history  will  be  found  in  the  sketch  of 
Thomas  W.  Giddings,  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
During  his  boyhood  and  youth  our  subject  passed 
his  time  after  the  manner  common  to  farmers'  boys, 
taking  advantage  of  the  limited  opportunities  for 
education,  and  assisting  in  tilling  the  soil.  He 
was  sixteen  years  old  when  his  parents  emigrated 


from  the  Keystone  State  to  Illinois.  They  lo- 
cated in  Warren  County,  and  he  remained  un- 
der the  home  roof  until  1864.  The  Civil  War  be- 
ing then  in  progress,  and  the  time  of  peace  unde- 
cided, he  enlisted  in  Co.  C,  138th  111.  Vol.  Inf., 
which  was  assigned  to  the  department  of  Missouri. 
His  duties  were  mostly  in  the  Southwest,  and  he 
saw  very  little  active  service.  Before  the  surren- 
der of  Gen.  Lee  he  was  mustered  out  with  his  com- 
rades in  October  preceding,  and  returned  home. 
Soon  afterward  he  commenced  business  on  his  own 
account,  and  with  two  partners  engaged  in  the 
feeding  and  shipping  of  stock.  He  commenced 
farming  in  the  spring  of  1865,  on  land  which  he 
rented  from  his  father,  and  continued  agricultural 
pursuits  in  Warren  County  until  he  decided  to  lo- 
cate in  Champaign  County.  His  subsequent  course 
we  have  already  indicated. 

The  marriage  of  John  W.  Giddings  and  Miss 
Rachel  Chaffee  took  place  in  Warren  County,  111., 
Nov.  29,  1866.  Mrs.  Giddings  was  born  in  Mc- 
Henry  County,  this  State,  Aug.  21,  1847.  and  is 
the  daughter  of  James  C.  and  Lucy  A.  Chaffee,  na- 
tives respectively  of  New  York  and  Massachusetts. 
They  became  residents  of  McHenry  County,  111., 
in  about  1847,  and  resided  there  a  short  tune,  sub- 
sequently moving  to  Warren  County  ;  they  are  now 
deceased.  The  three  living  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Giddings  are,  Allie,  Harry  and  Bertie.  Ar- 
thur died  when  seven  years  of  age ;  Henry,  twin 
brother  to  Harry,  died  when  nearly  seven  years  old. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  united  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  at  Berwick,  Warren  Coun- 
ty, in  1865,  of  which  they  have  since  been  devoted 
members,  and  contributed  liberally  and  cheerfully 
to  its  support.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican. 


J"    OSEPH  LETTERMAN,  a  successful  general 
farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Philo  Township, 
owns  170  acres  of  land   located  on  section 
30.     He  is  a  native  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  was 
born  April  2,  1839,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph,  Sr., 
and  Catherine  Letterman,  natives  of  Germany.    His 
father  was  a  carpenter  by  occupation,   and   is  yet 
living,   being  a  resident   of  Peoria  County,   this, 


I 


f 


478 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


State.  The  mother  died  in  that  county  of  cholera 
soon  after  their  location  there,  in  about  1852. 

Our  subject  was  but  three  years  old  when  his 
parents  became  residents  of  Illinois,  and  after  the 
death  of  his  mother  he  lived  with  his  father  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  He  then  enlisted  in 
Co.  E,  77th  III.  Vol.  Inf.,  Aug.  1,5,  1862,  at  the 
time  the  company  was  organized.  lie  marched  to 
the  front  with  his  comrades,  and  participated  with 
them  in  the  various  engagements  with  the  enemy, 
being  at  the  battles  of  Magnolia  Hill,  Champion 
Hills,  Black  River,  the  siege  and  capture  of  Mobile, 
Ala.,  and  Vicksburg.  Miss.  In  the  fight  at  Vicks- 
burg  he  was  one  of  the  front  pickets  when  the 
rebels  surrendered,  and  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
fort.  He  was  also  engaged  in  various  skirmishes, 
but  escaped  being  wounded.  He  lay  in  the  hos- 
pital, however,  from  a  severe  attack  of  the  measles. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  received  an  honorable 
discharge  at  Mobile,  Ala.,  July  10,  1865. 

After  his  retirement  to  civil  life  Mr.  Letterman 
returned  to  Peoria  County,  this  State,  and  one  year 
later  became  a  resident  of  Champaign,  this  county. 
He  was  married,  in  August,  1867.  to  Miss  Mary 
Delana,  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  alone,  after  the  death  of  her  parents, 
in  about  1865.  After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Letterman  located  in  Crittenden  Township,  this 
county,  where  our  subject  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  land  and  began  to  farm  on  his  own  account. 
lie  occupied  this  until  1877,  and  then  took  posses- 
sion of  his  present  homestead.  Of  four  children 
who  came  to  bless  the  home  circle,  two,  John  and 
Johnson,  are  deceased;  Joseph  H.  and  Mary  are  at 
home  with  their  parents.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  faithful  adherents  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and 
politically  Mr.  Letterman  casts  his  vote  with  the 
Democratic  party. 


LMER  F.  POWERS,  of  the  firm  of  Smyser, 
Powers  &  Fielding,  publishers  of  the  Cliam- 
paign  Times,  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye 
State,  born  in  1848,  and  is  the  son  of  Oliver  P.  and 
Kclipoca  (Kliver)  Powers,  natives  of  Virginia  and 
Ohio.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  attended  school 


during  his  childhood  and  youth,  and  when  twenty- 
one  years  old  commenced  to  learn  the  printer's 
trade,  in  Dresden,  Ohio.  lie  afterward  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  worked  at  his  trade  in  Cairo,  for  eighteen 
months.  Thence  he  went  to  Memphis,  working 
there  and  at  other  places  in  the  South  until  1874, 
when  he  entered  the  office  of  Messrs.  Smyser  <k 
Mize,  of  Sullivan,  becoming  part  owner  of  the 
Champaign  Times  five  years  later.  The  Times  is 
the  only  representative  of  the  Democracy  in  this 
county,  and  is  receiving  the  patronage  which  it 
justly  deserves.  It  is  being  conducted  with  ability 
and  success,  and  has  become  indispensable  to  the 
people  of  the  county. 

•  Mr.  Powers  was  married  in  1886,  to  Miss  Flor- 
ence H.  Nelson,  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign. 


EORGE  W.  SMITH  has  been  a  respected 
resident  of  Raymond  Township  for  a  period 
of  eleven  years,  and  is  pleasantly  located 
on  section  12,  where  he  owns  160  acres  of  land, 
which  he  has  cultivated  intelligently  and  success- 
fully, and  raised  some  of  the  choicest  crops  of  the 
Prairie  State.  Mr.  S.  was  born  in  McNairy  Coun- 
ty, Tenn.,  Dec.  3,  1835.  His  parents  were  Joseph 
and  Amy  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of  Alabama, 
and  the  latter  born  near  Richmond,  Va.  The  fa- 
ther of  our  subject  was  a  free  man,  and  in  early 
life  removed  from  Alabama  to  Tennessee,  where  he 
was  reared  to  manhood.  The  mother,  bom  in 
slavery,  was  sold  when  a  little  girl  to  a  man  named 
Cooper,  with  whom  she  removed  to  Tennessee. 
After  his  death  the  mother  and  her  seven  children 
were  sold  to  a  man  named  Jesse  Walsh,  with  whom 
she  remained  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in 
June,  1849.  Her  five  sons  and  two  daughters  were 
afterward  sold  to  different  masters  and  remained 
in  slavery  until  emancipated.  One  son  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  3d  United  States  Heavy  Artillery, 
and  died  in  Memphis  in  the  spring  of  1865.  The 
balance  of  the  family  were  scattered  about  to  parts 
unknown,  our  subject  being  only  aware  of  the 
whereabouts  of  one  sister,  Mrs.  Jennie  Anderson, 
who  resides  near  Bell  Station,  Boone  Co.,  Tenn.  T 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


479 


The  father  is  still  living  and  a  resident  of  Missis- 
sippi, where  he  owns  320  acres  of  land. 

Our  subject  was  born  while  his  mother  was  in  the 
Cooper  family,  and  was  nine  years  old  when  she 
was  sold  to  Mr.  Walsh.  He  was  then  separated 
from  her  and  became  the  property  of  Alexander 
McCullough,  of  McNairy  County,  Tenn.  His  old 
master  is  still  living  and  is  now  nearly  one  hundred 
years  old.  Our  subject  remained  with  Mr.  McC.  un- 
til 18G2,  when  he  escaped  and  joined  the  Union 
army.  At  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  a  guide  for 
the  regiment  of  Gen.  Logan  from  Corinth  to  Jack- 
son, Miss.,  and  was  afterward  detailed  as  a  scout  to 
disarm  rebels  in  that  locality.  His  unusual  intelli- 
gence recommended  him  to  the  officers  of  the  Un- 
ion army,  and  he  was  subsequently  proffered  the 
post  of  Provost  Marshal  at  Jackson,  Tenn.,  and 
also  the  office  of  Adjutant  General  in  the  same 
place. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  Mr.  Smith  came  to  Spring- 
field, 111.,  with  Gen.  John  A.  McClernand,  and  re- 
mained with  this  gentleman  in  and  around  that 
city  for  a  period  of  thirteen  years.  In  1876  he 
came  into  this  county  and  rented  a  tract  of  land 
which  he  cultivated  one  season,  and  in  the  fall  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm,  which 
amount  of  -land  he  afterward  doubled,  and  now 
owns  a  quarter  section.  He  has  always  been  in- 
dustrious and  straightforward  in  his  dealings,  and 
has  come  honestly  by  his  possessions. 

While  living  in  Springfield  Mr.  Smith  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  Mrs.  Mary  Eliza  (Oglesby)  Gains, 
whom  he  married  in  March,  1866.  Mrs.  S.  was 
born  of  free  parents  in  Fairfield  District,  S.  C.,  and 
who  were  by  name  William  Wesley  and  Nancy 
Oglesby.  In  1848  the  family  made  all  preparations 
for  a  removal  to  Illinois,  when  the  father  was  taken 
violently  ill  and  died  within  a  few  days.  Mrs. 
Oglesby  in  due  time  completed  her  preparations  for 
coming  North,  and,  accompanied  by  a  brother  and 
her  four  children,  reached  Illinois  and  located  in 
Carlyle,  Clinton  County.  The  mother  afterward 
died  in  that  county.  Three  of  her  children  are 
still  living.  One  daughter-  married  Elias  Rollins 
and  died  in  Springfield,  in  1876.  The  living  arc 
John  D.,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo.;  Monroe,  a  resident  of 
Springfield,  111.,  and  Mary  E.,  Mrs.  Smith  of  our 


sketch.  The  wife  of  our  subject  by  her  first  mar- 
riage became  the  mother  of  one  child,  a  son,  Albert 
A.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there  have  been 
born  six  children — Fred.  Salona  E.,  Charles.  Anna 
S.,  Walter  William  and  John  M.  Mr.  Smith  is  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  and  a  citizen  held  in  high  respect 
for  his  intelligence  as  a  farmer  and  his  worthiness 
as  a  member  of  the  community. 


J~~  OHN  C.  HAYS  owns  a  fine  farm  of  eighty 
acres  011  section  16,  Ayers  Township.  He 
is  the  son  of  Rankin  and  Hannah  (Crance) 
'  Hays,  and  was  born  in  Fayette  County, 
Ohio,  Dec.  14,  1825.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Ohio  and  his  mother  of  New  York.  They  were 
both  devoted  Christians  and  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church.  His  mother  died  in  1860  at  the  age 
of  sixty-three  years,  and  his  father  in  1864  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren, namely,  John  C.,  Matilda,  Sherman,  Andrew, 
David,  Michael,  Electa,  Elizabeth,  Angelina  and 
Mary. 

John  C.  Hays  resided  with  his  parents  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  receiving  a  good  ed- 
ucation in  the  common  schools,  and  assisting  in  the 
labor  of  the  farm.  Aug.  16,  1849,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Deborah  Morrison.  She  was  born  June  5, 
1825,  and  is  the  daughter  of  David  and  Deborah 
(Van  Gorder)  Morrison,  natives  of  Pennsylvania; 
her  mother  died  in  1828.  David  Morrison  mar- 
ried a  second  time  and  became  the  father  of  twenty 
children,  named  as  follows:  Margaret,  Elizabeth, 
James,  Jacob,  Rachel,  Deborah  and  David  by  his 
first  wife,  and  Seth,  Harriet,  Nancy,  Amy,  Martha, 
Francis,  Alexander,  Hannah,  Ella,  Caroline,  Willis, 
George,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy,  by  his  sec- 
ond marriage.  His  family  were  members  of  the 
Old  School  Presbyterian  Church. 

Joan  C.  Hays  and  his  wife  have  had  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  James,  who  was  married  to  Miss 
Alice  Blair,  was  accidentally  killed  in  early  .man- 
hood at  the  stockyards  in  Chicago,  where  he  was 
employed.  He  died  in  Cook  County  Hospital  at 
9:10  P.  M.  of  the  evening  he  was'hurt,  and  just 
ten  minutes  before  his  wife  arrived,  When  the  ac- 


•*- 

480 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


cident  occurred,  it  was  found  that  the  only  way  to 
relieve  the  unfortunate  man  from  his  te.rihle  sit- 
uation, was  by  cutting  away  a  portion  of  the  ca- 
boose. An  ax  was  accordingly  procured,  and  a 
noble-hearted  brakeman,  named  Miller  Reed, 
wielded  it  with  such  good  effect  that  Mr.  Hays  WHS 
soon  extricated.  During  the  ordeal,  the  injured 
man  patiently  waited  for  his  release,  not  uttering  a 
groan,  yet  perfectly  conscious.  Those  who  wit- 
nessed the  sight  declared  his  bearing  to  be  heroic. 
After  being  moved  to  his  boarding-house,  he  asked 
for  a  cigar  which  was  in  his  pocket,  and  coolly 
smoked  it.  Deceased  was  twenty-four  years  of 
age,  and  had  been  married  just  three  months  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  The  names  of  the  other 
children  of  our  subject  and  wife  are,  Martha,  mar- 
ried to  A.  C.  Thullberry;  Verlin,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  months;  Andrew  J.  and  Ellen, 
twins;  Phillip  E..  Margaret  E. ;  America  and  Ade- 
line, twins;  the  former  (lied  at  the  age  of  four 
years  and  six  months,  after  a  severe  illness  of 
twenty-five  days. 

John  C.  Hays  came  to  Illinois  in  1849,  but  was 
not  a  resident  of  this  township  until  1869.  He  is 
a  man  of  great  executive  ability  and  is  actively  in- 
terested in  public  affairs.  During  the  last  four 
years  he  has  been  Mail  Contractor. 

It  is  not  often  that  we  are  called  upon  to  record 
the  incident  of  an  entire  family  devoted  to  the 
service  of  Christ.  Mr.  Hays,  his  wife,  and  all  of 
his  children  are  faithful  members  of  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  is  one  of 
the  Elders.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  his  political 
views  partake  of  the  Old  Jeffersonian  School. 


C.  PORTERFIELD.  The  brilliant  success 
which  so  frequently  attends  honest  industry 
and  enterprise,  is  one  of  the  remarkable 
features  in  the  history  of  the  growth  of  Illinois, 
and  the  family  of  Mr.  L.  C.  Porterfield  is  one  to 
which  this  remark  may  well  apply.  His  highly  cul- 
tivated farm  of  315  acres  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Sid- 
ney Township,  located  on  section  29.  He  was  horn 
in  Armstrong  County,  Pa.,  Dec.  17,  1839,  and  is  of 
Irish  and  German  extraction.  His  parents,  R.  G. 


and  Hannah  (Campbell)  Porterfield,  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  removed  from  that  State  to  this 
county,  where  the}'  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  His  father  died  Oct.  22.  1872,  and  his 
mother  Feb.  25,  1879,  and  they  are  buried  in  Mt. 
Hope  Cemetery  at  Sidney.  There  were  ten  chil- 
dren in  their  family,  named  as  follows:  Nancv  J., 
who  became  the  wife  of  George  Forsythe,  and  has 
since  died;  L.  C.  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Sarah  A.,  deceased ;  Samuel  A.  married  Elizabeth 
AVilliams,  who  is  now  deceased ;  Melinda  B.  became 
the  wife  of  George  Wilson,  and  is  also  deceased; 
Robert  M.  married  Margaret  Hunter;  James  W., 
deceased ;  Mary  E.,  single ;  Hannah  is  the  wife  of 
John  McKinnon,  and  Martha  A.,  deceased. 

Mr.  L.  C.  Porterfield  was  married,  Oct.  20, 1872, 
to  Miss  Mary  A.  Toy.  She  is  the  daughter  of  De- 
lilah and  Mary  (Bowser)  Toy,  and  her  parents  are 
both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Her  mother  died 
in  that  State  April  17,  1887,  and  her  father  is  still 
living  there.  There  were  fourteen  children  in  their 
family.  The  names  of  the  children  are  as  follows: 
Michael,  deceased  ;  Catherine,  single;  Margaret,  de- 
ceased ;  James,  who  was  married  to  Rebecca  Friley, 
is  now  deceased ;  Abraham  married  Margaret  Ann 
Bowser,  and  is  deceased;  Peter  married  Ellen 
Boubt;  Elizabeth  married  James  C.  Burford ; 
Hettie  J.,  formerly  the  wife  of  David  Lemon,  is 
now  deceased;  Valentine  married  AnnaAddison; 
Mary  A.,  wife  of  our  subject;  Barbara  E.,  who  is 
the  vvife  of  Adam  Steinmetz;  Delilah  M.  is  the 
wife  of  Hamilton  Bowser;  Benjamin  L..  who  mar- 
ried Rachel  Hindman.  and  Ross  M.  married  Cath- 
erine Steinmetz. 

In  the  family  of  our  subject  and  wife  there  were 
nine  children:  Anna  B.,  born  Nov.  4,  1873;  Katie 
M..  Nov.  23,  1874;  Martha  A.,  June  10,  1878; 
Lulu  M.,  March  17,  1880;  Lemuel  B.,  Aug.  22, 
1881;  Cora  E.  and  Nora  E.  (twins),  May  6,  1883, 
and  two  (twins)  unnamed. 

In  his  early  life  Mr.  Porterfield  passed  through 
many  business  vicissitudes,  although  his  father  had 
successfully  followed  the  pursuit  of  farming 
throughout  his  entire  life.  During  one  year  he 
worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  afterward  for  two 
years  lie  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  for  about  three  years  was  occu- 


RESIDENCE  OF  THOMAS  WILSON,  SEC.  30.,  SIDNEY  TOWNSHIP. 


COFFEEN  MILL  AND    ELEVATOR  Co.,  HoM  ER  ,  lLL..M.D.COFFEEN  ,  PRES, 


RESIDENGEOF  JSAAC  BROWN,  SEC. 21.,  HOMER    TOWNSHIP. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  0?  ILLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


483 


pied  in  burning  charcoal  and  taking  out  railroad 
tics.  He  now  has  a  goodly  amount  invested  in  a 
coal  shaft  in  this  township.  The  barns  and  out- 
buildings on  his  farm  are  commodious;  his  resi- 
dence i.s  elegant  and  tasteful,  and  his  grounds  are 
adorned  with  a  beautiful  grove  of  shade  trees.  He 
is  ;i  public-spirited  man,  identified  with  the  inter- 
ests of  the  county,  and  has  successfully  held  some 
of  its  official  positions.  His  wife  and  himself  are 
prominent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  in  politics  he  is  Republican. 


\f]OHN  M.  LEWIS,  one  of  the  substantial  farm- 
ers of  Urbana  Township,  was  born  in  John- 
sou  County,  Ind.,  near  Franklin,  the  county 
seat,  Nov.  6.  1845.  His  grandfather,  James 
Lewis,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Kentucky.  Andrew  Lewis,  father  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Virginia,  but  at  a  very  early 
age  removed  with  his  parents  to  Kentucky.  He 
there  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Clarke,  and  with  his 
wife  moved  to  Johnson  County,  Ind.,  where  they 
remained  until  1856.  At  that  time  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  Champaign  County  and  located 
in  Urbana  Township,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
farming  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb.  19 
1887.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1800.  His  wife 
was  born  in  1803,  and  is  still  living.  She  was  the 
mother  of  nine  children,  four  of  whom  are  still 
living. 

John  M.,  next  to  the  youngest  of  his  parents'  chil- 
dren, received  a  good,  practical  education  and 
graduated  at  the  High  School  in  Urbana.  At  the 
age  of  eighteen  he  enlisted  in  Co.  I,  26th  111.  Vol. 
Inf.,  as  a  recruit,  and  served  for  nineteen  months. 
At  Resaca  he  met  his  first  baptism  of  fire,  then  Dal- 
las, New  Hope  Church,  Kennesaw.  On  July  22,  near 
Atlanta,  Ezra  Chapel,  Jonesboro,  Lovejoy;  next  the 
memorable  following  of  Hood,  and  was  with  Sher- 
man on  his  triumphant  march  to  the  sea,  thence 
through  the  Carolinas,  and  in  the  grand  review  at 
Washington  of  the  armies  of  Gens.  Grant  and 
Sherman.  He  was  honorably  discharged  at  the 
close  of  the  war,  July  29,  1865.  After  his  return 
home  he  again  attended  school  for  a  short  time 


and  then  took  a  trip  to  Kansas.  In  about  eighteen 
months  he  returned  to  Champaign  County  and  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  the  old  homestead,  which  is  a 
Hue  estate  containing  480  acres  of  valuable  land. 
He  is  actively  interested  in  public  affairs,  and  is  a 
member  of  Black  Eagle  Post  No.  129,  G.  A.  It. 

In  1873  Mr.  Lewis  married  Miss  Fannie  Rice, 
the  daughter  of  George  S.  Rice,  formerly  of  Madi- 
son County,  111.,  and  their  union  has  been  blest  by 
the  birth  of  a  son,  Stanly  M.  The  brothers  and 
sisters  of  our  subject  are:  Thomas,  who  enlisted  in 
Co.  I,  2d  111.  Cav.,  lost  a  leg  at  the  battle  of  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  and  Aug.  8,  1864,  was  honorably  dis- 
charged and  returned  home,  and  is  now  a  resident 
of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  Mary  is  the  wife  of  F.  M. 
Myers,  now  residing  in  Kansas;  Andrew  T.  is  a  res- 
ident of  Sitka,  Alaska;  Nancy  J.  was  a  teacher  for 
many  years,  and  died  in  1869;  Willis  F.  was  killed 
in  the  battlfe  of  Ft.  Donelson;  he  was  a  member 
of  Co.  A,,  20th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  Mr.  Lewis  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  feaptist  Church.  Politically  he 
is  a  prominent  Republican. 


OHN  H.  JAQUES,  of  the  firm  of  W.  II. 
Jaques  cfe  Son,  is  successfully  engaged  in  the 
hardware  trade  with  his  father  at  Tolono.  He 
has  inherited  the  fine  business  abilities  of  the 
latter,  and  is  reckoned  among  the  substantial  citizens 
of  the  town,  and  as  a  worthy  representative  of  the 
family  name.  Our  subject  is  the  only  son  of  Will- 
iam H.  and  Eliza  P.  (Dunham)  Jaques,  and  was 
born  in  Joliet,  111.,  June  14,  1848.  His  early  edu- 
cation, begun  /in  the  common  schools,  was  com- 
pleted at  Painesville  Academy,  Ohio,  and  when 
seventeen  years  of  age  he  commenced  to  work  at 
the  tinner's  trade  under  the  instruction  of  his  fa- 
ther. He  served  a  thorough  apprenticeship,  and 
gained  a  good  insight  into  the  business,  and  when 
nineteen  years  old  was  taken  into  partnership  with 
his  father.  They  continued  together  four  years,  and 
our  subject  then  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the 
business  and  went  into  the  employ  of  the  firm 
which  had  been  formed  after  his  withdrawal— 
Jaques  &  Tewksbury.  In  1879  he  purchased  the 


'    484 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


business  of  the  gentleman  who  had  succeeded  him, 
and  father  and  son  continued  as  before. 

The  marriage  of  J.  II.  Jaques  and  Miss  Lola  M. 
Fonts  took  place  in  1867.  Mrs.  J.  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  W.  1).  Fonts,  of  Lexington,  Ind.,  in  which 
State  she  was  born.  She  departed  this  life  on  the 
7th  of  August,  1885,  leaving  three  children,  all 
sons — William  II.,  Clarence  J.  and  Elmer  F. 

Politically  Mr.  J.  is,  like  his  father,  a  tirin  sup- 
porter of  Republican  principles,  and  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Town  Council.  He  also  belongs  to 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  being  connected  with  Subordinate 
and  Encampment  Lodges  in  Tolono. 


AMES  HARVEY  MORRIS  is  an  enterpris. 
ing  farmer  of  Urbana  Township.  He  was 
born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  near  Rushville, 
Dec.  17,  1832.  His  grandfather,  William 
Morris,  was  a  native  of  Delaware,  whence  he  moved 
to  the  State  of  Kentucky,  and  a  few  years  later  to 
Illinois,  where  he  settled  in  Edgar  County  and 
made  his  home  there  until  his  death.  Mr.  John 
Morris,  the  father  of  James  II.,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Mary  Miller, 
daughter  of  Titus  and  Mary  Miller.  Mr.  Miller's 
family  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Kentucky. 
In  1821  John  Morris  moved  to  Rush  County,  Ind., 
where  he  purchased  a  farm  which  he  improved  and 
cultivated  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he 
reached  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  His  wife 
died  in  1865.  They  reared  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  James  II.  is  the  youngest  living. 
He  passed  his  boyhood  in  his  native  county,  and 
was  educated  in  the  school  at  Rushville.  In  1855 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Beabout,  a  native  of 
Kentucky.  •  After  his  marriage  he  settled  in  Rush 
County,  Ind.,  and  remained  there  until  the  close 
of  the  year  1802,  when  he  removed  to  Edgar 
County,  111.  After  remaining  there  two  years  he 
came  to  Champaign  County  and  settled  in  Urbana 
Township,  on  section  15,  where  he  has  a  fine  farm 
containing  320  acres  of  choice  land,  which  is  all 
under  good  cultivation  and  kept  in  excellent  order 
and  repair.  He  has  made  a  specialty  of  raising  cat- 


tle  and  hog^,  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful 
financially. 

His  first  wife  was  removed  by  death  in  1884, 
leaving  a  family  of  seven  children  —  Lillie,  Albert, 
Robinson,  Ida,  Minnie,  John  and  Thomas.  Lillie 
is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Dougan.  Oct.  25,  1885,  Mr. 
Morris  formed  a  second  marriage,  with  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Carle,  widow  of  Albert  G.  Carle,  and  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Almira  Burt.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Osage  County,  N.  Y.,  born  Sept.  23, 
1800.  In  1833  Mr.  John  Burt  moved  with  his 
family  to  Coshocton  County.  Ohio,  which  place  has 
since  been  their  permanent  home.  His  daughter, 
after  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Carle,  came  to  reside  in 
Champaign  County,  and  located  on  the  farm  where 
she  now  lives  with  Mr.  Morris.  The  farm  contains 
160  acres  of  valuable,  well-improved  land.  She 
had  one  son  by  Mr.  Carle,  named  Willie,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  one  year.  Mr.  Carle  died  in  March, 
1881. 

Mrs.  Morris  is  a  lady  of  much  refinement  and  in- 
telligence. She  is  a  highly  esteemed  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church,  and  takes  a  lively  interest 
in  all  the  social  affairs  relating  to  the  community 
in  which  she  lives,  and  of  which  she  may  be  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  pioneers.  Mr.  Morris  is  a 
man  of  excellent  business  qualifications.  His  farm 
is  well  improved,  and  all  of  its  appointments  are 
apropriate  and  in  order.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church. 


'LLIAM  C.  STOCKARD,  a  settler  of 
Champaign  County  Of  1866,  after  residing 
in  the  city  one  year,  moved  into  the  town- 
ship of  Philo  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land, 
all  of  which  is  now  in  the  town  limits.  At  the 
time  of  his  settlement  here,  Philo  Village  was  an 
humble  hamlet  of  five  houses,  and  during  the  years 
which  have  elapsed  since  that  time,  our  subject  has 
watched  with  interest  and  satisfaction  the  growth, 
not  only  of  the  Prairie  State,  but  of  this  county, 
and  has  contributed  his  full  share  toward  its  prog- 
ress and  development. 

Mr.  Stockard  is  a  native  of  Rockinghani  County, 
Va.,  his  birth  taking  place  May  14,  1818.     His  la- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


485 


I 


ther,  Charles  Stockard,  also  a  native  of  the  Old 
Dominion,  was  of  Scottish  ancestry,  and  possessed 
in  a  marked  degree  the  characteristics  of  his  an- 
cestors. The  Stockard  family  in  Scotland  occu- 
pied a  high  position  both  in  financial  and  social 
circles,  and  the  first  representatives  in  this  country 
came  here  at  an  early  da3',  and  settling  in  Virginia, 
became  intimately  identified  with  its  industrial  and 
agricultural  interests.  After  reaching  manhood 
Charles  Stockard  was  married,  in  his  native  county, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Walters,  a  Virginia  lady  of  Irish 
descent,  whose  father  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  upon  the  side  of  the  Colonists.  The  mater- 
nal grandparents  of  our  subject  finally  removed  to 
Lancaster,  Ohio,  where  they  spent  the  last  years  of 
their  lives,  and  where  their  remains  were  buried. 
The  father  of  our  subject  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  before  his  marriage.  He  was  the 
son  of  William  Stockard,  who  spent  his  early  life 
in  Virginia,  but  afterward  removed  to  Lancaster, 
Ohio,  where  he  spent  his  last  years.  His  wife, 
Margaret,  died  in  Fairiield  County,  that  State. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  only  a  year  old 
when  his  parents  removed  from  Virginia  to  Ohio, 
in  1819.  They  located  in  Fairfield  County,  among 
the  earliest  settlers  of  that  region,  and  followed 
farming  until  the  death  of  the  father,  who  was  cut 
down  in  the  prime  of  life,  being  only  twenty-five 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death.  The  mother 
of  our  subject  afterward  married  Rev.  James  Gur- 
ley,  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
of  much  influence  and  usefulness,  and  who  died  at 
Union,  Montgomery  Co.,  Ohio,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty  years.  The  mother  afterward  re- 
moved to  Bucyrus,  that  State,  where  her  death  oc- 
curred when  she  was  eighty -four  years  old. 

William  C.  Stockard  was  the  second  child,  and 
after  the  death  of  his  father  remained  with  his 
mother  and  step-father  until  he  was  twenty  years 
of  age.  He  then  started  out  on  his  own  account. 
He  was  married  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  May  29,  1838, 
to  Miss  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Edwin  and  Jane 
(Evans)  Bnrlingame,  natives  of  Ohio,  both  born 
in  the  blockhouse  at  Marietta  during  the  early 
settlement  of  the  State,  and  while  Indians  and  wild 
animals  were  to  the  pioneers  both  an  annoyance 
and  a  terror.  Several  years  later  they  removed  to 


this  State,  locating  in  Delaware,  Tazewell  County, 
where  the  mother  died  and  where  the  father  is  non- 
living, aged  ninety-one  years.  The  wife  of  our 
subject  departed  this  life  Feb.  14,  1875,  at  the  age 
of  about  fifty-five  years,  having  been  born  April 
28,  1820.  They  had  become  the  parents  of  ten 
children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living:  Homer  is 
married,  and  a  resident  of  Philo  Township;  Eliza- 
beth, Mrs.  Lovell,  lives  in  Philo;  Rufus  is  in  Kan- 
sas; Ella  lives  in  Philo,  and  James  remains  on  the 
homestead. 

Mr.  Stockard  and  his  wife  united  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  many  years  ago,  and  politi- 
cally our  subject  is  a  stanch  Republican.  Three  of 
his  sons  served  as  soldiers  in  the  war;  the  elder, 
Charles,  who  participated  in  the  battle  of  Pitts- 
burg  Landing,  afterward  died  of  small-pox  in  a 
hospital  of  that  cit}',  on  the  21st  of  April,  1862; 
Rufus  enlisted  first  for  ninety  days  and  later  for 
three  years,  in  the  95th  Illinois  Infantry. 


tsHOMAS  YOUNG,  who  is  worthily  fulfilling 
his  obligations  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good 
citizen,  is  successfully  engaged  in  farming 
pursuits,  being  the  proprietor  of  sixty  acres  of  finely 
cultivated  land  on  section  21,  in  Ayers  Township, 
His  early  home  was  many  leagues  from  his  present 
one,  being  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  where  he  was 
born  Nov.  1.2,  1823,  and  which  he  left  in  1848.  He 
is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Byers)  Young, 
natives  of  the  Same  county  and  of  pure  Scotch  an- 
cestry. The  father  died  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  of 
cholera,  in  May,  1855,  on  the  vessel  Charles  Crock- 
ett. while  on  his  way  to  this  country.  The  mother 
afterward  joined  our  subject  in  Hartford,  Conn. 
There  he  had  learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist,  at 
which  he  worked  seventeen  years,  and  the  last  five 
of  which  he  spent  in  the  employ  of  the  Government, 
manufacturing  Sharp's  breech-loading  rifles. 

Thomas  Young,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  an 
expert  weaver  of  linen  fabrics  of  all  kinds,  turning 
out  some  of  the  most  beautiful  patterns  that  were 
ever  known.  He  possessed  but  a  limited  education 
but  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  was  very  in- 
telligent, keeping  himself  well  informed  upon  cur-  • 


t 


,t 


486 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


rent  events.  Added  to  this,  his  industry  combined 
to  gain  him  the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 
The  mother  survived  until  187:5,  and  died  in  the 
city  of  Hartford.  The  eight  children  of  the  parental 
family  were  John,  Jane,  .Margaret,  Sarah,  Thomas, 
Nancy,  Rebecca  and  Edward.  The  latter  during 
the  late  war  enlisted  in  a  Connecticut  regiment,  and 
was  killed  at  the  battle  near  Raleigh,  N.  C.,  April 
13,  1865.  He  left  a  wife  and  one  child. 

The  first  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  November,  1852,  was 
formerly  Miss  Matilda  Irwin,  a  native  of  his  own 
country,  born  in  1828,  and  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
Irwin,  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  now  deceased. 
Of  this  union  there  were  born  three  children — Irwin, 
Arabella  and  Thomas.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren departed  this  life  in  October,  18(53,  for  a  resi- 
dence in  a  brighter  world.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  and  a  lady  of  great  kind- 
ness of  heart,  respected  by  all  who  knew  her. 

The  present  wife  of  Mr.  Young,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  August,  18G4,  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  was 
Mrs.  Catherine  (Byers)  Porter,  born  in  County 
Cavan,  Ireland,  in  1838.  The  one  child  of  this 
union  was  a  daughter  whom  they  named  Katie,  and 
who  is  now  engaged  in  teaching  school.  Mr.  Young 
has  filled  his  niche  in  life  worthily  and  has  fully 
identified  himself  with  American  customs  and  insti- 
tutions. As  soon  as  invested  with  the  rights  of 
citizenship,  he  identified  himself  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  of  which  he  has  since  remained  an  ad- 
herent. He  has  officiated  as  School  Trustee  be- 
sides occupying  other  positions  of  responsibility. 
He  is  straightforward  and  upright  in  his  business 
methods,  and  may  be  properly  classed  among  the 
representative  men  of  his  township. 


J "JOHNSON   A.  SWEARINGEN,  a  native  of 
I    the   Blue  Grass  region,  is  one  of  the  most 
I    successful     farmers    of    Ogden    Township, 
<    where  for  years  he  has  chiefly  turned  his  at- 
tention  to  the   cultivation  of  250  acres  of  choice 
land,  which,  through  his  judicious  management  has 
yjelded   some  of  the  finest  wheat  and  corn  of  the 
Prairie  State.     He  occupies  with  his  family,  a  com- 


modious farm  dwelling,  which,  with  its  substantial 
barn  and  adjacent  out-buildings,  gives  a  general 
air  of  thrift  and  prosperity  to  the  premises.  The 
fields  are  conveniently  laid  off  and  neatly  fenced, 
the  farm  machinery  is  of  the  latest  and  most  im- 
proved pattern,  and  the  live  stock  comprises  some 
of  the  finest  animals  in  this  part  of  the  county,  in- 
cluding a  full-blooded  Jersey  cow  of  great  beauty 
and  value. 

Johnson  A.  Swearingen  was  born  in  Lewis 
Coir.ity,  Ky.,  Jan.  13,  1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Bart- 
ley  and  Jane  (Rankin)  Swearingen,  natives  of  the 
same  State  and  county.  The  former  was  born  in 
1794,  and  coming  to  this  State  in  1842,  located  in 
Champaign  County,  of  which  he  remained  a  resident 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1843.  He  uni- 
formly voted  with  the  Democratic  party.  The 
mother  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  a 
lady  of  much  worth  and  highly  respected.  The 
children  of  the  household  are  recorded  as  follows: 
John  J.  is  the  eldest;  Matilda  died  when  an  inter- 
esting maiden  sixteen  3rears  of  age;  John  A.,  of 
our"  sketch,  was  the  third  son;  two  died  in  infancy 
unnamed;  James  R.  married  Miss  Charlotte  Moore; 
William  married  Miss  Margaret  Long;  Frank  is 
also  married,  and  Drusilla  became  the  wife  of  Mr. 
William  Bailey. 

Our  subject  came  to  Champaign  County  in  the 
s'pring  of  1842,  arriving  here  on  the  llth  of  April. 
In  November  following  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Sidney  Wright,  who  is  a  native  of 
Indiana,  born  on  the  10th  of  March,  1821,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  John  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Ste- 
vens) Wright.  Their  children  are  Nancy,  Jes- 
sie. Phebe,  Mary,  David,  James,  Rebecca,  Sid- 
ney, Hannah,  and  Catherine.  The  farm  of  Mr. 
Swearingen  is  finely  located  on  what  was  formerly 
called  the  Old  State  Road,  and  just  forty-seven 
years  ago  the  writer  of  this  sketch  passed  along  this 
road  with  his  parents  when  they  removed  from 
Ohio  to  Hancock  County. 

The  children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  eight 
in  number,  were  as  follows:  William,  who  married 
Miss  Flora  Risk;  Matilda,  Mrs.  Bruner;  Elizabeth, 
Mrs.  AVilliam  Sprigs;  Gilford,  who  married  Miss 
Mariah  Hall;  Alice,  who  died  in  1884;  Drusilla  B., 
.Mrs.  Saddler;  Jessie,  deceased,  and  a  sou  who  died 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


487 


unnamed  in  infancy.  Mr.  S.  is  Republican  in  pol- 
itics, and  socially  belongs  to  Lodge  No.  252, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  at  Homer.  He  has  held  the  various 
offices  of  the  Lodge,  and  has  been  Deacon  of  the 
Christian  Church  for  several  years.  His  wife  is 
also  a  member  of  the  same  church. 


-*- 


REDERICK  G.  LEDDERBOGE.  This  gen- 
tleman, born  across  the  ocean,  in  the  King- 
dom of  Prussia,  is  one  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  respected  citizens  of  this  county,  and  is 
thoroughly  Americanized  and  identified  with  the 
interests  of  his  adopted  country.  The  West  is  full 
of  just  such  men,  who  in  their  youth  cherished  am- 
bitions which  they  thought  would  never  be  realized 
in  their  own  land,  and  who  had  the  courage  to  come 
almost  empty-handed,  and  without  exception,  found 
a  ready  welcome  for  all  who  arrived  with  an  hon- 
est purpose  to  attain  success  by  the  labor  of  their 
hands  and  improvement  of  the  mind. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  occurred  Aug.  27,  1835, 
and  he  is  the  son  of  Gotlieb  and  Mary  Ledderboge, 
natives  of  the  same  country  as  their  son  and  where 
they  spent  their  lives.  Young  Frederick  com- 
menced attending  school  at  an  early  age,  continuing 
his  studies  until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  and  then 
entered  a  store  to  learn  general  merchandising. 
After  an  apprenticeship  of  three  and  one-half  years 
in  the  village  of  Seehausen  he  removed  to  Seesen, 
where  he  was  occupied  as  a  clerk  in  a  fancy  goods 
store  for  six  months.  After  several  removals  he 
returned  to  his  native  village,  Magdeburg,  and  was 
clerk  in  a  grocery  store  until  1858.  He  was  an  am- 
bitious youth,  and  not  being  satisfied  with  his  pros- 
pects in  his  own  country,  determined  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  the  New  World.  With  $300  in  his  pos- 
session he  sailed  from  Bremen  in  June  of  that  year, 
and  reached  New  York  harbor  on  the  1st  of  July, 
from  there  making  his  way  directly  to  Chicago.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  met  with  a  great  misfortune, 
his  money  having  been  stolen  from  him,  and  he 
found  himself  a  stranger  in  a  strange  city,  without 
means  or  friends  at  hand.  For  six  months  also  he 
was  out  of  regular  employment.  He  finally  se- 


cured  a  position  as  clerk  in  a  general  store,  and 
afterward  went  into  the  dry-goods  store  of  J.  B. 
Shay,  where  he  remained  five  years.  He  became 
very  efficient  as  a  clerk  and  finally  received  the 
handsome  wages  of  $35  per  week.  In  1 865  he  pur- 
chased a  stock  of  groceries  and  queensware  and  set 
up  in  business  at  the  intersection  of  North  Clark 
and  Superior  streets,  where  he  engaged  in  trade 
until  1 869.  He  was  now  seized  with  a  longing  for 
country  life,  and  in  June  of  that  year  sold  out  his 
stock  and  good-will,  and  coming  to  this  county  pur- 
chased a  quarter  section  of  wild  prairie  land,  which 
he  has  since  retained  as  a  part  of  his  present  farm. 
It  was  quite  a  change  from  his  former  life  and  com- 
paratively a  new  experience.  He  persevered,  how- 
ever, amidst  all  difficulties,  and  in  due  time  received 
the  reward  of  his  industry.  He  put  up  a  good  set 
of  frame  buildings,  has  his  land  enclosed  with  800 
rods  of  hedge  fencing,  and  eighty  acres  under  a 
good  state  of  cultivation.  His  farm  stock  will  com- 
pare favorably  with  any  in  this  vicinity.  He  has 
been  wise  in  his  expenditures,  lived  economically, 
and  has  a  fine  property  to  show  for  his  labor. 

Mr.  Ledderboge  was  married  at  Chicago  in  1861, 
to  Miss  Louisa  Martin,  a  native  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Bavaria,  Germany,  who  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  with  her  parents  in  1854.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Jacob  and  Margaretha  (Schaefer)  Martin,  natives 
of  the  same  country ;  her  father  is  deceased ;  her 
mother  survives,  and  is  residing  at  the  home  of 
our  subject.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  seven 
children — Emelie,  Lewis,  Clara,  Annie,  Bessie,  Stella 
and  Emil,  all  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  L. 
since  obtaining  the  right  of  suffrage  has  uniformly 
cast  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


'vwjULlUS  HAMILTON,  proprietor  of  the 
I  Champaign  Lumber  Yard,  established  himself 
in  business  here  in  1 880.  He  was  born  in  Lou- 
doun  County,  Va.,July  16,  1832,  and  came 
to  Illinois  in  1855.  He  is  the  son  of  Charles  B. 
and  Sarah  C.  (Luckett)  Hamilton,  natives  of  the 
Old  Dominion,  where  the  former  carried  on,  in  Lou- 
doun  County,  a  large  flouring-mill,  and  was  also  ex- 
tensively engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  re- 


f 


488 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


mained  a  resident  of  his  native  State  until  1855, 
then  emigrated  to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  large 
farm  in  Cass  County,  which  he  operated  until  1860. 
In  that  year  he  sold  out,  and  removing  to  Bath, 
Mason  Count}',  on  the  Illinois  River,  retired  from 
active  labor. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  man  of  much 
force  of  character,  with  a  large  amount  of  energy 
and  ambition.  He  had  received  a  fair  education 
and  became  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  his  native 
county  before  removing  North,  having  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  and  occupying  other  responsi- 
ble positions.  He  had  also  studied  law  and  been 
admitted  to  the  bar,  but  chose  farming  rather  than 
the  legal  profession.  He  was  of  a  kind  and  gener- 
ous disposition,  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  and  universally  respected  wher- 
ever known.  After  building  up  for  himself  a  good 
record  he  departed  this  life  in  Mason  County,  111., 
in  the  spring  of  1863.  The  mother  is  living  and 
making  her  home  with  her  son,  Charles  L.,  at  Car- 
linville, Macoupin  County.  The  parental  household 
included  seven  children,  one  now  deceased.  Those 
surviving  are,  Rebecca.  Mrs.  Dr.  Logan,  of  New- 
mansville,  Cass  Co.,  111.;  Julius,  of  our  sketch; 
Samuel,  a  resident  of  Ashland,  Cass  County  ;  Maria, 
Mrs.  Berry,  of  Colorado;  Charles  L.  of  Carlinville, 
Macoupin  County,  and  Serena,  of  Ashland.  111. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  spent  his  younger 
days  on  his  father's  farm,  in  the  meantime  pursuing 
his  primary  studies  in  the  common  schools.  When 
fifteen  years  old  he  entered  Hillsboro  University, 
where  lie  pursued  a  thorough  course  of  study  under 
the  instruction  of  Prof.  Potts.  When  eighteen 
years  old  he  left  the  home  roof  and  engaged  as 
clerk  in  a  store  at  Morgantown,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed three  years.  Subsequently  he  embarked  in 
farming  in  Cass  County,  which  he  abandoned  in 
1860,  to  engage  in  mercantile  business  at  Chand- 
lersville.  After  two  years  thus  occupied  he  engaged 
in  the  lumber  trade  at  Carlinville,  where  he  re- 
mained for  nearly  eighteen  years.  In  the  mean- 
time he  purchased  real  estate  and  erected  houses, 
and  from  the  sale  of  these  realized  a  handsome 
profit.  In  1879  he  sold  out  his  interests  in  Ma- 
coupin County  and  afterward  spent  eighteen  months 
in  Kansas,  where,  in  the  meantime  he  established  a 


lumber  business  at  Wellington,  with  branches  at 
Caldwell  and  Anthony.  Closing  out  there  in  1880 
he  came  to  this  county  and  established  his  present 
lumber  business,  while  also  being  engaged  in  real 
estate  operations.  He  possesses  theenerg}'  and  en- 
terprise necessary  for  the  successful  carrying  on  of 
this  department  of  trade  and  has  become  one  of 
the  valued  citizens  of  Champaign.  Politically  he 
!illili;ites  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  socially  is 
a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  His 
office  and  yard  are  located  on  North  Walnut  street. 
Mr.  Hamilton  was  married  in  1857,  to  Miss  Vir- 
ginia, the  daughter  of  Feiiton  and  Mary  (Sanders) 
VanDeveuter,  who  were  natives  of  the  Old  Domin- 
ion. Mrs.  II.  was  born  in  Illinois  in  1837,  and  of 
her  union  with  our  subject  there  are  three  children 
— Mary,  Lizzie  and  Charles  F.  The  latter  was  mar- 
ried July  3, 1884,  to  Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Rugg,  of  Champaign. 


ATHAN  W.  COCKAYNE.  The  snug  farm 
of  eighty  acres  lying  on  the  northeast  quar- 
ter of  section  30,  Homer  Township,  with  its 
modest  buildings,  neat  fences  and  group  of  well- 
kept  stock,  is  the  property  of  the  gentleman  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch,  and  of 
which  he  took  possession  in  the  spring  of  1885. 
Here,  with  his  little  family,  consisting  of  a  wife  and 
two  children,  he  is  enjoying  much  comfort,  inter- 
spersed with  the  simple  pleasures  of  a  rural  com- 
munity, and  is  worthily  filling  his  niche  as  a  peace- 
able and  law-abiding  citizen.  In  addition  to  his 
farm  labors  he  also  understands  every  detail  of  the 
carpenter  trade,  to  which  he  gives  much  of  his 
spare  time  and  in  which  he  has  attained  a  goodly 
degree  of  skill. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Wayne  County,  Ind., 
born  Jan.  12,  1834,  and  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Martha  (Stokes)  Cockaj'ne,  the  former  a  frntive  of 
Maryland  and  the  latter  of  New  Jersey.  The 
father  of  our  subject  died  in  about  1863,  during 
the  progress  of  the  late  Civil  War,  and  the  mother's 
death  occurred  twenty  days  after  that  of  her  hus- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 

89 1\ 


band,  in  Madison  Count}',  Ind.  The  parental  house- 
hold included  six  children:  Sarah  became  the  wife 
of  Mr.  Lewis;  Benjamin  married  Miss  Maria  Cook; 
Nathan  W.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  child,  and 
Elizabeth  the  fourth ;  Ann  married  AVilliam  Framp- 
ton ;  James  married  a  Miss  Brown. 

The  youth  and  boyhood  of  Mr.  Cockayne  were 
passed  upon  a  farm  in  his  native  county,  and  when 
a  young  man  he  began  working  at  the  carpenter's 
trade.  He  was  married  quite  late  in  life,  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1872,  to  Miss  Abbie  Mitchner,  who 
was  born  in  1847,  and  is  the  daughter  of  David 
and  Lucetta  (Smith)  Mitchner,  natives  of  Ohio, 
and  still  living.  Their  eight  children  were  Ralvin, 
Abbie,  Earl.  Minor,  AVilliam,  Ava,  Lulu  and  Dell. 
The  two  children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  a 
son  and  daughter — Charles,  who  was  born  in  May, 
1873,  and  Ava,  May  29.  1882.  Mr.  C.  is  a  decided 
Republican,  politically,  and  was  reared  among  the 
Quakers,  in  the  faith  of  which  he  has  remained 
since  early  youth. 


eALVIN  BEATTY.  One  of  the  best  farms 
in  Newcomb  Township  lies  on  section  5,  and 
is  the  property  of  the  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy. It  embraces  280  acres  of  finely  improved 
land  with  first-class  farm  buildings  which,  with  their 
surroundings,  constitute  a  pleasant  spot  for  the 
dwelling-place  of  our  subject  and  his  family.  Mr- 
Beatty  in  seeking  his  location  traveled  many  miles 
from  his  native  State,  having  been  born  in  Sussex 
Countv,  N.  J.,  where  he  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  and  lived  at  home  until  twenty-seven  years 
of  age.  He  is  the  son  of  George  B.  and  Elizabeth 
(Stites)  Beatty,  natives  of  the  same  State  as  their 
son,  and  locating  after  their  marriage  in  Sussex 
County,  where  the  mother  died  in  about  1842. 
The  father  is  still  living,  having  arrived  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  Their  family  of  six  children  included 
five  sons  and  one  daughter,  our  subject  being  the 
fifth  in  order  of  birth. 

Calvin  Beatty  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  on 
the  Cth  of  February,  1840,  and  in  1867  became  a 
resident  of  Illinois,  locating  in  Henry  County, 
where  the  first  year  he  worked  by  the  month,  and 


later  was  engaged  in  farming.  In  the  fall  of  1869 
he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  in  Newcomb  Township,  which  is  now  included 
in  his  present  homestead.  After  leaving  his  na- 
tive State  he  was  married  in  Sussex  County,  July 
26,  1 868,  to  Miss  Ella,  daughter  of  John  and  Ann 
(Currant)  MeKinney.  Mrs.  B.  was  born  in  the 
same  county  as  her  husband,  Feb.  19,  1844,  and  re- 
mained with  her  parents  until  her  marriage.  They 
are  now  deceased,  both  dying  in  Sussex  County, 
N.  J.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beatty,  five 
in  number,  were  named  as  follows:  George  L., 
Lillian  M.,  Lulu  G.,  Saddle  M.  and  Hattie  S. 

Mr.  Beatty  has  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of 
his  township  since  coming  here,  being  at  this  time 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  which  ofh'ce  he  has  held  for  a 
period  of  seven  years.  He  and  his  excellent  wife 
united  with  the  Protestant  Methodist  Church,  he  in 
1884  and  she  in  1886,  of  which  he  has  been  Stew- 
ard and  Trustee,  and  has  served  as  Class-Leader  for 
the  past  three  years.  Politically  he  votes  with  the 
Democratic  party,  and  is  a  man  whose  opinion  is 
generally  respected. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  George  B.  Beatty, 
held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  in  Sussex 
County,  N.  J.,  for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  finally 
being  obliged  to  relinquish  it  on  account  of  ill- 
health.  Only  three  sons  of  the  family  lived  'to  ma- 
ture years — Charles  J.,  Christopher  and  Calvin. 
Charles  J.,  who  died  in  Georgia,  was  married  and 
became  the  father  of  three  children,  one  of  whom 
died  in  infancy,  and  one,  George  H.,  a  bright,  prom- 
ising 3'onng  man,  lived  to  be  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  died  in  Sussex  County,  N.  J. ;  the  other  son, 
Charles  Halsey.  is  living  in  New  Jersey  with  his 
grandfather.  Christopher  remains  a  resident  of  his 
native  county  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  is  carrying 
on  farming. 


ENRY  GORIIAM,  a  gentleman  in  the  prime 
of  life,  is  following  farming  successfully  on 
section  9,  in  Ayers  Township.  He  has  160 
acres  of  good  land,  with  a  handsome  farm 
residence  set  in  the  midst  of  well-kept  grounds,  and 
substantial  out-buildings  adjoining.  The  fences, 


490 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


farm  machinery  and  stock  arc  well  cared  for,  and 
everything  about  the  premises  denotes  thrift  and 
prosperity. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  this  State,  born  in 
Morgan  County,  Dec.  10,  1849,  and  is  the  son  of 
Josiah  and  Roxana  (Johnson)  Gorham,  natives  of 
Ohio.  The  father  still  lives,  and  is  engaged  in 
fanning  pursuits  in  this  count}'.  He  was  born  Dec. 
21,  1819.  The  household  included  two  children, 
who  were  favored  with  more  than  ordinary  ad- 
vantages. Henry,  of  our  sketch,  after  completing 
his  primary  studies  in  the  country  schools,  entered 
the  Illinois  College  fit  Jacksonville,  where  he  took 
a  scientific  course,  completing  his  studies  in  1868. 
After  leaving  school  he  engaged  in  clerking  for 
three  or  four  years  and  then,  returning  to  his  fa- 
ther's farm,  entered  upon  the  career  which  he  has 
since  followed,  namely,  the  pursuit  of  agriculture. 

After  he  had  decided  upon  his  future  course 
financially,  Mr.  Gorham  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  Doremus,  March  14,  1878.  Mrs.  G.  is 
a  native  of  New  Orleans,  born  Oct.  17,  1852,  and 
the  daughter  of  Kev.  J.  E.  C.  and  Catherine  L.  (Ul- 
rich)  Doremus.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gorham  have  become 
the  parents  of  three  children:  Maude,  born  July 
10,  1879;  Josiah,  Dec.  5,  1881,  and  Margaret  D., 
Nov.  27,  1885.  Mr.  Gorham  is  Republican  in  poli- 
tics, and  a  member  of  Homer  Lodge  No.  199, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  with  which  he  became  connected  in 
1883.  He  is  yet  a  young  man,  and  possesses  good 
business  abilities  and  sound  common  sense,  which 
will  assure  his  success,  both  socially  and  financially. 


<\wj  C.  WHALLON,  of  East  Bend  Township,  is 
|    pleasa 


Jl 
|    pleasantly  located  on  section  5,  of  which  he 
j    took  possession  in    1869.     It   was  then  but 
'    partially  improved,  and  he  has  been  indus- 
triously  engaged   in  completing  what  was  then  be- 
gun,  so   that  he   now  has  a  series  of  productive 
fields,  from  the  proceeds  of  which   he   lives  inde- 
pendently, and    has   been  able  to  surround  himself 
with  all  the  comforts  of  life.     Our  subject  is  a  na- 
tive of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in  Butler  Count}', 
•July    16,   1823.      His  father.  Jacob    Whallon,  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  March  7,  1798,  and  his  grand- 


father,  Thomas  Wlmllon,  it  is  supposed,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Ireland.  He  located  in  New  Jersey  when  a 
young  man,  where  he  was  engaged  as  a  farmer  and 
carpenter,  and  whence  he  emigrated  to  Ohio  in 
about  1807,  and  was  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of 
that  locality.  He  assisted  in  clearing  the  timber 
from  several  acres  of  land  in  that  section,  erected  a 
set  of  farm  buildings,  and  upon  the  homestead  thus 
established  spent  the  g  ater  part  of  his  life.  His 
death  occurred  at  the  home  of  one  of  his  daughters 
in  Butler  County,  May  6,  1844. 

A  part  of  Thomas  Whallon's  family  had  been 
born  in  New  Jersey,  among  whom  was  Jacob,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  who  was  a  lad  of  nine  years 
when  the  family  bade  adieu  to  their  old  friends  in 
New  England  and  started  on  their  journey  over- 
laud  to  the  Buckeye  State.  Young  Jacob  com- 
pleted his  education  in  the  pioneer  schools,  and 
upon  reaching  manhood  became  the  husband  of 
Miss  Margaret  Brewer,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
Sept.  2,  1794.  The  young  couple  located  upon  a 
tract  of  land  which  had  been  given  Mr.  Whallon  by 
his  father,  and  which  was  yet  covered  with  timber. 
His  first  duty  was  to  put  up  a  dwelling,  which  was 
built  of  logs  and  finished  and  furnished  after  the 
manner  of  those  days.  In  this  humble  structure 
the  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born. 

Jacob  Whallon.  year  after  year,  labored  on  the 
farm  which  he  had  cleared  from  the  wilderness,  and 
realized  the  just  reward  of  his  labors  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  good  home  and  the  enjoyment  of  the 
comforts  of  life,  with  the  respect  of  many  friends. 
Seven  children  came  into  the  household,  which  was 
deprived  of  the  affectionate  care  of  the  wife  and 
mother  while  she  was  still  a  comparatively  young 
woman,  her  death  occurring  in  March,  1846.  Mr. 
W.  subsequently  married  again,  and  of  the  second 
marriage  there  were  born  three  children. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  fourth  child 
of  his  father's  first  marriage.  His  early  education 
was  conducted  in  the  pioneer  schools  on  the  sub- 
scription plan,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  strong  enough 
he  began  to  assist  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  farm.  He  remained  under  the  home  roof  until 
reaching  his  majority,  and  in  1844  started  out  for 
himself.  Going  into  Kentucky  he  engaged  there 
in  farming  until  1848,  then,  returning  to  Ohio, 

•» 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
STTY  OF  ILLINOIS 


- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


493 


worked  by  the  month  two  years.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  this  time  he  located  on  a  tract  of  rented 
land,  which  he  cultivated  for  eight  years  thereafter 
and  then  removed  to  Indiana,  where  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  in  Clay  County,  twelve  miles  east  of 
Tej-re  Haute.  This  he  occupied  until  18G6,  then  sold 
out  and  came  into  Woodford  County,  this  State.  He 
only  lived  there  a  year,  however,  taking  possession 
of  his  present  homestead  in  1869. 

The  lady  who  has  been  sharer  of  the  fortunes  of 
our  subject  for  a  period  of  over  forty  years  was 
formerly  Miss  Catherine  Corban.  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  March,  1846.  Mrs.  W.  is  a  native  of 
Scott  County,  Ky.,  born  Dec.  3,  1824,  and  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Deborah  (Hinton)  Corban, 
of  the  same  county.  Of  this  union  there  have  been 
born  six  children,  only  two  of  whom,  Joseph  Irving 
and  Parker,  are  now  living.  Joseph  I.  lives  in  Gib- 
son, and  Parker  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Whallon,  politically,  is  independent,  and  has 
alwas  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  the  advancement 
and  welfare  of  his  adopted  county.  He  represented 
East  Bend  Township  in  the  Board  of  Supervisors 
one  term,  has  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  has  served  as  School  Director  both  in 
Indiana  and  in  this  county.  He  is  in  all  respects  a 
worthy  and  reliable  citizen,  who  is  contributing  his 
full  quota  to  the  agricultural  and  business  interests 
of  his  community. 


OSEPH  L.  GORMAN.  The  homestead  of 
this  gentleman,  which  he  took  possession  of 
in  the  spring  of  1 884,  is  pleasantly  located 
on  section  32,  Tolono  Township.  Here  he 
has  100  acres  of  finely  cultivated  land  with  con- 
venient and  substantial  farm  buildings.  In  his  oper- 
ations as  an  agriculturist  he  has  enjoyed  fair  success, 
and  as  a  gentleman  is  a  highly  respected  member 
of  the  community. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Fleming  County,  Ky., 
where  his  birth  occurred  on  the  5th  of  January, 
1829.  His  father,  Daniel  Gorman,  a  native  of  Lan- 
caster County,  Pa.,  was  born  Jan.  15,  1780,  grew  to 
manhood  in  his  native  county  and  learned  the  trade 


of  a  shoemaker.  When  nineteen  years  old  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Margaret  Watson, 
who  survived  less  than  a  year  after  their  marriage. 
In  1800,  Mr.  Gorman  removed  to  Fleming  County, 
Ky.,  and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Strahan. 
They  afterward  removed  to  Scott  County,  Ind., 
and  in  about  1824,  after  becoming  the  mother  of 
one  daughter,  Mrs.  G.  departed  this  life.  The 
daughter,  Eveline,  married  Samuel  Morgan,  and 
they  located  first  in  Fleming  County,  Ky.,  and 
later  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  where  Mr.  M.  died  in 
1857.  Mrs.  Morgan  then  moved  to  Tolono,  111., 
where  she  died  in  April,  1 886. 

Daniel  Gorman,  after  the  death  of  his  second 
wife,  returned  to  Kentucky,  and  in  March,  1828, 
was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Lewis.  This  lady  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  where  she  was  born  Jan. 
21,  1798.  They  located  in  Kentucky,  where  Mr. 
G.  followed  his  trade  until  1855,  when  they  re- 
moved to  Rush  County,  Ind.,  where  he  departed 
this  life  in  1865.  Mrs.  Gorman  then  came  to  this 
State,  and  died  at  Tolono  one  year  later,  in  1866. 
Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  three  children, 
two  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  the  child  surviving 
being  Joseph  L.  of  our  sketch. 

Joseph  L.  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  re- 
ceived his  education  in  a  private  school,  and  when 
nineteen  years  of  age  commenced  teaching.  He 
followed  this  occupation  during  the  winter  seasons 
for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years  and  in  the  sum- 
mers engaged  in  farming.  On  the  8th  of  January, 
1856,  he  was  united  in  marriage,  at  Lebanon,  Ind., 
to  Miss  Elvira  A.,  daughter  of  John  and  Jane 
(Jamerson)  Stephenson.  Mrs.  G.  was  born  near 
Lebanon,  June  27,  1840.  Of  this  marriage  there 
were  born  eleven  children,  and  the  parents  were  be- 
reft of  seven  of  these,  who  died  in  childhood. 
Lilly  departed  this  life  June  13,  1887.  Those  sur- 
viving are  Nannie,  who  married  S.  D.  Cannady,  a 
druggist  in  Missouri:  Orville  is  teaching  in  this 
county ;  Grace  resides  at  home. 

Joseph  L.  Gorman  became  a  resident  of  this  coun- 
ty in  1 865.  He  first  purchased  a  farm  in  the  town- 
ship of  Pesotum,  which  he  occupied  for  eleven  years 
and  then  removed  into  the  village  of  Tolono,  where 
he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  was  also  en- 
gaged in  the  insurance  business.  In  March,  1884, 


494 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


he  took  possession  of  his  present  farm,  and  is  most 
pleasantly  situated  and  prepared  to  enjoy  life  in  a 
high  degree.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  at  its  organization  and  has  been  a  warm 
supporter  of  its  principles  since  that  time.  In  for- 
mer years  he  was  a  Whig.  He  united  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  early  life  and  is  in  all  re- 
spects a  substantial  and  representative  citizen  who 
is  contributing  his  full  share  toward  the  welfare  and 
prosperity  of  his  community.  We  are  pleased  to 
present  a  portrait  of  this  estimable  citizen  in  this 
work,  he  being  a  gentleman  worthy  of  the  highest 
distinction. 


W.  SMITH,  Supervisor  of  Critten- 
dcn  Township,  and  in  other  respects  a  rep- 
resentative citizen,  owns  and  occupies  a  good 
farm  on  section  29,  of  which  he  has  been  in  pos- 
session since  the  spring  of  1882.  His  estate  consists 
of  eighty  acres,  which  is  under  a  fine  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  upon  which  is  a  tasteful  and  substantial 
residence  and  all  the  buildings  and  machinery  re- 
quired by  the  first-class  agriculturist.  In  addition 
to  his  own  land  he  also  cultivates  eighty  acres  be- 
longing to  his  father. 

Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  Sangamon  County,  this 
State,  Oct.  4,  1856,  a  year  made  memorable  by 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  of  which 
our  subject  is  a  stanch  supporter,  but  is  serving  his 
third  term  as  Supervisor  in  a  township  which  is 
strongly  Democratic.  This  is  evidence  of  his  popu- 
larity and  the  respect  his  fellow-citizens  have  for 
him.  His  father,  Richard  C.  Smith,  also  a  native 
of  Sangamon  County,  was  born  Feb.  12,  1833,  and 
his  grandfather,  John  Smith,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
and  born  March  18,  1805,  when  a  young  man 
seventeen  years  old  emigrated  to  this  State  and  lo- 
cated with  the  other  early  settlers  in  Sangamon 
County,  and  with  a  scythe  cut  grass  from  the  grouud 
where  now  stands  the  capital  city  of  the  State. 
The  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  Thomas  Smith, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  where  he  was  born  in  1769. 
He  came  to  this  State  and  settled  in  Sangamon 
County,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Jan.  28,  1841.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth 


Peters,  who  was  born  in  1772  in  Kentucky.  The 
great-grandfather  on  the  mother's  side  was  Stephen 
Shelton,  who  was  born  in  North  Carolina  about 
1777,  and  was  there  married  to  Lydia  Heath.  They 
came  to  this  State  in  the  spring  of  1826,  where  they 
both  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Stephen 
Shelton  was  twice  married  and  his  widow  is  still 
living  in  Sangamon  County,  aged  about  eighty-three 
years. 

After  locating  and  laying  the  foundation  for  a 
future  homestead  John  Smith  took  unto  himself  a 
life  partner,  Miss  Jane  G.  Drennan.  This  lady  be- 
came the  mother  of  six  children,  and  departed  this 
life  at  her  home  in  Sangamon  County,  Sept.  16, 
1833.  Four  of  that  little  family  are  still  living, 
among  them  Richard  C.,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
who  was  but  an  infant  when  his  mother  died  and 
his  father  married  a  second  time.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood in  his  native  county,  where  he  was  reared  to 
farming  pursuits  and  received  a  limited  education 
in  the  pioneer  schools.  After  becoming  of  age  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Amarine  Shelton,  who  was 
born  in  Sangamon  County,  Sept.  2,  1835.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  William  and  Prudence  (Neal)  Shel- 
ton, natives  of  Kentucky,  whence  they  removed  to 
Illinois  in  the  pioneer  days.  Richard  Smith  re- 
mained a  resident  of  his  native  county  until  the  fall 
of  1874,  when  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in 
Crittenden  Township,  this  county.  This  he  oc- 
cupied until  the  fall  of  1881,  and  then  with  his  wife, 
returned  to  his  native  county,  where  they  still  re- 
side. Their  children,  eight  in  number,  were  Thomas 
W.  of  our  sketch;  John  R. ;  Maria  E.,  now  the  wife 
of  Joseph  Smith ;  James  A.,  Richard  E.,  Charles  E. ; 
Flora,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Baugh,  and  Frederick. 

The  subject  of  this  biography,  who  was  the  eldest 
of  his  father's  family,  at  an  early  age  commenced 
to  assist  his  parents  in  the  home  work  and  gained 
what  education  he  could  in  the  common  schools. 
He  came  with  them,  in  1874,  to  this  county,  and 
completed  his  studies  at  the  State  University  at 
Champaign.  He  subsequently  taught  and  attended 
school  alternately  and  supplemented  his  studies  by 
a  course  at  Central  Normal  College  in  Danville, 
Ind.  Afterward  he  continued  teaching  until  the 
spring  of  1882,  since  which  date  he  has  given  his 
entire  attention  to  farming. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


495 


Mr.  Smith  was  married  on  tbe  2.jth  of  October, 
lcS81,  to  Miss  Margaret  R.  Campbell,  a  native  of 
Wayne  County,  Iowa,  and  born  May  27,  1861. 
Mrs.  Smith  is  the  daughter  of  James  E.  and  Nancy 
J.  (Gibson)  Campbell,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio 
and  the  latter  of  Sangarnon  Count\\  this  State. 
Both  parents  are  still  living  and  are  now  residents 
of  Piatt  County,  111.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
become  the  parents  of  two  children — Claude  E.  and 
Edna  J. 

Mr.  Smith  in  addition  to  his  other  duties,  officially 
and  as  a  farmer,  is  also  general  agent  for  the  Tower 
Cultivator  Company.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith 
are  prominent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  in  every  good  work  of  the  community 
take  an  active  part.  Our  subject,  although  a  young 
man,  has  taken  a  very  prominent  part  in  the  councils 
of  his  township,  and  also  of  the  county,  and  is  re- 
garded as  a  man  of  excellent  business  talents  and 
splendid  judgment.  It  is  therefore  with  pleasure 
that  we  place  his  portrait  in  the  galaxy  of  those  of 
leading  men; presented  in  this  volume. 


HARLES  H.  LILLY,  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  in  Thomasboro,  is  a  native 
9J  of  Champaign  City,  this  county,  born  Jan. 
20,  1860.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  he  is  a  young 
man,  but  for  several  years  he  has  been  conducting 
business  for  himself,  and  if  appearances  give  any 
indication  he  is  on  the  high  road  to  prosperity  and 
a  competence.  He  has  seen  considerable  of  the 
world,  having  traveled  over  the  States  and  Territo- 
ries of  Illinois,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Montana,  Dakota, 
Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  and  at  last  satisfied  him- 
self that  there  was  no  section  of  country  equal  to 
that  of  Central  Illinois.  He  accordingly  took  up 
his  location  in  Thomasboro,  establishing  in  busi- 
ness there  in  1884.  He  carries  a  general  and  well- 
selected  stock  of  goods,  and  by  his  courteous  man- 
ner to  all,  and  his  systematic  business  methods,  has 
built  up  a  patronage  which  speaks  well  for  his  abil- 
ity as  a  business  man,  and  which  is  steadily  on  the 
increase. 

The  first  representative  of  the  Lilly  family  in  this 
country  located  in  the   South.     The  father  of  our 


subject,  Rev.  Robert  H.  Lilly,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  his  grandfather,  Amiger  Lilly,  was  born 
about  forty  miles  west  of  Richmond,  Va.,  June  7, 
1763.  He  removed  to  the  Blue  Grass  regions  in 
about  1784,  being  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the 
State.  After  a  residence  there  of  over  forty  years  he 
again  started  westward,  probably  feeling  like  Dan- 
iel Boone,  that  the  country  was  becoming  too 
crowded.  Crossing  the  Mississippi  he  located  near 
Millersburg,  Mo.,  where  his  death  occurred  in 
1832.  In  the  meantime  he  had  married  and  reared 
a  fine  family,  among  the  sons  of  which  was  Robert 
H.,  the  father  of  our  subject.  He  was  born  May 
11,  1804,  and  developed  from  an  unusually  bright 
and  serious-minded  boy  into  a  minister  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  although  in  the  meantime, 
commencing  when  eleven  years  of  age,  he  had 
learned  the  trade  of  a  book-binder,  and  for  several 
years  was  engaged  at  that  in  connection  with  print- 
ing. When  twenty  years  old  he  became  a  member 
of  the  church  at  Paris,  Ky.,  and  at  that  time  had 
resolved  that  as  opportunity  occurred  he  would 
employ  his  leisure  time  fitting  himself  for  the  min- 
istry. For  two  years  following  he  studied  in  and 
out  of  school,  working  at  printing  to  pay  his  ex- 
penses. In  the  fall  of  1828  he  entered  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  to  which 
place  he  made  his  way  on  horseback,  selling  his 
horse  after  his  arrival  there  in  order  to  replenish  his 
exchequer.  He  completed  the  full  course  of  study, 
and  in  April,  1831,  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia.  In  May,  1833,  betook 
charge  of  the  church  at  Franklin,  Tenn.,  and  the 
year  following  was  ordained  as  an  Evangelist  by 
the  Presbytery  of  West  Tennessee.  Afterward  he 
preached  in  Caldwell  and  Livingston  Counties.  Ky., 
until  1836,  then,  moving  to  Princeton,  started  a 
private  school  and  organized  a  Church  society.  In 
1839  he  came  to  this  State,  commencing  his  labors 
first  at  Mt.  Carmel,  and  afterward  becoming  a  mis- 
sionary in  Clark  County  during  its  early  settle- 
ment. In  1851  he  came  to  this  county  as  the  sup- 
ply of  the  Urbana  Church,  then  called  West  Ur- 
bana,  but  which  is  now  the  flourishing  Church  of 
Champaign.  He  labored  in  that  section  as  pastor 
and  teacher  until  1855,  when  he  accepted  an  invi- 
tation to  supply  the  Union  Churches  in  Richland, 


f 

4  or, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


this  State.  He  remained  there  two  years,  then  re- 
turned to  this  county,  taking  up  his  abode  in 
Champaign  City,  where  he  passed  from  the  scenes 
of  his  earthly  labors,  Jan.  14,  1874.  He  was  never 
strong  physically,  his  mind  always  reaching  beyond 
what  his  hands  were  able  to  perform.  Although 
remarkably  zealous  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  his  health 
never  permitted  the  continuous  duties  of  a  regular 
charge,  and  he  could  only  act  as  a  supply. 

The  first  wife  of  Rev.  Robert  Lilly,  who  before 
her  marriage  was  Miss  Sarah  L.  Butler,  died  in  No- 
vember, 1849.  His  second  marriage,  in  1852,  was 
with  Miss  Martha  Winter,  who  only  lived  a  little 
over  a  year  afterward,  leaving  an  infant  son,  Rob- 
ert. Mr.  Lilly  was  married  a  third  time,  to  Miss 
Valeria  Gordon,  of  Coles  County,  111.,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  eight  children,  viz. :  Mary  C., 
who  became  the  wife  of  Wiley  Buckles  and  is  now 
deceased;  Charles  H.,  of  our  sketch;  James  E., 
now  located  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  Willie,  who  died 
when  two  years  old ;  Clara,  who  died  when  eleven 
years  old;  John  C.,  Fannie  S.  and  Susie  R.,  the 
three  latter  are  at  home. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Canton, 
N.  Y.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Valeria  Gordon,  a 
native  of  County  Antrim,  Ireland,  of  Scottish  an- 
cestry, and  the  son  of  John  Gordon.  The  mother 
of  Mrs.  L.  was  Susan  McCullock,  of  Berkshire,  Vt., 
also  of  Scottish  ancestry,  and  who  died  in  Coles 
County,  Mo. 

Charles  H.  Lilly,  who  was  the  second  child  and 
eldest  son  of  his  father's  family,  received  a  good 
education,  which,  begun  in  the  primary  schools, 
was  continued  in  the  High  Schools  until  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age.  He  then  entered  the  Illinois 
State  University,  from  which  he  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1884,  with  the  degree  of  B.  S.  Soon  aft- 
erward he  was  engaged  as  second  chemist  in  the 
Champaign  Sugar  Refinery,  and  afterward,  going 
to  Nashville  took  the  position  of  first  chemist  in  a 
similar  establishment  there,  whence  in  the  spring 
of  1885,  he  came  to  Thomasboro  and  formed  a 
partnership  with  Mr.  E.  F.  Bogardus,  and  purchased 
the  stock  and  good-will  of  the  store  of  the  late 
W.  B.  Hoag.  In  January,  1886,  he  purchased  the 
interest  of  his  partner,  and  now  carries  on  the  busi- 
ness alone.  He  was  appointed  Postmaster  under 


the  administration  of  President  Arthur,  and  served 
until  October.  1885.  Politically  he  belongs  to  the 
Republican  party. 

The  marriage  of  Charles  II.  Lilly  and  Miss  Julia 
C.  Putnam  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents,  on  the  3d  of  September,  1885.  Mrs.  L.  is 
the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Phebe  (Condit)  Put- 
nam, and  was  born  in  Condit  Township,  in  1862. 
Their  only  child,  who  is  a  son,  is  named  Henry 
Wilmot.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  are  members  in  good 
standing  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  number 
among  their  friends  and  associates  the  cultivated 
people  of  their  community. 


father, 


AMUEL  FUNKHOUSER,a  highly  respect- 
ed resident  of  Somer  Township,  is  a  na- 
tive of  St.  Joseph  Township,  Dearborn  Co., 
Ind.,  and  was  born  Feb.  20,  1830.  His 
Abraham,  was  a  native  of  New  Brighton, 
Beaver  Co.,  Pa.,  and  his  grandfather,  Jacob,  a  na- 
tive of  Maryland,  was  the  son  of  Abraham  Funk- 
houser,  Sr.,  who  was.  born  in  Germany,  whence  he 
emigrated  to  this  country  when  a  young  man  and 
se'rved  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  He 
afterward  settled  in  Maryland,  where  he  reared  his 
family  and  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  His  son, 
Jacob,  when  a  young  man  left  his  native  State  and 
located  in  Beaver  County,  Pa.,  where  he  was  mar- 
ried, and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  time  spent  as  a  soldier  in  the  W:ir 
of  1812.  Six  years  afterward  he  removed  to  Indi- 
ana and  was  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Dearborn 
County.  He  purchased  a  tract  of  Government 
land,  which  he  occupied,  however,  but  a  few  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Ripley  County,  that  State, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  reared  on  a  farm 
in  his  native  county  of  Beaver,  Pa.,  and  was  there 
married  to  Miss  Margaret  Foster.  This  lady  was  a 
native  of  the  same  town  as  her  husband  and  was 
the  daughter  of  James  Foster,  also  a  native  of  the 
Keystone  State,  and  who  emigrated  to  Dearborn 
County,  Ind.,  where  his  death  occurred  in  about 
1876. 

Abraham  Funkhouser  removed  with  his  parents  to 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 

497  1' 


\ 


Indiana  and  for  a  short  time  rented  a  tract  of  land 
in  Dearborn  County.  He  had  been  trained  to  habits 
of  industry  and  economy,  and  hoarded  his  small  in- 
come until  he  was  enabled  to  purchase  forty  acres 
of  Government  land  and  also  entered  another  forty 
acres.  He  put  up  a  log  cabin  into  which  he  re- 
moved with  his  family,  and  commenced  in  good 
earnest  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  his 
purchase,  which  was  very  heavily  timbered.  The 
original  dwelling  was  constructed  after  the  manner 
of  the  pioneer  days  before  the  erection  of  sawmills 
in  the  county.  After  a  few  years  he  built  a  more 
pretentious  residence  of  hewed  logs,  which  in  those 
times  was  considered  a  great  possession.  In  due 
time  this  also  was  replaced  by  a  frame  house  whose 
rafters- were  hewed  by  hand,  and  which  was  con- 
sidered substantial,  but  was  broken  in  two  by  a 
hurricane,  leaving  the  lower  story  standing.  Mr. 
F.  was,  however,  successful  in  his  labor  of  clearing 
his  farm,  and  destroyed  the  most  beautiful  saw  logs 
by  fire  in  order  to  get  rid  of  them.  Those  logs  now 
would  sell  at  a  good  round  price.  He  occupied  his 
farm  in  Dearborn  County,  Ind.,  until  1851,  then 
sold  out  and  started  overland  with  teams  for  Iowa. 
He  took  up  a  tract  of  Government  land  in  Mon- 
roe County  and  also  purchased  sixty  acres  adjoiii- 
ing,  which  gave  him  a  tract  of  land  consisting  of 
240  acres.  This  he  improved  into  a  valuable  farm 
which  he  occupied  until  1866.  In  that  year  he  sold 
out  and  recrossed  the  Father  of  Waters,  purchasing 
a  farm  in  Greene  County,  111.,  five  miles  from 
White  Hall,  which  remained  his  home  until  his  death, 
in  1876.  ^(The  wife  and  mother  had  departed  this 
life  two  years  before.  Of  the  fourteen  children 
born  of  the  parental  union,  all  grew  to  man  and 
womanhood,  married,  and  reared  families  of  their 
own. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  the  sixth  child 
and  fourth  son,  and  remained  on  the  farm  home- 
stead until  sixteen  years  old.  He  then  started  out 
in  life  for  himself,  and  became  a  flatboatrnau  on 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers.  These  boats  car- 
ried produce,  lumber  and  other  merchandise,  and 
young  Samuel  visited  all  the  principal  towns  on  the 
two  rivers  from  Cincinnati  to  New  Orleans,  being 
on  the  river  in  winter  and  following  farming  in 
summer  until  1849.  He  then  returned  to  Dearborn 


County,  Ind.,  and  took  charge  of  a  sawmill  in  Au- 
rora one  winter,  after  which  he  located  at  Ft.  Madi- 
son, Iowa,  and  engaged  in  brick-making.  He  lived 
there  and  in  West  Point  for  two  years  following, 
after  which  he  went  into  Missouri  and  spent  eight 
months  in  Memphis,  Scotland  County.  After  this 
he  returned  to  Aurora,  Ind.,  and  after  four  3'ears 
became  foreman  of  a  large  distillery.  Six  years 
later  he  removed  to  Momence,  111.,  where  he  oper- 
ated a  distillery  two  years. 

In  October,  1862,  Mr.  F.  purchased  120  acres  of 
land  in  Monroe  County,  Iowa,  which  he  occupied 
one  winter,  then  returned  to  Lawrenceburg  and  en- 
gaged once  more  in  a  distillery.  In  1863,  he  be- 
came a  soldier  in  the  Union  army,  and  for  six 
months  was  on  guard  duty  in  the  Southern  part  of 
the  State.  The  regiment,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Burckam,  was  known  as  the  Indiana  Legion,  and 
they  engaged  three  times  with  Morgan's  men  at  the 
time  of  the  famous  raid  in  Southern  Ohio.  After 
leaving  the  army  Mr.  F.  located  in  Carrollton.  Ky., 
and  engaged  in  distilling,  removing  thence,  in  Jan- 
uary, 1 864,  to  Lafayette,  Ind.,  where  he  followed  the 
same  business  two  years.  In  1868  he  came  to  this 
county  and  purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  owns 
and  occupies.  It  was,  however,  by  no  means  a 
farm  at  that  time,  but  uncultivated  land  which  it 
took  years  to  bring  to  a  good  bearing  condition. 
His  first  business  was  to  erect  a  dwelling  for  his 
family,  into  which  they  removed  the  following  year. 
One  of  the  features  of  this  now  productive  and 
valuable  farm  is  a  pond  covering  three  acres,  and 
stocked  with  German  carp. 

The  family  of  Mr.  Funkhouser  occupied  the  farm 
while  he  returned  to  Harrison,  Ohio,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  distilling,  seven  years  there  and  four  years 
at  Cincinnati.  In  1880  he  took  up  the  same  busi- 
ness at  Indianapolis  for  six  months.  His  family 
occupied  the  farm  until  1874,  then  all  removed  to 
Harrison,  Hamilton  Co.,  Ohio.  After  three  years 
spent  in  the  Buckeye  State  they  returned  to  the 
farm,  and  since  1881  Mr.  F.  himself  took  up  his 
abode  here  and  superintended  its  further  improv- 
ment.  All  his  land  is  now  under  a  good  state  of 
cultivation  and  he  has  erected  a  fine  set  of  frame 
buildings.  His  enterprise  and  energy  have  become 
proverbial,  and  bo^hi  as  a  citizen  and  business  man, 


498 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


he  is  regarded  as  a   valued   member  of  the  com- 
munity. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Susan 
Lutz  took  place  at  Napoleon,  Ripley  Co..  Ind.,  Aug. 
5,  1849.  Mrs.  F.  was  born  in  Ripley  County, 
Feb.  4,  1831,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Moses  and 
Mary  (House)  Lutz.  The  mother  died  when  Mrs. 
F.  was  but  two  days  old,  and  her  father  one  and 
one-half  years  later.  She  was  reared  by  strangers 
until  nine  years  of  age  and  then  lived  with  an  elder 
sister.  Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there 
were  born  ten  children,  seven  now  living:  Francis 
is  a  resident  of  Hamilton  County,  111. ;  Sarah  A., 
Mrs.  Albert  Kirby,  lives  in  Soiner  Township;  Ella, 
the  wife  of  J.  W.  Prickett,  lives  in  Hamilton  Coun- 
ty, 111. ;  Hattie,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Calloway,  is  a  resident 
of  Stanton  Township;  Josephine,  who  married 
David  White,  lives  in  Somer  Township;  Emma, 
Mrs.  Stephen  Finnessy,  in  Clinton  Township,  and 
William  C.  is  at  home.  Mr.  F.  politically  is  a 
stanch  supporter  of  the  Republican  party. 


<*]OHN  THERMAN  WHITE,  one  of  the  most 
thorough  and  skillful  farmers  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  became  a  resident  of  this  county 
in  the  spring  of  1870,  locating  on  his  present 
farm  on  section  30,  and  which  presents  a  picture  of 
one  of  the  finest  homesteads  in  this  region.  Mr. 
White  is  a  native  of  the  great  commonwealth  of 
Ohio,  his  birth  taking  place  near  Chillicothe,  Ross 
County,  April  22,  1846. 

The  White  family  in  the  early  days  was  quite 
conspicuous  in  the  history  of  what  is  now  West 
Virginia,  where  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
David  White,  was  born,  reared  and  married,  and 
from  which  he  subsequently  emigrated  to  Ohio, 
settling  in  Ross  County,  and  becoming  prosperous 
as  a  farmer  and  a  stock-raiser.  After  the  close  of 
a  long  and  useful  life,  during  which  he  had  reared 
a  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  and  whom  he,  with 
the  assistance  of  his  excellent  wife,  had  fitted  for 
worthy  members  of  society,  he  departed  from  the 
scones  of  his  earthly  labors. 

Among  the  sons  of  David  White  and  his  estiuia- 


ble  wife  was  John  K.,  who  constituted  a  member 
of  the  household  circle  before  the  removal  from 
the  Old  Dominion,  where  his  birth  took  place  in 
1817.  He  removed  to  Ohio  with  his  parents  and 
was  afterward  married  to  Miss  Dorothea  Ann, 
daughter  of  John  and  May  Bitzer,  who  was  born 
June  1.  1820.  The  Bitzer  family  was  of  German 
ancestry.  The  Whites  came  originally  from  Scot- 
land. The  parents  of  our  subject  settled  first  in 
Ross  County,  where  they  remained  until  February, 
1870,  having  their  family  increased  in  the  mean- 
time by  the  birth  of  six  children.  Then  John  R. 
White  decided  to  remove  further  westward,  and 
coming  to  Central  Illinois,  located  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  of  which  he  is  still  a  resident,  and  with 
his  excellent  wife  is  enjoying  the  society  of  most 
of  his  children.  These  were  named,  Mary  C.,  who 
married  James  Brittenham  ;  Martha  A. ;  John  T.  of 
our  sketch;  David  N. ;  William  M.  and  Samuel. 

Our  subject  was  the  eldest  son  and  third  child  of 
the  parental  family,  and  spent  his  boyhood  and 
youth  in  his  native  State.  His  first  studies  were 
conducted  in  the  primitive  log  cabin  and  he  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  their  removal  to  this 
State  in  1870.  Soon  afterward  he  began  farming 
on  his  own  account,  but  was  not  married  until  Feb. 
•29,  1876,  when  nearly .  thirty  years  of  age.  His 
chosen  bride  was  Miss  Sarah,  second  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Nancy  (Banan)  Street.  The  two  who 
thus  commenced  life  together  went  to  housekeep- 
ing on  the  farm  of  our  subject,  which  he  had  pur- 
chased previously  and  fitted  up  in  expectation  of 
the  coming  change.  Here  he  has  eighty-five  acres 
of  choice  land,  besides  thirty-five  on  section  li),  all 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and  the  farm 
proper  supplied  with  a  handsome  and  convenient 
residence,  good  barns  and  out-buildings,  and  the  en- 
tire outfit  of  the  modern  and  enterprising  fanner. 
In  addition  to  general  agriculture  Mr.  White  has 
given  considerable  attention  to  the  breeding  of 
good  grades  of  stock,  including  hogs,  cattle  and 
horses,  the  latter  being  principally  draft  animals. 
He  has  been  peculiarly  fortunate  in  his  in  vestments, 
and  were  he  not  happier  in  being  employed  would 
be  wise  to  retire  from  active  labor  and  enjoy  the 
accumulations  of  his  thrift  and  industry. 

The  three  sons  born  to  our  subject  and    his  wife 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


499    t  \ 


are  bright  and  intelligent  lads,  whom  they  named 
respectively  Sanford,  Perry  K.  and  Joseph  N. 
The}'  nre  all  living  and  at  home  with  their  parents. 
Mrs.  White  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  and  a  lady  respected  for 
her  sterling  worth  of  character.  Mr.  W.  politically 
affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  whose  prin- 
ciples he  has  fervently  endorsed  since  casting  his 
first  Presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  1864. 
Mr.  White,  after  the  first  call  for  troops  to  assist 
in  defending  the  Union,  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the 
147th  Ohio  Infantry,  serving  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  met  the  enemy  in  the  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg  and  in  various  skirmishes  and  minor  engage- 
ments. After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge,  in 
August,  1865,  he  returned  to  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
and  began  the  career  which  has  progressed  with 
such  credit  to  himself  and  of  which  his  children 
will  be  proud  to  read  in  after  years. 


I 

4" 


ELI  HALBERSTAUT,  who  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  for  a  period  of  over 
thirty  years,  among  other  business  interests, 
is  the  proprietor  of  the  Union  Roller  Mills  at  Ur- 
bana,  which  he  established  in  1866.  In  1884  he 
remodeled  the  mill  building,  and  put  in  new  modern 
machinery  so  that  in  the  patent  process  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  flour  it  is  not  excelled  by  any  institu- 
tion of  the  kind  in  Central  Illinois.  Our  subject 
bears  upon  his  countenance  the  index  of  his  charac- 
ter as  an  honest  man,  a  good  citizen,  and  one  who 
has  assisted  materially  in  the  building  up  and  de- 
velopment of  this  section. 

Mr.  Halberstadt  was  born  in  Frederick  County, 
Md.,  Sept.  15,  1820,  and  is  the  son  of  Peter  and 
Susan  C.  (Maus)  Halberstadt,  who  were  natives  re- 
spectively of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  a  well-educated  man,  was  a 
carpenter  \>y  trade,  at  which  he  worked  in  the  sum- 
mer and  taught  school  in  the  winter.  He  removed 
from  his  native  State  to  Ohio  in  1829,  settling  in 
Darke  County,  where  he  died.  The  mother  died 
in  Maryland  in  about  1830.  The  parental  family 
included  three  children  ;  only  one,  Eli,  of  our  sketch, 
is  now  living;  Eliza,  Mrs.  Plain,  of  Frederick 


County,  Md..  died  in  April,  1887.  The  parents  be- 
longed to  the  German  Reform  Church.  Peter  Hal- 
berstadt served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812, 
and  the  paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were 
both  soldiers  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  first 
representatives  of  the  family  on  the  mother's  side 
came  from  Hanover,  Germany,  and  on  the  father's 
side  from  Prussia,  at  an  early  day.  The  paternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject's  mother  emigrated  in 
his  boyhood  and  after  his  arrival  here  was  sold  for 
his  passage.  He  afterward  paid  the  price,  and  upon 
arriving  at  a  suitable  age  was  married  and  raised  a 
family,  of  whom  his  eldest  son  served  in  the  Fed- 
eral army  during  the  Revolution.  The  maternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  during  his  early  man- 
hood, farmed  extensively  in  the  State  of  Maryland 
but  spent  his  declining  years  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  his  remains  are  buried. 

Eli  Halberstadt  was  a  lad  of  but  ten  years  when 
he  was  deprived  of  the  affectionate  care  of  his 
mother.  After  her  death  he  was  taken  into  the 
home  of  his  uncle,  Jacob  Grove,  with  whom  he 
lived  two  years,  and  then  went  to  live  with  another 
uncle,  Jacob  Maus,  on  a  farm,  where  he  remained 
until  seventeen  years  old.  He  then  served  an  ap- 
prenticeship of  three  years  at  the  tailor's  trade,  and 
afterward  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  three  years 
in  Carroll  and  Washington  Counties,  Md.  At  that 
time,  on  account  of  poor  health,  he  determined  to 
abandon  his  former  occupation,  and  opened  a  store 
in  the  same  place,  which  he  operated  two  years. 
He  then  sold  out  and  removed  to  Miami  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  resumed  the  tailoring  business  two 
years,  and  thence  came  to  Urbana,  this  county.  In 
the  spring  of  1856,  in  company  with  two  others, 
he  opened  a  store  which  they  operated  one  year, 
when  Mr.  H.  bought  out  his  partners  and  continued 
business  alone  until  1865.  That  year  he  put  up 
his  gristmill  on  Ray  street,  and  subsequently 
changed  it  to  a  rolling-mill.  The  capacity  of  this 
at  the  present  is  seventy -five  barrels  per  day.  Dur-j 
ing  the  period  of  his  extensive  business  operations 
in  this  county,  Mr.  Halberstadt  has  firmly  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  confidence  of  his  friends  and 
patrons,  and  for  years  has  been  one  of  the  leading 
business  men,  esteemed  alike  for  his  integrity  and 
ability.  He  was  elected.  Mayor  of  Ui'bana  in  1868 


I 


500 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


in  which  ollice  he  served  four  terms,  and  while  the 
custodian  of  the  interests  of  the  city  exercised  the 
same  conscientious  care  and  forethought  which  he 
has  always  shown  in  the  transaction  of  his  own  pri- 
vate business.  He  is  Democratic  in  politics  and 
with  his  excellent  wife  is  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which 
he  has  been  Steward  and  Trustee,  and  to  the  sup- 
port of  which  he  has  always  contributed  liberally 
and  cheerfully.  He  is  also  an  honored  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  .September,  1842,  to 
Miss  Rebecca  Legore,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and 
the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Rachel  (Hull)  Legore, 
of  the  same  State,  where  Mr.  L.  in  early  life  worked 
as  a  stonemason  and  bricklayer.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  five  children:  Frances  A.,  Mrs. 
Shilling,  of  Urbana;  David  B.,  of  Washington, 
D.  C.;  George  H.,  of  Urbana;  Susan  C.,  Mrs.  Day, 
of  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  Douglas  E.,  of  Chicago. 
The  family  residence  is  a  handsome  structure  finely 
located,  and  our_subject  and  his  wife  enjoy  the  so- 
ciety of  hosts  of  friends. 


ILLIAM  j.  AND.  JOSEPH  ALEXANDER, 

farmers  and  goodly  land-owners  of  Ayers 
Township,  of  excellent  Scottish  parentage, 
are  natives  of  County  Tyrone,  Ireland.  They  came 
to  this  country  in  1858  or  1859,  and  after  leaving 
New  York  City,  proceeded  directly  westward  to 
this  State,  locating  near  the  town  of  Brimfield, 
twenty-five  miles  west  of  Peoria.  Three  months 
later  they  repaired  to  Jacksonville,  where  they  en- 
gaged as  farm  laborers  two  years,  and  then  em- 
barked in  agriculture  on  their  own  hook.  Unlike 
many  of  their  brethren  they  were  provided  with 
some  means,  and  now  purchased  480  acres  of  land 
and  tried  the  experiment  of  stock-growing,  which 
they  continued  with  fair  success  until  1870.  They 
then  disposed  of  their  interest  in  that  section  and 
purchased  two  farms  in  Logan  County,  which  they 
disposed  of  in  1872.  Their  next  venture  was  in 
Ayers  Township,  where  they  purchased  1,000  acres 
of  land,  which  is  esteemed  as  of  the  choicest  quality 
lie  found  in  this  region. 


The  Alexander  brothers  possessed  remarkable  en- 
ergy, and  in  a  comparatively  short  time  had 
erected  a  fine  set  of  buildings,  including  a  hand- 
some two-story  dwelling  and  a  barn,  which  for 
beauty  of  architecture  and  quality  of  material  will 
compare  favorably  with  anything  of  the  kind  in 
this  part  of  Champaign  County.  The  buildings 
occupy  a  slight  elevation,  and  command  a  fine  view 
of  the  surrounding  country.  They  also  attract 
the  attention  of  the  passing  traveler,  and  the  ad- 
miration of  all  who  behold  them.  Alexander 
brothers  are  now  tacitly  acknowledged  to  be  the 
largest  individual  farmers  in  A3'ers  Township. 
They  feed  and  ship  annually  about  800  head  of 
.cattle,  chartering  each  year  a  number  of  trains  to 
transport  their  animals  to  the  markets  of  Chicago 
and  other  points  East.  In  addition  to  their  real 
estate  in  Ayers  Township  they  own  a  large  tract  of 
land  in  Washington  and  Nuckolls  Counties,  Neb., 
and  also  land  in  Colorado. 

Upon  starting  out  in  life  William  and  Joseph 
Alexander  had  nothing  to  depend  upon  but  their 
own  resources  and  a  small  cash  capital  of  perhaps 
$100.  They  are  probably  now  the  largest  tax  pay- 
ers in  Ayers  Township.  For  the  last  four  years 
Joseph  has  made  his  home  principally  in  Nebraska, 
but  in  1887  returned  to  Illinois,  and  will  probably 
now  be  content  to  settle  down  permanently  in  the 
Prairie  State.  Notwithstanding  the  rich  laud  west 
of  the  Father  of  Waters  he  admits  that  there  are 
advantages  to  be  enjoyed  in  this  State  not  pos- 
sessed by  the  territory  west. 

The  parents  of  the  Alexander  brothers  were 
James  and  Letitia  (Marshall)  Alexander,  both 
born  in  Scotland.  The  father  was  a  farmer  and 
wheelwright,  and  removed  to  Ireland  early  in  life. 
He  was  successful  financially,  and  left  a  fine  farm 
to  his  widow.  She  was  married  again,  to  Mr.  H. 
Steen,  a  Scotchman  by  birth.  Of  her  first  marriage 
there  were  born  five  children :  Mary  became  the 
wife  of  Michael  Clarnen,  and  lives  in  Ireland; 
Sarah  married  J.  M.  Catchart,  a  Scotchman,  and 
lives  in  Ayers  Township;  John  married  Miss  Erk- 
hart,  a  lady  of  Scottish  birth;  the  brothers.  Will- 
iam and  Joseph,  complete  the  children  of  James 
Alexander.  Of  the  second  marriage  of  the  mother 
there  were  born  Henry,  Thomas.  James  and  Elixa.  ' 


RESIDENCE  or  JOHN    LOCKE, SEC. 36  PHILO  TOWNSHIP. 


••pn 


RESIDENCE  OF  DAVID  COOTER  ,  SEC.  13  ,  BROWN  TOWNSHIP, 


RESIDENCE  OF  FRED    PELL,  SEC. 7  ,  PHILO  TOWNSHIP. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


503 


William  .1.  Alexander  was  born  Feb.  13,  1847. 
Since  coining  to  this  country  he  has  fulfilled  cred- 
itably all  the  duties  of  a  citizen,  with  one  exception, 
and  that  is  that  he  remains  a  bachelor,  when  he 
might  become  the  head  of  a  family  and  increase 
even  his  present  high  standing  in  social  and  finan- 
cial circles. 

Joseph  Alexander  was  born  May  12,  1849.  On 
the  15th  of  November,  1883,  he  married  a  most 
worthy  and  highly  respected  lady,  Miss  Emma  B. 
Six.  She  was  born  in  1802,  and  only  remained  the 
companion  of  her  husband  a  few  short  months,  her 
death  taking  place  in  August,  1884.  She  was  a 
lady  possessed  of  a  fine  education,  and  had  taught 
school  for  some  time  before  her  marriage.  She  was 
greatly  missed  in  social  circles,  and  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  of  which  she  had  been  a  devoted 
and  consistent  member  for  several  yeaVs. 


OSES  C.  THOMAS.  The  pioneer  flonring- 
inill  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Champaign 
County,  in  Homer  Township,  was  erected 
in  about  1832  by  the  grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  biography,  which  property  de- 
scended to  Mr.  Thomas,  and  which  he  has  operated 
since  his  business  life  began.  This  is  located  on 
the  south  fork  of  the  Vermilion  River,  and  is  one 
of  the  old  landmarks,  so  many  of  which  are  fast 
passing  away  and  being  lost,  on  account  of  the  set- 
tling up  of  the  land,  and  the  prairie  giving  place 
to  modern  farms. 

Moses  C.  Thomas  was  born  in  Old  Homer,  Oct. 
21,  1846,  and  still  resides  near  the  place  of  his 
birth.  His  parents,  John  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Lan- 
der) Thomas,  were  natives  of  Kentucky,  the  former 
born  in  Mason  and  the  latter  in  Bourbon  County. 
They  left  the  Blue  Grass  regions  in  their  youth, 
coming  to  Illinois  before  their  marriage.  John 
Thomas  in  1829,  and  Elizabeth  Lander  the  year 
following.  The  acquaintance  soon  afterward  be- 
gun ripened  into  a  mutual  attachment,  and  they 
were  married  in  1833.  The  father  of  our  subject 
w;is  born  in  1809.  and  departed  this  life  at  his 
home  in  Homer  Township  in  1801.  The  mother 
was  born  in  1811,  and  survived  her  husband  nine 


years,  dying  in  1870.  Of  their  children,  seven 
passed  away  in  infancy;  Celia  died  when  seven 
years  of  age,  and  James  when  a  youth  of  nineteen 
years.  The  others  were  Moses  C.  of  our  sketch, 
Joseph,  Willis,  Albert,  Alice  and  Charles. 

Besides  his  mill  property  Mr.  Thomas  has  sixty- 
five  acres  of  valuable  land,  with  a  fine  brick  resi- 
dence located  in  the  midst  of  well-kept  grounds. 
and  good  out-buildings  in  the  rear,  including  car- 
riage-barn and  stables.  He  has  been  successful  in 
his  milling  operations  and  owns  three  business 
houses  in  the  village.  His  life  has  been  a  quiet 
and  unostentatious  one,  which  he  has  pursued 
worthily,  enjoying  the  respect  of  his  neighbors  and 
the  companionship  of  his  family.  His  wife  was 
formerly  Miss  Jane  Insley,  and  their  marriage  took 
place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Homer, 
March  29,  1870.  Mrs.  Thomas  was  born  in  Indi- 
ana in  1848,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mar- 
garet (Stewart)  Insley,  natives  of  the  same  State. 
They  afterward  became  residents  of  Homer.  Mrs. 
Insley  is  still  living  here;  John  Insley  is  deceased. 
The  parental  household,  to  which  there  were  born 
seven  children,  was  bereft  of  two,  there  being  now 
only  five  living,  namely,  Aaron,  Marion,  Henry, 
Jane  and  Ellen.  Of  the  four  little  ones  who  came 
to  the  home  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  three  only 
are  living,  namely,  Frank  II.,  Moses  E.  and  Jennie. 
Carrie  E.  is  deceased. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  and  the  politics  of  Mr. 
Thomas  are  decidedly  Republican.  He  also  has  a 
half  interest  in  100  acres  of  land  on  section  31, 
Homer  Township,  besides  thirty-five  acres  located 
on  another  section. 


W.  MYERS,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  the 
Prairie  State  since  a  lad  nine  years  of  age, 
after  the  labors  of  a  long  and  busy  life  is 
now  living  in  ease  and  retirement  in  the  city 
of  Champaign,  in  a  comfortable  and  handsome 
home,  surrounded  by  the  friends  whom  he  has 
made  during  an  honorable  and  upright  career. 
lie  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Pa.,  Nov.  30, 
1838,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  and  Maria  (Eshle- 


t 

if 


504 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


111:111)  Myrrs.  natives  of  the  Keystone  State,  where 
Henry  Myers  was  engaged  for  many  years  in  farm- 
ing pursuits.  He  disposed  of  his  interests  there  in 
1848,  and  coming  to  this  State  located  in  Fulton 
County,  where  he  engaged  extensively  in  fanning 
and  stock-raising,  and  where  both  parents  still  live. 
The  household  included  ten  children,  of  whom  eight 
are  now  living,  as  follows :  John  W.  is  a  resident 
of  Champaign  City;  Joseph  C.,  of  Fulton  County; 
David  N.,  of  McDonough  County;  Martha,  Mrs. 
Brown,  of  Henry  County;  Adeline,  Mrs.  Norton, 
and  William,  of  Fulton  County ;  Susan,  Mrs.  Mull, 
of  McDonough  County',  and  Daniel  of  Fulton 
County.  Henry  Myers  is  Republican  in  politics,  and 
both  parents  are  members  of  the  Dunkard  Church. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  reared  on  a 
farm  and  remained  with  his  parents  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age.  He  then  purchased  100  acres 
of  land  in  Farmington  Township,  Fulton  County, 
which  he  operated  from  1860  to  1876,  then  sold 
out  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Newcomb  Township, 
this  county.  This  consisted  of  320  acres,  where 
he  engaged  extensively  in  stock-raising,  and  to 
which  in  1 883  he  added  208  acres,  which  consti-  j 
tuted  a  magnificent  bod}'  of  land  aggregating  528 
acres.  Upon  this  farm  he  erected  si  commodious 
modern  dwelling  with  good  barns  and  all  necessary 
buildings  for  the  storing  of  grain  and  the  shelter 
of  stock'.  This  beautiful  country  estate  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  Champaign  County,  and  displays  on 
every  hand  the  cultivated  tastes  and  ample  means 
of  its  proprietor. 

The  marriage  of  J.  W.  Myers  and  Miss  Helen  E. 
Vittum  took  place  Dec.  29,  1864,  at  the  residence 
of  the  bride's  parents  in  Norris.  Mrs.  M.  was  born 
Sept.  24,  1843,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Sargent  and 
Mary  A.  (Weed)  Vittum,  who  were  natives  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  They 
removed  from  the  Old  Granite  State  to  Illinois  in 
1857,  locating  in  Fulton  County,  where  Mr.  Yittum 
carried  on  farming  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then 
with  his  family  removed  to  the  city  of  Canton, 
where  he  is  now  living  in  retirement  upon  a  com- 
petency. Of  the  nine  children  included  in  the 
household  circle,  seven  arc  now  living,  as  follows: 
Harrison  H.  is  living  in  retirement  at  Farmer  City, 
111.;  Homer,  also  retired  from  active  labor,  is  a 


resident  of  Canton;  Helen,  Mrs.  Myers,  resides  with 
her  husband  in  Champaign;  Susan  E.,  Mrs.  Mc- 
Cutchen,  and  Edith  E.,  Mrs.  Dr.  Wright,  are  living 
in  Canton,  111.;  Elden  S.  and  Alwyn  are  residents 
of  Norris,  Fulton  County. 

Mr.  Vittum  retired  from  his  farm  of  over  500 
acres  in  1882.  and  it  is  now  operated  by  tenants. 
It  is  underlaid  with  rich  coal  mines,  and  upon  it 
are  about  forty  dwellings  for  the  miners.  This,  as 
may  be  supposed,  yields  our  subject  a  fine'  income. 
He  is  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  Fulton  County, 
highly  esteemed  as  a  business  man  and  a  citizen, 
and  politically  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party. 

Of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  there 
have  been  born  six  children  :  Wildie  H.  married 
Miss  Lou  E.  Bryan,  and  is  living  on  the  farm;  F. 
Leonard  is  on  the  farm  with  his  brother,  Wildie; 
Maude  O.,  L.  May,  Winnie  M.  and  Wissie  E.  are  at 
home  with  their  parents.  Leonard  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Business  College  at  Champaign,  and  the  younger 
children  are  attending  High  School.  Mr.  Myers  has 
held  the  offices  of  School  Trustee  and  Director,  and 
in  other  respects  has  been  prominently  identified 
with  the  educational  and  business  interests  of  the 
city. 

«•><><- 


EZEKIEL  COOK,  who  has  been  a  resident  of 
Tolono  since  1875,  is  successfully  carrying 
on  a  trade  in  hardware,  and  has  built  up  a 
profitable  patronage.  He  comes  of  substantial  an- 
cestry, and  is  a  native  of  Bedford  Count}',  Pa., 
born  July  6,  1834.  His  parents  were  Ezekiel  and 
Elizabeth  (Leader)  Cook,  who  had  a  family  of 
eleven  children,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  young- 
est. He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  the 
Keystone  State,  educated  in  the  district  schools, 
and  was  employed  part  of  the  time  in  the  black- 
smith-shop of  his  father,  where  he  gained  a  good 
insight  into  that  trade.  He  is  a  natural  mechanic, 
and  with  little  practice  can  manipulate  almost  any 
tool  that  is  manufactured.  He  possessed  more  than 
ordinary  ability,  was  bright  and  observant  of  what 
was  going  on  around  him,  and  when  not  in  school, 
still  pursued  his  studies  in  his  leisure  hours,  and  at 
an  early  age  engaged  in  teaching. 

During  the  progress  of  the  late  war  Mr.  Cook, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


505 


in  ISC  I,  became  a  member  of  Co.  K,  208th  Pa. 
Vol.  Inf.,  serving  until  the  surrender  of  the  Con- 
federate army.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  his 
native  county,  where  he  owned  120  acres  of  land 
which  he  cultivated  until  1875.  In  the  fall  of  that 
year  he  came  to  Illinois,  and  locating  at  Tolono  es- 
tablished his  present  business,  lie  still  owns  his 
farm  in  Pennsylvania,  besides  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Tolono  Township,  and  property  in  the  town. 

Our  subject  was  married,  in  the  spring  of  1860, 
to  Miss  Matilda  Young,  a  native  of  his  own  coun- 
ty, and  they  became  the  parents  of  eight  children. 
The  first-born  died  in  childhood.  Seven  are  now 
living,  namely,  Laura  B. ;  Addie.  Mrs.  George  W. 
Manly,  of  Deeatur;  John  and  Klla,  twins;  Mary  J., 
Harvey  K.  and  George  H.  Upon  arriving  at  his 
majority,  our  subject  commenced  voting  with  the 
Republican  party,  whose  principles  he  has  since 
supported.  He  has  held  the  local  offices  of  his 
township,  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  socially,  belongs 
to  the  G.  A.  R.  and  the  K.  of  II. 


BILLIARD  L.  SAMSON,  editor  and  proprie- 
tor of  the  Homer  Enterprise,  is  a  native  of 
the  Prairie  State,  and  was  born  in  Vermil- 
ion County,  June  30,  1861.  His  parents,  George 
and  America  (Ocheltree)  Samson,  were  natives  re- 
spectively of  Canada  and  Ohio.  The  former,  who 
was  born  in  1826,  died  in  Vermilion  County,  111., 
in  1865.  He  occupied  his  time  principally  as  a  far- 
mer and  stock-raiser,  in  which  he  was  very  success- 
ful and  accumulated  considerable  property.  He 
supported  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  was  a  man  useful  in  the  community  and  of 
good  standing  in  business  circles.  Religiously  he 
was  connected  with  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church. 
The  mother  of  our  subject,  a  native  of  Fayette 
County,  Ohio,  was  born  June  14,  1S27,  and  is  now 
a  resident  of  Kansas.  Her  second  husband  was 
G.  W.  Brown,  who  died  in  1884.  Mrs.  B.  is  a 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 
The  five  children  of  her  first  marriage  are  recorded 
as  follows:  John  and  Albert,  the  two  eldest  sons, 
died  in  childhood;  Georgia  became  the  wife  of 


P>;isil  Brown,  and  died  near  St.  John's.  Kan.,  Nov. 
9,  1886;  Eleanor,  now  Mrs.  Philip  McWilliams,  is 
a  resident  of  Stafford  County,  Kan.;  and  Williard 
L.,  our  subject. 

Mr.  Samson  remained  with  his  parents  during  his 
boyhood  days,  studying  his  first  lessons  in  the  dis- 
trict school.  Upon  starting  out  for  himself  in  life 
he  learned  telegraphy,  and  in  1882  took  a  trip  to 
Texas,  where  he  remained  a  year  thus  engaged. 
The  year  following  he  again  crossed  the  Mississippi, 
remained  a  short  time  in  Arkansas,  and  then  re- 
turned to  the  farm,  where  he  resided  until  1886, 
engaged  in  farming.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he 
purchased  the  Homer  Enterprise.  This  paper  was 
established  in^  1877,  and  now  has  a  circulation  of 
about  600,  and  under  the  judicious  management  of 
Mr.  Samson  bids  fair  to  become  indispensable  to  the 
people  of  Homer  and  vicinity.  It  is  distinguished 
for  its  straight  Republicanism,  taking  its  complex- 
ion from  the  politics  of  its  proprietor.  Mr.  Samson 
is  connected  with  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  is  a  valued  member  of  Homer  Lodge 
No.  252,  I.  O.  O.  F. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1885,  Mr.  Samson  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Kate  L.  Strahorn. 
Mrs.  S.  is  a  native  of  Illinois  and  was  born  Sept. 
9,  1863.  Her  parents,  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Orr) 
Strahorn,  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Illinois 
respectively,  and  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  live 
of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Those,  surviving  are, 
Mrs.  Samson;  Mrs.  Carrie  McWhorter,  of  Homer; 
Mrs.  Flora  Hecox,  of  Deeatur;  Oliver,  also  of 
Homer,  and  Sarah,  who  resides  in  Wyoming  Terri- 
tory with  her  adopted  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  S. 
Hopkins.  Mrs.  Strahorn  died  in  1877. 


fclLLIAM  D.  CLARK  is  an  extensive  far- 
mer, owning  255  acres  of  valuable  land,  lo- 
cated on  section  8,  Sidney  Towi.ship.  His 
farm  is  highly  cultivated,  and  all  of  its  appoint- 
ments are  remarkable  for  order  and  elegance.  His 
residence  is  spacious  and  tasteful,  and  the  barns 
and  out-buildings  are  commodious  and  well  stocked 
with  all  the  modern  appliances  for  scientific  farm- 
ing. He  was  bom  in  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  Dec. 


t 


-  >    506 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


'2\,  \X-\2,  nw\  is  the  sun  of  Thomas  and  Hannah 
(Moore)  Clark. 

Thomas  Clark  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  Jan. 
•JO,  17'jM,  and  died  in  Ohio  in  1854.  His  wife, 
also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  was  born  Nov.  4, 
1 802.  Left  a  widow  with  nine  children,  by  the 
death  of  her  husband,  she  came  to  Champaign 
Conntj',  111.,  feeling  that  the  West  vvitli  its  broad 
prairies  and  the  spirit  of  enterprise  that  pervaded 
its  atmosphere,  offered  more  favorable  inducements 
for  the  advancement  of  her  young  family.  She 
purchased  land,  and  with  the  intelligent  and  en- 
ergetic assistance  of  her  sons,  successfully  conducted 
the  farm  for  many  years. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  her  children: 
Margaret,  the  wife  of  Robert  Melick,  living  in 
Perry  County,  Ohio;  John,  who  has  twice  been 
married  to  cousins  by  the  name  of  Plank,  also  liv- 
ing in  Perry  County,  Ohio;  Mary  A.,  formerly  the 
wife  of  Isaac  Francis;  William  D.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  James  P.,  married  to  a  Miss  Humphrey, 
living  in  or  near  Lincoln,  Neb.;  Sarah,  the  wife  of 
I).  A.  Spraker,  living  in  Montana;  Thomas  J.,  who 
married  Miss  Augusta  Groff,  is  living  in  Council 
Bluffs,  Iowa;  Orpha  J.,  the  wife  of  J.  D.  Thomas, 
living  in  Shenandoah,  Iowa,  and  Hannah,  deceased, 
formerly  the  wife  of  William  Freeman. 

Her  two  sons,  Thomas  and  James,  served  honor- 
ably in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  She  is  now  in 
her  eighty-fifth  year,  and  after  passing  through 
many  trials,  the  inevitable  accompaniments  of  pio- 
neer life,  is  peacefully  spending  the  evening  of 
her  life  in  the  home  of  her  son,  William  D.  Clark. 

On  the  21st  of  October,  1873,  William  D.  Clark 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  J.  Huff. 
She  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  was  born  Oct.  22,  1840, 
in  Coshocton  County,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Manquila  and  Elizabeth  (McMorris)  Huff.  Her 
mother,  who  is  still  living,  was  born  in  Ohio,  May 
8,  1818.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born 
Nov.  18,  1810,  and  died  March  10.  1887.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  names  of  their  children :  Martha  A., 
wife  of  Thomas  Marquand,  living  in  Kansas;  Lu- 
cinda,  the  wife  of  John  Marquand,  also  living  in 
Kansas;  George  W.,  married  to  Elizabeth  Stafford, 
living  in  Ohio;  Sarah  W.,  the  wife  of  David  1>. 
Howard,  living  in  Lincoln,  Neb.;  Catherine  M.,  the 


wife  of  P.  1>.  Potts:  Celia /.,  the  wife  of  Henry 
Peck;  Benjamin  F.  married  Miss  Anna  Homer  of 
Iowa;  James  W.  married  Cora  Pitts;  Emma  E.,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Warfield,  and  Spencer  E..  married 
to  Louie  Drum.  The  six  latter  all  reside  in  Illi- 
nois. 

William  D.  Clark  and  wife  have  reared  an  inter- 
esting family  of  four  children;  their  names  are: 
Lena  M.,  born  Aug.  24,  1874;  Emma  A.,  born 
Jan.  27,  1876;  Thomas  A.,  born  Nov.  22,  187'J, 
and  William  A.,  born  Jan.  8,  1882.  Mr.  Clark, 
who  is  possessed  of  great  executive  ability,  and  in- 
tegritv  of  character,  has  satisfactorily  filled  several 
official  positions  in  the  township.  He  has  been 
Collector  for  three  terms,  and  has  also  been  Asses- 
sor. Both  himself  and  his  wife  are  highly  esteemed 
members  of  the  Methodist  Church.  He  is  a  most 
honorable  and  worthy  citizen  and  in  politics  is  a 
stanch  supporter  of  the  Republican  party. 


lERNARD  GORDON,  one  of  the  large  land- 
owners of  Champaign  County,  and  a  resident 
of  Kerr  Township,  is  a  native  of  Ireland, 
born  in  We'xford  County,  Aug.  1,  1848. 
He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Whelan)  Gordon, 
and  was  the  second  child  in  a  family  of  ten.  His 
father  had  been  a  cattle  dealer  in  Ireland,  but  in 
1857  came  to  America  with  the  expectation  of  im- 
proving his  circumstancesi  He  had  some  capital, 
with  which  he  purchased  a  farm  and  settled  at 
Lyons,  near  Riverside,  on  the  Des  Plaines  River, 
near  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  to  work  as  a  quarry- 
man.  From  there  he  went  to  Aurora.  111.,  where 
he  procured  employment  on  the  railroad.  He  re- 
mained there  ten  years,  and  then  removed  to  Shab- 
bona  Grove,  De  Kalb  Co.,  111.,  where  he  went  to 
farming  on  rented  land  and  remained  there  three 
years.  From  there  he  came  to  this  county,  where 
he  purchased  200  acres  of  wild  land,  and  to  which 
he  has  since  added,  until  he  now  owns  800  acres  of 
finely  improved  land,  having  his  residence  iii  Com- 
petine  Township. 

Bernard  Gordon  left  home  at  twenty-two  years 
of  age,  after  having  received  a  good  common- 
school  education,  and  also  having  been  trained 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


507 


to  write  and  speak  the  German  language  fluently. 
During  the  first  three  years  he  engaged  in  farming 
on  rented  land,  which  resulted  successfully.  He  was 
then,  Sept.  15,  1874,  married  to  Miss  Mary  C.  llen- 
nessy,  the  second  child  of  John  and  Mary  (Holland) 
Hennessy,  natives  of  County  Limerick,  Ireland. 
Her  birthplace  was  Grundy  Count}',  111. 

They  began  together  to  build  up  their  fortune  in 
life,  and  purchased  160  acres  on  section  25,  Kerr 
Township,  which  they  commenced  at  once  to  im- 
prove and  cultivate,  and  have  never  changed  their 
residence. 

Dec.  9,  1886,  his  beloved  wife  was  stricken  down 
with  heart  disease  without  any  warning  of  her  ap- 
proaching end,  and  died  in  a  few  moments.  She 
was  an  earnest,  devoted  Christian  lad}7,  an  affec- 
tionate wife  and  faithful  mother.  Her  sudden  death 
was  greatly  deplored  by  the  entire  community, 
where  she  was  widely  known  and  highly  respected. 
She  left  a  family  of  six  children — Mary  Ann,  Mar- 
garet, Catherine  Agnes,  John  Charles,  Constantia 
and  Johanna.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Gordon  with  his  family 
of  motherless  children  continues  to  live  on  the 
home  farm.  He  is  extensively  engaged  in  stock- 
raising,  giving  his  special  attention  to  cattle  of  the 
Durham  breed. 


eALEB  B.  YOUNG,  of  Rantoul,  represents 
the  grocery,  queensware  and  hardware  trade, 
and  has  been  a  valued  resident  of  the  town 
since  1881.  He  is  a  New  Englander  by  birth,  hav- 
ing first  opened  his  eyes  in  Graf  ton  County,  N.  H., 
near  the  town  of  Lisbon,  Nov.  13,  1836.  His 
grandfather,  David  Young,  was  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers in  that  locality,  to  which  he  removed  from  his 
native  State  of  Massachusetts;  He  was  of  excel- 
lent Irish  ancestry,  and  possessed  in  a  remarkable 
degree  the  moral  traits  of  character  and  fine  busi- 
ness qualities  for  which  his  descendants  have  been 
noted. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Charles  P.  Young,  was 
a  native  of  Grafton  County,  N.  II.,  and  bred  to 
farming  pursuits,  which  he  followed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life.  He  married  in  early  manhood 


Miss  Sybil,  daughter  of  Pliineas  Gordon,  Esq.,  of 
Scotch  origin,  and  settled  near  his  birthplace,  where 
he  remained  until  1856.  Then,  deciding  to  seek  a 
home  in  the  West,  he  came  to  La  Salle  County,  this 
State,  and  took  possession  of  a  farm  in  Deer  Park 
Township,  where  he  successfully  followed  agricult- 
ure, and  where  he  made  his  home  until  resting 
from  his  labors  on  the  4th  of  January,  1864.  The 
mother  afterward  removed  to  Kansas  and  made 
her  home  with  one  of  her  children,  where  her  death 
took  place  in  November,  1872.  Of  the  parental 
household,  including  five  children,  our  subject  was 
the  second  son  and  child.  He  received  the  advant- 
ages of  the  common  school  and  remained  with  his 
parents,  removing  with  them  to  the  West  and  as- 
sisting on  the  farm  until  setting  out  to  do  for  him- 
self. His  first  move  upon  leaving  the  home  roof 
was  to  purchase  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Livingston 
j  County,  111.,  upon  which  he  labored  for  a  period  of 
four  years,  and  then  selling  out  purchased  160 
acres  in  Compromise  Township,  this  county.  Later 
he  engaged  as  a  grain  buyer  at  Gifford,and  in  1881 
abandoned  labor  upon  the  farm,  and  moving  into 
Rantoiil  opened  an  extensive  meat  market.  Six 
months  later  he  disposed  of  this  and  embarked  in 
his  present  business.  He  has  a  choice  and  well- 
selected  stock  of  groceries,  and  has  built  up  a  good 
patronage  among  the  best  people  of  this  locality. 

Our  subject  was  married,  in  November,  18(>2,  to 
Mrs.  lantha  I.,  daughter  of  Luther  Grant,  of  Graf- 
ton  County,  N.  H.,  and  widow  of  C.  H.  Young. 
Three  of  the  four  children  born  of  this  marriage 
are  still  living,  namely,  Susanna  K.,  Charles  E.  and 
Walter  E.  One  died  in  infancy  unnamed.  Mr. 
Young  has  occupied  the  various  offices  of  his  town- 
chip,  serving  as  Road  Commissioner  nine  years  and 
School  Trustee  in  Compromise  Township  about 
nine  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  City  Council  of 
Rantoul,  and  there  are  few  public  enterprises  in 
this  vicinity  in  which  he  has  not  been  interested. 
As  a  man  of  judgment  and  discretion  his  views 
are  frequently  solicited  upon  matters  of  impor- 
tance, and  both  as  a  business  man  and  a  citizen  he 
is  filling  his  niche  in  life  creditably  and  with  dig- 
nity. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Young  have  been  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  many  years, 
the  former  serving  as  Steward  and  Trustee,  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school.  Ho  is  held 
in  high  regard  by  the  people  who  have  known  him 
so  long  and  well,  and  forms  one  of  the  landmarks 
whose  place  can  scarcely  be  supplied  when  he  shall 
have  gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth. 

AMES  L.  FREEMAN.  One  of  the  most  act- 
I  ive  and  enterprising  farmers  of  the  com- 
munity, a  gentleman  in  the  prime  of  life, 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  health,  friends,  and 
a  fair  share  of  this  world's  goods,  is  comfortably 
located  on  section  17,  in  Ogden  Township,  and  is 
successfully  cultivating  120  acres  of  fine  land.  He 
has  an  excellent  wife  and  a  family  of  blooming  chil- 
dren, and  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  his  neighbors.  He  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  over  forty-six  years,  hav- 
ing been  born  in  Homer  Township,  Aug.  15.  1841, 
and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Rebecca  (Ogden) 
Freeman,  natives  of  Virginia.  The  former,  in  early 
life,  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  but  in  later  years 
abandoned  the  shop  for  the  more  congenial  em- 
ployment of  farm  life.  He  was  a  gentleman  occu- 
pying a  good  position  in  his  community.  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  a  Christian  in  theology.  He 
had  represented  his  township  in  the  Board  of  Su- 
pervisors for  two  years,  and  was  a  man  whose  opin- 
ions were  generally  respected,  being  formed  with 
deliberation  and  adhered  to  with  decision.  The 
circumstances  of  his  death  were  peculiarly  sad,  he 
having  been  instantly  killed  by  a  runaway  team  in 
18C8,  while  going  from  the  timber  to  his  home. 
The  family  were  scattered,  and  there  are  now  liv- 
ing four  in  this  county,  one  in  Kansas  and  two  ii» 
Iowa.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  Mrs.  Rebecca 
Freeman,  was  born  Feb.  14,  1804,  in  Virginia,  and 
her  death  occurred  Oct.  5,  1854. 

The  youth  and  boyhood  of  James  L.  Freeman 
were  spent  under  the  parental  roof,  and  he  assisted 
his  parents  in  the  shop  and  on  the  farm  until 
twenty  years  of  age.  Soon  after  the  rebels  fired 
upon  Ft.  Sumter  he  resolved  to  join  his  comrades 
who  had  enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  Union,  and 
became  a  member  of  the  26th  Illinois  Infantry, 
which  was  assigned  to  the  army  of  the  Missouri. 


He  was  mustered  in  at  Springfield,  III.,  after  which 
the  boys  proceeded  to  the  southwest  across  the 
Mississippi  and  wintered  in  camp  near  Hannibal, 
Mo.  His  first  encounter  with  the  enemy  was  at 
New  Madrid  the  following  spring,  and  he  afterward 
engaged  in  many  of  the  important  battles  of  the 
war,  being  present  at  the  siege  and  capture  of  Cor- 
inth, Atlanta  and  Vicksburg,  besides  intermediate 
engagements,  in  all  numbering  fifty -seven.  He  ex- 
perienced many  hairbreadth  escapes,  marched  many 
thousands  of  miles  with  his  knapsack  on  his  back, 
and  endured  with  his  comrades  bravely  and 
patiently  the  vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life  during 
one  of  the  most  memorable  periods  in  the  history 
of  this  country,  and  in  which  he,  with  thousands  of 
others,  experienced  sufferings  and  hardships  which 
can  better  be  imagined  than  described.  The  ex- 
periences of  those  terrible  years  have  been  cele- 
brated in  song  and  story,  but  no  human  tongue  can 
give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  life  of  a  Northern  sol- 
dier, transplanted  to  a  Southern  soil.  In  1864 
they  joined  the  army  of  Gen.  Sherman  and  partici- 
pated in  the  never-to-be-forgotten  march  to  the 
sea.  This  helped  to  swell  the  distance  to  nearly 
7,000  miles  which  was  traveled  by  our  subject  and 
his  comrades,  often  without  sufficient  food  or  drink. 
Notwithstanding  all  he  had  endured,  the  patriotic 
flame  still  burned  in  his  breast,  and  at  the  expira- 
tion of  his  first  term  of  enlistment  young  Freeman 
was  willing  to  again  brave  the  hardships  which  he 
had  already  passed  through  for  the  sake  of  victory, 
and  re-enlisted  Jan.  1,  1864.  Soon  afterward, 
however,  peace  dawned  upon  the  nation,  and  his 
regiment  was  mustered  out  at  Scottsboro,  Ala. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  1865,  our  subject  cele- 
brated his  return  to  civil  life  by  his  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  F.  Stearns,  the  wedding  taking 
place  in  Homer,  111.  Mrs.  Freeman  was  born  in 
Vermilion  Count}',  this  State,  Sept.  4,"  1 846,  and  is 
the  daughter  of  Chancy  C.  and  Mary  (Lee)  Stearns, 
natives  respectively  of  Ohio  and  Illinois,  the 
mother  now  deceased.  The  father  resides  at  Ho- 
mer. After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  first 
located  on  the  old  home  place,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  their  present  farm.  To  the  household 
thus  established  there  were  added  in  due  time  nine 
bright  children,  who  wore  named  respectively 


' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


509 


I 


Nora,  Martha,  Anzonettia,  Lyclia,  Minnie,  Ezra  C., 
Iva,  Gracie  and  Lewis  S.  Gracie,  when  nine 
months  old,  was  stricken  with  fatal  illness,  and 
yielded  up  her  life  on  the  18th  of  June,  1866.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Freeman  became  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  in  1858  and  1864  respectively,  and 
our  subject  politically,  as  soon  as  becoming  a  voter, 
identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party. 


AMES  EXTON.  There  was  quite  an  influx 
of  population  into  this  county  and  especially 
into  Ogden  Township  during  the  years  1864 
to  1870.  The  emigrants  were  for  the  most 
part,  enterprising  men,  some  perhaps  possessed  of 
little  means,  but  what  they  lacked  in  hard  cash 
they  made  up  in  ,  natural  energy  and  industry. 
Among  the  most  noted  of  these  was  the  gentleman 
whose  name  is  associated  with  this  personal  sketch. 
He  became  a  resident  of  the  State  in  1864,  and 
made  his  advent  into  this  county  five  years  later, 
having  then  by  several  years'  labor  on  rented  land 
in  Vermilion  County  accumulated  sufficient  means 
to  invest  in  real  estate  for  himself;  and  it  may  here 
be  allowable  to  note  a  fact  as  singularas  it  must  be 
gratifying  to  the  people  of  Champaign  County, 
that  the  large  majority  of  those  who  at  that  time 
carne  into  this  locality,  when  finding  themselves 
possessed  of  sufficient  capital,  which  perhaps  they 
had  accumulated  elsewhere,  preferred  to  invest  it  in 
this  county. 

Mr.  Exton,  with  scores  of  others,  discovered 
here  the  richest  soil  and  the  most  desirable  place  for 
a  homestead.  He  selected  a  quarter  section  of 
land  in  Ogden  Township  on  section  6,  which  at 
that  time  was  unimproved,  but  which  under  judi- 
cious cultivation  soon  began  to  respond  to  the  hand 
of  husbandry.  As  soon  as  convenient  he  had  the 
land  generously  underlaid  with  tile,  and  by  means 
of  proper  drainage  and  skillful  tillage  his  farm  has 
become  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  desirable  in  the 
township.  He  wisely  gave  his  first  attention  to  his 
land,  and  afterward  erected  handsome  and  substan- 
tial frame  buildings  which  he  may  be  pardoned  for 
viewing  with  pride  and  satisfaction.  His  live-stock 


and  farm  machinery  will  compare  favorably  with 
that  of  his  neighbors,  and  to  him  the  township  is 
indebted  for  a  pleasing  array  of  grain-fields  and 
pasture  lands  which  favorably  commend  it  to  the 
notice  of  the  traveler  and  historian. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  Feb. 
27,  1825,  his  parents  being  James  and  Ann  (Bur- 
rage)  Exton,  natives  of  the  same  country.  His 
mother  died  when  he  was  a  lad  of  six  years  old, 
and  afterward  the  household  was  presided  over  by 
his  stepmother.  His  brothers  and  sisters  were 
named  respectively,  Elizabeth,  John,  Rebecca,  Will- 
iam, Thomas  and  Mary,  there  being  four  sons  and 
three  daughters  in  the  parental  family.  James  re- 
mained in  England  until  twenty-four  years  of  age, 
but  saw  little  prospect  of  advancement  either  so- 
cially or  financially.  Many  of  his  countrymen  were 
crossing  the  Atlantic  and  sent  home  cheerful  re- 
ports of  their  improved  condition  in  the  New  World, 
and  he  resolved  to  follow  their  example.  Bidding 
adieu  to  old  friends  and  associations,  he  boarded  a 
sailing-vessel  at  Liverpool,  and  in  a  few  hours  the 
shores  of  his  native  England  had  disappeared  from 
sight. 

After  a  tedious  voyage  of  sixty  days  our  subject 
landed  at  Baltimore,  whence  he  proceeded  directly 
I  to  the  State'of  Delaware,  where  he  secured  employ- 
ment, and  remained  a  resident  there  for  twelve 
years.  Some  of  this  time  he  was  employed  as  a 
laborer  at  seventy-five  cents  per  day.  He  gave  the 
East  a  fair  trial,  and  then  resolved  to  seek  his  fort- 
une in  the  West.  As  we  have  seen,  his  condition 
began  to  mend  soon  after  he  came  into  the  Prairie 
State,  which  has  rewarded  so  many  pioneers  with 
generous  homes  and  a  competency  in  return  for  their 
honest  toil. 

Mr.  Exton  celebrated  the  Christmas  Day  follow- 
ing his  arrival  in  this  country,  by  his  marriage  with 
M1ss  Eliza,  daughter  of  James  and  Martha  (Titsey) 
Burton,  which  toqk  place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents  in  New  Castle,  Del.  Mrs.  E.  was  born 
in  Liverpool,  England,  in  1833,  and  was  the  eldest 
of  eight  children  born  to  the  parents;  the  others 
living  are  George,  Mary  A.  and  Eliza.  The  offspring 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Exton  were  thirteen  in  number, 
most  of  them  born  in  Delaware.  Those  livin  are : 


I 


f. 


510 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


James  B.,  who  married  Miss  Enslcy,  and  is  living 
in  Ogden  Township;  John  R..  who  married  Miss 
Clumibley;  George  W.,  who  married  Miss  Gault: 
Thomas  J.,  William  T.,  Mary  A.,  Ellen,  Minnie 
and  Lucy  A.  The  younger  members  of  the  family 
are  at  home  with  their  parents.  They  have  been 
fairly  educated  and  are  favorites  among  their  neigh- 
bors and  society  in  general. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Exton  are  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  and  all  the  family,  both  old 
and  young,  take  an  active  interest  in  the  Sabbath- 
school,  officiating  as  teachers,  and  working  for  the 
success  of  the  cause.  After  becoming  a  naturalized 
citizen,  Mr.  Exton,  by  all  fair  means  labored  to 
swell  the  Republican  majorities  at  the  elections,  and 
in  other  respects  gave  his  support  to  the  principles 
of  the  party  which  more  nearly  represented  his 
views  upon  social"  and  political  questions.  As  a 
man  of  intelligence  and  one  whose  opinions  are 
generally  respected,  he  has  had  no  small  influence 
in  shaping  the  politics  of  the  voters  in  his  locality, 
and  has  always  gathered  in  a  recruit  whenever  it 
was  possible  fur  him  to  do  so. 


J^~  OHN  L.  PETERSON,  a  resident  of  Ken- 
Township,  is  the  son  of  Cornelius  and  Sa- 
linda  (Lane)  Peterson,  and  was  bom  May 
18,  1828,  in  Deer  Creek  Prairie,  Tippecanoe 
Co.,  Ind.  He  was  the  third  in  order  of  a  family 
of  eleven  children.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Maine,  and  his  mother  of  Pennsylvania.  His  pa- 
ternal grandparents,  Abraham  and  Susanna  Peter- 
son, were  of  Swedish  descent,  and  were  both  na- 
tives of  Maine.  His  maternal  grandparents,  Allen 
and  Hannah  Lane,  were  of  German  and  Irish  ex- 
traction, and  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
father  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Ohio,  and 
resided  in  Athens  County.  Thence  he  moved  to 
Indiana,  where  his  son  John,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born.  He  afterward  returned  to  Ohio, 
remained  there  a  short  time,  and  then,  in  1 8.">!», 
came  to  Illinois,  and  located  eleven  miles  north- 


west of  Danville.  He  invested  in  eighty  acres  of 
wild  land,  which  he  cultivated  and  improved  for 
"twenty  years,  when,  a  good  opportunity  offering, 
he  sold  out  and  moved  a  short  distance  northwest 
in  the  same  county,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen,  John  L.  Peterson  left 
his  father's  home  to  seek  his  own  fortune,  and  first 
engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land,  which  he  con- 
tinued until  twenty-five  3'ears  of  age.  Having  ac- 
quired some  property  he  then  invested  in  a  small 
farm,  and  July  20.  1854,  married  Miss  Martha  S. 
Pliipps,  the  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Patsy  (l)odson) 
Phipps.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Virginia,  but 
were  reared  in  Kentucky. 

After  marriage.  Mr.  Peterson  and  his  wife  first 
settled  on  eighty  acres  of  land,  which  he  bought  in 
Rossville  Township,  Vermilion  County.  After  re- 
maining there  two  years  he  sold  out  and  removed 
to  Dent  County,  Mo.,  where  he  had  purchased  120 
acres  of  land.  Not  being  satisfied  with  this  invest- 
ment, he  moved  about  seventy-five  miles  north- 
west, and  bought  eighty  acres  in  Dallas  County, 
upon  which  he  remained  one  year,  or  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War.  So  much  strife 
and  bloodshed  and  border  warfare  existed  there  at 
that  time,  that  he  returned  to  Illinois  to  escape 
danger.  After  remaining  in  Vermilion  County  a 
short  time,  he  came  to  Champaign,  where  he 
bought  a  small  farm  in  Kerr  Township,  and  has 
since  bought  fort}'  acres  more  in  Compromise 
Township,  directly  opposite  his  residence.  Since 
then  he  has  bought  120  acres  more  adjoining,  and 
has  200  acres  in  his  home  farm,  where  he  carries 
on  stock-raising. 

Mr.  Peterson  and  his  wife  have  had  a  family  of 
seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — Cornelius 
A.,  Aaron  B.,  John  H.  and  Martha  Emeline.  Eliz- 
abeth E.,  Mary  Jane  and  William,  are  deceased. 
Cornelius  married  Eliza  J.  Albert,  the  daughter  of 
William  A.  and  Albina  (Plowman)  Albert.  The 
others  are  living  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr. 
Peterson  has  been  elected  to  the  offices  of  School 
Trustee  and  Road  Commissioner  for  several  terms. 
His  sympathies  are  with  the  Greenback  party.  He 
was  formerly  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church,  but  although  he  has  token  a  letter  from 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


513 


that  denomination,  he  has  not  yet  identified  him- 
self officially  with  nny  church.  His  wife  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  Church. 


OHN  W.  MEIKLE.  The  late  J.  W.  Meikle, 
whose  death  occurred  in  Pesotum  Township, 
Sept.  29,  1884,  was  a  native  of  Limefield, 
Scotland,  where  he  was  born  Sept.  21,  1831. 
He  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1 856,  and  proceed- 
ing westward  to  Chicago  was  employed  for  some 
time  as  a  clerk  in  a  store.  He  became  a  resident  of 
this  county  in  1857,  and  purchased  160  acres  of 
land  in  Crittenden  Township,  and  bought  the  same 
amount  on  section  1 5,  in  Pesotum.  To  the  latter  he 
removed  his  family  and  established  a  general  coun- 
try store,  which  he  conducted  for  over  twenty-five 
years,  being  one  of  the  earliest  merchants  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  county.  His  store  will  be  remembered  by 
the  early  pioneers  as  long  as  they  are  permitted  to 
think  of  the  days  passed  here  amid  the  trials  and 
viscissitudes  necessary  to  the  opening  up  of  a  new 
country.  It  was  a  great  convenience  to  have  a 
store  so  conveniently  located  and  conducted  by  a 
man  in  whom  they  reposed  the  greatest  respect. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  Meikle  took  place  on  the 
23d  of  October,  1866,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Elizabeth  Nelson,  a  native  of  Madison  Coun- 
ty, Ind.  Mrs.  Meikle  is  the  daughter  of  William 
and  Sarah  (Wigner)  Nelson,  natives  of  Ohio.  They 
came  into  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1857,  being 
among  the  first  of  the  pioneers.  Her  father  pur- 
chased a  quarter  section  of  land  in  this  township, 
which  he  improved  and  upon  which  he  liVed  until 
1884.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  purchased  a 
farm  near  Camargo,  where  he  now  resides. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
one  child  only,  Eddie  S.,  now  a  promising  young 
man  of  marked  ability,  who  manages  the  affairs  of 
his  widowed  mother  and  is  her  chief  support  and 
comfort.  Mr.  Meikle  was  a  man  of  known  ability, 
and  soon  after  coming  to  this  township  was  en- 
trusted with  its  various  offices  and  served  as  ColFec- 
tor  and  School  Treasurer  for  several  years,  besides 


being  appointed  Postmaster  at  Pesotum,  which 
position  he  held  for  fifteen  years.  He  resigned  this 
office  in  about  1882,  some  time  before  his  death. 
Politically  he  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  decided  in 
his  opinions  but  never  offensive  in  the  expression 
of  them.  His  departure  from  the  scenes  where  he 
had  labored  so  many  years  and  worthily  filled  the 
various  positions  to  which  he  was  called,  was  a  mat- 
ter of  universal  regret.  Mrs.  Meikle  was  eminently 
fitted  to  be  the  companion  and  helpmeet  of  such  a 
gentleman  as  her  husband  was,  being  a  lady  of  ex- 
cellent judgment  and  noblest  principles.  She  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  1858,  and  has  been  an  earnest  -  worker  in  the 
cause  of  religion  since  that  time.  In  presenting 
the  portrait  of  Mr.  Meikle,  which  we  give  on 
an  adjoining  page,  we  will  gratify  his  many  friends 
by  placing  his  features  so  indelibly  upon  the  pages 
of  the  personal  history  of  the  county  he  did  so 
much  for. 


<jf/  OTHAM  C.  THOMPSON,  whose  portrait  is 
presented  in  this  connection,  was  born  in 
Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  Dec.  25,  1832. 
The  names  of  his  parents  were  Price  and 
Hannah  (Johnston)  Thompson.  His  grandparents 
were  Price  and  Mollie  Thompson.  They  were 
of  Scotch  descent.  Hannah  J.  Thompson  was  the 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Johnston,  and  was  born  in 
America. 

Jotham  C.  Thompson  was  brought  up  on  his 
father's  farm  with  no  higher  advantages  for  edu- 
cation than  those  offered  by  the  common  schools, 
but  a  natural  love  of  study  and  books  led  him  to 
acquire  a  large  fund  of  general  information.  He 
remained  at  home  on  his  father's  farm  until  the  age 
of  twenty-four,  having  had  the  entire  care  of  the 
family  since  his  twentieth  year,  when  his  father 
died.  He  was  the  fourth  in  a  family  of  nine 
children.  Dec.  6,  1857,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
four  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy 
A.  Jones,  the  youngest  child  in  a  family  of  nine. 
The  names  of  her  parents  were  Jonathan  C.  and 
Nancy  (Cochran)  Jones.  Her  father  was  of  Welsh 


f 

(f 


514 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


descent  although  horn  in  Ohio,  and  her  mother, 
who  was  of  Irish  descent,  was  also  a  native  of 
the  Buckej'e  State.  •  Her  father  was  the  son  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Covalt)  Jones,  natives  of  Wales. 
Her  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Ephraiui  Covalt, 
a  native  of  Ireland.  Mrs.  Thompson  on  the  Welsh 
side  is  a  descendant  of  Lord  Griffith,  and  only  three 
generations  removed. 

After  his  marriage  Jotham  C.  Thompson  settled 
in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  with  the  parents  of  his 
wife,  where  he  remained  a  little  more  than  a  year. 
Then,  attracted  by  the  superior  advantages  of  the 
West,  he  moved  to  Illinois  and  located  near  Muncie, 
in  Vermilion  County,  where  he  first  -commenced 
farming  on  rented  land.  A  year  had  scarcely 
passed  before  he  was  stricken  down  with  typhoid 
fever  and  ague,  from  which  he  suffered  so  severely 
that  his  constitution  became  almost  wholly  shat- 
tered. Feeling  that  a  change  was  necessary  for  the 
improvement  of  his  health  he  then  moved  to 
Champaign  County,  where  he  purchased  120  acres 
of"  wild  land  on  section  29,  Harwood  Township. 
There  he  built  himself  a  small  but  comfortable 
house  and  began  to  cultivate  the  land.  At  that  time 
there  were  but  three  families  in  the  neighborhood, 
the  chief  part  of  the  population  consisting  of  deer 
and  wolves.  With  health  still  somewhat  enfeebled, 
he  battled  with  the  primeval  wilderness  until  his 
efforts  were  crowned  with  success,  and  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  the  prairie  grass  give  way  to 
fields  of  golden  grain. 

In  1874,  when  the  narrow-gauge  railroad  was 
built,  he  left  his  family  to  carry  on  the  farm  and 
at  the  same  time  engaged  himself  in  the  grain  busi- 
ness in  Harwood.  He  continued  in  that  business 
during  four  or  five  years,  and  then,  on  the  death  of 
Mrs.  Thompson's  father,  who  had  always  made  his 
home  with  them  on  the  farm,  he  retired  from  the 
grain  business,  and  once  more  resumed  his  work  on 
the  farm.  His  health  was  still  very  precarious, 
some  obscure  liver  trouble  having  resulted  from 
the  illness  by  which  he  had  been  attacked  upon  his 
first  settlement  in  Illinois.  In  1883  it  was  thought 
advisable  for  him  to  travel  for  his  health.  He  first 
went  to  Tennessee,  where  he  remained  only  a  short 
time,  although  he  seemed  apparently  improved  in 
health  while  there.  During  his  trip  he  visited  Nash- 


ville, the  State  Prison,  tiie  adjacent  Forts,  the  farm 
of  Gen.  Harding,  which  is  the  largest  in  the  State,  and 
other  points.  From  there  he  went  to  Murfrcesboro, 
and  there  visited  Vanderbilt  University  and  the 
battle-field  of  Stone  River,  which  is  more  than 
7,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  His  next 
place  of  destination  was  Georgia.  After  remaining 
there  several  days  he  proceeded  down  to  Hunts  ville, 
Ala.,  visiting  Scottsboro,  Sand  Mountain  and  nu- 
merous places  of  interest.  He  next  made  a  short 
run  into  the  State  of  Georgia,  and  thence  to 
Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  where  he  went  to  the  top  of 
Lookout  Mountain  to  view  the  famous  battle-fields. 
He  visited  Cumberland  Mountain,  Dayton,  and  re- 
turned North  by  way  of  Litchville,  Tenn.  He  re- 
mained there  eight  days,  making  various  excursions 
through  the  surrounding  country,  where  he  was  much 
interested  in  witnessing  the  weird  and  picturesque 
method  of  worship  prevailing  among  the  colored 
people.  He  returned  home  by  way  of  Dayton  and 
Cincinnati,  stopping  at  his  birthplace  and  reviewing 
the  scenes  of  his  childhood  by  visiting  all  the  old 
familiar  places  and  friends. 

The  journey  was  most  enjoyable,  and  he  returned 
refreshed  in  body  and  mind,  with  the  intention  of 
spending  the  ensuing  winter  in  the  county.  But 
his  plans  were  in  vain.  He  was  again  stricken 
down  by  the  deadly  disease  and  never  left  his  home 
again  until  he  left  it  for  that  home  above,  not  built 
with  hands.  His  death  occurred  July  4,  1885. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  a  man  of  great  tenderness 
of  heart  and  integrity  of  character,  and  a  most  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  In  his 
Christian  life  he  was  sincere,  earnest,  and  unosten- 
tatious. In  business  affairs  he  was  a  man  of  great 
activity  and  energy,  and,  although  he  never  sought 
political  'preferment  he  had  frequently  held  im- 
portant official  positions  in  the  township.  He  had 
a  family  of  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  now 
living — Lena  May,  Hannah  M.  and  Carrie  A.  lona 
Irene  married  John  Kinnear,  a  merchant,  in  Ran- 
toul,  and  died  on  the  31st  of  May,  1886,  leav- 
ing two  children — Alzora  A.  and  John  T.  Lena  mar- 
ried Michael  Knupp,  formerly  a  mechanic,  but 
now  residing  on  a  farm  in  Cumberland  County,  111.; 
she  has  a  family  of  two  children — Jotham  T.  and 
Myrtle  May.  Hannah  married  David  W.  Philips,  a 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


515 


fanner  residing  in  Pendeld  in  this  county;  they 
have  one  daughter,  Clatie  Ivaloo.  The  youngest 
daughter  resides  with  her  mother.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thompson  adopted  Charles  E.  and  Asa  B.  Thomp- 
son, when  one  was  nearly  three  and  the  other  four 
years  old.  They  still  reside  with  Mrs.  Thompson, 
who  is  a  most  estimable  lady. 


eAPT.  DAVID  J.  FORD,  of  the  firm  of  Ford 
&  Rea,  of  Mahomet,  is,  with  his  partner, 
successfully  engaged  in  merchandising.  He 
is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in  Clarke 
County,  May  15,  1833,  and  the  son  of  James  G.  and 
Elizabeth  P.  (Hannah)  Ford,  the  former  born  in 
New  Jersey  and  the  latter  in  Ohio.  They  located 
in  Clarke  County  soon  after  their  marriage,  whence 
they  removed  to  Union  County,  where  the  mother 
died  in  1853.  The  father  of  our  subject  is  still  liv- 
ing, and  a  resident  of  Champaign  County,  111. 
Their  family  included  nine  children,  of  whom  Capt. 
David  J.  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth. 

Capt.  Ford  spent  his  earlier  years  under  the 
home  roof,  receiving  a  common-school  education 
and  assisting  in  the  labors  on  the  farm.  When 
twenty  years  of  age  he  commenced  cultivating  a 
tract  of  land  for  himself  in  Union  County,  his  na- 
tive State,  where  he  continued  to  live  until  1858. 
He  then  started  for  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  and 
coming  into  this  county  rented  a  farm  in  Newcomb 
Township  for  one  year.  In  the  spring  of  1860  he 
purchased  a  farm  in  Sangamon  Township,  Piatt 
County,  upon  which  he  operated  until  the  outbreak 
of  the  late  war.  On  the  13th  of  August,  1862,  he 
enlisted  in  the  107th  Illinois  Infantry,  in  which 
he  served  one  and  one-half  years,  and  was  then 
compelled  to  resign  on  account  of  ill-health.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  been  honored  with  a  Captain's 
commission,  in  which  capacity  he  secured  not  only 
the  favor  of  his  superiors  but  the  affection  of  his 
subordinates. 

Upon  his  retirement  from  army  life,  Capt.  Ford 
returned  to  Piatt  County,  took  possession  of  his 
land  and  cultivated  it  until  1866,  in  which  year  he 
became  a  resilient  of  Mahomet  Township,  this 


county.  Two  3'ears  later  he  removed  to  the  village, 
having  formed  a  partnership  witli  Mr.  C.  M.  Closs, 
and  they  operated  together  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness for  three  years  following,  after  which  Capt. 
Ford  conducted  the  business  alone  until  the  spring 
of  1877.  He  then  removed  to  Mansfield,  Piatt 
Co.,  111.,  where  he  operated  as  a  merchant  four 
years,  and  whence  he  removed  to  Mahomet.  In 
the  fall  of  1883  he  became  associated  with  his 
present  partner,  and  they  have  conducted  business 
together  successfully  since  that  time. 

Capt.  Ford  was  married  in  Union  County,  Ohio, 
Jan.  20,  1853,  to  Miss  Anna  Lane,  a  native  of 
Clarke  County,  Ohio,  and  born  Sept.  6,  1834.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Anna  (Webb)  Lane, 
both  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Ford 
became  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom  only 
two  survive — Stella  G.  and  Irene  Lincoln.  Those 
deceased  are  James  W.,  Elizabeth,  Rebecca,  Hugh 
V.,  Wallace  C.  and  Maude.  James  W.  married 
Miss  Ella  Stymote,  and  was  a  resident  of  Marys- 
ville,  Ohio,  although  his  death  took  place  in  Da- 
kota, in  October,  1882. 

Capt.  Ford  has  been  prominent  in  local  affairs 
since  coming  to  this  vicinity;  he  served  as  Com- 
missioner of  Highways  nine  years,  was  a  member  of 
the  Village  Board  and  School  Trustee  for  twelve 
years,  and  has  uniformly  been  a  leader  among  the 
counsels  of  his  townsmen.  Socially  he  is  a  member 
of  Mahomet  Lodge  No.  220,  F.  <fe  A.  M.,  and 
Champstign  Chapter  No.  50.  He  also  belongs  to 
Eph.  Scott  Post  No.  464,  G.  A.  R.  Religiously  he 
is  connected  with  the  Methodist  Church,  and  politi- 
cally, is  a  reliable  Republican. 


/^=^  M.  SWISHER,  of  Stanton  Township,  was 
III  (=  born  June  1,  1855,  in  Virginia,  and  is  the 
^^51  son  of  E.  W.  Swisher,  who  has  been  a  prom- 
inent man  of  Stanton  Township  since  coming  here 
in  the  fall  of  1864.  The  latter  has  held  the  office 
of  Justice  of  the  Peace  since  1866,  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
has  otherwise  identified  himself  with  the  interests 
of  the  community.  He  occupies  a  good  farm  of 
160  acres  on  section  35,  which  he  has  cultivated 


>  516 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


successfully  for  the  last  twenty  years,  building  up 
a  good  homestead  with  excellent  farm  buildings, 
and  everything  required  for  the  creditable  prose- 
cution of  agriculture. 

E.  W.  Swisher  is  a  native  of  Monongalia  County, 
Va.,  and  was  born  March  8,  1 834.  He  passed  his 
early  days  with  his  parents  on  the  farm  in  his  na- 
tive county,  in  the  meantime  receiving  a  common- 
school  education.  Just  before  reaching  his  major- 
ity, he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Graham,  the 
wedding  taking  place  Oct.  15,  1854.  His  wife  was 
the  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  Graham ; 
the  father  was  born  March  3,  1800,  and  died  Aug. 
18,  1853.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and 
spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native  county.  The  par- 
ents of  our  subject  after  their  marriage  remained 
in  Virginia  until  1861,  removing  thence  to  Henry 
County,  Ind.,  and  from  there,  in  1864,  to  this 
county.  Here  the  father  first  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Stanton  Township,  which  amount 
he  afterward  doubled,  and  which  now  constitutes 
the  home  of  our  subject,  which  he  purchased  of 
his  father  in  1883.  Mr.  Swisher  was  a  prominent 
man  in  the  county  after  coming  here,  serving  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  a  period  of  over  twenty 
years,  and  occupying  other  prominent  positions. 
He  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at 
an  early  age,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.  Politically  he  affiliates  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  After  the  labors  of  a  long  and  busy 
life,  he  is  now  practically  retired,  and  makes  his 
home  with  his  son,  our  subject. 

The  parental  family  included  three  children,  two 
of  whom  are  living:  G.  M.  of  our  sketch  was  the 
eldest;  Oliver  R.  was  born  in  1857,  and  died  Dec. 
27,  1865;  Juliet  V.  was  born  Jan.  16,  1862;  she 
became  the  wife  of  Thomas  S.  Nichols,  of  Sullivan, 
111.,  who  departed  this  life  in  the  fall  of  1885. 
The  mother  of  these  children,  formerly  Miss  Mary 
J.  Graham,  was  born  in  Marion  County,  Va.,  Jan. 
5,  1828.  In  the  fall  of  1882  she  was  stricken  with 
paralysis,  from  which  she  never  recovered,  although 
it  did  not  prove  fatal  at  that  time.  On  the  even- 
ing of  May  12,  1885,  she  had  a  second  stroke. 
and  expired  in  a  few  minutes.  She  was  a  devout 
Christian  lady,  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  with  which  she  became  con- 


nected when  thirteen  years  of  age.  Her  remains 
were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Friends'  burying-ground  in 
the  southeastern  part  of  Stanton  Township. 

The  maternal  great-grand  pa  rents  of  our  subject, 
Enoch  and  Mary  Thomas,  were  born  respectively 
Aug.  4,  1774,  and  June  22,  1760.  Their  family  of 
eleven  children  included  five  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters. They  were  born,  reared  and  died  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  The  great-great-grandfather  of  our 
subject  on  his  father's  side  was  David  Graham,  who 
was  born  Sept.  15,  1-774,  and  was  the  son  of  John 
Graham,  born  Dec.  28,  1751.  The  father  of  the 
latter,  David  Graham,  was  the  son  of  William  Gra- 
ham, born  in  1713,  in  Ireland,  where  he  spent  his 
entire  life. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  passed  his  early  days 
with  his  parents,  assisting  in  the  labors  of  the 
farm  as  soon  as  old  enough,  and  attending  the 
common  schools,  and  made  good  progress  in  his 
studies.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Collector  in  his 
township,  and  is  one  of  those  upon  whom  the  man- 
tle of  the  pioneer  has  fallen,  and  who  will  do  honor 
to  his  early  training  and  the  example  of  his  father 
before  him.  His  farm  is  well  stocked  with  good 
grades  of  cattle,  and  his  stables  contain  some  good 
horses.  Since  exercising  the  right  of  suffrage,  he 
has  voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  About  the  time 
of  taking  possession  of  the  homestead  as  his  own, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ida  F.  Swisher, 
of  Schuyler  County,  111.  The  little  household  con- 
tains two  bright  children  —  Iva  Belle  and  Freddie 
Cleveland. 


ENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  YATES  located  in 
Rantoul  Township  twenty  years  ago,  and  is 
a  fine  illustration  of  the  self-made  man  who 
has  accumulated  a  competency  by  the  exer- 
cise of  his  own  enterprise,  and  secured  an  enviable 
position  among  his  fellow-citizens  by  his  personal 
worth.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  on  section 
8,  including  240  acres,  with  a  convenient  and  sub- 
stantial residence  standing  in  the  midst  of  hand- 
some shade,  with  a  background  of  choice  fruit 
trees.  He  has  been  in  all  respects  a  liberal-minded 
citizen,  contributing  cheerfully  to  every  enterprise 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


517   ,  , 


calculated  for  the  advancement  of  morality  and 
education,  assisting  in  the  building  of  school-houses 
and  church  edifices,  and  encouraging  every  enter- 
prise set  on  foot  for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow-citi- 
zens and  his  community. 

Mr.  Yates  was  born  in  Newport,  Campbell  Co., 
Ky.,  March  18,  1841.  His  father,  Elijah  Yates,  of 
Virginia,  was  formerly  a  slave-holder.  The  early 
education  of  the  latter  had  been  quite  limited,  and 
after  reaching  manhood  he  entered  upon  a  course 
of  study  and  fitted  himself  for  a  teacher.  Three 
or  four  years  after  his  marriage  he  started  for  the 
West  in  company  with  several  others.  Some  of  the 
party  settled  in  Ohio,  but  Mr.  Yates  crossed  the 
river  and  located  in  Newport,  Ky.,  where  he  was 
employed  by  a  large  land-holder  to  look  after  his 
estate.  Several  years  later  he  purchased  a  timber 
tract  in  Kenton  County,  eight  miles  from  Newport, 
and  while  superintending  the  improvement  of  his 
land  still  followed  the  profession  of  a  teacher.  In 
due  time  he  was  elected  County  Surveyor,  serving 
a  period  of  eight  years  in  this  capacity  and  after- 
ward was  employed  by  private  parties  in  surveying. 
In  18G2  he  removed  to  Covington,  which  remained 
his  home  until  his  decease  in  1881.  After  reaching 
his  majority  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  D.  Yates, 
also  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  who  departed  this 
life  in  Covington  ten  years  before  the  death  of  her 
husband. 

Our  subject  was  five  years  old  when  his  parents 
became  residents  of  Kenton  County,  Ky.  He  at- 
tended school  during  his  boyhood  and  youth,  and 
when  large  enough  assisted  in  the  duties  on  the 
farm.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  commenced 
teaching,  and  was  thus  employed  the  greater  part 
of  his  time  for  seven  years  following.  He  thus 
earned  money  enough  to  make  his  first  purchase  of 
land,  and  selected  Champaign  County,  111.,  for  his 
location.  He  bought  120  acres  of  raw  prairie  in 
Rantoul  Township,  which  is  now  included  in  his 
present  farm.  It  has  taken  the  labor  of  years,  with 
economy  and  wise  judgment,  to  bring  the  land  to 
its  present  condition,  enclosed  as  it  is  with  neat  and 
substantial  fences,  and  producing  generously  the 
richest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State. 

Mr.  Yates,  after  having  his  plans  perfected  for 
the  establishment  of  a  comfortable  home,  found 


that  a  wife  and  companion  was  indispensable,  and 
having  already  become  greatly  attracted  by  the 
womanly  and  lovable  qualities  of  Mrs.  Jane  (Fletch- 
er) Beal,  of  this  township,  invited  her  to  share  his 
home  and  fortunes.  They  were  united  in  marriage 
on  the  22d  of  October,  1879,  and  commenced  house- 
keeping in  a  small  frame  dwelling  on  the  new  farm. 
Mrs.  Yates  was  born  in  Normanby,  Yorkshire,  En- 
gland, Jan.  8,  1842,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Nancy  (Taylor)  Fletcher.  (See  sketch  of  Will- 
iam Fletcher.)  Her  father  was  also  a  native  of 
Yorkshire,  where  he  was  reared,  married,  and  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade,  in  which  he  engaged  and  also 
followed  farming  until  1 855.  In  the  spring  of  that 
year  he  emigrated  with  his  family  to  the  United 
States,  and  entered  a  tract  of  Government  land  in 
Mason  County,  111.  He  was  occupied  in  the  im- 
provement and  cultivation  of  this  until  1873,  then 
came  to  this  county  and  located  in  Rantoul  Town- 
ship, where  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  The 
mother,  also  a  native  of  Normanby,  is  still  living, 
making  her  home  with  her  son  in  Rantoul  Town- 
ship, and  having  reached  the  age  of  fourscore  years 
and  four. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  remained  with  her  par- 
ents until  her  first  marriage,  March  25,  18C6,  to 
Henry  Beal.  Mr.  B.  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  son  of  Edmund  and  Lydia  (Featherman) 
Beal,  natives  respectively  of  England  and  Pennsyl- 
vania. His  father  followed  teaching  and  farming 
alternately.  When  Henry  was  about  ten  years  old 
the  family  removed  to  Illinois,  and  located  in  Ma- 
son County,  where  he  lived  until  the  outbreak  of 
the  war.  He  then  enlisted  in  Co.  K,  85th  111.  Vol. 
Inf.,  and  served  until  the  preservation  of  the  Union 
had  become  an  established  fact.  He  participated 
in  many  of  the  important  battles,  and  marched  with 
his  regiment  under  the  command  of  General  Sher- 
man from  Chattanooga  to  the  sea.  At  the  end  of 
this  campaign  the  regiment  went  up  through  the 
Carolinas  to  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  participated  in 
the  grand  review,  after  which  the  soldiers  were 
mustered  out  and  returned  to  their  homes.  Mr. 
Beal  then  purchased  the  old  homestead  in  Mason 
County,  which  he  sold  in  1872,  and  coming  to  this 
county  bought  a  tract  of  wild  land  in  Rantoul 
Township,  where  he  improved  a  good  farm,  upon 


-I 


518 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


which  his  death  occurred  April  13,  1874.  Of  this 
marriage  there  were  born  three  children — Edmund, 
Willie  and  Jessie. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yates  have  one  child,  a  son,  Frank. 
The  wife  of  our  subject  is  a  lady  greatly  respected 
in  the  community,  and  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Yates  cast  his 
first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1864, 
and  the  second  for  Grant.  Since  that  time  he  has 
voted  independently,  aiming  to  support  the  men 
whom  he  believes  best  qualified  for  the  responsibili- 
ties of  office. 


'  BRAM  B.  TITUS  has  been  a  resident  of 
the  Prairie  State  since  1 850.  He  is  now 
located  on  section  21,  in  Rantoul  Town- 
ship, being  the  proprietor  of  a  good  farm 
comprising  160  acres  and  equipped  with  modern 
buildings.  He  is  a  native  of  New  York  State,  born 
in  Camillas,  Onondaga  County,  Nov.  8,  1828. 
His  father,  Leonard  Titus,  was  a  native  of  Dutchess 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  his  paternal  grandfather  lo- 
cated early  in  life,  reared  his  family  and  died. 

Leonard  Titus  in  his  youth  learned  the  trade  of 
a  blacksmith,  and  after  leaving  Dutchess  located  in 
Onondaga  County,  where  he  followed  his  trade 
until  1834.  Thence  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Gallia  County,  Ohio,  the  journey  being  made  by 
canal  to  Buffalo,  thence  by  the  Lakes  to  Toledo, 
from  there  down  the  Muskingum  River  to  Marietta, 
and  thence  by  the  Ohio  to  a  point  near  Gallipolis. 
There  he  purchased  a  tract  of  partly  improved 
land,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  blacksmithing.  He  rested 
from  his  earthly  labors  in  1848.  The  mother  of  our 
subject,  who  in  her  maidenhood  was  Miss  Maria 
Becker,  was  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State. 
She  removed  with  her  husband  to  Ohio  and  is  now 
living  in  Gallia  County,  having  arrived  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-two  years.  The  parental 
household  included  five  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject was  the  eldest. 

Mr.  Titus,  of  our  sketch,  was  in  the  sixth  year 
of  his  age  when  his  parents  removed  from  his  na- 


f 


tive  State  to  Ohio.  There  he  grew  to  manhood, 
attending  the  common  schools  and  assisting  his 
father  in  the  work  on  the  farm.  He  remained  on 
the  homestead  until  after  the  death  of  the  latter, 
and  two  years  later  came  to  Illinois,  engaging  for 
the  first  three  years  as  a  farm  laborer.  He  had 
lived  economically,  saving  what  he  could  of  his 
earnings,  and  in  1853  rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Rich- 
land  County  which,  however,  he  only  operated 
upon  one  year.  He  then  purchased  thirty  acres  in 
that  county  in  the  midst  of  a  timber  tract,  and  hav- 
ing already  selected  a  companion  to  share  his  for- 
tunes, put  up  a  log  cabin,  where  they  commenced 
housekeeping  in  true  primitive  style.  Ma-.  Titus 
cleared  fifteen  acres  and  occupied  this  property  with 
his  family  until  1863.  In  the  meantime  there  had 
been  added  to  the  household  seven  children,  and 
Mr.  Titus  felt  the  necessity  of  making  some  change 
which  would  bring  about  a  better  condition  finan- 
cially, and  secure  an  additional  income  to  meet  the 
necessities  of  the  growing  family.  He  accordingly 
disposed  of  the  embryo  farm  in  Richland  County, 
and  resolved  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  better  de- 
veloped and  more  thickly  populated  district  within 
the  boundaries  of  Champaign  County.  He  selected 
forty  acres  on  section  9,  in  Somer  Township,  which, 
however,  he  sold. after  a  period  of  six  years.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  time  he  purchased  the  land 
upon  which  he  now  resides. 

Soon  after  coming  to  this  section  Mr.  Titus  be- 
gan to  realize  the  just  reward  of  his  labors,  and 
found  himself  on  a  firm  footing.  He  now  has  a 
good  home,  a  sensible  and  worthy  wife,  and  a  fine 
family  of  children."  These,  seven  in  number,  are 
Leonard,  Helen,  Edgar,  Rosecrans,  Charles,  Martha 
and  Jesse.  The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he 
was  married  in  Richland  County,  April  7,  1853, 
was  Miss  Elizabeth,  the  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Cyn- 
thia (Moorehouse)  Chancy.  Mrs.  T.  was  born  in 
Richland  County,  this  State,  in  1830.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Tennessee  and  New  York  respect- 
ively, and  removed  to  Illinois  soon  after  their  mar- 
riage, locating  in  Richland  County  during  its  early 
settlement.  The  father  is  deceased;  the  mother 
still  survives,  and  lives  in  Richlaud  County. 

Mr.  Titus  has  been  the  subject  perhaps  of  no 
very  thrilling  experiences  but  has  simply  lived  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


519 


life  of  a  goud  citizen,  and  performed  with  fidelity 
the  duties  devolving  upon  him  as  a  worth}7  member 
of  society  and  the  father  of  a  family.  In  politics 
he  is  independent. 


J -"JOSEPH  DECKER.  The  gentleman  whose 
I  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch  has 
i  seen  much  of  life  in  a  new  country,  having 
'  during  his  young  days  roamed  over  the 
States  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa,  Nebraska  and 
Kansas,  while  they  were  untenauted  save  by  wild 
animals  and  Indians.  In  the  country  across  the 
Mississippi  he  has  seen  herds  of  deer  and  buffalo  in 
their  native  haunts,  before  the  firearms  of  the  hun- 
ter had  caused  them  to  fear  what  seemed  to  be  their 
natural  enemy,  man.  He  also  remembers  sleeping 
on  the  ground  at  night,  covered  with  leaves,  when 
wolves  and  other  wild  beasts  were  prowling  near. 
Fear  was  a  thing  almost  unknown  among  the  brave 
spirits  of  the  pioneer  days,  and  amid  those  wild 
scenes  our  subject  received  his  first  lessons  in  self- 
dependence  and  imbibed  that  sturdy  courage  which 
has  served  him  well  during  the  difficulties  he  has 
encountered  in  his  struggle  with  the  world. 

Mr.  Decker  was  born  in  Clay  County,  Ind., 
April  29,  1843.  His  father,  Abner  Decker,  of  Ten- 
nessee, emigrated  to  Illinois  when  a  young  man, 
and  located  in  Woodford  County  during  its  early 
settlement  and  while  the  Indians  still  lingered 
there.  He  soon  afterward  went  down  into  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  was  married,  then  returned  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  bride,  and  after  a  short  time  spent  in 
Woodford  County,  removed  to  Indiana.  He  was 
of  a  restless  disposition,  fond  of  change,  and  de- 
lighted to  wander  over  long  and  uninhabited 
stretches  of  country,  hunting  and  fishing,  and  wher- 
ever he  went  always  carried  with  him  his  cooking 
utensils,  so  that  he  could  camp  out  wherever  night 
overtook  him.  After  sojourning  a  time  in  Indiana 
with  his  young  wife,  they  returned  to  Woodford 
County,  111.,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land, 
and  commenced  its  improvement. 

In  1852  Mr.  Decker  crossed  the  Mississippi  into 
Webster  County,  Iowa,  being  probably  one  of  the 
first  white  men  to  venture  into  that  wild  region, 


when  it  was  inhabited  solely  by  the  Indians,  wolves, 
buffalo  and  deer.  The  elder  Decker  remained  there 
for  a  period  of  nine  years,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Illinois,  whence  in  about  1868  he  removed  to 
Missouri,  and  lived  in  different  parts  of  that  State 
for  a  few  years  following.  From  there  he  went 
into  Nebraska,  remaining  there  a  few  years.  These 
various  removals  were  made  overland  with  teams, 
usually  accompanied  with  his  family,  ancj  often- 
times they  traveled  days  and  nights  without  seeing 
the  face  of  a  white  man  and  camped  in  the  wilder- 
ness, which  echoed  with  the  howling  of  wolves,  the 
screaming  of  owls  and  other  sounds,  which  to 
denizens  of  the  cities  of  to-day  would  be  appalling. 
The  last  stopping-place  of  Abner  Decker  was  in 
Missouri,  where  he  yet  lives. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  before  her  marriage, 
was  Miss  Betsy  Hickman,  who  was  born  in  Ken- 
tuckv.  Of  her  marriage  with  Abner  Decker  there 
were  born  seven  children.  Our  subject  was  nine 
years  old  when  the  family  went  into  Iowa,  which 
was  then  a  State  of  six  years  old.  Nine  years  later 
they  returned  to  Illinois.  Joseph  was  then  eighteen 
years  of  age,  and  contracted  to  purchase  his  time 
of  his  father,  working  out  by  the  month  to  earn  the 
money  for  this  purpose.  In  due  time  he  had  the 
desired  sum,  $159,  which  he  paid  over  to  his  par- 
ent. After  this  he  saved  his  earnings  until  he 
had  the  snug  sum  of  $500,  which  he  loaned  and  lost. 

Amid  these  discouragements,  however,  our  sub- 
ject still  preserved  the  courageous  and  energetic  dis- 
position that  had  been  born  within  him,  and  worked 
steadily  on,  doing  the  best  he  could  to  recover  his 
loss.  He  also  determined  to  see  the  country  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  visited  parts  of  Missouri, 
Kansas,  Nebraska  and  Iowa,  returning  to  Wood- 
ford  County,  111.,  in  1867.  Two  years  later  he 
came  to  East  Bend  Township,  and  having  again 
saved  some  money,  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
for  $7.25  per  acre,  which  is  included  in  his  present 
homestead.  During  the  same  year  he  purchased 
forty  acres  adjoining,  on  time,  and  prepared  to 
permanently  locate.  He  still  worked  by  the  month 
for  three  years  following,  in  the  meantime  leasing 
his  land,  and  in  this  manner  paid  for  the  balance. 

Mr.  Decker  was  married  rather  late  in  life,  Dec. 
18, 1880,  to  Miss  Jennie  Osborn,  a  native  of  Fouu- 


I 


520 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tain  County,  Ind.,  whose  birth  took  place  Aui>.  2, 
1849.  Her  father,  Richard  Osborn,  was  also  born 
in  Fountain  County,  to  which  his  parents  had 
moved  from  Kentucky,  in  the  pioneer  days.  Mr. 
Osbovn,  in  1853,  became  a  resident  of  Vermilion 
County,  111.,  where  his  death  took  place  three  3'ears 
later.  The  mother  then  returned  to  Indiana,  and 
died  Feb.  20,  1876.  Mrs.  Decker  came  to  Illinois 
in  1877,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  the  State  since 
that  time.  She  was  first  married  in  Indiana,  in 
1876,  to  Henry  Howard,  by  whom  she  became  the 
mother  of  one  child,  Henry  C.  Of  her  union  with 
Mr.  Decker  there  are  three  children — Herschel  A., 
Ethel  and  Mertlc.  A  lithographic  view  of  Mr. 
Decker's  residence  is  presented  on  another  page. 


OLOMON  PLAUT,  President  of  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Homer,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  locality  for  twenty  years,  and 
during  that  time  has  fully  established  him- 
self in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  people.  He 
traces  his  ancestry  back  a  hundred  years  or  more, 
and  finds  the  record  to  have  been  eminently  worthy 
and  of  importance  in  social  and  financial  circles. 
He  is  descended  from  an  old  Prussian  family,  and 
was  himself  born  in  the  Province  of  Hesse-Cassel, 
in  that  Kingdom,  on  the  28th  of  March,  1838.  He 
is  the  son  of  Anselm  and  Carrie  (Haas)  Plaut,  na- 
tives of  the  same  Province,  where  they  spent  their 
entire  lives,  and  where  the  father  died  in  1873, 
when  about  eighty-two  years  of  age,  having  been 
born  in  1791.  The  wife  and  mother  lived  to  be 
sixty -five  years  old,  her  death  occurring  in  1865. 
The  children  of  the  household,  eight  in  number, 
were  Simon,  Adeline,  Emannel,  Amelia,  Jeanette, 
'  Betty,  Moses  and  Solomon. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  placed  in  school 
at  an  early  age,  where  he  obtained  a  good  educa- 
tion in  his  native  language,  and  when  sixteen  years 
old,  in  laying  his  plans  for  the  future,  decided  to 
emigrate  to  the  New  World.  He  started  on  the 
voyage  across  the  Atlantic  alone,  and  six  weeks 
later  landed  in  New  York  City,  the  trip  being  made 
on  a  sailing-vessel.  Two  sisters  had  already  pre- 
ceded him  to  this  country,  and  located  at  Ft. 


Wayne,  Ind.  He  joined  them  soon  afterward,  and 
employed  himself  at  whatever  he  could  find  to  do 
for  the  five  years  following,  in  the  meantime  hav- 
ing saved  of  his  modest  earnings  whatever  he 
could.  With  a  cash  capital  of  about  $500  he  then 
proceeded  to  Oxford,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  a 
stock  of  general  merchandise,  and  remained  in 
trade  two  and  one-half  years.  Thence  he  removed 
to  Milford,  111.,  and  carried  on  the  same  business 
for  three  and  one-half  years,  when  he  sold  out  and 
made  his  first  trip  to  this  county,  establishing  him- 
self in  the  business  which  had  formerly  engaged  his 
attention,  and  being  thus  occupied  eight  and  one- 
half  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  built  up  a 
good  trade,  and  by  his  straight  business  methods 
numbered  among  his  patrons  the  best  people  of  this 
vicinity.  From  the  proceeds  of  his  well-conducted 
business,  and  the  co-operation  of  other  responsible 
parties,  he  established  a  private  bank,  in  1875, 
which  eight  years  later  was  incorporated  as  a  Na- 
tional Bank.  Of  this  our  subject  is  President,  and 
there  are  four  Directors. 

After  Mr.  Plant  had  formed  the  basis  of  a  future 
home  and  competency,  and  felt  that  he  could  provide 
suitably  for  the  needs  of  a  family,  he  selected  for 
the  sharer  of  his  life  and  fortunes  Miss  Sarah  Solo- 
mon, with  whom  he  was  united  in  marriage  on  tho 
18th  of  May,  1862.  Mrs.  Plaut  is  a  native  of 
Montreal,  Canada,  born  Jan.  10,  1842,  and  the 
daughter  of  Philip  and  Betty  (Brown)  Solomon, 
the  former  a  native  of  Germany,  and  the  latter  of 
what  is  now  the  Province  of  Alsace-Lorraine.  Her 
father  was  born  in  1798.  After  emigrating  to  this 
country  he  located  at  Lafayette,  Ind.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  trade,  and  departed  this  life 
in  1865.  The  wife  and  mother,  born  in  1817,  is 
still  living  in  Indiana.  The  children  of  the  house- 
hold were:  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Plaut;  Samuel, 
who  married  Miss  Clara  Slossman,  of  Remington, 
Ind.;  Barbara,  who  died  in  Colorado.  Feb.  3,  1886, 
and  Moses,  who  married  Miss  Jessie  Shaw,  of  Rem- 
ington,.Ind.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Plant 
are  Michael,  Carrie,  Adolph,  Samuel,  Mamie,  Ade- 
line, Emma  and  Esther.  The  latter  died  when 
nearly  four  years  old,  Nov.  7,  1884. 

After  being  invested  with  the  rights  of  an  Amer- 
ican citizen,  Mr.  Plaut  identified  himself  with  the 


RESIOENCEOF  W?  H.  WILLIAMS^  SEC.IG  .STANTON    TOWNSHIP 


RESIDENCE  OF  I.  W.  HUMRICHHOUSE,  SEC. 29., HOMER  TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE OFTHOS.W. GIDDINGS.SEC.  10.,  LUDUOW  TOWNSHIP. 


LIBRARY 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


523 


Republican  party,  the  principles  of  which  he  has 
always  heartily  supported.  In  religious  matters  he 
adheres  to  the  faith  of  his  forefathers.  Socially  he 
belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  member 
of  Milford  Lodge  No.  IG'J.  and  having  occupied 
all  of  the  Chairs  therein  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Chapter  and  Council  of  the  same  order.  He 
identified  himself  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  now  a 
member  of  Oxford  Lodge,  in  Indiana. 

In  addition  to  his  real-estate  interests  in  Homer 
Village,  Mr.  Plant  is  proprietor  of  400  acres  of  line 
farming  land;  including  1(!0  acres  in  Vermillion 
County,  Ind.,  and  two  farms  in  Champaign  Coun- 
ty, this  State.  He  also  has  city  property  in  Dan- 
ville, 111.  His  fine  residence  in  Homer  forms  one 
of  the  attractions  of  the  village,  and  is  finished  and 
furnished  in  accordance  with  the  cultivated  tastes 
and  abundant  means  of  its  proprietor.  He  has 
proved  himself  no  unimportant  factor  in  assisting 
to  build  up  the  town,  his  own  industry  and  enter- 
prise furnishing  an  example  which  others  have  fol- 
lowed with  good  results.  He  occupies  a  place 
among  its  leading  men,  to  whose  energy  and  ability 
the  community  is  indebted  for  its  present  status 
among  the  prosperous  towns  of  the  county. 


ILLIAM  ELLIOTT,  a  well-known  and 
highly  esteemed  resident  of  Homer  Village, 
and  who  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has 
been  engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  is  now  practi- 
cally retired  from  active  labor  and  is  spending  his 
declining  years  in  the  ease  and  comfort  which  he 
has  justly  earned  by  a  life  of  industry,  and  a  course 
marked  by  uprightness  and  the  highest  moral 
principles.  Mr.  Elliott  may  properly  be  ranked 
among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  Prairie  State,  as 
he  came  to  Vermilion  County  with  his  parents  when 
a  child  six  years  of  age,  in  1822.  The  journey  was 
made  overland  with  teams,  and  they  boarded  and 
lodged  after  the  manner  of  the  travelers  of  those 
days,  carrying  their  provisions  with  them,  cook- 
ing by  the  wayside,  and  sleeping  in  their  wagons  at 
night.  Our  subject  remembers,  even  to  this  day, 
many  interesting  incidents  of  that  time,  and  the 
contrast  between  the  face  of  the  country  sixty  years 


ago  and  its  appearance  at  the  present.  The  un- 
broken prairie,  with  its  waving  grass,  and  the  in- 
termediate forests  through  which  deer  and  other 
wild  animals  roamed  with  freedom,  have  now  given 
place  to  cultivated  fields  and  beautiful  homesteads, 
and  had  he  not  seen  the  gradual  march  of  progress 
and  civilization,  thus  becoming  accustomed  to  the 
change,  the  transformation  would  se'em  like  a 
dream.  In  common  with  other  honored  pioneers 
of  that  period,  he  has  watched  the  progress  of  his 
adopted  State  with  the  deepest  interest  and  rejoiced 
at  every  evidence  of  her  prosperity. 

William  Elliott  was  born  in  Cumberland  County, 
Ky.,  July  23,  181G.  His  parents,  Asa  and  Elizabeth 
(Simpson)  Elliott,  were  natives  of  West  Virginia, 
and  of  Scottish  ancestry.  Asa  Elliott  was  born  Feb. 
27,  17'J1|;  and  lived  to  be  seventy-two  years  of  age, 
departing  this  Wfe  on  the  old  homestead,  probably 
tn'l:8i33.  The  mother  w»is  born  in  17%,  and  passed 
away  the  year  previous  to  the  death  of  her  husband. 
Both  were  devout  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  held  in  much  esteem  wherever 
known.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  Republican 
in  politics  and  was  among  the  first  to  identity  him- 
self with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  of  whose  principles 
he  remained  a  lifelong  admirer.  The  children  of 
the  family  were  named  respectively,  William,  John, 
Mary,  Andrew,  Amanda,  Elizabeth,  Nancy,  Joseph 
and  Asa.  Of  these  five  are  living,  the  youngest  son 
being  a  practicing  physician  in  Ozark  County,  Mo. 

William  Elliott  accompanied  his  parents  from  his 
native  State  to  Indiana  in  1817,  when  but  an  infant. 
They  located  in  Union  County,  where  they  lived 
five  years,  removing  thence  in  April,  1 822,  to  Ver- 
milion County,  this  State.  The  father  purchased 
Government  land  near  Butler's  Point,  upon  which 
he  operated  until  about  1844,  then  removed  with 
his  family  to  Missouri,  where  the  parents  spent  the 
last  years  of  their  lives.  Their  children  were  scat- 
tered in  various  parts  of  the  West.  William,  of 
our  sketch,  crossed  eastward  over  the  Father  of 
Waters  in  1 827,  and  located  in  Homer  Township, 
of  which  he  has  since  remained  a  resident.  •  He  was 
first  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Lander,  of  Old 
Homer,  in  1840.  This  lady  died  eight  years  later. 

The  second  wife  of  Mr.  Elliott  was  formerly 
Miss  Risinger,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  de- 


t 


524 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


parted  this  life  in  18(>3,  leaving  three  children,  all 
now  living:  Asa  O.  married  Miss  Myra  Whitlock; 
William  .1.  married  Miss  Dollie  Coffeen,  and  Agnes 
B.  became  the  wife  of  O.  A.  Tate,  of  Kankakee,  111. 

The  third  and  last  marriage  of  Mr.  Elliott  took 
place  in  1870,  Mrs.  Susan  (Daughcrty)  Leonard  be- 
coming his  wife.  Mrs.  Elliott  departed  this  life  at 
the  home  of  her  husband  in  August,  1876. 

William  .1.  Elliott,  the  youngest  son  of  our  sub- 
ject, married  Miss  Helen  D.  Coffeen,  Oct.  4,  1883. 
This  lady  was  born  Dec.  7,  1859,  in  Homer,  111., 
and  is  the  daughter  of  Michael  and  Helen  (Lyons) 
Coffeen,  natives  of  New  England  and  pioneers  of 
Champaign  County.  Both  are  now  deceased.  They 
were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  es- 
tablished a  good  homestead  in  Homer  Township, 
which  became  the  resort  of  the  best  people  of  the 
county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  ,1.  Elliott  have  no 
children.  Mr.  E.  is  a  man  of  fine  business  abilities, 
being  connected  with  the  Coffeen  Mill  and  Elevator 
Company  at  Homer.  He  is  still  a  young  man,  hav- 
ing been  born  May  27,  1857,  and  bids  fair  to  be- 
come one  of  the  prominent  factors  of  the  business 
and  industrial  community. 

William  Elliott,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
honored  father,  is  also  connected  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  being  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  199,  in 
Homer.  He  uniformly  casts  his  vote  with  the  Re- 
publican party. 


JOSEPH  RULON  WALKER.  The  early 
home  of  this  gentleman  was  near  Wilming- 
ton, the  county  seat  of  Clinton  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  was  born  on  his  father's  farm, 
March  13,  1830.  He  comes  of  substantial  Penn- 
S3'lvania  stock,  his  grandfather,  Robert  Walker, 
having  been  a  native  of  the  Keystone  State,  where 
he  married  Miss  Nancy  Hultz,  and  reared  a  family 
of  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Ttye  Hultz  fam- 
ily was  of  German  origin,  and  constituted  one  of 
the  reliable  branches  of  the  ancestry  in  that  section. 
Among  their  sons  was  Robert,  Jr.,  who  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  to  which  State  his  parents  had  removed 
before  the  Indians  had  vacated  the  Blue  Grass  re- 
gions. There  he  lived  until  sixteen  years  of  age, 


and  then  removed  with  his  parents  to  Clinton 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Ruth 
(VanMeter)  Rulon.  The  Rulons  were  of  Scotch 
and  German  ancestry,  and  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Kentucky. 

After  his  marriage  Robert  Walker  settled  with 
his  bride  upon  a  small  farm  in  Clinton  County,  Ohio' 
where  they  lived  in  a  modest  way  until  the  spring 
of  1853.  They  then  removed  to  Wells  County  i 
Ind.,  locating  again  upon  a  farm,  where  the  mother 
died  in  1859,  and  the  father  twenty  years  later,  in 
1879.  Of  their  twelve  children,  ten  lived  to  be- 
come men  and  women  grown,  and  all  but  two  were 
married.  One  son  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union 
army,  and  was  killed  in  battle. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on  the 
farm  in  Clinton  County,  Ohio,  and  received  a  com- 
mon-school education.  When  twenty-four  years- 
of  age  he  was  married,  Sept.  3,  1854,  to  Miss  Cath- 
erine, daughter  of  John  and  Hannah  Young,  and  a 
native  of  Clinton  County.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Delaware,  in  1809,  and  departed  this  life  in  Clinton 
County,  Ohio,  in  18C3.  The  mother  was  formerly 
Miss  Hannah  Newcomb,  a  native  of  Ohio.  Mrs. 
Walker  is  the  second  of  a  family  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, and  remained  with  her  parents  until  her  mar- 
riage, becoming  thoroughly  acquainted  with  house- 
hold duties,  and  assisting  in  the  care  of  the  large 
family.  After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  located 
on  a  farm  in  Wells  County,  Ind.,  where  they  con- 
tinued until  the  fall  of  1872,  and  then  came  to  this 
county.  Our  subject  rented  a  farm  for  one  year, 
and  then  purchased  his  present  homestead,  which 
lies  on  section  1,  St.  Joseph  Township,  and  contains 
120  acres  of  good  land.  He  has  always  followed 
farming,  and  has  no  desire  for  any  other  than  a 
country  life. 

The  six  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  include 
four  sons  and  two  daughters,  named  respectively 
Robert  Y.,  John  F.,  Ezra  C.,  Nathan  L.,  Hannah  E., 
who  married  Robert  Peters,  of  Vermilion  County, 
and  Mary  C.,  the  wife  of  Norman  Hoyt,  of  St.  Jo- 
seph Township.  After  becoming  a  resident  of  In- 
diana Mr.  Walker  was  appointed  Postmaster  at  Lib- 
erty Center,  and  also  ofliciated  as  School  Director 
and  Pathmaster.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 


r 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


525 


bers  of  the  Christian  Church  at  St.  Joseph.  Mr. 
Walker  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Martin 
Van  Buren,  and  is  a  true-blue  Republican  in  every 
sense  of  the  word. 


>;ILLIAM  II.  MORGAN,  one  of  the  pioneer 
grain  dealers  of  Tolono,  established  him- 
self in  business  there  twenty  years  ago. 
He  is  a  gentleman  of  remarkable  energy  and  in- 
dustry, and  has  been  an  important  factor  in  the 
business  interests  of  this  town  since  coming  here. 
He  emigrated  from  his  native  State  of  Kentucky  in 
1857,  when  a  young  man  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
having  been  born  in  Fleming  County,  Dec.  28, 
1835.  To  his  grain  transactions  he  has  also  added 
live  stock  and  coal,  in  each  department  of  which  he 
has  been  uniformly  successful.  To  such  men  as  Mr. 
Morgan  is  Champaign  County  indebted  for  its  re- 
markable development  and  progress,  and  for  the 
position  which  it  holds  in  the  great  West,  and  the 
valley  watered  by  the  Mississippi. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Woodson  and  Elizabeth 
(Bruce)  Morgan,  also  natives  of  Kentucky,  who 
descended  from  excellent  Scottish  ancestry.  The 
wife  and  mother  died  in  her  native  State  in  1851, 
leaving  seven  children,  of  whom  William  H.  was 
the  eldest.  John,  and  Ellen,  the  wife  of  John  F. 
Fleming,  still  remain  in  Kentucky;  George  B.  when 
a  young  man  located  in  Bradford,  Pa.,  where  he 
now  resides;  Madison  died  when  twenty-three  years 
of  age;  Anna,  Mrs.  A.  H.  Deman,  is  a  resident  of 
Leadville,  Col.,  and  Monroe,  of  Greenwood  Coun- 
ty, Kan.  The  father  subsequently  married  Mrs. 
Amanda  Dunlap.  They  came  to  Illinois  in  1857, 
and  located  on  a  farm  in  Crittenden  Township, 
this  count}',  where  they  remained  until  the  fall  of 
1884,  in  which  year  they  took  up  their  abode  in 
Tolono,  where  they  now  reside,  the  father  having 
arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-three  years. 
There  were  no  children  of  the  second  marriage. 

Our  subject  was  reared  to  fanning  pursuits  and 
received  a  common-school  education.  He  came 
with  his  father  to  Illinois  and  remained  with  the 
family  until  reaching  manhood.  In  1869  he  re- 
turned to  his  old  home  in  Fleming  County,  Ky., 


and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Lucia  P.  Lowry,  a 
native  of  that  county,  and  born  in  1842.  Mrs.  M. 
is  the  daughter  of  Dr.  George  Grant  Lowry,  who 
was  a  prominent  physician  of  Fleming  County. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan  have  one  child  only,  a  daugh- 
ter, Florence.  They  occupy  a  pleasant  and  com- 
fortable home  in  Tolono.  and  Mr.  Morgan  still  re- 
tains possession  of  his  farm  in  Tolono  Township, 
which  includes  200  acres,  and  is  supplied  with  all 
needful  buildings.  He  has  had  charge  of  the  ele- 
vator at  Tolono  for  many  years  and  has  transacted 
a  large  amount  of  business  for  outside  parties.  This 
elevator  was  constructed  by  Adams  Brothers  of 
Providence,  R.  I.,  and  is  owned  by  William  Red- 
bed,  of  Tolono.  Mr.  M's.  live-stock  and  coal  trade 
is  a  private  enterprise  in  which  he  alone  is  in- 
terested. 

Mr.  Morgan  has  always  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket,  and  has  occupied  the  various  offices  of  his 
township  and  village.  He  has  at  all  times  taken  a 
warm  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  community,  and 
is  a  man  whose  opinions  are  sought  and  whose 
judgment  can  be  relied  upon. 


V 


<fl     WILLIAM  j.  LATEER,  who  chiefly  controls 

the  sale  of  drugs  and  hardware  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Fisher,  is  the  offspring  of  an  ex- 
cellent Pennsylvania  family,  being  the  son  of  Nor- 
ris  C.  and  Cynthia  A.  (Jayne)  Lateer,  who,  after  if 
sojourn  of  several  years  in  Pennsylvania  after  their 
marriage,  removed  first  to  Wisconsin  and  then  to 
McLean  County,  this  State,  in  1861.  They  con- 
tinued their  residence  in  the  latter  county  until 
February,  1883,  and  then  came  to  Fisher  to  be  near 
their  son.  The  elder  Lateer  followed  farming  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  but  is  now  practically  re- 
tired from  active  labor.  The  parental  family  in- 
cludes two  sons  and  two  daughters  now  living — Ed- 
win H.,  Lydia,  William  J.  and  Susan. 

Our  subject,  the  third  child,,  was  born  in  Wyo- 
ming County,  Pa.,  July  15,  1855,  and  received  a 
common-school  education  in  his  native  township. 
lie  was  six  years  of  age  when  the  family  removed 
to  Illinois,  and  after  becoming  old  enough  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  dealt  in  grain.  He  became 


526 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


a  resident  of  Fislic'r  in  1S77,  where  lie  established 
himself  in  liis  present  business,  which  he  has  car- 
ried on  successfully  and  without  a  competitor.  Be- 
sides his  stock  of  merchandise  and  village  property 
he  owns  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Brown  Township. 

On  the  18th  of  October,  1879,  Mr.  Lateer  began 
the  establishment  of  a  home  by  being  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Alary  E.  Vennum,  who  was  born  in 
Mil  ford,  Iroquois  County,  Dec.  4,  1858,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  Christopher  C.  and  Mahala  (Morn) 
Vennum.  Mr.  V.  departed  this  life  at  Onarga,  111., 
Sept.  11.  18C6.  The  mother  still  survives,  making 
her  home  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Lateer.  The 
three  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lateer  are  Lena, 
Norris  V.  and  William  M.  Our  subject  and  his 
family  occupy  a  line  residence  which  was  erected  in 
1881,  and  will  compare  favorably  with  anything  of 
the  kind  in  Champaign  County.  A  view  of  it  is  pre- 
sented in  .this  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  are  members 
and  regular  attendants  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  of  which  our  subject  is  Trustee  and  one  of 
the  chief  pillars.  Politically  he  endorses  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Democratic  party,  and  socially  belongs 
to  Fisher  Lodge  No.  704,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


EMMANUEL  I.  FISHER,  Director  and  Cashier 
|  of  the  First  National  Bank,  at  Homer,  has 
^  been  associated  with  this  institution  since 
its  first  conception.  He  is  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising young  business  men  of  the  county,  and  in 
his  present  responsible  position  is  acquitting  him- 
self with  great  credit.  Mr.  Fisher  is  a  native  of  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind.,  born  Sept.  1,  1854,  and  the  son  of 
Isaac  and  Betty  (Plaut)  Fisher,  natives  of  Ger-  | 
many,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1848,  while 
quite  3roung,  locating  in  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  where 
they  married  and  afterward  resided. 

Isaac  Fisher  was  born  in  1820,  and  died  July  2, 
1885.  He  was  a  c.apable  business  man,  respected 
by  his  fellow-citizens,  and  a  member  of  the  Hebrew 
Order  of  I.  O.  B.  B.,  in  whose  organization  he  as- 
sisted at  the  beginning.  The  parents  were  married 
in  1 850 ;  the  mother,  who  was  born  Jan.  1 0,  1 832, 
is  still  living  in  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.  The  nine  children  i 


comprising  the  parental  household  are  recorded 
as  follows:  Bertha  died  when  two  years  of  age; 
Emaniiel.  of  our  sketch,  was  the  second  child;  Max 
B.  married  Miss  Ada  Jacobson;  Samuel  S.  married 
Miss  Flora  Keinhart;  Hannah  married  David  Kahu, 
of  Indianapolis:  Charlie  died  in  early  life.  The  three 
younger  were  Carrie,  Edwin  J.  and  Moses  P. 

Mr.  Fisher  received  his  early  education  in  the 
city  schools  at  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  and  later  attended 
Bryant  &  Stratton's  Business  College  in  that  city. 
He  took  a  thorough  course  in  book-keeping,  grad- 
uated in  1875,  and  four  years  later  entered  the 
banking-house  of  Solomon  Plant,  with  which  he 
has  been  connected  since  that  time.  lie  was  elected 
Cashier  in  1883,  when  the  bank  was  nationalized. 
He  has  already  become  a  prominent  factor  in  the 
business  interests  of  Homer,  and  from  his  wide- 
awake and  energetic  disposition  much  is  expected 
of  him  in  the  future.  He  has  been  Village  Treas- 
urer three  years  and  is  manager  of  the  Homer  Opera 
House  Association.  Politically  he  affiliates  with 
the  Republican  party. 

The  lady  who  presides  over  the  household  affairs 
of  Mr.  Fisher  and  is  at  the  same  time  a  worthy 
companion  and  the  ornament  of  his  home,  was  for- 
merly Miss  Clara  Bernstein,  of  Napoleon,  Ohio, 
where  her  marriage  took  place  Oct.  14,  1886.  Mrs. 
Fisher  is  the  daughter  of  Solomon  and  Fannie 
(Wertheimer)  Bernstein,  and  was  born  Dec.  25, 
1861.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  who 
emigrated  to  America  many  years  ago,  before  their 
marriage.  This  event  occured  in  1855,  in  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  They  located  at  Napoleon,  that  State, 
and  became  the  parents  of  five  children,  namely, 
Annie,  Adeline,  Clara,  Theresa  and  Julius. 


AMUEL  McKEE,  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive farmers  and  stock-raisers  of  Hensley 
Township,  is  finely  located  on  section  32, 
where  lie  has  one  of  the  most  attractive  es- 
tates in  Champaign  County.  His  laud,  which  he 
has  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation,  is  admir- 
ably adapted  to  his  present  business,  and  his  stock 
consists  mainly  of  high-grade  Short-horns  and  Here. 
ford  cattle.  The  residence  of  our  subject  and  his  fam- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


527 


ily  is  a  handsome  and  substantial  modern  structure, 
finely  finished  and  furnished,  and  its  surroundings 
display  on  every  hand  the  cultivation  and  prosper- 
ity of  the  proprietor.  A  view  of  the  residence  is 
shown  on  another  page. 

Mr.  McKee  is  a  native  of  Tippecanoe  County, 
Ind.,  where  his  birth  took  place  Jan.  27,  1838.  His 
father,  Ely  C.  McKee,  was  a  native  of  Hamilton 
County,  Ohio,  and  his  grandfather,  Samuel,  was 
born  in  Ireland,  of  excellent  Scottish  parentage. 
He  emigrated  to  America  when  a  young  man,  and 
is  bejieved  to  have  settled  for  a  short  time  in  Penn- 
sylvania, whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Ohio, 
and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Hamilton  County. 
He  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  seven  miles 
from  Cincinnati,  where  he  cleared  a  farm  and  built 
a  comfortable  home,  and  there  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  days.  Among  the  members  of  his  family 
was  Ely  C.,  the  father  of  our  subject. 

Ely  C.  McKee  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  na- 
tive county,  and  after  his  marriage  remained  there 
until  1833.  He  then  removed  to  Indiana  and  lo- 
cated among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Tippecanoe 
County.  He  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  four- 
teen miles  south  of,  Lafayette,  and  put  up  a  house, 
which  he  weatherboarded,  giving  it  the  appearance 
of  a  frame  structure.  In  this  dwelling  the  subject 
of  our  sketch  was  born.  The  father  cleared  from 
the  wilderness  a  fine  farm  of  315  acres,  and  re- 
mained there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Jan. 
19,  1877.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  formerly 
Miss  Nancy  Griffin,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  and  was 
the  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Griffin,  a  native  of  the 
same  State.  Late  in  life  he  became  a  resident  of 
Rush  County,  Ind.  Mrs.  Nancy  G.  McKee  de- 
parted this  life  at  the  old  homestead  in  Tippecanoe 
County,  in  August,  1876.  The  parental  household 
included  ten  children. 

Samuel  McKee  was  the  fifth  child  and  fourth  son 
of  his  parents,  and  passed  his  childhood  and  youth 
in  the  manner  common  to  the  sons  of  pioneers.  He 
assisted  his  father  in  tilling  the  soil,  and  attended 
the  subscription  school  as  opportunity  offered, 
mostly  in  the  winter  season.  He  remained  under 
the  home  roof  until  his  marriage,  and  afterward 
cultivated  rented  land  until  1869,  when  he  came  to 
the  Prairie  State  and  purchased  the  farm  in  Ilensley 


Township  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  At 
the  time  he  took  possession  100  acres  were  broken, 
and  the  only  buildings  were  a  small  frame  house 
and  a  stable  with  a  straw  roof,  but  he  immediate!}' 
set  about  its  cultivation,  and  in  due  time  the  first 
dwelling  and  the  excuse  for  a  stable  were  replaced 
by  modern  and  substantial  buildings,  as  we  have 
indicated. 

Mr.  McKee  was  married,  Oct.  21,  1862,  to  Miss 
Alma  Bush,  a. native  of  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind., 
and  the  daughter  of  Jared  and  Charlotte  Bush. 
(See  sketch  of  Jared  Bush  on  another  page  of  this 
volume.)  Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  five 
children:  Harry,  who  died  in  infancy;  Willie  E., 
Raymond,  Ely  and  Lottie.  Mr.  McKee,  politically, 
is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  cast  his  first  presiden- 
tial vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln. 


BRAHAM  LOEB,  Supervisor  of  Tolono 
Township,  and  President  of  the  Village 
Board,  was  the  first  man  to  hold  both  of- 
fices after  the  organization  of  the  town- 
When  not  employed  with  the  duties  of 
his  offices  he  turns  his  attention  to  the  clothing 
trade  and  gents'  furnishing  goods,  which  busi- 
ness he  established  in  Tolono  in  May,  1877.  He 
is  an  energetic  business  man  and  a  fine  repre- 
sentative of  the  industrious  German  element,  which 
has  assisted  materially  in  the  progress  and  develop- 
ment of  the  great  AVest.  His  birth  took  place  in 
the  Rhine  Province  of  Darmstadt,  Aug.  1,1840.  His 
parents  were  Raphael  and  Rose  Loeb,  who  had  a 
family  of  ten  children.  Three  of  these  died  in 
childhood.  The  remaining  seven  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  and  were  as  follows :  Leopold  ;  Lena, 
now  Mrs.  Kuhn;  Jennie,  Abraham,  Julius,  Emil, 
and  Louisa,  Mrs.  Hoffman.  The  father  died  in 
Germany,  and  the  mother  came  to  the  United 
States  with  some  of  her  children. 

Abraham,  of  our  sketch,  left  his  native  land 
alone  when  a  lad  nine  years  of  age.  After  a  brief 
stay  in  New  York  City  he  proceeded  to  Covingtou, 
Ind.,  where  he  had  a  brother,  and  engaged  ats  clerk 
in  a  store.  He  afterward  became  a  traveling  sales- 
man, and  in  this  capacity  visited  many  parts  of  the 


ship. 


528 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


United  States.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  Wai- 
he  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier,  becoming  a  member 
of  Co.  B,  (Stli  Ky.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  three  years 
and  eight  months.  He  participated  in  many  im- 
portant battles  of  the  war,  and  various  engage- 
ments and  skirmishes,  being  present  at  the  siege  of 
Vicksbnrg  and  at  Pittsburg  Landing  and  Baton 
Rouge,  but  escaped  without  serious  wounds  or  im- 
prisonment. 

After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  Mr. 
Loeb  returned  to  Covington  and  engaged  in  the 
dry-g'oods  and  clothing  trade.  Two  years  later  he 
returned  to  his  native  country,  and  for  over  eight- 
een months  visited  among  his  relatives  and  friends. 
Upon  returning  to  the  United  States  he  came  to 
this  county,  established  in  business  in  Champaign 
City,  and  from  there,  in  1877,  removed  to  Tolono. 
His  upright  business  methods  and  courteous  man- 
ner to  all  have  secured  for  him  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  who  have  honored 
him  with  the  various  township  offices  and  taken 
him  into  their  councils  upon  every  important  oc- 
casion. Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  K.  of  H. 

Mr.  Loeb  was  married,  in  1870,  to  Miss  Matilda 
Wolf,  a  native  of  his  own  country,  and  they  have 
six  children  —  Josie,  Harry,  Oscar,  Rachel,  Blanche 
and  Charles.  The  family  residence  is  pleasantly 
located,  and  its  inmates  enjoy  the  society  of  the 
best  people  of  Tolono. 


OHN  TAYLOR,  although  one  of  the  promi- 
nent and  responsible  men  of  Ayers  Town- 
ship, and  willing  to  make  almost  any  sacri- 
fice  for  the  good  of  his  community,  is  one  of 
the  few  who  has  steadily  declined  to  become  an 
office-holder,  considering  that  his  personal  influence 
would  be  of  as  much  value  exercised  in  a  more  un- 
obtrusive manner.  As  one  of  the  property-holders 
of  this  section  he  is  of  due  weight  in  the  commu- 
nity, while  his  undeviating  course  from  the  path  of 
rectitude,  and  his  unquestioned  business  qualities, 
have  established  him  in  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Mr.  Taylor  owes  his  origin  to  another  continent, 


his  birth  having  taken  place  in  Westmoreland,  En- 
gland, where  he  was  first  introduced  to  life  on  the 
15th  of  July,  1845.  His  parents,  James  and  Mary 
(Hutchinson)  Taylor,  were  of  pure  English  blood, 
and  both  spent  their  entire  lives  in  their  native 
country.  The  mother  passed  from  earth  when 
fifty-five  years  of  age.  The  father  may  be  prop- 
erly numbered  among  the  patriarchs,  as  his  years 
numbered  fourscore  and  five,  terminating  in  188C. 
He  was  the  youngest  of  thirteen  children  born  to  his 
parents,  and  the  family  lived  in  and  around  West- 
moreland as  far  back  as  can  be  remembered. 

The  children  of  James  and  Mary  Taylor,  ten  in 
number,  were  Agnes,  Rebecca,  Mary  A.,  William 
H.,  James,  Richard,  John  of  our  sketch,  Thomas, 
Jane  E.  and  Robert.  They  received  an  ordinarily 
good  education,  John  attending  school  until  four- 
teen years  of  age.  He  first  engaged  to  learn  gar- 
dening, but  this  not  being  quite  in  accordance  with 
his  tastes  and  capabilities,  he  abandoned  it  and  be- 
came an  employe  of  the  London  &  Northwestern 
Railway  as  porter.  From  that  he  was  promoted 
switchman,  afterward  passenger  guard,  and  in  due 
time  became  conductor,  ending  up  with  the  posi- 
tion of  Station  Agent.  He  occupied  the  office  at 
the  terminus  of  five  important  roads,  and  superin- 
tended the  operations  of  five  clerks  and  twelve  men 
on  the  platform.  It  is  sufficient  recommendation  to 
state  that  he  held  this  position  for  a  period  of  twelve 
years,  only  leaving  it  from  the  desire  to  come  to 
America. 

Mr.  Taylor  left  Liverpool  on  the  17th  of  April, 
1872,  landing  in  New  York  City  on  the  25th  of  the 
same  month.  He  at  once  proceeded  westward  to 
Macon  County,  this  State,  where  he  engaged  at 
farming  by  the  month,  and  was  thus  occupied  for 
the  following  five  years.  In  1881  he  purchased  120 
acres  of  land  in  Ayers  Township,  at  $30  per  acre, 
which  was  partially  improved,  and  was  then  consid- 
ered a  very  good  farm.  He  has  greatly  added  to 
its  beauty  and  value,  and  it  now  bears  fair  com- 
parison with  those  of  his  neighbors. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  married  in  Macon  County,  this 
State,  Feb.  24,  1875,  to  Miss  Maggie  Kirkpatrick, 
a  native  of  that  county,  and  born  Sept.  5,  1857.  Her 
father,  David,  and  her  mother,  Sarah  (Smith)  Kirk- 
patrick, were  natives  of  Scotland,  the  former  born 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


529 


April  23,  1826,  and  the  latter,  April  30,  1830.  The 
ten  children  of  the  household  were  Sarah,  Alexan- 
der, Maggie,  Mary  E.,  David  G.  (now  deceased), 
two  who  died  in  infancy,  Lydia  J.,  Emma  Z.  and 
David.  The  three  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tay- 
lor are  Arthur  K.,  Mary  J.  E.  and  William  H.  All 
_are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  Taylor  since  becoming  an  American  citizen 
and  securing  the  right  of  suffrage,  has  uniformly 
voted  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man decided  in  his  views,  but  never  offensive  in 
the  expression  of  them.  He  possesses  the  tact  and 
good  judgment  which  readily  secure  friends,  and 
which  are  retained  by  him  when  they  come  to 
know  his  excellent  personal  character. 


6HRISTOPHER  REAGAN.  The  gentleman 
whose  biography  we  briefly  sketch  below, 
owns  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Condit 
Township,  besides  forty-eight  acres  in  Newcomb 
Township.  His  home  place,  which  comprises  the 
larger  body,  is  located  on  section  19,  where  he  has 
a  fine  residence  and  all  necessary  out-buildings  for 
the  convenience  of  a  progressive  modern  farmer. 
He  took  possession  of  his  farm  iu  the  spring  of 
1870,  and  has  since  been  industriously  engaged  in 
its  cultivation  and  improvement.  Under  his  skill- 
ful manipulation  it  has  become  one  of  the  most 
valuable  homesteads  in  this  section,  and  a  spot  which 
the  eye  delights  to  dwell  upon. 

Mr.  Reagan  is  a  worthy  representative  of  the 
warm-hearted  Irish  race,  and  was  born  in  County 
Westmcath,  in  November,  1835.  His  parents  were 
Patrick  and  Mary  (McCormick)  Reagan,  both  also 
natives  of  Ireland,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives.  Christopher  was  a  little  lad  of  only  six  years 
old  when  his  father  died,  leaving  a  widow  and  three 
children.  He  remained  with  his  mother  until  1849, 
then,  accompanied  by  his  uncle,  William  McCor- 
mick, emigrated  to  America  and  located  in  New 
York  City.  He  first  found  employment  in  William 
H.  Disbrough's  Riding  Academy,  corner  Fourth 
avenue  and  Seventh  street,  where  he  remained  three 
years,  and  then  engaged  on  a  steamer  on  the  Hud- 
son River,  plying  between  New  York  and  Albany. 


After  a  part  of  two  seasons  thus  occupied  our 
subject  began  to  learn  the  molder's  trade,  at  which 
he  worked  one  year,  and  then  went  into  the  employ 
of  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  Canal  Company,  as  a 
boat  hand  in  summer,  and  in  winter  took  care  of 
the  boats  which  were  anchored  at  New  York.  In 
1851-52  he  chartered  a  boat  of  this  company,  and 
engaged  in  freighting  for  two  seasons  following. 
During  the  first  he  was  successful,  but  the  second 
year  met  with  loss  and  then  abandoned  boating,  en- 
gaging as  a  farm  laborer  during  the  summer  sea- 
sons, and  in  the  winter  occupied  himself  chopping 
wood.  Afterward  he  purchased  a  boat  and  for 
three  summers  followed  freighting  on  the  Erie 
Canal  from  Albany  to  Buffalo  and  New  York  City. 

After  coming  into  Illinois,  Mr.  Reagan  spent  the 
first  winter  in  Logan  County,  afterward  worked  two 
summers  on  a  farm  iu  Polo,  Ogle  County,  and  thence 
changed  his  location  to  McLean  County,  whence  he 
came  to  Mahomet  Township,  this  county,  in  1866. 
Three  years  later  he  purchased  a  part  of  the  laud 
which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  In  the  mean- 
time, however,  he  had  returned  to  his  old  home 
across  the  sea,  and  visited  for  sixteen  days  among 
the  friends  of  his  childhood  and  youth,  returning 
greatly  pleased  and  satisfied,  and  ready  to  begin 
with  fresh  courage  the  establishment  of  a  home  in 
this  county.  Here  he  is  accounted  one  of  the  most 
valued  citizens,  and  by  his  straightforward  dealings 
with  his  fellow-men  has  secured  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  all  who  know  him.  He  takes  a  genuine 
interest  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  good  of  the 
community  at  large,  and  although  not  connected 
with  any  religious  organization  has  contributed 
generous!}'  to  the  support  of  all. 

Mr.  Reagan  was  married,  in  April,  1870,  to  Miss 
Dicy  A.  Newell,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Patty  Newell,  who  re- 
moved from  Ohio  to  Condit  Township  in  this 
county  during  its  early  settlement,  and  located  upon 
the  land  which  Mr.  Reagan  now  occupies.  Mrs. 
R.  received  a  good  education  and  taught  the  first 
school  established  in  Condit  Township.  She  de- 
parted this  life  on  the  8th  of  January,  1885.  Two 
years  later  Mr.  Reagan  was  married  to  his  present 
wife,  who  was  then  Mrs.  Emma  S.,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  May  A.  Hammel,  and  the  widow  of 


530 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Henry  Lane.  She  was  luirn  in  Clinton  County, 
Ind.,  May  28,  1862,  and  remained  with  her  parents 
until  her  first  marriage,  of  which  there  was  born 
one  child,  a'  daughter.  Pearl.  Mrs.  R.  is  a  lady 
greatly  respected  wherever  known,  and  with  her 
husband  enjoys  the  society  of  many  friends. 


FREEMAN,  one  of  the  pioneer 
farmers  of  Ogden  Township,  is  in  posses- 
sion of  400  acres  on  section  1 7,  mostly  in 
the  above  township.  Here,  since  the  spring  of 
1833,  he  has  labored  successfully  to  establish  and 
improve  a  comfortable  homestead,  in  which  effort 
he  has  most  admirably  succeeded.  The  land  is 
thoroughly  drained,  the  fields  neatly  laid  off  and 
enclosed,  and  the  farm  buildings  are  a  credit  to 
the  taste  and  enterprise  of  the  proprietor.  Mr. 
Freeman  is  a  gentleman  of  more  than  ordinary 
ability,  and  besides  the  duties  incumbent  upon  him 
as  a  representative  farmer,  ambitious  to  keep  pace 
with  the  enterprise  and  prosperity  about  him,  he 
has  filled  the  office  of  Supervisor  of  his  township, 
and  School  Treasurer  for  fifteen  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  also  served  as  Administrator  of  sev- 
eral estates  placed  in  his  hands  by  those  fully 
aware  of  his  capabilities  and  integrity.  In  all  re- 
spects, as  the  head  of  a  family  and  a  member  of 
the  community,  he  has  acquitted  himself  in  a  faith- 
ful and  creditable  manner,  and  no  man  is  held  in 
greater  respect  than  Eleazer  Freeman. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  the  Prairie  State,  born 
in  Vermilion  County,  Jan.  3,  1833,  and  the  son  of 
James  and  Rebecca  (Ogden)  Freeman,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  father  of  Welsh  ancestry. 
The  latter  was  born  Jan.  26,  1801.  and  departed 
this  life  at  his  home  in  Homer  Township  in  1877. 
He  followed  both  farming  and  shoemaking,  having 
learned  the  latter  trade  in  early  manhood.  He  re- 
moved from  his  native  State  to  Ohio  before  his 
marriage,  and  in  1829  emigrated  overland  to  Illi- 
nois. Afterward,  during  the  Black  Hawk  War,  he 
served  as  a  soldier  three  or  four  months  until  the 
troops  were  sent  home. 

\Vhen  prepared  to  locate,  James  Freeman  en- 
tered land  on  the  State  Road  in  Champaign  County. 


This  included  but  forty  acres,  which  he  cultivated 
industriously  and  carefully,  and  by  strict  economy 
managed  to  accumulate  quite  a  little  fortune. 
Both  he  and  the  mother  were  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  The  latter  was  born  in  1803,  and  in 
her  youth  was  a  woman  of  much  physical  strength 
and  great  courage,  and  worked  cheerfully  by  her 
husband's  side  in  his  efforts  to  secure  a  comfort- 
able home  and  a  competency.  She  employed  her 
time  when  not  busy  with  the  ordinary  duties  of 
the  household,  in  spinning  and  weaving,  and  in- 
deed, labored  beyond  her  strength,  so  that  in  later 
years  her  health  gave  way,  and  she  suffered  greatly 
from  a  broken-down  constitution.  Her  death  took 
place  in  Homer  Township  on  the  5th  of  October, 
1857.  The  ten  childreirof  the  parental  household 
were,  Thomas  and  Mary,  twins;  Edmund,  Lydia 
A.,  Eleazer,  Andrew,  Angeline,  Rebecca  J.  who 
died  when  one  year  old,  James  L.,  and  Martha  who 
died  when  four  years  of  age. 

The  subject  of  this  history  remained  a  member 
of  his  father's  household  during  his  childhood  and 
youth,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  time  until  reach- 
ing his  majority.  Sept.  13,  1855,  after  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  began  the  more  seri- 
ous business  of  life  by  taking  unto  himself  a  wife 
and  helpmeet,  namely,  Miss  Keziah  A.  Swearingen, 
a  native  of  this  State,  born  Jan.  1.  1837;  this  lady 
was  a  devout  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
departed  this  life  June  25,  1856. 

Mr.  Freeman's  second  marriage  was  with  Miss 
Margaret  A.  Loomis,  and  was  celebrated  Jan.  20, 
1859.  Mrs.  Margaret  Freeman  was  a  native  of 
Ohio,  born  July  14,  1843.  She  came  with  her  par- 
ents to  Illinois  when  a  young  girl  twelve  years  of 
age,  in  1855.  In  the  meantime  her  parents  had 
spent  some  years  in  Indiana.  The  latter  were 
William  M.  and  Albina  (Yeager)  Loomis,  natives 
of  Ohio.  The  father  was  a  miller  by  trade.  His 
birth  took  place  Dec.  28,  1815,  and  his  death  Aug. 
24,  1864.  The  mother  was  born  Oct.  23,  1821. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  both  parents  were  people  of  much  ex- 
cellence of  character.  The  eleven  children  in- 
cluded in  this  family  were  as  follows:  Sarah  E., 
who  was  born  July  4,  1838;  Joseph  Y.,  Jan.  25, 
1841;  George  N.,  March  6,  1842;  Margaret  A., 

•» 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


531 


July  14-,  1843;  John,  in  1845;  Rebecca  A.,  Jan.  5, 
1847;  Albina  L.,  July  26,  1848;  John  C.,  July  28, 
1849;  Mary  E.,  Feb.  27,  1851;  Elnora,  April  29, 
1852,  and  Laura  E.,  April  1,  1853. 

The  mother  of  the  above-named  children  passed 
from  earth  in  the  spring  of  1854,  and  Mr.  Loomis 
was  again  married,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Hager,  and  of 
this  union  there  were  three  children,  namely,  John 
N.,  born  April  20,  1855;  William  H.,  Nov.  25, 
1857,  and  Emma  A.,  March  22,  1860.  Mrs.  Sarah 
E.  Loomis  departed  this  life  at  the  homestead  in 
Homer  Township,  and  Mr.  Loomis  was  married, 
Feb.  6,  1861,  to  Miss  Margaret  Samuels.  This 
lady  was  born  Sept.  9,  1836,  and  died  in  May, 
186G.  Her  children  were,  Theodore,  born  Dec.  6, 
1862,  and  Frank  A.,  Feb.  17,  1864.  The  latter 
died  in  June  of  the  same  year.  Of  the  sixteen 
children  who  owed  their  paternity  to  Mr.  Loomis, 
only  five  are  living. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Freeman,  fourteen 
in  number,  were  born  as  follows  :  James  H.,  Nov. 
10,  1860;  George  N.,  April  27,  1862;  William  L., 
Dec.  11,  1863;  Charles  Y.,  June  22,  1866;  Joseph 
C.,  July  8,  1868;  Annie,  April  9,  1870;  Laura  B., 
Oct.  25,  1871;  Florence  M.,  Nov.  5,  1873;  Nellie, 
April  6,  1875;  Maude,  April  16,  1877;  IdaJ.,Feb. 
8,  1879;  Delia,  Dec.  28,  1880;  Grant,  March  20, 
1882;  Prince  A.,  Aug.  30,  1884.  The  estate  of 
Mr.  Freeman  embraces  400  acres  of  land,  besides  a 
dry-goods  store,  which  was  established  in  Ogden 
Village  March  29,  1887.  He  is  a  wide-awake,  en- 
terprising business  man,  actively  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  his  community,  and  strongly  opposed  to 
the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors,  being  a  member  of 
the  Sons  of  Temperance  for  many  years.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a  decided  Republican. 


\ 


AVID  COOTER,  a  resident  of  this  county 
since  a  young  man  nineteen  years  of  age, 
has  given  the  greater  part  of  his  life  to 
farming  pursuits,  and  is  now  pleasantly  lo- 
cated on  section  13,  in  Brown  Township,  where  he 
is  proprietor  of  193  acres  of  land,  all  of  which,  with 
the  exception  of  forty  acres,  is  under  a  good  state 
of  cultivation.  The  balance  comprises  a  valuable 


timber  tract.  The  residence  of  the  family  is  a 
commodious  and  substantial  farm  dwelling,  and  the 
adjacent  outhouses  are  erected  in  a  manner  corre- 
sponding to  the  progressive  and  thorough-going 
character  of  the  proprietor.  A  view  of  the  place 
is  to  be  seen  on  another  page. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  John  and  Mary 
(Houston)  Cooter,  were  of  Southern  birth  and  par- 
entage, the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Kentucky.  After  marriage  they  located  in 
Monroe  County,  Ind,,  where  they  resided  until  the 
fall  of  1873,  and  thence  removed  to  Cumberland 
County,  this  State,  where  they  are  now  living. 
Their  family  consisted  of  five  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, of  whom  our  subject  was  the  second  child. 
His  birth  took  place  in  Monroe  County,  Ind.,  Oct. 
17,  1839.  His  youth  and  boyhood  were  passed 
after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons  until  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  when  he  started  out  in  life  for 
himself.  Coming  into  this  county  in  1858,  he  lo- 
cated in  Brown  Township,  where  he  at  once  set 
about  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  home. 

When  the  time  came  that  he  could  see  his  way 
plainly  to  the  realization  of  his  designs,  Mr.  Cooter 
took  unto  himself  a  wife  and  helpmeet  in  the  per- 
son of  Miss  Rebecca  E.  Strouss,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Dec.  5,  1861.  Mrs.  Cooter  is  the  daughter 
of  John  and  Rebecca  (McElhaney)  Strouss,  natives 
respectively  of  Beaver  and  Susquehanna  Counties, 
Pa.  After  marriage  they  located  first  in  Beaver 
County,  whence,  in  1856,  they  removed  to  Wiscon- 
sin, and  from  there  to  Brown  Township,  this  county, 
in  1858.  In  February,  1878,  they  crossed  the 
Mississippi  and  went  into  Labette  County,  Kan., 
where  they  now  reside.  The  eight  children  of  their 
household  included  five  sons  and  three  daughters, 
of  whom  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  the  sixth  in 
order  of  birth. 

Mrs.  C.  was  born  in  Beaver  County,  Pa.,  July 
20,  1 842.  Six  of  the  twelve  children  born  to  her 
marriage  with  Mr.  Cooter  have  passed  to  the  silent 
land,  namely,  Lucinda,  John  M.,  Charles  W.,  Ellen 
I.  and  a  babe  unnamed,  all  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy. David  M.  was  injured  from  a  fall  when 
eight  years  old,  which,  although  not  proving  fatal 
at  once,  produced  epilepsy,  from  which  he  was  a 
great  sufferer  and  lingered  until  nearly  seventeen 


<  .  532. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


years  old,  when  he  died  on  the  22d  of  July,  1885. 
Those  surviving  are  Mary  A.5  the  wife  of  Martin 
D.  VanHook,  and  a  resident  of  Brown  Township; 
Harry  K.,  Irene  E.,  Alberta  H.,  Henrietta  and  Lucy 
L.,  all  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  Cooler, 
politically,  vote's  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  has 
held  the  office  of  School  Director  for  many  years 
in  Brown  Township. 


J  CASPER  N.  GUNDER.  One  of  the  finest 
|  farms  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Champaign 
I  County  is  owned  and  occupied  by  the  sub- 
'  ject  of  this  sketch,  and  is  located  on  section 
30,  in  Homer  Township.  Of  this  Mr.  Gunder  has 
been  in  possession  since  the  spring  of  1881.  He  was 
born  and  reared  on  the  farm  of  his  father  in  Madi- 
son County,  Ind.,  first  opening  his  eyes  to  the  light 
on  the  5th  of  ^November,  1854.  His  parents  were 
Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Hughel)  Gunder,  natives 
respectively  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  the  father  born 
May  24,  1824,  and  the  mother  in  1832.  They  are 
still  living,  their  home  now  being  in  Vermilion 
County,  this  State.  Daniel  Gunder  is  a  man  pos- 
sessing more  than  ordinary  ability,  a  thorough  and 
skillful  farmer,  a  Deacon  in  the  Baptist  Church,  and 
politically  a  stanch  Republican. 

The  home  circle  included  the  following-named 
children :  Alice,  who  became  the  wife  of  Joseph 
Howard;  Susan,  Mrs,  Charles  Baldwin,  of  Danville; 
Jasper  N.,  of  our  sketch;  James,  a  civil  engineer, 
residing  in  Nebraska;  Samuel,  who  was  married  to 
Miss  Nettie  Weaver,  and  is  a  druggist  at  Beatrice, 
Neb.;  Jennie,  Mary,  Julia,  Arthur  and  Daniel;  the 
latter  is  deceased.  They  constitute  a  bright  and 
interesting  family  group,  received  a  good  educa- 
tion, and  are  in  air  respects  worthy  and  desirable 
members  of  society  and  an  honor  to  their  parents. 

In  18G8  Daniel  Gunder  and  his  family  left  Indi- 
ana, and  coming  over  into  Illinois,  located  in  Ver- 
milion County.  Jasper  N.  of  our  sketch  was  then 
a  boy  of  fourteen  years.  He  continued  on  the  farm 
which  his  father  had  purchased  in  Vance  Township, 
attending  school  in  the  winter  seasons  and  making 
good  progress,  so  that  four  years  later  he  entered 


the  State  University,  where  he  took  a  course  of 
two  and  one-half  years,  and  was  then  well  fitted  for 
the  ordinary  pursuits  of  a  business  life  in  connection 
with  farming.  Daniel  Gunder  believed  it  a  great 
mistake  to  suppose  that  farmers'  sons  needed  little 
education.  He  claimed  that  the  more  intelligent  the 
man,  in  whatever  business  he  engaged  the  better 
results  would  follow.  This  theory  has  proved  quite 
correct  in  the  example  of  our  subject.  His  first 
purchase  when  setting  out  for  himself  in  life,  con- 
sisted of  eighty  acres,  of  which  he  took  good  care 
until  able  to  enlarge  his  landed  area.  The  fine  farm 
of  which  he  is  now  the  possessor  includes  300  acres, 
and  in  all  respects  indicates  the  intelligence  of  its 
proprietor,  both  in  the  construction  of  the  build- 
ings, in  his  selection  of  the  farm,  animals  and  ma- 
chinery, and  the  manner  in  which  the  fields  are  laid 
off,  some  adapted  to  grain  and  some  to  pasturage, 
and  not  an  acre  standing  idle.  Mr.  Gunder  has  a 
fine  herd  of  graded  Short^horn  cattle,  which  he 
feeds  all  the  grain  he  raises  from  the  farm,  and 
each  year  ships  four  to  five  carloads  of  fat  animals 
to  Chicago  and  other  P^astern  markets. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  important  events  in  the 
life  of  our  subject  occurred  on  the  15th  of  August, 
1877,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Gertrude  Medearis,  the  wedding  taking  place  at 
the  home  of  the  bride's  parents,  and  the  ceremony 
being  performed  by  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Smith,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mrs.  Gunder,  the 
daughter  of  John  F.  and  Sarah  (Abrams)  Medearis, 
was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  Feb.  15,  1853, 
and  lived  there  with  her  parents  until  her  marriage. 
Her  father  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  Nov.  16, 
1809,  and  his  wife,  Sarah,  in  Indiana,  May  2,  1821. 
They  are  people  greatly  respected  wherever  known ; 
both  are  living  and  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  M.  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  has  followed  farming.  Their  home  is  the  same  that 
Mr.  Medearis  located  upon  in  Wayne  County,  Ind., 
before  his  marriage.  Eleven  of  their  thirteen  chil- 
dren lived  to  mature  years,  and  the  record  briefly 
given  is  as  follows:  Mary  A.  became  the  wife  of 
Caleb  King,  and  died  some  years  ago;  Martha  mar- 
ried Allin  C.  Cotton,  and  lives  in  this  township; 
William  A.  married  Miss  Anna  Addington;  Israel 
married  Miss  Martha  Curtis;  Sarah  is  the  wife  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


533 


Joseph  T.  Russell;  Daniel  married  Miss  Eva  Kerr; 
Amanda  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Martiudale ;  Ger- 
trude is  the  wife  of  our  subject;  John  F.  died  in 
1881 ;  Ella,  Mrs.  Russell,  and  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Jack- 
son, are  the  two  youngest. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jasper  N.  Gunder, 
two  in  number,  are  Nellie  and  Clark  Artemus. 
They  are  bright  and  interesting,  and  form  the  very 
life  of  the  household.  The  farm  residence  is  taste- 
fully finished  and  furnished,  and  its  inmates  sur- 
rounded by  everything  to  make  life  comfortable 
and  desirable.  Mr.  G.  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors,  and 
has  officiated  as  School  Director  in  his  township 
since  1885.  Politically  he  votes  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 


R.  PHILIP  C.  MOSIER,  a  retired  practi- 
tioner of  the  Old  School,  but  who  has  al- 
ways been  in  love  with  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  the  freedom  of  a  country  life, 
occupies  a  fine  homestead  in  Homer  Township,  on 
section  20,  with  numerous  buildings  finely  adapted 
to'  the  requirements  of  farm  life.  He  has  been  a 
man  of  great  energy  and  industry,  and  through  the 
exercise  of  these  accumulated  a  fortune  which  he 
is  now  enjoying  in  the  wisest  manner. 

The  history  of  Dr.  Mosier,  necessarily  briefly 
given  here,  is  in  substance  as  follows;  He  first 
drew  the  breath  of  life,  Dec.  31,  1827,  in  Harrison 
County,  lud.  He  is  the  son  of  George  and  Maria 
(Criswell)  Mosier,  the  former  a  native  of  North 
Carolina  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  The  paternal 
grandparents  were  Philip  and  Martha  Mosier,  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania  and  of  Holland  descent.  On 
his  mother's  side  his  grandparents,  Elijah  and  Eliz- 
abeth (Rice)  Criswell,  were  natives  respectively  of 
Fauquier  County,  Va.,  and  Frankfort,  Ky.  Mr. 
Criswell  was  of  English  extraction.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  born  Nov.  15,  1801,  and  spent  his 
early  years  in  his  native  State.  He  became  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  in  1854,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  township  20,  range  14,  where  he  labored  un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  in  March,  1880.  His 


early  education  had  been  conducted  mostly  in  a 
German  school,  and  he  spoke  the  language  fluently. 
When  forty  years  of  age  he  united  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  but  later  became  connected 
with  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian. 

The  six  children  of  the  parental  household  were: 
Elijah,  who  died  when  nineteen  years  of  age;  Eliza- 
beth, Mrs.  Pickett,  deceased  ;  Philip  C.  of  our  sketch ; 
Martha  C.  married  Dr.  G.  W.  Hartman,  deceased ; 
Nancy  D.,  who  married  A.  J.  Casteel,  deceased ; 
and  Eliza  Jane,  the  wife  of  George  W.  Cory,  de- 
ceased. The  day  following  the  marriage  of  Nancy 
and  Mr.  Casteel,  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1856,  they 
started  for  Boone  County,  Iowa,  and  after  crossing 
the  Mississippi  and  arriving  at  a  point  between 
Burlington  and  Des  Moines,  near  Oskaloosa,  the 
young  bride  and  her  husband  were  both  murdered, 
and  their  bodies  concealed  in  a  corn  shock,  where 
they  were  found  eleven  days  afterward.  The  per- 
petrators of  this  dreadful  deed  were  John  R.  Thomas 
and  an  unknown  associate.  The  crime  was  fastened 
upon  him  the  following  spring.  When  the  people 
of  that  region  became  satisfied  that  he  was  the 
guilty  man  he  was  taken  out  and  summarily 
lynched.  To  the  question  of  whether  he  was  guilty 
or  not,  he  would  make  no  reply,  but  there  is  no 
doubt  that  he  was  the  man. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  passed  his  boyhood 
and  youth  under  the  parental  roof,  employed  in 
farm  pursuits,  and  receiving  as  good  an  education 
as  the  schools  of  those  days  afforded.  After  begin- 
ning to  lay  his  plans  for  the  future,  during  which 
time  he  believed  that  the  practice  of  medicine 
would  suit  his  tastes  and  inclinations,  he  began 
teaching  in  order  to  obtain  the  means  to  prosecute 
the  studies  necessary  to  become  fitted  for  the  pro- 
fession. He  afterward  entered  the  office  of  Dr. 
Turner,  of  Jacksonville,  Ind.,  and  finally  became  in- 
terested in  the  Western  Agricultural  College  at 
Annapolis,  Ind.,  under  the  management  of  the 
Quakers,  and  attended  two  terms  while  continuing 
his  medical  studies  with  Drs.  McKey  and  McNett. 
He  was  subsequently  admitted  to  practice,  and 
after  having  followed  the  profession  for  about  ten 
years  with  good  success,  he  engaged  in  loaning 
money  and  also  in  the  real-estate  business,  which 
he  followed  successfully  until  his  removal  upon  his 


f 


•  l   534 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


present  farm  in  1K71.  When  the  time  came  that 
he  felt  justified  in  retiring  from  business,  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  property  in  Homer  Town- 
ship, to  which  he  has  since  given  his  attention,  and 
has  obtained  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  skillful 
modern  agriculturist. 

When  twenty-four  years  of  age  Dr.  Mosier  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Dorethea  J.  Burton, 
on  the  3d  of  April,  1851.  Mrs.  Mosier  was  born  in 
Parke  County,  Ind.,  Oct.  6,  1831,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Clement  N.  and  Ann  T.  (Merry  weather) 
Burton,  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  born 
in  1790.  He  followed  farming  all  his  life,  his  later 
years  being  spent  in  Butler  County,  Iowa,  where 
his  death  occurred  in  1864.  The  mother  was  born 
in  1801,  and  departed  this  life  at  Rockville,  Parke 
Co.,  Ind.,  Dec.  26,  1840.  Both  were  members  of 
the  Christian  Church,  and  Mr.  Burton  was  an  Elder 
and  Trustee  for  many  years.  Although  receiving 
only  a  common-school  education  he  was  a  man  who 
kept  his  eyes  open  to  what  was  going  on  around 
him  in  the  world,  and  obtained  a  good  fund  of  gen- 
eral information.  He  endorsed  the  princples  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  was  in  all  respects  a  worthy 
and  useful  citizen.  The  eleven  children  born  of 
his  first  marriage  were  named  respectively,  John 
M.,  William  E.,  Mary  A.,  Luciuda  C.,  Eliza  R., 
James  M.,  Dorothea  J.,  Hugh  F.  L.,  Lucretia  C.i 
Rachel  L.  and  Henry  H.  Mary  A.  died  in  infancy. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  Mosier  was  twice  married,  the 
second  time  being  united  with  Mrs.  Rachel  (Robey) 
Taylor,  by  whom  he  became  the  father  of  three 
children — George  H.,  Joseph  C.  and  Mary  E. 

Dr.  Mosier  and  his  wife  have  no  children.  The 
name  originally  was  spelled  without  an  "  i,"  this 
being  added  to  the  name  by  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject. The  Doctor  has  been  prominent  in  local  af- 
fairs since  becoming  a  resident  of  Homer  Town- 
ship, and  held  the  office  of  Supervisor  four  terms, 
his  success  as  a  farmer  and  his  value  as  a  citizen  re- 
ceiving due  recognition  by  his  fellow- townsmen. 
He  is  a  strict  temperance  man,  working  as  he  has 
opportunity  for  the  success  of  the  cause.  He  affiliated 
with  the  Democratic  party  until  1856,  in  which 
year  he  cast  his  vote  for  Gen.  Fremont  for  Presi- 
dent, and  has  supported  Republican  candidates 
since  that  time.  He  is  prominently  connected  with 


the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  which  he  became  a  member  in 
1855,  and  in  which  order  he  has  occupied  the 
higher  offices,  being  a  representative  to  the  Grand 
Lodge  on  two  occasions,  when  its  sessions  were  held 
at  Springfield  and  Chicago. 


ENRY  J.  WIGGINS.  The  name  of  this 
gentleman  is  familiarly  known  throughout 
Champaign  County  as  one  eminently  suc- 
cessful in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  in  his 
investments,  by  which  means  combined,  he  has  ac- 
cumulated a  fine  property.  His  real  estate  lies 
mostly  on  sections  16  and  17,  in  Homer  Township, 
where  he  has  an  extensive  farm  of  306  acres,  with 
handsome  residence  and  grounds,  good  barns  and 
other  out-buildings,  and  all  the  requirements  of  a 
first-class  modern  agriculturist. 

Mr.  Wiggins  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  was  born 
Feb.  9,  1840.  His  parents,  also  natives  of  that 
State,  were  in  possession  of  one  of  the  finest  farms 
in  Hocking  County,  and  were  by  name:  Zedekiah 
D.  and  Lucinda  (Haynes)  Wiggins,  of  German  and 
English  ancestry.  His  father,  who  was  born  June 
21,  1816,  died  in  his  native  county  in  about  1877. 
The  mother  was  born  April  16,  1816,  and  passed 
to  the  other  life  before  the  death  of  her  husband, 
her  decease  occurring  in  September,  1862.  She 
was  a  lady  of  many  excellent  qualities,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  German  Reformed  Church.  Zedekinli 
D.  Wiggins  was  a  stanch  Whig,  politically,  during 
his  early  life,  but  after  the  abandonment  of  the  old 
party  cast  his  lot  with  the  Republicans.  The  par- 
ental household  included  twelve  children,  seven 
sons  and  five  daughters:  George  W.  married  Miss 
Caroline  Ebert;  Julia  A.  is  the  wife  of  Jesse 
Hosier;  Henry  J.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  child ; 
Jacob  H.  died  when  five  years  of  age;  Margaret  E. 
married  Mr.  F.  W.  Haynes;  Ferdelia  married  Eli- 
jah De  Long;  Minerva  became  the  wife  of  W.  S. 
Koch ;  Susan  is  unmarried ;  Obed  N.  married  Miss 
Laura  Van  Dyke;  Dumah  died  when  twenty  four 
years  old  ;  Edmund  S.  is  married  ;  Jerome  died  when 
three  years  of  age.  These  were  the  children  of  the 
first  wife.  After  her  death  Mr.  Wiggins  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  L.  Sherrick,  and  of  this  marriage 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


535 


A 

ria| 
y  din 

r 


there  were  born  three  children:  Mary,  now  the 
wife  of  Lewis  Drum ;  Thomas,  who  married  Miss 
Martha  Murlett,  and  Christopher  H.,  unmarried. 

Henry  J.  Wiggins  came  to' Illinois  in  1878,  and 
at  once  located  in  Homer  Township,  this  county, 
where  he  purchased  240  acres  of  land.  He  imme- 
diately began  making  improvements,  among  which 
was  the  erection  of  his  fine  brick  dwelling  which 
was  pat  up  in  1879.  This  comprises  two  stories 
and  a  basement,  is  40x40  feet  in  area,  and  furnished 
with  all  modern  conveniences.  Mr.  Wiggins  was 
recognized  as  a  valuable  addition  to  the  intelli- 
gence and  thrift  of  this  region,  and  two  years  after 
his  arrival  here  was  elected  to  represent  his  town- 
ship on  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  which  office  he 
held  for  five  years  continuously,  and  was  re-elected 
in  the  spring  of  1886  and  1887.  The  duties  of  this 
office  he  has  discharged  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of 
his  constituents.  He  has  always  taken  an  active 
interest  in  the  enterprises  set  on  foot  to  promote 
the  general  welfare,  and  has  been  the  leader  in 
many  important  measures.  He  is  one  of  the  Di- 
rectors of  the  First  National  Bank  in  Homer,  and 
also  serving  as  Vice  President.  This  institution 
was  established  on  the  12th  of  May,  1883,  with  a 
capital  of  $150,000,  and  its  reputation  to-day  is 
largely  due  to  the  good  judgment  and  wise  coun- 
sel of  Mr.  Wiggins  in  the  conduct  of  its  affairs,  and 
the  caution  with  which  its  management  has  been 
distinguished. 

After  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion  Mr.  Wiggins 
enlisted  in  the  12th  Ohio  Cavalry  in  1863,  his  regi- 
ment being  assigned  to  the  1 3th  Army  Corps,  but 
he  was  subsequently  transferred  as  Second  Lieu- 
tenant to  the  14th  United  States  Infantry,  a  regi- 
ment of  colored  troops  stationed  around  Richmond 
and  Petersburg.  In  the  engagement  at  Mt.  Ster- 
ling Lieut.  Wiggins  was  wounded  in  the  neck,  al- 
though not  seriously,  and  continued  in  the  service 
until  after  the  close  of  the  war,  being  mustered  out 
Oct.  13,  18G6,  as  First  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant,  at 
Ringgold  Barracks  in  Texas.  After  retiring  from 
the  army  he  returned  to  his  native  State  and  en- 
gaged in  farming,  removing  thence  in  1878. 

While  in  Ohio  Mr.  Wiggins  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Rosalie  L.  Eggleston,  their  wed- 
ding taking  place  Dec.  31,  18G7.  Mrs.  W.  was 


born  in  Vinton  County,  Ohio,  May  21,  1847,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  Seth  C.  and  Lucinda  (Cornwell) 
Eggleston,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York  and 
the  latter  of  Canada.  Seth  Eggleston  was  born  in 
1816,  and  is  still  living,  being  a  resident  of  Vinton 
County,  Ohio.  He  has  followed  farming  and  mer- 
cantile business  all  his  life,  and  is  a  highly  respected 
citizen,  Republican  in  politics,  and  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  having  held  the  office  of  Dea- 
con for  many  years.  The  mother,  born  in  1819, 
died  in  Ohio  in  1849.  The  parental  household  in- 
cluded four  children,  three  now  living:  George  B., 
who  married  Miss  Amanda  Stoughton  ;  Lovina  is 
single,  and  Rosalie  L.  the  wife  of  our  subject;  the 
other  child  died  in  infancy.  After  the  death  of  his 
first  wife  Mr.  P^ggleston  was  married  to  Miss  Su- 
san Haynes,  and  of  this  union  there  were  born  two 
children,  Watson  and  Julia.  This  lady  died,  after  a 
few  years,  and  Mr.  Eggleston  contracted  a  third 
marriage,  with  Miss  Jane  Fry.  Of  this  union  there 
were  born  three  children,  viz.,  Jeremiah,  Clara  and 
James  G.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  became  the  parents  of 
four  children,  three  now  living  —  Pearl  E.,  Chajrles 
B.  and  Nellie  L.  Henry  died  when  six  months  old. 
The  homestead  of  our  subject  and  his  family  is 
viewed  with  admiration  by  the  passing  traveler. 
The  hand  of  taste  is  visible  on  every  side  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  residence,  and  the  broad,  smiling  fields 
which  stretch  away  in  rich  grain  and  pasture  dur- 
ing the  summer  season  are  a  sight  extremely  pleas- 
ant to  the  eye.  When  leaving  his  farm  to  exercise 
the  right  of  a  free-born  American  citizen  at  the 
polls,  Mr.  Wiggins  usually  supports  the  Repub- 
lican candidate,  and  in  religious  matters  holds  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which  he 
has  held  the  office  of  Trustee. 


B.  WILLIAMS,  one  of  the  most  highly 
respected  farmers  of  Homer  Township,  is  a 
forcible  illustration  of  the  self-made  man 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources  early  in  life,  and 
who,  battling  against  many  difficulties,  finally  suc- 
ceeded and  now,  as  a  well-to-do  farmer  and  stock 
breeder  in  the  midst  of  peace  and  plenty,  is  enjoy- 
ing the  fruits  of  his  early  labors.  He  is  a  native  of 


f 


536 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Kike  County,  Ohio,  his  birth  occurring  May  5, 
1820,  and  he  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  early  age  of 
three  years.  His  subsequent  life  was  passed  among 
strangers  who  illy  supplied  the  place  of  father  and 
mother.  He  received  but  a  limited  education  and 
less  training  in  those  habits  of  life  which  are  so  ad- 
vantageous to  the  young  man  starting  out  to  carve 
his  own  fortune.  His  parents,  Nathan  and  Mary 
(Lonej1)  Williams,  were  natives  of  North  Carolina; 
the  former,  born  in  1785,  died  in  his  native  State 
in  1824.  The  mother,  born  in  1789,  died  in  Ohio 
in  1862.  The  parents  were  married  in  1811,  and 
of  their  union  there  were  born  eight  children, 
namely,  Sarah,  John,  Walter,  Minerva,  Ira,  George 
H.,  Zimri  and  Eli. 

The  youth  and  boyhood  of  Zimri  B.  Williams  were 
passed  mostly  on  a  farm  in  Ohio,  where  he  received 
small  wages  and  a  limited  amount  of  clothing,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  marriage  was  engaged  in  that 
vocation.  This  event  occurred  on  the  12th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1846,  his  chosen  bride  being  Miss  Mary  Pink- 
erton,  who  was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Feb. 
1,  1825.  Mrs.  W.  is  the  daughter  of  Richard  and 
Sarah  (Hall)  Pinkerton,  the  former  a  native  of 
South  Carolina  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania. 
Their  family  consisted  of  five  daughters  and  one 
son,  and  they  looked  their  last  upon  the  scenes  of 
earth  many  years  ago.  Their  children  were  Ellen, 
Harriett,  James,  Mary,  Clarissa  and  Jane. 

Of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams, 
the  record  is  as  follows:  The  first  born,  a  son,  died 
in  infanc}'  unnamed ;  Myron  N..  born  in  1860,  died 
in  1861;  Cyrus  married  Miss  Mary  Clark,  and  is 
living  in  Manitou,  111. ;  Elizabeth,  born  in  1851,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Samuel  Porterfield,  and  died  at 
the  home  of  her  husband  in  Sidney  Township,  leav- 
ing four  children — Eddie,  an  infant  now  de- 
ceased, Robert  Z.  and  Nellie;  Clara  married 
Rev.  N.  E.  Parsons,  a  Presiding  Elder  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  now  stationed  in 
Oregon;  John  T.  married  Miss  Ella  Reynolds ; Mary 
E.  was  born  March  9,  1865,  and  is  still  at  home 
with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Williams  removed  from  Ohio  in  1861,  to 
Parke  County,  Ind.,  accompanied  by  his  family. 
He  engaged  in  farming  in  Wabash  Township  five 
years  and  then,  coming  to  this  county,  purchased 


i 


160  acres  of  land  in  Homer  Township,  which  he 
afterward  disposed  of  and  has  now  but  eighty  acres, 
which,  however,  is  very  valuable,  having  been 
brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation  and  provided 
with  good  buildings.  Mr.  Williams  has  made  great 
improvements  since  taking  possession  of  this,  each 
year  adding  something  to  its  beauty  and  value. 
His  life  has  been  quiet  and  unobtrusive  but  he  has 
fullfilled  its  several  duties  to  the  best  of  his  ability, 
exerting  a  good  influence  on  those  around  him.  and 
as  he  has  had  opportunity  contributing  to  the  enter- 
prises calculated  to  benefit  his  township  and  com- 
munity. He  identified  himself  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  1866,  being  now  a  Trustee  and 
considered  one  of  its  most  prominent  members. 
He  has  the  co-operation  of  his  family  in  his  religious 
duties,  all  with  one  exception  being  members  of  the 
same  church.  His  son,  John,  belongs  to  the  Chris- 
tian Church  in  Homer,  111.,  being  a  Trustee  and 
one  of  its  most  valued  members.  Mr.  Williams 
politically  casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


RTHUR  PRICE,  well  known  among  the 
livery  interests  of  Champaign  City,  has  a 
good  stable  and  excellent  outfit,  located 
on  Neal  street,  where  he  has  been  engaged 
since  the  spring  of  1886,  having  removed  from  his 
first  location  where  he  established  himself  in  1881. 
He  has  about  a  dozen  horses  and  carriages  which 
he  keeps  in  first-class  condition,  and  is  quite  popu- 
lar with  the  pleasure-loving  public. 

Mr.  Price  is  a  native  of  England,  born  in  Hamp- 
shire, in  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Annie 
(May)  Price,  natives  of  the  same  country.  Thomas 
Price  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1856,  and 
the  following  year  sent  for  his  family.  After 
reaching  American  shores,  he  proceeded  directly 
westward,  and  purchasing  640  acres  of  laud  in 
Somer  Township,  this  county,  engaged  extensively 
in  farming  two  years,  and  then  removed  to  Hens- 
ley  Township,  where  he  was  occupied  as  before, 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1862.  Of  the 
nine  children  born  to  the  parents,  eight  are  now 
living,  namely,  Francis,  AValter,  Arthur,  Fred,  Kate; 
Jessie,  Benjamin  and  Isabel.  Alice  is  deceased.  The 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


537 


father  of  our  subject  was  Republican  in  politics, 
and  belonged  to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was 
a  good  man  in  every  respect,  and  universally  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  him.  The  mother  is  now 
living  with  her  son  Arthur  in  Champaign  City. 

The  subject  of  this  history  received  his  educa- 
tion in  England,  and  after  coming  to  America 
worked  with  his  father  on  the  farm  until  the  death 
of  the  latter,  and  was  then  similarly  engaged  else- 
where until  January,  1864.  The  late  war  being 
then  in  progress,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  I,  2d  111.  Vol. 
Cav.,  serving  until  the  close.  He  then  returned 
to  Champaign  County,  where  he  was  employed  in 
Urbana  Township  and  elsewhere  in  the  county 
until  1881,  in  which  year  he  established  his  present 
business,  on  Market  street  in  this  city. 

Mr.  Price  was  married,  in  1875,  to  Miss  Nellie, 
the  daughter  of  James  Darling,  of  New  York,  and 
they  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  Nellie,  now  eleven 
years  of  age.  Their  snug  and  comfortable  resi- 
dence is  pleasantly  located  on  Washington  street, 
and  they  enjoy  the  society  of  many  warm  friends 
and  acquaintances.  Mr.  Price  is  Republican  in 
politics,  and  as  a  thorough-going  business  man,  is 
contributing  his  full  share  toward  the  business  in- 
terests of  the  city. 


AND  HENRY  SKINNER,  well 
known  in  Ayers  Township  as  fine  represent- 
atives of  its  substantial  farming  element, 
have  a  fine  estate  on  section  4,  of  which  200  acres 
descended  to  them  from  their  father.  They  sub- 
sequently added  180  acres  to  it,  and  through  their 
excellent  management  it  has  developed  into  one  of 
the  finest  farms  in  this  part  of  Champaign  County. 
The  land  is  thoroughly  drained  with  eleven  and 
one-half  miles  of  tiling,  from  three  to  twelve  inches 
in  diameter,  and  the  present  year  (1887)  they  have 
210  acres  of  corn.  This  cereal  gains  its  richest 
growth  on  this  particular  soil.  The  corn  fields  of 
Illinois  have  long  been  the  admiration  of  travelers 
from  the  East,  and  the  Skinner  Brothers  have  aided 
materially  in  sustaining  the  reputation  of  this  sec- 
tion and  this  cereal  as  grown  here. 

The    birth    of   these   gentlemen    took    place    in 


Somersetshire,  England,  that  of  George,  Jan.  29, 
1850,  and  that  of  Henry,  Oct.  4,  1853.  Their  par- 
ents were  Robert  and  Anna  (Rich)  Skinner,  who 
came  with  their  children  to  Illinois  in  1854,  and  at 
once  located  in  this  State,  stopping  first  in  Chicago, 
of  which  they  were  residents  ten  years,  and  thence 
removed  to  Shelby  County,  and  finally  to  Coles 
County.  The  last  removal  was  to  Champaign 
County,  where  the  elder  Skinner  purchased  200 
acres  of  land  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  was  born 
in  Somersetshire,  England,  May  7,  1801,  and  the 
mother  Jury  14,  1814.  The  latter  was  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  they  both  died  on 
the  old  homestead  in  1 883. 

Robert  Skinner  after  coming  to  this  country  and 
acquainting  himself  with  its  laws  and  the  manner  of 
its  Government,  identified  himself  with  the  Repub- 
lican party.  Of  his  first  marriage  there  were  born 
six  children,  all  now  living:  Mary  J.  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Moore,  and  is  living  in  England ;  Sarah 
A.  married  Mr.  Cureton,  of  England ;  William  mar- 
ried Miss  Julia  Higgins,  of  Maine;  Anna  became 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Vellum;  James  married  Miss 
Ann  Cheney ;  Elizabeth  became  the  wife  of  George 
Sylvester,  of  Chicago.  The  children  of  the  second 
wife  were :  Amelia,  who  married  William  Hatfield ; 
Rhoda,  the  widow  of  John  Junkins,  who  died  in 
1875,  and  has  one  child;  George  and  Henry  of  our 
sketch. 

George  Skinner  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he  is 
Trustee  and  Steward.  The  services  of  this  society 
are  held  at  Ames'  Chapel.  George  is  a  School 
Trustee,  Henry  a  Director,  and  both  are  Republican 
in  politics. 


CHARLES  GEHRIG,  one  of  the  enterpris- 
ing German  farmers  of,  Scott  Township, 
came  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1809, 
and  took  possession  of  his  present  property.  This 
consisted  of  eighty  acres  of  land,  pleasantly  located 
on  section  10,  and  to  which  he  has  since  added,  so 
that  he  is  now  the  possessor  of  120  acres,,  all  im- 
proved and  with  a  substantial  and  convenient  set 
of-  farm  buildings.  His  agricultural  operations 
have  been  conducted  in  an  intelligent  and  skillful 


I 


538 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


in:mner.  anil  his  upright  business  methods  have 
gained  him  the  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  son  of  F. 
Charles,  Sr..  and  Mary  Gehrig,  who  were  born  in 
Germany  aud  passed  their  entire  lives  in  their  na- 
tive land.  There  also  our  subject  first  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light,  on  the  23d  of  February,  1832. 
He  remained  with  his  parents  in  the  Fatherland 
until  twenty -one  years  of  age,  and  then  set  sail  for 
the  United  States.  After  landing  in  New  York 
City  and  remaining  a  short  time,  he  secured  em- 
ployment in  an  iron  foundry  at  Elizabethport,  N. 
J.,  where  he  remained  until  1855,  and  then  started 
for  the  West.  Reaching  Chicago  he  worked  as  a 
carpenter  for  two  years,  and  from  there  proceeded 
to  Pent  Water,  Mich.,  where  he  was  employed  for 
twelve  years  following  by  one  man,  Charles  May- 
ers, a  millwright  and  repairer  of  machinery.  In  the 
spring  of  1869  he  came  to  this  county  and  at  once 
located  in  Scott  Township,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. 

While  in  Chicago  Mr.  Gehrig  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Johanna  Mangel,  June  8,  1856. 
Her  parents  were  Conrad  and  Sophia  Mangel,  of  Ger- 
many, where  Mrs.  G.  was  also  born,  in  about  1836. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  five 
children:  Charles  M.  was  born  Oct.  26,  1857; 
Lydia  M.,  Sept.  20,  1862;  Frank  T.,  Feb.  12,  1865; 
Clara  J.,  Dec.  20,  1867;  Anna  M.,  March  25,  1871. 
Clara  died  when  five  years  of  age;  Charles  married 
Miss  Carrie  Flower,  and  is  fanning  in  Scott  Town- 
ship ;  Lydia  became  the  wife  of  George  Collins, 
and  also  lives  in  Scott  Township;  Frank  T.  and 
Anna  M.  are  at  home. 

Our  subject  is  Republican  politically,  and  relig- 
iously a  firm  adherent  of  the  Catholic  faith.  Be- 
sides his  farm  property  Mr.  G.  is  the  owner  of  a 
good  house  and  several  lots  in  the  village  of  Sey- 
mour, 111. 


NDREW  J.  ROCK,  son  of  one  of  the  earli- 
est pioneers  of   Champaign   County,   was 
born  in  Wabash  County,  Ind.,  March  21, 
1832.    He  was  the  fourth  child  of  William 
and  Nancy  (Beavers)  Rock,  who  were  natives  of 
Maryland,  but  removed  in  about  1831  to  Indiana, 


where  they  lived  until  March,  1835.  William  Rock 
then  took  up  a  claim  of  forty  acres  in  what  is  now 
Sadorus  Township,  where  he  built  his  first  house, 
which  was  constructed  of  poles.  He  lived  for  a 
period  of  over  forty  years  in  that  township.  Our 
subject  distinctly  recollects  the  journey  to  Chicago 
with  teams,  for  the  purpose  of  hauling  lumber, 
shingles,  etc.,  for  the  brick  house  erected  later, 
and  which  when  completed  was  considered  an  un- 
usually fine  structure.  There  were  no  hotels  along 
the  route,  and  the  young  teamster  with  his  compan- 
ions took  their  meals  by  the  wayside,  and  slept  in 
their  wagon  at  night. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  passed  his  boyhood 
and  youth  on  his  father's  farm  in  Illinois,  and  when 
nineteen  years  old  left  home  to  look  around  over 
the  country.  He  halted  in  McLean  County  for  a 
time  and  in  the  spring  of  1852  returned  home,  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  one  of  his  early  playmates 
for  his  wife.  This  was  Miss  Mercy  Peabody,  the 
eldest  of  a  family  of  three  children  born  to  Cor- 
nelius and  Mercy  (Bryant)  Peabody,  of  Ohio.  The 
young  people  remained  on  the  father's  homestead 
two  years,  and  then  our  subject  purchased  ninety 
acres  of  laud,  where  the  following  spring  he  put  up 
a  house  and  which  he  occupied  until  the  spring  of 
1859.  Andrew  then  sold  this  property  to  his  father 
and,  crossing  the  Mississippi,  purchased  200  acres 
of  land  in  Jasper  County,  Mo.,  upon  which  the 
plowshare  had  never  turned  a  furrow.  At  the 
same  time  he  located  on  a  rented  farm  in  the 
vicinity,  designing  to  improve  his  own  land  as  op- 
portunity afforded,  while  he  raised  regular  crops  on 
the  improved  land.  Not  long  afterward,  however, 
he  was  driven  out  by  the  rebels,  who  were  over- 
running the  State,  seeking  to  introduce  their  own 
peculiar  institutions,  among  them  that  of  slavery. 

After  leaving  Missouri  in  August,  1861,  Mr. 
Rock  moved  to  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.,  where  he  left  his 
family,  and  enlisting  in  the  6th  Kansas  Cavalry, 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  a  Union  soldier.  He 
remained  with  his  regiment  until  spring,  when  he 
was  detailed  as  a  Government  scout  in  the  State  of 
Kansas,  where  his  knowledge  of  the  country  proved 
of  invaluable  service  to  the  Union,  and  where  he 
remained  until  the  winter  of  1864.  His  term  of 
enlistment  then  having  expired,  he  was  mustered 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


541 


out,  and  returned  to  his  home  and  family.  Here, 
however,  there  was  a  vacant  chair,  his  estimable 
wife  having  passed  away,  her  death  taking  place 
Oct.  6,  1861,  soon  after  his  enlistment.  She  left 
two  children — Franklin  and  Nancy.  The  former 
is  now  operating  a  cattle  ranch  near  Leadville,  Col., 
where  lie  went  when  seventeen  years  of  age.  Nancy 
is  the  wife  of  John  Mattox,  who  occupies  a  farm 
adjoining  that  of  our  subject. 

After  his  return  from  the  army  Mr.  Rock  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Martha  (Merrick) 
Quick,  fourth  child  of  Charles  and  Lucincla  Mer- 
rick, natives  of  New  York  State.  The  second  wife 
of  our  subject  was  born  in  New  York,  and  spent 
her  childhood  and  youth  in  Missouri,  where  she  was 
married  to  Mr.  Quick.  After  their  marriage,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  R.  set  out  for  his  old  home  in  Illinois, 
where  they  spent  the  winter  of  1864,  and  during 
the  following  fall  built  a  residence  across  the  road 
from  his  father's  on  section  24,  Sadorus  Township, 
where  he  now  resides.  Three  years  later,  however, 
our  subject  went  back  to  Kansas,  and  purchased  a 
quarter  section  of  improved  land  in  Cherokee 
County,  where  he  followed  farming  and  stock-rais- 
ing for  six  years.  His  wife,  in  the  spring  of  I860, 
was  seized  with  fatal  illness,  and  on  the  4th  of  April 
yielded  up  her  life,  leaving  her  husband  with  two 
little  daughters — Harriet  and  Ida.  The  former  is 
now  the  wife  of  Orny  Flat,  a  farmer  of  Sadorus 
Township;  Ida  is  still  at  home. 

The  third  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Aug.  15,  1870,  was  formerly  Miss  Eliza- 
beth, only  child  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Burkhart, 
of  Kansas.  They  remained  in  that  State  until  the 
summer  of  1874,  and  then  our  subject  returned 
with  his  family  to  Illinois,  and  moved  into  the 
house  which  he  had  left  a  few  years  before.  He 
has  been  uniformly  prosperous  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  460  acres  of  fertile  land,  and  prides  him- 
self upon  the  quality  of  his  crops  and  live-stock. 
He  has  good  grades  of  horses  and  cattle,  although 
not  devoting  much  time  to  fancy  breeds. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Burkhart)  Rock,  after  remaining 
the  companion  of  her  husband  a  few  brief  years, 
and  becoming  the  mother  of  four  children,  de- 
parted this  life  in  the  spring  of  1879.  The  off- 
spring of  this  union  were  Bertie,  John  H.,  Lulu 


and  Maude,  all  of  whom  are  at  home  with   their 
father. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  the  fall  of  1883,  was  formerly  Miss 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Rev.  Nathan  and  Rebecca 
Griffen,  of  Sadorus.  Mrs.  R.  was  born  in  LaFay- 
ette  County,  Mo.,  in  1848.  Our  subject  is  a  stanch 
adherent  of  the  Democratic  party,  but  does  not 
meddle  with  politics  otherwise  than  to  cast  his  vote 
at  the  elections.  He  has  filled  the  ollices  of  his 
township  and  is  a  man  whose  judgment  is  regarded 
with  great  deference.  Nothing  pleases  him  better 
than  to  observe  the  welfare  and  progress  of  his 
community  morally,  intellectually  and  financially. 
Mrs.  Rock  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and 
a  most  estimable  lady.  The  homestead  is  one  of 
the  attractive  spots  in  Sadorus  Township,  a  pleasant 
sight  to  the  eye  of  the  traveler,  and  a  hospitable 
resort  for  the  friends  of  the  family,  and  we  are 
pleased  to  present  a  lithographic  view  of  i^h. 
work. 


ARIUS  F.  D.  HINTON.  JTor  a 
over  thirty-three  years  the  subject  of- 
following  history  has  been  a  resi<*lfii]t  ]Ofj  £ 
Newcomb  Township,  having  come 
the  spring  of  1854.  He  is  the  owner  of  243  acres 
of  choice  land  which  he  has  cultivated  with  marked 
success,  and  has  brought  about  the  improvements 
required  by  the  first-class  agriculturist.  He  has  a 
fine  dwelling,  a  good  barn  and  all  necessary  out- 
buildings, and  in  his  operations  as  a  grain  and  stock- 
raiser,  ranks  among  the  best  farmers  of  this  county. 
He  comes  of  an  excellent  family,  being  the  son  of 
Michael  and  Rachel  (Poffinbarger)  Hinton,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Kentucky,  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
the  latter  of  Pennsj'lvania,  and  a  descendant  of  sub- 
stantial German  ancestry.  After  marriage  the  par- 
ents of  our  subject  located  at  Circleville,  Ohio, 
whence  they  removed  to  Clinton  County,  Ind.,and 
there  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days.  Michael 
Hinton  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  the  par- 
ental household  included  six  children. 

Our  subject  was  the  third  son  and  fourth  child  of 
his  parents,  and  was  born  near  Circleville,  Pickaway 
Co.,  Ohio,  June  22,  1831.  He  was  about  two  years 


CHAMTAION  COUNTY. 


old  when  his  parents  removed  to  Indiana,  lie  was 
reared  on  the  farm  and  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools.  He  was  trained  to  habits 
of  industry,  laid  his  plans  early  in  life,  and  de- 
termined to  secure  for  himself  a  comfortable  home 
and  a  competency.  In  this  he  has  succeeded,  and 
his  efforts  have  been  conducted  in  that  honest,  up- 
right way  that  has  secured  for  him  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Hinton  took  place  in  Clin- 
ton County,  Ind.,  Oct.  22,  1851.  The  maiden  of 
his  choice  was  Miss  Fannie,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Sarah  (McNulty)  Rowe,  who  were  both  natives 
of  Ohio.  The  father  died  in  Clinton  County,  Ind., 
in  October,  1848,  and  the  mother  in  Newcomb 
Township,  this  county,  in  December,  1863.  Of 
their  eight  children  six  were  daughters.  Mrs.  Hin- 
ton was  the  eldest  daughter  and  third  child,  and  was 
born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Jan.  22,  1833. 

Of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hinton, 
fourteen  in  number,  nine  lived  to  mature  years, 
namely,  Michael  L.,  William  A.,  Jordan  F.,  Win- 
field  S.,  Jeauette,  Rosa  B.,  Minerva,  Charles  W. 
and  Thomas  A.  Michael  married  Miss  Nancy  Lus- 
ter and  resides  in  Newcomb  Township;  William, 
also  a  resident  of  Newcomb  Township,  married 
Miss  Rosa  Shoppell;  Jordan  married  Miss  Josie 
Parrett  and  lives  in  Newcomb  Township.  Our  sub- 
ject has  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  his  town- 
ship, holding  its  minor  offices,  and  politically  is  an 
uncompromising  Democrat. 

In  presenting  in  the  pictorial  department  of  this 
Auii'M  views  of  farm  homesteads,  it  has  been  the 
object  to  select  those  of  a  representative  character. 
Among  these  may  be  found  a  view  of  the  residence 
and  surroundings  of  Mr.  Hinton. 


ILLIAM  WARTERS,  who  for  the  space  of 
twenty-two  years  has  occupied  the  pulpit 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of 
which  he  was  also  ordained  Deacon  in  1873,  in  ad- 
dition to  his  ministerial  duties,  has  still  found  time 
to  engage  in  the  occupation  which  he  has  always 
loved,  namely,  agriculture.  One  of  the  best  reg- 
ulated farms  in  Ayers  Township  belongs  to  him, 


and  consists  of  1 60  acres  on  section  2 1 .  Here  for 
thirteen  years  past  he  has  watched  the  seasons 
come  and  go,  and  has  taken  satisfaction  in  tilling 
the  soil  and  viewing  the  result  of  his  labors.  Of 
late  years  he  has  been  giving  much  attention  to 
sheep-growing,  an  industry  which  is  too  apt  to  be 
neglected  in  this  State.  Having  a  good  under- 
standing of  the  care  and  treatment  of  this  particu- 
lar stock,  he  has  succeeded  admirably,  and  is  in 
possession  of  a  very  fine  flock  of  high-grade  Shrop- 
shire, to  which  each  year  is  added  a  score  or  more, 
and  from  whose  fleece  he  realizes  a  handsome  sum 
annually. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  Mr.  Warters  were 
spent  principally  in  Yorkshire,  England,  where  his 
birth  took  place  Dec.  2,  1823.  His  parents,  Joseph 
and  Jane  (Robson)  Warters,  were  natives  of  the 
same  country.  His  father  was  born  in  1793,  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  died  in  his  native 
shire  in  1864.  The  mother,  born  in  1803,  died  in 
Auburn,  111.,  in  December,  1866.  Joseph  Warters 
was  a  member  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church, 
and  the  mother  of  the  primitive  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church.  The  household  circle  included  four- 
teen children,  of  whom  five  came  to  America. 
While  a  resident  of  England,  our  subject  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Hannah  Cooper  (who  was  born  there) 
March  16,  1850.  Mrs.  W.  is  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Ann  (Cundill)  Cooper,  both  now  deceased. 
Her  father,  who  was  born  in  1785,  attained  the 
patriarchical  age  of  ninety-three  years.  The  mother, 
born  in  1800,  died  in  1843.  The  children  of  this 
household  were  Ann,  Mary  and  Mason  (twins), 
Baker,  Hannah,  Walker,  Richard,  William,  Grace, 
Harriett,  William  M.  and  Jane. 

After  their  marriage  our  subject  and  his  wife  first 
located  in  Morgan  County,  111.,  and  in  1874  took 
possession  of  their  present  homestead.  The  house- 
hold circle  has  been  completed  by  the  birth  of 
eleven  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows: 
Jane  A.,  the  eldest  daughter,  married  John  Hodg- 
son, of  Morgan  County,  III. ;  Mary  became  the  wife 
of  William  D.  Darley;  Joseph  married  Miss  Sarah 
E.  Hudson ;  Maria  H.  is  unmarried,  and  at  home 
with  her  parents;  John  C.  married  Miss  Annie  Mil- 
ler; James  H.  remains  under  the  parental  roof; 
Sarah  H.  married  William  Hodgson;  Grace  R.  died 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


543 


when  four  years  of  age;  William  M.,  Thomas  B. 
rind  Mathew.     The  latter  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Warters  has  been  prospered  in  his  farming 
operations,  while  devoting  a  large  share  of  his  time 
to  his  pious  offices.  He  has  performed  the  marriage 
ceremony  for  quite  a  number  of  persons,  and  offici- 
ates as  teacher  in  the  Sunday-school  whenever  his 
services  are  required.  He  is  of  that  temperament 
which  appreciates  everything  good  in  nature  and 
mankind,  and  is  consequently  taking  much  enjoy- 
ment in  life  while  striving  to  fulfill  its  duties  in  a 
faithful  and  worthy  manner. 


AM1LTON  WOODARD,  a  resident  of  the 
Prairie  State  since  1875,  owns  200  acres  of 
land  located  on  sections  1'J  and  30,  Homer 
Township,  the  major  portion  of  which  is 
under  an  advanced  state  of  cultivation  and  where 
he  is  principally  engaged  in  stock-growing.  He  is 
a  native  of  Putnam  County,  Ind.,  born  Feb.  6, 
1829,  and  the  son  of  James  and  Annie  (Wells) 
Woodard,  natives  of  Kentucky.  The  father,  born 
in  1 785,  engaged  in  farming  pursuits  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  and  died  in  1840,  when  fifty-five 
years  of  age.  lie  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812,  being  in  the  army  six  months,  and  escaped 
unharmed.  He  lived  the  life  of  a  quiet  and  unob- 
trusive citizen,  identified  himself  with  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  and  was  always  spoken  of  as 
a  man  enjoying  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  those 
who  knew  him.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  who 
was  born  in  1793,  survived  her  husband  thirty-four 
years,  and  departed  this  life  in  Vermillion  County, 
Ind.,  in  1874.  She  never  married  aftec  the  death 
of  Mr.  Woodard.  She  also  was  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
trained[up  her  family  in  the  moral  and  religious  doc- 
trines to  which  she  had  been  reared.  There  were 
eight  children  in  the  parental  household,  four  sons 
and  four  daughters :  Mary  A.  married  D.  Loy ; 
William  married  Miss  Isabella  Thompson ;  Enoch 
married  Miss  Sarah  Hillits;  Lucinda,  Mrs.  Pruett, 
lives  in  Indiana;  Malinda  became  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam Thomas;  James  II.  married  Miss  Barbara  liar- 


land;  Annie  M.  married  Joseph  McCrary ;  Hamilton 
of  our  sketch  was  the  youngest  child. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  years  on  the  farm  of 
his  parents  and  during  a  few  winter  seasons  at- 
tended the  pioneer  schools.  After  reaching  his 
majority  he  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count, remaining  in  his  native  county  until  1875, 
and  then  coming  into  Homer  Township,  this  county, 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  which  is  now  included  in 
his  present  homestead.  His  estate  now  consists  of 
200  acres,  furnished  with  good  buildings,  ample 
farm  machinery  and  choice  grades  of  cattle  and 
horses.  His  possessions  are  the  result  of  his  own 
industry  and  perseverance,  as  he  started  out  in  life 
with  little  capital,  save  his  willing  hands  and  resolute 
spirit.  Notwithstanding  his  business  cares  he  has 
always  found  sufficient  time  to  look  after  the  inter- 
ests of  his  township  and  community,  and  has  al- 
ways been  the  encourager  and  supporter  of  every 
worthy  enterprise.  He  identified  himself  with  the 
United  Brethren  Church  early  in  life,  but  after- 
ward united  with  the  Methodists,  and  rendered  ma- 
terial aid  in  the  erection  of  their  building  at  Lost 
Grove,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the  Trustees,  and 
which  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  lie  is  a  strong 
temperance  man  and  Republican  in  politics. 

One  of  the  events  which  had  much  to  do  with 
shaping  the  future  course  of  Mr.  Woodard  was  his 
marriage,  when  twenty  years  of  age,  with  Miss 
Nancy  Bagwell,  which  took  place  on  the  1 1  th  of 
December,  1849,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents 
in  Parke  County,  Ind.,  Rev.  Low  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  officiating.  Mrs.  W.  is  a  native 
of  Parke  County,  Ind.,  born  Aug.  14,  1831,  and  the 
daughter  of  William.and  Elizabeth  (Martin)  Bag- 
well, natives  of  South  Carolina.  They  removed  to 
Indiana  soon  after  their  marriage,  in  the  pioneer 
days. 

William  Bagwell  was  born  in  1796,  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  died  in  Parke  County, 
Ind.,  March  6,  1873.  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  who  was 
born  in  1798,  survived  her  husband  seven  years, 
her  decease  taking  place  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Parke  County,  June  9,  1880.  Both  parents  were 
of  German  ancestry,  and  the  mother  a  devout  mem- 
ber of  the  United  Brethren  Church.  The  thirteen 
children  of  the  parental  household  were  named  re- 


I 


I 


544 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


spectivcly,  Rebecca  A.,  Matilda  .1.,  John  M., 
Nancy,  Minerva,  Euphemia,  Vim  E..  Mary  A., 
Sarah,  Lovina  F.,  Kivanah,  Margaret  who  died  in 
childhood,  and  James  when  sixteen  years  of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamilton  Woodard  have  nine 
children  living,  namely,  John  M.,  James  \V..  Anna 
K.,  Harvey  H..  Lucinda  I.,  Charles  N.,  Martha  E., 
Barbara  A.  and  Cora  F.  Those  deceased  are  Chris- 
topher C.,  who  departed  this  life  Jtdy  G,  1876; 
Nancy  J.,  Aug.  31.  1873,  and  Mary  A.,  Dec.  1, 
1866.  The  children  are  mostly  settled  in  homes  of 
their  own  not  far  from  the  farm  of  their  father. 
They  have  been  carefully  trained  and  are  well  edu- 
cated, presenting  a  group  of  which  the  parents 
may  be  pardoned  in  taking  much  pride. 


\EOKGE  EDWARDS,  a  leading  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  of  Philo  Township,  is  a  native 
of  Shropshire,  England,  and  was  born  April 
6,  1833.  His  father,  George,  and  his  grandfather, 
John  Edwards,  were  both  born  and  reared  in 
Shropshire,  where  the  latter  died  when  ninety  years 
of  age.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Sarah  Williams. 
George  Edwards,  Sr.,  married  Miss  Anna  Hollis, 
of  his  native  shire,  who  was  also  of  English  birth 
and  parentage.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  about 
1842.  They  located  in  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa, 
where  three  years  later  the  mother  died.  A  son 
and  daughter  had  been  born  in  Iowa.  The  father 
is  yet  living,  and  a  resident  of  Peoria  County,  111., 
being  seventy-eight  years  of  age.  Mr.  Edwards' 
grandparents  on  his  mother's  side  were  Joseph  and 
Hannah  Hollis. 

After  the  death  of  his  mother,  young  Edwards 
made  his  home  with  a  family  by  the  name  of 
Slaughter,  with  whom  he  remained  until  sixteen 
years  of  age,  and  then  set  out  to  seek  his  fortune. 
Coming  to  this  State  he  engaged  as  a  farm  laborer 
and  saved  what  he  could  of  his  earnings.  His  in- 
dustry and  honesty  secured  for  him  warm  friends 
on  every  side,  and  in  1854  he  felt  justified  in  tak- 
ing to  himself  a  wife  and  helpmeet.  This  was  Miss 
Susie  Endres,  and  their  wedding  took  place  on  the 
2d  of  May,  1854.  Mrs.  Edwards  was  born  in  Bal- 


timore, Aid..  May  27,  1836,  and  is  the  youngest 
child  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Deem)  Endres.  Her 
mother  w:is  first  married  to  a  Mr.  Myers  who,  like 
herself,  was  a  native  of  Baden,  Germany.  Mr. 
Endres  in  his  youth  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoe- 
maker, and  came  to  the  United  States  early  in  1833, 
locating  in  Baltimore,  where  he  established  in  busi- 
ness and  built  up  a  good  trade,  employing  finally 
as  man}'  as  sixteen  journeymen. 

The  Endres  family  removed  from  Maryland  to 
Illinois  in  1841,  locating  in  Brimfield.  Peoria  Coun- 
ty, when  it  was  but  a  hamlet.  Mr.  Endres  was  the 
pioneer  shoemaker  of  the  town.  Later  he  removed 
to  Kickapoo  Township,  where  he  purchased  a  farm 
which  he  operated  in  connection  with  his  trade,  and 
died  there  when  forty-seven  years  of  age,  on  the 
14th  of  February,  1853.  Mrs.  Endres  survived 
her  husband  for  a  period  of  twenty-six  years,  dying 
in  the  fall  of  1879,  when  seventy-six  years  of  age. 
She  was  connected  with  the  Lutheran  Church,  while 
the  father  was  a  Catholic. 

Mrs.  Edwards  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  her  marriage.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject 
there  have  been  born  ten  children,  of  whom  the 
record  is  as  follows :  Annie  E.  is  at  home  with  her 
parents;  John  A.  married  Miss  Cordelia  Derrough, 
and  is  a  successful  farmer  of  Philo  Township:  Ruth 
is  the  wife  of  Orvilie  B.  Lindley,  and  lives  in  Philo 
Township;  Frank  C.,  who  married  Laura  B.  Wing- 
field,  lives  in  Philo;  Nellie  B.,  with  her  husband, 
John  B.  Elliott,  resides  in  Elmwood,  Cass  Co.,  Neb., 
where  Mr.  E.  is  carrying  on  a  trade  in  agricultural 
implements;  James  L.,  Minnie  M.,  Albert  H.  and 
Edward  W.  are  at  home;  George  William  is  de- 
ceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edwards  after  their  marriage  lived 
in  Rosefield  Township,  Peoria  Co.,  111.,  until  1865. 
He  then  sold  his  farm  there  and  purchased  eighty 
acres  on  section  18,  in  Philo  Township,  this  county. 
To  this  he  added  a  like  amount  and  has  now  a  fine 
farm  in  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  This  was  origi- 
nally railroad  land  and  had  never  been  cultivated 
when  Mr.  Edwards  took  possession  of  it.  Its  pres- 
ent fine  improvements  are  the  result  of  his  own  in- 
dustry and  energy.  He  is  highly  respected  by  his  fel- 
low-townsmen, and  has  occupied  the  various  offices 
within  their  gift.  Politically,  he  affiliates  with  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


545 


Democratic  party,  and  religiously,  with  his  excel- 
lent wife,  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church. 

A  lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Edwards'  residence  is 
shown  on  another  page. 


1  AMES  UMBENHOWER,  the  "village  black- 
smith" of  Homer,  is  a  natural  mechanic  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  unquestion- 
(ftg!//  ably  an  expert  in  his  chosen  calling.  Early 
in  life  he  engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  but  became 
considerably  discouraged  on  account  of  having  his 
crops  cut  off  by  the  big  frost  of  1863,  at  which  time 
he  lost  much  of  his  year's  labor.  The  following  spring 
he  abandoned  the  farm  and  moved  into  Homer, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  noted  among  his 
neighbors  for  his  industry,  and  has  a  snug  little 
property  consisting  of  a  handsome  residence  and 
two  lots,  besides  the  property  connected  with  his 
business. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  native  of  Homer 
Township,  and  was  born  July  24, 1837.  He  is  the  son 
of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Safely)  Umbenhower,  who 
were  natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio, 
and  of  substantial  German  ancestry.  James  Um- 
benhower was  born  in  1810.  followed  farming  as  an 
occupation,  and  died  upon  the  homestead  where  he 
had  labored  many  years,  in  1861.  His  wife,  Eliza- 
beth, was  born  in  1812,  and  is  still  living,  being 
about  seventy-five  years  of  age.  She  has  remained 
a  widow  since  the  death  of  her  husband.  Mr.  U. 
was  a  man  of  much  force  of  character,  fairly  suc- 
cessful in  a  business  point  of  view,  and  took  a  gen- 
uine interest  in  State  and  National  affairs,  giving  his 
support  to  the  Democratic  party.  Eight  of  the  ten 
children  comprising  the  parental  household  were 
named  respectively  Mary  J.,  James  W.,  Margaret 
A.,  Elizabeth,  Francis  M.,  Eleanora,  Newton  and 
John  V.  Two  died  unnamed  in  infancy. 

James  Umberhower  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  nn-til  reaching  manhood,  learning  his  trade 
early  in  life,  and  two  years  after  reaching  his  ma- 
jority was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  I.  Foreman, 
their  wedding  occurring  on  the  23d  of  February. 
1860.  The  wife  of  our  subject  was  born  in  1841, 


and  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mississippi 
(Casterline)  Foreman,  the  former  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky and  the  latter  of  Illinois.  The  father  died 
many  years  ago.  The  mother  is  still  living,  mak- 
ing her  home  in  Homer  Township  on  her  farm  of 
ninety-eight  acres.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Mrs.  Umbenhower  were  Margaret,  Benjamin  C., 
John,  Sarah  A.,  Susan,  Elizabeth,  Matilda,  Nancy, 
Deliverance,  Martha,  Amos  and  Flora.  Sarah, 
Elizabeth  and  Matilda  are  deceased;  Amos  lives  in 
Kansas;  Deliverance  in  California,  and  others'in  Illi- 
nois. Our  subject  and  his  wife  united  with  the 
Christian  Church  in  1878,  and  politically  Mr.  U.  is 
decidedly  Democratic. 


ESSE  FLEMING,  senior  member  of  the  firm 
of  Fleming  &  Conant,  is,  with  his  partner, 
carrying  on  a  profitable  hardware  trade  in 
Champaign  City,  of  which  he  has  been  a 
resident  for  a  period  of  thirty  years.  During  this 
length  of  time  the  excellent  traits  of  his  character 
have  become  thoroughly  known  to  his  fellow-citi- 
zens, by  whom  he  is  held  in  universal  esteem.  Our 
subject  is  a  native  of  Loudoun  County,  Va.,  born 
Aug.  24,  1824,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Jane 
E.  (Middleton)  Fleming,  both  also  natives  of  the 
Old  Dominion.  Joseph  Fleming  was  a  stonemason 
by  trade,  and  was  never  absent  from  his  native 
State  for  more  than  one  year,  during  which  time  he 
was  a  resident  of  Ohio.  He  was  a  man  of  much 
force  of  character,  possessed  of  strong  views,  and 
fearless  in  the  expression  of  them.  He  took  pride 
in  the  fact  that  he  was  a  genuine  Jackson  Demo- 
crat, and  after  a  goodly  and  upright  life  closed  his 
eyes  finally  at  the  home  Of  a  daughter  in  Ohio.  The 
mother  afterward  came  to  Illinois,  and  from  1863 
until  her  death,  twelve  3'ears  later,  resided  with  her 
son,  our  subject. 

Jesse  Fleming  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and  when 
seventeen  years  old  commenced  to  learn  the  car- 
penter's trade,  in  Ohio,  to  which  State  he  had  re- 
moved with  his  parents  when  a  lad  eight  years  of 
age.  He  continued  in  the  Buckeye  State,  follow- 
ing his  trade,  for  ten  or  twelve  years,  and  in  1856 
came  to  this  county,  where  he  engaged  as  a  con- 


546 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tractor  and  builder  until  1884.  He  then  invested 
his  capital  in  a  stock  of  hardware,  in  the  trade  of 
which  he  has  been  occupied  since  that  time.  He 
has  watched  with  interest  the  progress  and  devel- 
opment of  his  adopted  county,  and  taken  a  genuine 
interest  in  everything  pertaining  to  its  prosperity. 
Mr.  Fleming  was  married,  in  Efflngham  County, 
this  State,  in  1865,  to  Mrs.  Matilda  (Havens)  Max- 
well. Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  three 
children — Clara  J.,  Edith  A.  and  Olive.  The  fam- 
ily residence  is  located  at  No.  13  University  ave- 
nue. Mr.  F.  and  his  excellent  lady  during  their 
long  residence  have  gathered  around  them  a  large 
circle  of  warm  friends,  who  comprise  the  best  peo- 
ple of  the  city  and  county.  Our  subject  is  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  a  Spiritualist  in  faith. 


ARMSTRONG  B.  SMITH,  is  one  of  the 
fl|  successful  and  progressive  farmers  and 
stock-growers  of  Urbana  Township.  He  is 
the  third  son  of  Jacob  and  Margaret 
(Beattie)  Smith,  and  was  born  in  Urbana  Township, 
March  7,  1848.  His  parents  were  both  natives  of 
Kentucky,  but  removed  to  Champaign  County  in 
about  1840,  and  located  on  a  farm  near  Urbana, 
where  their  son  Armstrong  was  born  and  reared. 
When  seven  years  of  age,  Armstrong  was  orphaned 
by  the  death  of  his  father  and  consequently  started 
out  early  in  life  to  care  for  himself.  He  attended 
the  district  school,  and  later  continued  his  educa- 
tion at  the  College  of  St.  Joseph  in  Missouri.  Re- 
turning home  he  engaged  in  farming  for  himself, 
and  in  1877  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Fitch, 
the  daughter  of  Theodore  Fitch,  residing  in  this 
county,  but  formerly  of  Indiana,  where  Mrs.  Smith 
was  born. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Smith  settled  on  the 
Jane  F.  Roe  farm,  which  he  conducted  successfully. 
Remaining  there  until  1883,  he  removed  to  his 
present  farm,  located  on  section  11,  Urbana  Town- 
ship. This  place  contains  106  acres,  which,  together 
with  another  purchase,  makes  in  all  300  acres  of 
choice  land.  He  raises  the  finest  breeds  of  cattle, 
horses  and  hogs.  Every  year  he  sells  some  fifty  head 
of  cattle.  He  keeps  most  of  his  stock  on  the  Roe 


farm,  which  is  well  watered  and  in  every  respect 
adapted  for  the  purpose.  He  devotes  about  sixty 
acres  to  raising  wheat.  Mr.  and  Mrs.'  Smith  have 
two  children  living,  Ralph  and  Charlie,  and  one 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Smith  is  active  and  en- 
ergetic, and  interested  in  all  the  public  affairs  of 
the  county. 


HILIP  CARPER,  who  was  reared  on  a 
farm  in  Holmes  County,  Ohio,  became  a 
resident  of  the  Prairie  State  in  1858.  He 
came  to  Scott  Township  in  December, 
1883,  where  he  has  since  lived,  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  377  acres  of  valuable  land  on  section  17. 
His  farm  lies  near  the  limits  of  Seymour,  and  in- 
variably attracts  attention  by  its  fine  buildings 
and  general  air  of  thrift  and  prosperity.  Mr.  C. 
has  been  uniformly  successful  in  his  undertakings 
in  life,  owing  to  his  enterprise,  industry  and  good 
judgment,  and  is  one  of  the  influential  and  highly 
respected  citizens  of  this  county. 

Mr.  Carper  was  born  Sept.  9,  1834,  and  is  the 
son  of  Adam  and  Ann  E.  (Cobler)  Carper,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  parents  were  married  in 
Holmes  County,  Ohio,  where  they  remained  a  few 
years,  and  whence  they  went  into  De  Kalb  County, 
Ind.,  where  they  located  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  their  days.  Their  family  consisted  of  ten  chil- 
dren. Philip,  of  our  sketch,  remained  in  his  native 
State  until  ten  years  of  age,  then  went  with  his  par- 
ents to  De  Kalb  County,  Ind.,  remaining  there  until 
he  was  twenty-two  years  old.  He  received  a  prac- 
tical school  education,  and  engaged  alternately  in 
farming  and  teaching  for  about  sixteen  years  after 
becoming  of  age.  Upon  leaving  Indiana  he  came 
into  De  Witt  County,  this  State,  where  he  fanned 
on  rented  land  for  a  period  of  six  years,  and  finally 
purchased  168  acres  in  Colfax  Township,  this 
county,  of  which  he  took  possession  in  February, 
1869.  He  occupied  this  until  December,  1883, 
when  he  became  a  resident  of  Scott  Township. 

Mr.  Carper  was  married,  in  De  Witt  County,  this 
State,  Aug.  7,  1862,  to  Miss  Harriet  R.,  daughter 
of  Eusebius  and  Hannah  S.  (Martin)  Cresap.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  Carper,  who  were  natives  of  Mary- 


frl 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


547 


land,  after  their  marriage  removed  to  Wyandot 
County,  Ohio,  and  thence,  in  1850,  to  De  Witt 
County,  111.,  where  the  mother  died  in  about  1861. 
Her  father  afterward  became  a  resident  of  Scott 
Township,  this  county,  where  his  decease  occurred 
at  his  home  in  1877.  Mrs.  C.  was  the  fourth  of 
six  children  born  to  her  parents,  and  is  a  native  of 
Wyandot  County,  Ohio,  her  birth  taking  place  Oct. 
24,  1840. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
twelve  children,  as  follows:  Daniel  W.,  Ida  V.,  Eu- 
sebius  F.,  Elizabeth  A.,  Cleora,  George  W.,  Phillip 
M.,  Eugene  G.,  Ulysses  S.,  Lovona  C.,  Guy  E.  and 
Homer  V.  Daniel  and  Ida  are  engaged  in  teach- 
ing. Mrs.  Carper  is  a  worthy  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Our  subject  politi- 
cally is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Republican  principles. 


ISAAC  H.  ABRAMS,  who  has  been  a  resident 
of  Champaign  County  since  the  spring  of  1862, 
is  now  comfortably  located  on  section  10, 
Scott  Township,  where  he  owns  eighty  acres  of 
choice  land  and  a  tasteful  and  substantial  set  of 
farm  buildings.  He  has  also  around  him  an  interest- 
ing family  and  is  surrounded  by  the  comforts  of 
life,  the  result  of  his  own  energy  and  industry. 
Our  subject  is  the  son  of  James  and  Hannah  (Hart- 
pence)  Abrams,  natives  of  New  Jersey,  who  lo- 
cated in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  after  their  mar- 
riage. In  1829  they  removed  to  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  days.  James  Abrams  followed  farming  all 
his  life. 

The  parental  household  included  six  children, 
three  boys  and  three  girls.  Of  these,  Isaac,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  He  was 
born  in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  March  11,  1832, 
and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  upon  the  farm. 
Upon  coming  to  this  county  in  1862,  when  thirty 
years  of  age,  he  settled  first  in  Mahomet  Township, 
where  he  operated  on  rented  land  for  two  years  and 
at  the  expiration  of  that  time  took  possession  of  his 
present  property  in  Scott  Township. 

Mr.  Abrams  was  married  in  Christian  County, 
Ind.,  in  1857,  to  Miss  Martha  McKee,  a  native  of 


Ohio,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, named,  John  C.,  James  O.,  Lenora  H.,  Sam- 
uel II.,  Charles  E.  and  Sarah  J.  Joseph  M.  died 
when  about  sixteen  years  old.  John  married  Miss 
Viola  Jacobs,  and  is  farming  in  Scott  Township. 
Our  subject  politically,  is  a  decided  Republican  and 
has  held  the  office  of  School  Director  besides  being 
otherwise  connected  with  local  affairs.  Both  he  and 
his  excellent  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 


kORING  H.  PORTER,  with  his  wife  and 
family  of  nine  children,  constitute  an  in- 
teresting group,  occupying  a  pleasant  little 
homestead  on  section  8,  Somer  Township.  This 
embraces  eighty  acres  of  good  land,  supplied  with 
neat  and  substantial  buildings,  moderately  stocked 
with  good  grades  of  animals,  the  land  all  neatly 
fenced  and  at  present  being  still  further  improved 
with  tile  drainage.  In  addition  to  mixed  hus- 
bandry Mr.  Porter  has  gained  quite  an  enviable 
reputation  as  a  stock-breeder,  operating  mostly  in 
horses  and  cattle. 

Mr.  Porter  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  born 
in  Gallia  County,  Nov.  5,  1845,  and  is  the  son  of 
John  D.  and  Mary  A.  (Hanger)  Porter,  also  natives 
of  Ohio,  the  father  born  Oct.  6,  1819,  and  still  liv- 
ing, his  home  being  in  Clarks,  Neb.  The  mar- 
riage of  the  parents  took  place  in  1843.  Two  of 
their  nine  children  are  deceased,  namely,  Luther 
and  Eddie.  Those  surviving  are  George  P.',  Laura 
E.,  Charles  S.,  William  F.,  Emily  S.,  Edith  A., 
and  Loring  H.  of  our  sketch.  The  latter  passed  his 
boyhood  and  youth  upon  the  farm,  attending  the 
district  school  in  the  winter  season.  While  a  resi- 
dent of  his  native  State,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  M.  Philbrook,  their  wedding  tak- 
ing place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  on  the 
6th  of  April,  1871.  Mrs.  Porter  is  a  native  of  the 
same  State  as  her  husband,  and  was  born  April  29, 
1849.  Her  parents,  Barnabas  and  Mary  (Smith) 
Philbrook.  natives  of  Ohio,  in  about  1869  removed 
from  that  State  to  Illinois  and  are  now  residents  of 
Champaign  County.  The  six  living  children  of 
the  household  were  named  respectively  Mary  M., 
James  B.,  Cyrus  W.,  Annie  M.,  John  C.  and  Al- 


I 


f 


.  >    548 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I    ' 

t 


bery.  One  died  in  infancy  unnamed.  The  chil- 
dren of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Porter  are  Mary  E.,  Edwin 
P.,  Robert  L.,  Bertha  E.,  Cora  L.,  Luther  A.,  Ar- 
thur C.,  Annie  L.  and  Fred  G. 

Mr.  Porter  came  to  this  State  with  his  parents  in 
1859,  and  in  1865  located  near  where  he  now  lives. 
He  took  possession  of  his  present  home  in  1872. 
During  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years  our  subject 
has  watched  with  interest  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
Prairie  State,  and  although  not  the  hero  perhaps  of 
any  remarkable  events,  has  pursued  the  even  tenor 
of  his  way  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen, 
performing  as  he  had  opportunity  those  duties  tend- 
ing to  the  encouragement  of  morality  and  religion. 
Both  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  connected  with 
the  Baptist  Church,  and  Mr.  P.  has  served  as  School 
Director  and  Postmaster,  casting  his  political  in- 
fluence with  the  Republican  party. 

THOMAS  HARMESON.  The  subject  of  this 
biography,  a  representative  farmer  of  Ogden 
Township,  has  a  fine  estate  of  SCO  acres  of 
land,  with  a  handsome  residence  and  other  suita- 
ble buildings  on  section  21,  besides  seventeen  acres 
of  timber.  The  balance  is  laid  out  in  pasture  and 
grain  fields  which,  under  the  careful  supervision  of 
the  proprietor,  who  superintends  their  care  and  cul- 
tivation, present  a  beautiful  picture  during  the 
summer  season  of  peaceful  country  life,  where 
plenty  reigns  and  where  thrift  and  intelligence  are 
the  distinctive  features. 

Mr.  Ilarmeson  became  a  resident  of  the  Prairie 
State  in  1852,  locating  at  once  upon  the  land  in- 
cluded in  his  present  homestead.  He  is  a  native  of 
Marion  County,  Ohio,  born  April  10,  1829,  and  the 
son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Farnsworth)  Harme- 
son, the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter 
of  Ohio.  William  Harmeson  was  born  in  1802, 
and  followed  farming  as  an  occupation,  and  during 
the  latter  years  of  his  life  made  his  home  in  Homer 
Township,  this  county,  where  he  rested  from  his 
earthly  labors  in  1870.  He  was  Democratic  in 
politics,  and  religiously  a  hard-shell  Baptist.  The 
mother  was  born  in  1811,  and  died  twenty  years 
before  the  death  of  her  husband,  in  1856.  She  was 


a  member  of  the  German-Baptist  Church,  and  a 
lady  of  strong  character,  who  impressed  upon  her 
children  the  strictest  moral  principles,  and  a  rigid 
honesty  and  integrity,  which  formed  the  basis  of 
their  character  in  after  life.  The  household  was 
completed  by  the  birth  of  twelve  children,  all,  with 
one  exception,  living  to  mature  years.  They  were 
named  respectively,  Isaiah,  John,  Thomas,  Robert, 
William,  Nancy,  Elizabeth,  Sarah  ,T.,  Esther  A.,  Al- 
vira,  Washington  M.,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

The  life  of  young  Harmesou  began  on  the  farm, 
and  he  has  continued  in  the  midst  of  rural  scenes 
since  his  first  introduction  to  the  busy  world.  He 
remained  under  the  home  roof  until  after  reaching 
his  majority,  occupied  with  his  father  and  brothers 
in  sowing  and  reaping,  and  the  varied  employments 
incident  to  life  upon  the  farm.  On  the  10th  of 
April,  1851,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  Perkins,  the  wedding  taking  place  at  the 
home  of  the  bride's  parents,  in  Madison  County, 
Ind.,  where  Mrs.  H.  was  born  Oct.  21,  1832.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  George  and  Agnes  (Allen)  Per- 
kins, who  spent  the  greater  part  of  their  lives  in 
Indiana.  The  mother  died  in  1885,  in  Clark  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  where  the  father  is  still  living,  being  sev- 
enty-nine years  of  age,  and  making  his  home  with 
his  son  Henry.  The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs. 
Harmeson,  twelve  in  number,  were  Melissa,  Ma- 
tilda, Sarah  Ann,  Jane,  John,  Burke,  Henry,  Frank, 
Lucinda,  Lydia,  Susan  and  Adam. 

After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ilarmeson  went  to 
housekeeping  on  a  farm  in  Indiana,  where  our  sub- 
ject attended  to  the  outdoor  work,  and  the  wife 
faithfully  performed  her  share  inside.  In  due  time 
there  came  a  third  member  into  the  family,  who  was 
followed  by  twelve  more,  and  to  whom  were  given 
the  names  of  William  P.,  Albert  F.,  George  W., 
John  A.,  Agnes  S.,  Charles  C.,  Robert  L.,  Cynthia 
A.,  Celia  A.,  Mary  E.,  Fannie,  Noah  and  Lydia. 
Agnes  S.,  Charles  C.  and  Mary  E.  are  deceased. 
The  eldest  son,  William,  is  married  and  has 
three  children;  his  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Mary 
Shreeves;  Albert  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Gordon, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  one  child,  who  died 
young;  George  W.  married  Miss  Eflie  11.  Biggs. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  employments  of 
mixed  husbandry  Mr.  Harmeson  has  of  late  years 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSiTY  OF  ILLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


551 


given  considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of  fine 
stock.  Politically  he  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party,  and  in  his  religious  tendencies  adheres  to 
the  German-Baptist  doctrines.  Mrs.  Harmeson  died 
of  quick  consumption  on  the  30th  of  August,  1886. 
She  was  a  lady  of  much  personal  worth,  and  had 
been  connected  with  the  German-Baptist  Church 
for  a  period  of  sixteen  years.  . 


ATIIEAV  E.  STAMEY.  In  Hensley  Town- 
ship, located  on  section  36,  the  farm  ol 
our  subject  invariably  attracts  the  atten- 
tion of  the  passer-by  as  the  home  of  peace 
and  plenty,  whose  foundations  were  laid  in  the  pio- 
neer days,  and  whose  inmates  are  now  surrounded 
by  all  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of 
modern  life.  The  subject  of  this  history  learned 
in  early  years  those  habits  of  industry  and  economy 
which  have  proved  the  success  of  his  later  life. 
He  commenced  in  a  modest  way  to  do  for  himself, 
and  after  years  of  persevering  labor,  now  finds 
himself  the  owner  of  825  acres  of  valuable  land, 
furnished  with  a  handsome  and  substantial  set  of 
farm  buildings,  and  all  the  appliances  required  by 
the  intelligent  and  progressive  modern  agricultur- 
ist. This,  of  course,  has  involved  an  outlay  of 
thousands  of  dollars,  but  the  result  has  fully  justi- 
fied the  expenditure.  The  farm  of  Mr.  Stamey  is 
acknowledged  by  all  to  be  one  of  the  most  attract- 
ive spots  in  this  section,  and  its  proprietor  is  held 
in  the  highest  respect  for  his  excellent  qualities  as 
a  citizen  and  a  business  man.  To  such  men  as  he 
is  this  county  indebted  for  the  position  which  she 
now  holds  in  one  of  the  wealthiest  States  in  the 
Union.  He  has,  by  his  own  enterprise  and  energ}', 
encouraged  those  elements  in  others,  and  the  whole 
working  together,  have  brought  about  the  result 
which  we  see  all  over  this  beautiful  stretch  of 
country. 

Mr.  Stamey  was  born  in  what  is  now  Somer 
Township,  this  county,  Nov.  16,  1835.  His  father, 
Elias  Stamey,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  was  of 
German  and  Irish  ancestry.  The  latter  grew  to 
manhood  in  his  native  State,  of  which  he  remained 
a  resident  until  1832.  In  that  year,  while  still  a 


single  man,  he  started  for  the  West  overland  on 
horseback,  and  landed  in  this  county.  Liking  the 
outlook,  which  gave  evidence  of  good  things  for 
the  future  if  the  soil  were  properly  cultivated  and 
the  country  settled  up  by  a  good  class  of  people, 
he  concluded  to  tarry.  Not  long  afterward  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Drusilla,  daugh- 
ter of  Mathew  E.  Busey,  also  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  the  county.  The  young  couple  lived  for  a  time 
in  Somer  Township,  whence  they  removed  to  Ur- 
bana  Township,  settling  upon  a  tract  of  land  which 
the  father  of  Mrs.  Stamey  had  given  them,  and 
where  the  death  of  Elias  Stamey  occurred,  in  1845. 
His  family  included  four  children,  namely,  Mathew 
E.  of  our  sketch;  Daniel  W.,  who  is  now  a  resident 
of  Rantonl  Township;  James  W.,  on  the  old  home- 
stead, and  John  C.  in  Rantoul.  After  the  death 
of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Stamey  kept  her  family  to- 
gether until  they  were  old  enough  to  provide  for 
themselves.  She  still  resides  at  the  old  homestead, 
respected  by  all  who  know  her. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  three  years  old 
when  his  parents  became  residents  of  Urbana  Town- 
ship. His  early  education  was  conducted  in  the 
pioneer  log  school-house,  with  its  puncheon  floor 
and  slabs  for  seats  and  writing-desks,  with  its  huge 
fireplace,  mud  and  stick  chimney,  and  the  excuse 
for  a  window,  which  was  formed  by  cutting  out 
one  log.  This  building  stood  on  the  land  of  Grand- 
father Busey,  and  the  system  of  education  was  con- 
ducted by  a  teacher  who  corresponded  with  all 
the  other  appliances,  in  point  of  erudition  at  least. 
Afterward  our  subject  attended  school  a  part  of 
the  time  at  Urbana,  and  being  ambitious  to  learn, 
secured  a  very  good  education  for  those  days.  He 
made  his  home  with  his  mother  until  his  marriage. 
After  reaching  his  majority,  she  presented  him 
with  a  tract  of  land  in  Hensley  Township,  which 
he  cultivated  and  improved,  and  which  constitutes 
a  part  of  his  present  homestead.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  located  on  this  place,  which  he  has  now 
brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation,  and  raises  the 
best  crops  in  this  section.  His  stock  is  all  of  good 
breeds,  and  the  farm  machinery  is  of  the  most 
modern  and  improved  style. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Stanley  took  place  in  the 
spring  of  1865,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 


I 


552 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


i- 


Ida  O.  Gray,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania.  Of 
this  union  there  was  one  child,  a  son,  named  Will- 
iam. Mrs.  Ida  O.  Stamey  departed  this  life  at  the 
home  of  her  husband  in  January,  1872.  Mr. 
Stamey  was  the  second  time  married,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Mary,  the  daughter  of 
Levi  and  Jane  Broshair,  born  in  Indiana  Qct.  26, 
1851.  Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  three 
children — Frank,  Belle  and  Daisy. 

Formerly  Mr.  Stamey  voted  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  but  considers  that  he  has  had  reason 
to  change  his  views,  and  is  now  a  stanch  adherent 
of  Republicanism.  Mrs.  Stamey  is  a  lady  who  is 
greatly  respected  in  her  community,  and  a  worthy 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  property  interests  in  this  State,  Mr. 
Stamey  owns  4,500  acres  of  land  in  Louisiana  and 
280  acres  in  Florida. 

The  portrait  of  Mr.  Stamey,  given  on  a  contig- 
uous page,  occupies  its  rightful  place  among  the 
pictured  lineaments  of  the  honored  men  by  whose 
labors  the  wilderness  has  been  made  to  blossom  as 
the  rose,  and  under  whose  management  a  once  wild 
stretch  of  prairie  has  been  transformed  into  the 
"  Garden  State." 


WILLIAM  M.  WAY,  retired  capitalist,  has 
been  a  resident  of  this  county  since  1861, 
and  has  assisted  materially  in  building  up 
its  agricultural  and  industrial  interests.  His  life  has 
been  one  of  great  activity,  and  as  the  result  of 
many  years  energetically  engaged  in  agricultural 
and  mercantile  pursuits,  he  has  become  the  pos- 
sessor of  a  handsome  competency.  At  the  same 
time,  by  his  conscientious  and  upright  methods,  he 
has  won  for  himself  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
his  fellow-citizens. 

Mr.  Way  is  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  was 
born  in  Marlboro  County,  Jan.  18,  1810.  He 
is  the  son  of  Paul  W.  and  Achsah  (Moorman) 
Way,  who  were  natives  of  that  State.  In  1815 
Paul  Way  secured  a  tract  of  land  on  White  River, 
Ind.,  which  lay  in  what  was  called  the  Twelve-Mile 
Purchase,  where  he  erected  a  log  cabin,  and  in 


1816  removed  there  with  his  family.  The  trip  was 
made  overland,  and  occupied  three  months.  Their 
outfit  consisted  of  a  large  Virginia  wagon  and  three 
span  of  horses.  They  saw  plenty  of  Indians  along 
the  route,  a  part  of  which  lay  through  the  towns 
scattered  along  the  White  River.  Mr.  Way  was  a 
man  of  great  energy  and  business  ability,  and  his 
talents  were  at  once  recognized  by  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers. He  had  been  fairly  educated,  and  was  often 
employed  as  a  surveyor  in  the  new  country,  among 
his  labors  being  the  survey  of  the  first  State  road 
which  ran  from  Greenfield,  Ohio,  to  Indianapolis, 
Ind.,  and  which  was  the  second  laid  off  by  the 
State.  His  land,  which  was  320  acres  in  extent, 
was  mostly  heavy  timber.  Of  this  he  cleared 
eighty  acres,  and  lived  there  until  his  removal  to 
Winchester,  Ind.,  where  he  spent  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life.  In  this  latter  place  he  was  em- 
ployed a?  one  of  the  County  Agents  for  surveying, 
laying  out  lots  and  making  deeds.  He  also  held 
the  offices  of  Postmaster,  and  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  many  years.  The  parental  household  included 
four  children,  of  whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
the  only  survivor. 

Young  Way  began  life  for  himself,  first  as  clerk 
in  a  store  at  Winchester,  and  remained  a  resident 
of  that  vicinity  until  the  spring  of  1861.  He  in- 
herited, in  a  marked  degree,  the  business  talents  of 
his  father,  and  through  his  own  exertions  had  ob- 
tained a  useful  fund  of  information  in  regard  to 
general  business  matters.  He  began  the  accumula- 
tion of  land,  and  as  years  passed  on,  dealt  largely 
in  live-stock.  In  1847  he  was  appointed  by  the 
State  Legislature,  Director,  Solicitor  and  Collector 
of  the  building  of  the  Indianapolis  Railroad,  which 
ran  from  that  city  to  Bellefontaine,  Ohio.  Prior  to 
becoming  a  resident  of  this  county  he  had  pur- 
chased 268  acres  of  land  in  Homer  Township.  This 
he  afterward  traded  for  a  farm  of  217£  acres  in 
Vermilion  County.  He  also  bought  other  lands, 
and  in  1853  was  the  owner  of  2,000  acres  near  Des 
Moines,  Iowa.  He  also  interested  himself  in  city 
property,  and  many  of  the  buildings  of  Champaign, 
with  other  improvements  which  he  brought  about, 
stand  as  silent  witnesses  of  his  enterprise  and  gen- 
erosity. He  was  one  of  the  original  stockholders 
and  organizers  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Cham- 


RESIDENCE   OF  A  .W,   5TR  0  N  G  ,  SEC  .  17.  5T  ,   JOSEPH  TP 


RESrDETNCE     OF      E  .  5   .    Fl5  H  ER  ,  5  EC  .  17,  (T-19  -  N-)  ,  OBDEN  T  P. 


RESIDENCE    OF     J.J.MUMM,5  EC.  20,  SIDNEY    TP. 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


553 


I 


paign,  and  there  are  few  worth}'  enterprises  which 
he  has  not  encouraged  by  his  means  and  influence. 

The  marriage  of  William  M.  Way  and  Miss 
Phebe  Wright  was  celebrated  in  Winchester,  Ind., 
in  1830.  Mrs.  W.  was  the  daughter  of  Hon,  J.  B. 
and  Elizabeth  (Stephens)  Wright,  natives  respect- 
ively of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania.  In  1816  they 
removed  to  Indiana  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land, 
a  part  of  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  little  city  of 
Winchester.  Of  this  Mr.  Wright  contributed  fifty 
acres  for  the  purpose  of  securing  Winchester  as  the 
county  seat  of  Randolph  County.  He  also  opened 
up  a  fine  farm,  and  became  a  citizen  of  note  in  that 
locality.  He  was  the  first  Representative  of  Ran- 
dolph County  to  the  State  Legislature,  in  which  he 
served  three  terms,  and  was  afterward  elected 
County  Treasurer.  He  removed  from  Indiana  to 
Illinois  in  1830,  first  locating  in  Vermilion  County, 
whence  he  afterward  came  to  this  county,  and  died 
in  1869.  Of  their  nine  children  four  are  now  living, 
namely,  Mrs.  William  Way,  Hon.  James  S.,  Re- 
becca, Mrs.  Butler,  and  Mrs.  Swearingen. 

Mr.  Way  uniformly  casts  his  vote  in  support  of 
Republican  principles.  The  residence  of  our  sub- 
ject and  his  amiable  wife  is  pleasantly  located  on 
East  Clark  street,  Champaign,  and  they  enjoy  the 
society  of  the  best  people  of  the  city. 

A  fine  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Way  is  pre- 
sented as  a  proper  accompaniment  of  this  brief 
outline  of  his  life. 


Vw7  AMES  KARR,  JR.,  is  prosperously  engaged 
with  his  partner,  Robert  Johnston,  in  the 
grain  and  stock  business  at  Seymour,  which 
they  established  in  1882.  He  has  been  a 
resident  of  Champaign  County  since  two  years  of 
age,  where  he  pursued  his  primary  studies,  which 
were  completed  in  the  University  at  Valparaiso, 
Ind.  He  was  attentive  to  his  books,  and  after  com- 
pleting his  university  course  employed  his  even- 
ings in  study,  and  afterward  taught  school  seven  . 
years  in  Ford  and  Champaign  Counties. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  James  and  Esther 
Karr.  His  mother  was  formerly  the  widow  of 
George  Johnston,  and  both  parents  were  born  in 


Ireland,  where  their  marriage  also  took  place.  They 
soon  afterward  emigrated  to  America,  and  the 
mother  died  near  Mahomet,  this  county,  in  about 
1863.  James  Karr,  Sr.,  is  still  living,  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Colfax  Township. 

James  Karr,  Jr.,  was  married  at  Bondville,  111., 
July  22,  1885,  to  Miss  Laura  Cade,  a  native  of 
Illinois,  and  the  daughter  of  .Simon  and  Sarah  A. 
(Ashcroft)  Cade,  the  former  a  native  of  England, 
and  the  latter  of  America.  Their  family  consisted 
of  seven  children — Ezra,  Albert,  Ella,  Laura,  Frank, 
Charles  and  Ida.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Karr  have  but  one 
child,  Ella.  Our  subject  affiliates  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  socially  is  a  member  of  Lodge  No. 
597,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


ILES  SUNDERL  AND.  The  subject  of  the 
following  biography  is  one  of  the  finest 
representatives  of  a  class  of  foreign-born 
citizens,  who,  in  years  gone  by,  brought 
the  thrift  and  energy,  which  was  their  only  heri- 
tage in  their  native  land,  to  this  country  with  its 
great  possibilities,  and  have  accomplished  the  best 
results  in  their  application  under  the  influence  of 
American  institutions.  Mr.  Sunderland  is  a  native 
of  Wexford  County,  Ireland,  born  in  1837,  and 
spent  his  early  j'ears  in  the  land  which  gave  him 
birth.  His  father  died  when  he  was  a  lad  six  years 
old,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  limited  time 
spent  in  school,  he  was  principally  engaged  in  as- 
sisting his  widowed  mother  on  their  farm. 

There  were  six  children  in  the  parental  family, 
namely,  John,  Margaret,  Ann,  Miles,  Thomas  and 
James.  When  our  subject  became  of  age,  being 
deeply  desirous  of  bettering  his  condition,  and  as  a 
possible  result,  being  of  some  service  to  his  mother's 
family,  he  left  them  in  charge  of  an  elder  brother, 
and  setting  sail  at  Liverpool  started  for  the  land 
which  promised  so  much  to  the  enterprising  emi- 
grant. The  voyage  was  made  in  a  sailing-vessel, 
and  after  nine  weeks  spent  on  the  ocean,  he  landed 
in  New  York  City  on  the  4th  of  April,  185G. 
From  there  he  proceeded  directly  westward  to 
Aurora,  111.,  and  after  arriving  found  he  had  a  cash 
capital  of  $5  with  which  to  commence  life  in  the 


I 


- 

.  k    554 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


New  World.  His  frank,  open  countenance,  and 
his  evident  energy  and. industry  soon  procured  him 
a  situation,  and  he  engaged  with  the  C.,  B.  <fe  Q. 
R.  R.  Co.  After  a  short  time,  however,  he  left  the 
railroad  for  a  farm,  where  he  received  #20  per 
month  during  the  harvest  season. 

In  September,  1860,  Mr.  Sunderland  went  to 
New  Orleans,  where  he  engaged  as  a  contractor, 
building  levees,  and  remained  there  until  the  Sep- 
tember following,  when  he  was  driven  out  by  the 
rebels  because  he  would  not  join  them.  He  being 
at  that  time  a  Britisli  subject,  they  could  not  press 
him  into  service.  He  went  to  Chicago,  thence  to 
Aurora,  111.,  and  after  being  variously  employed 
for  years,  and  by  the  strictest  economy  having  se- 
cured a  little  capital,  he  commenced  dealing  in 
stock,  buying  and  selling  and  increasing  his  trans- 
actions gradually,  until  he  had  built  up  quite  a 
good  business  in  this  line.  His  operations  were 
principally  carried  on  in  Kane  County,  where  he 
continued  until  the  spring  of  1868,  and  then  de- 
cided to  change  his  location  and  business. 

Our  subject  accordingly  came  into  this  county, 
arriving  in  Rantoul  on  the  17th  of  May,  and  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  land  in  Compromise  Township. 
He  at  once  broke  sixty  acres  of  this,  upon  which 
he  sowed  wheat,  and  after  its  harvest  in  the  fall, 
there  being  a  good  opportunity  to  sell,  he  availed 
himself  of  it  and  moved  upon  a  tract  of  land  which 
he  entered  the  following  year.  In  the  fall  of  1869 
he  purchased  160  acres  in  the  same  township,  which 
he  occupied  five  years,  then  sold  and  purchased  a 
like  amount.  This  he  cultivated  for  three  years 
following,  then  sold  this  also,  renting  the  succeed- 
ing two  years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1880  purchased 
his  present  farm.  This  contains  240  acres  on  sec- 
tion 6,  of  some  of  the  choicest  land  in  Compromise 
Township.  It  is  finely  improved,  thoroughly 
drained  with  tile,  and  supplied  with  a  good  set  of 
modern  farm  buildings. 

Having  no  one  to  look  after  but  himself,  Mr. 
Sunderland,  after  occupying  his  farm  a  year  and 
getting  it  into  good  running  condition,  placed  it 
in  the  hands  of  a  tenant  and  retired  from  active 
labor.  He  is  now  taking  life  easy,  boarding  at  the 
Central  House  at  Clifford,  and  takes  his  exercise 
nearly  every  day  in  the  shape  of  a  walk  to  his  farm. 


He  is  continually  making  improvements,  and 
watches  with  an  observant  eye  everything  about 
the  place,  insisting  upon  having  all  kept  in  first- 
class  condition.  He  is  of  that  genial  temperament 
which  has  secured  him  hosts  of  friends,  and  is  a 
general  favorite  with  all  classes.  In  religious  faith 
he  adheres  to  the  belief  of  his  parents,  and  is  a 
member  of  Penfield  Catholic  Church.  He  votes 
with  the  Democratic  party.  The  only  member  of 
his  father's  family  in  this  country  is  a  b'rother  who 
lives  in  Kerr  Township,  this  count}'. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Patrick  and 
Catherine  (Durrix)  Sunderland.  The  mother  fol- 
lowed her  husband  to  her  long  home  in  1875,  hav- 
ing passed  her  entire  life  in  her  native  land.  In 
1876  Mr.  Sunderland  made  a  trip  to  his  native 
land,  where  he  spent  one  year,  visiting  old  friends 
and  the  scenes  of  his  childhood.  By  his  industry 
and  energy,  he  has  accumulated  a  property  valued 
at  a'bout  $20,000. 


EDWARD  FRY,  who  is  pleasantly  located  on 
section  24,  Scott  Township,  is  the  son  of 
Theodore  and  Lucy  A.  (Dryer)  Fry,  a 
sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
He  was  born  in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  Oct.  14, 
1848,  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  received  a  fair  education  in  the  common 
schools.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  visited 
Champaign  County,  and  three  years  later  took  pos- 
session of  eighty  acres  in  Scott  Township,  which 
has  remained  his  homestead  since  that  time.  His 
land  is  finely  improved  and  yields  in  abundance 
the  rich  crops  of  the  Prairie  State.  He  has  a  fine 
dwelling  and  all  other  necessary  buildings  for  the 
carrying  on  of  the  farm,  in  a  first-class  manner. 

Mr.  Fry  was  married  in  Champaign  Township 
Sept.  1, 1869,  to  Miss  Charlotte  A.  Crosier,  who  was 
born  in  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  May  11,  1850, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  Nicholas  and  Eliza  (Bog- 
.gess)  Crosier,  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  Ohio  re- 
spectively. Her  parents  after  their  marriage  set- 
tled in  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  where  the  father 
died  in  1875.  The  mother  is  in  Hodgeman  County, 
Kan.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fry  became  the  parents  of 


H 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


555 


four  children — II.  15.,  Fannie  B.,  Lucy  M.  and  Eflie 
A.  The  latter  died  Sept.  8,  1885,  when  two  years 
of  age. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  to  the  support  of 
which  they  contribute  liberally  and  cheerfully,  and 
politically  Mr.  F.  votes  the  Republican  ticket.  He 
has  served  as  School  Director  in  his  township,  and 
been  the  encourager  and  supporter  of  every  object 
calculated  to  increase  the  prosperity  and  welfare  of 
his  community. 


LBERT  R.  PRATT.  The  subject  of  the 
/LJj  following  sketch  occupies  a  prominent 
position  in  the  farming  community  of 
Champaign  Township,  where  he  has  a  snug 
homestead  located  on  section  9,  a  view  of  which 
will  be  found  on  another  page.  He  is  a  native  of 
the  Old  Granite  State,  and  was  born  in  Nashua, 
Hillsboro  County,  Sept.  19,  1842.  His  parents  were 
Dura  D.  and  Mary  (Raymond)  Pratt,  the  former  a 
native  of  Marlboro,  Vt.,  and  the  latter  of  Mt.  Ver- 
non,  N.  H. 

Dura  D.  Pratt  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  his  native 
county,  but  when  a  young  man  learned  the  trade  of 
a  carpenter  and  joiner.  Beyond  serving  his  ap- 
prenticeship, however,  he  did  nothing  at  his  trade. 
He  was  of  a  deeply  religious  turn  of  mind  and  had 
become  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  his 
youth.  Wli^e  working  as  a  carpenter  he  employed 
his  leisure  time  in  the  study  of  theology,  and  when 
twenty-six  years  of  age  commenced  preaching  at 
Nashua,  where  he  was  soon  installed  as  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  Church,  remaining  thus  for  a  period  of 
about  twenty-three  years  and  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1855.  The  mother  is  still  living,  and 
resides  with  her  daughter,  Harriett  S.,  in  Chicago. 
Of  the  four  children  comprising  the  parental  family, 
Albert  R.  was  the  eldest;  Mary  became  the  wife 
of  George  C.  Urann,  and  lives  in  Penacook,  N.  H. ; 
George  D.  died  in  Burlington.  Vt.,  when  twenty- 
one  years  of  age;  Harriett  S.  is  unmarried, and  lives 
in  Chicago. 

Albert  R.  Pratt  was  but  thirteen  years  old  when 
his  father  died.  He  was  educated  in  the  district 


school  and  lived  in  the  town  of  Nashua  until  1868. 
While  not  in  school  he  was  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  on  the  farm  which  his  mother  had  pur- 
chased after  becoming  a  widow.  In  1868  he  came 
to  Champaign  County,  and  purchased  120  acres  of 
land  near  Mahomet,  which  he  occupied  three  years. 
Subsequently  he  purchased  160  acres  in  Colfax 
Township,  upon  which  he  removed  and  lived  until 
1881,  when  he  purchased  the  farm  in  Champaign 
Township  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  His 
land  is  in  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  supplied 
with  a  handsome  and  substantial  set  of  frame  build- 
ings. Everything  about  the  homestead  is  kept  in 
first-class  order  and  evinces  on  all  hands  the  thrift 
and  intelligence  of  the  proprietor. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  occurred  on  the  31st 
of  May,  1870,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Rose  Barber,  who  was  born  in  England,  Nov.  15, 
1849.  Her  parents,  Benjamin  and  Eliza  (Bower) 
Barber,  both  natives  of  England,  came  to  America 
in  1852,  when  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  a  child 
but  three  years  old.  They  located  first  in  Cuya- 
hoga  County,  Ohio,  near  the  city  of  Cleveland,  where 
Mr.  B.  was  first  employed  on  a  farm,  but  soon 
afterward  rented  a  tract  of  land,  the  cultivation  of 
which  he  carried  on  until  1858.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  he  came  to  this  county,  settling  first  in 
Champaign  Township.  Afterward  he  purchased  a 
farm  in  Mahomet  Township,  where  he  remained  a 
resident  for  nearly  twenty  years,  and  thence  re- 
moved to  Scott  Township  in  about  1876,  where  he 
still  resides.  He  is  the  owner  of  212  acres  of  im- 
proved land  and  is  numbered  among  the  first-class 
citizens  of  that  locality. 

Mrs.  Eliza  Barber  was  born  in  England  in  about 
1823  and  lived  with  her  parents  until  about  twenty 
years  of  age,  when  she  because  the  wife  of  Benja- 
min Barber.  Of  their  union  there  were  born  eleven 
children,  eight  now  living,  as  follows:  Thirza  E., 
Alfred  C.,  Rosanna,  Sarah,  Samuel,  William  M., 
Frederick  J.  and  Mary.  Thirza  is  the  wife  of  Free- 
man Adams,  of  Nashua,  N.  H. ;  Alfred  C.  married 
Miss  Louisa  Peters,  and  is  farming  in  Colfax  Town- 
ship, this  county ;  Rosanna  became  the  wife  of  our 
subject,  and  resides  in  Champaign  Township; 
Sarah,  Mrs.  Samuel  Fox,  lives  with  her  husband  in 
Kansas;  William  M.  married  Miss  Hattie  Kemp, 


f 


556 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


f 


I 


and  is  a  resident  of  Kansas;  Frederick  married  Miss 
Ella  Wright,  and  they  occupy  a  farm  in  Mahomet 
Township;  Mary,  Mrs.  Asa  Franklin,  is  a  resident 
of  Sherman  County,  Kan.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barber  are 
consistent  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  Mr. 
B.  is  Democratic  in  politics.  Both  are  living  at 
present  in  Bondville,  this  county. 

Of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pratt  there  have 
been  born  four  children — Josephine  R.,  George  W., 
Minnie  C.  and  Frank  H.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  prominently  connected  with  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Bondville,  and  politically  Mr.  P.  is  a  firm  ad- 
herent of  the  Republican  party. 


;ILLIAM  NEU.  This  gentleman,  who  oc- 
cupies a  prominent  position  among  the 
business  interests  of  Tolono,  deals  in  agri- 
cultural implements,  in  Norman  and  Percheron 
horses,  and  also  carries  on  a  thriving  livery.  He 
is  a  wide-awake,  energetic  member  of  the  com- 
munity, just  such  a  man  as  is  needed  in  every  de- 
partment of  business  to  insure  that  competition 
which  is  the  life  of  trade.  He  was  born  in  Peru, 
this  State,  on  the  7th  of  June,  1857,  and  is  the  son 
of  John  and  Christina  Neu,  natives  of  Prussia. 
The  birth  of  the  father  took  place  Oct.  18,  1822, 
and  he  is  the  son  of  Anthony  and  Christina  Neu, 
who  became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  six  of 
whom  grew  to  mature  years,  and  three  emigrated 
to  the  United  States.  Of  the  latter,  Theodore  re- 
mained here  about  two  years,  then  returned  to 
Germany  and  died  there  in  about  1873;  Joseph  is 
a  resident  of  Peru,  La  Salle  County,  this  State,  and 
John  lives  in  the  city  of  Champaign. 

Our  subject  remained  with  his  parents  in  his  na- 
tive town  until  twelve  years  of  age,  when  the  fam- 
ily came  to  this  county  and  located  on  a  farm  in 
Colfax  Township.  After  four  years  they  took  up 
their  abode  in  Tolono,  where  William  completed 
his  education  at  the  High  School  in  1878.  Then, 
in  company  with  his  father  he  engaged  in  the  ag- 
ricultural implement  trade  until  1884,  when  the 
latter  removed  to  Indianapolis,  leaving  the  son  in 
charge  of  the  business.  Previous  to  this,  however, 
the  elder  Neu  had  become  proprietor  of  a  livery 


stable  at  Tolono,  which  our  subject  also  conducted 
after  his  father  had  removed.  John  Neu  returned 
to  this  county  in  1887,  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
Champaign  City.  He  is  a  man  of  fine  business 
capacity.  Upon  coming  to  La  Salle  he  was  not 
only  without  any  property,  but  was  $23  in  debt. 
He  carried  on  a  furniture  business  until  1869,  and 
from  the  first  was  successful  in  his  operations.  •  He 
still  owns  the  farm  in  Colfax  Township,  and  the 
livery  business  at  Tolono,  including  a  number  of 
fine  horses.  On  coining  to  this  country,  he  made 
the  ocean  trip  in  a  sailing-vessel,  the  voyage  occu- 
pying thirty-two  days. 

John  Neu  was  married,  in  1856,  to  Miss  Chris- 
tina Miebach.  She  was  also  born  in  Prussia,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  with  her  parents  when  a 
young  woman,  in  1854.  The  paternal  family  con- 
sisted of  five  children,  of  whom  Joseph  died  in 
1882,  when  twenty-two  years  old.  Those  surviv- 
ing are,  William  of  our  sketch,  Louise,  Emma  and 
John.  The  family  are  loyal  adherents  of  the  Cath- 
olic faith,  and  politically  the  sons  afliliate  with  the 
Democratic  party. 


?ACHARIAH  HENNESS,of  Scott  Township, 
is  the  owner  of  a  snug  homestead  located  on 
section  16,  comprising  eighty  acres  of  im- 
proved land  and  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings,  of 
which  he  has  been  in  possession  for  the  last  twenty 
years.  He  is  a  native  of  Ross  County,  Ohio,  born 
Jan.  5,  1817,  and  the  sou  of  William  and  Nancy 
(Hendrick)  Henness,  natives  of  the  Old  Dominion. 
They  removed  from  Virginia  to  Ohio  in  early  life, 
and  passed  the  remainder  of  their  days  in  the  Buck- 
eye State.  Their  family  included  six  sons  and 
four  daughters,  all  of  whom  were  trained  to  habits 
of  industry  and  principles  of  honor,  and  most  of 
whom  became  occupied  in  farm  pursuits. 

Our  subject  remained  in  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
some  years  after  his  marriage,  this  event  taking 
place  on  the  27th  of  May,  1841.  The  maiden  of 
his  choice,  Miss  Sally  A.  McCoy,  was  a  native  of 
his  own  county,  and  born  April  15,  1819.  They 
became  the  parents  of  nine  children — John  M., 
William  B.,  James  A.,  Margaret  K.,  Martha  J., 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-•*- 

557 


i 


Sarah  A.,  Edmund,  Davit!  W.  and  Cliarlcs  S.  The 
cliildren,  who  are  all  living,  have  become  highly 
respected  residents  of  this  .State,  several  of  them 
being  located  in  this  county,  and  the  names  of 
some  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Mr. 
Henness  has  always  cast  his  influence  on  the  side 
of  honesty  and  justice,  and  politically  labors  in 
support  of  Republican  principles. 


ALCOLM  KOCH.  Among  the  pleasant 
homesteads  in  Stan  tun  Township,  the  240 
acres  belonging  to  this  gentleman  occupy  a 
conspicuous  position  and  are  distinguished 
for  first-class  improvements,  and  what  is  best  of  all, 
the  property  is  unencumbered,  the  proprietor,  like 
Longfellow's  Village  Blacksmith,  being  able  to  "look 
the  whole  world  in  the  face,  for  lie  owes  not  any 
man."  One  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the 
farm  is  a  stable  of  fine  horses,  among  hem  being 
three  imported  English  Clydes  in  which  Mr.  K.  has 
a  half  interest,  and  which  are  magnificent  specimens 
of  the  noblest  animal  in  the  world.  To  this  depart- 
ment of  agriculture  our  subject  has  given  particular 
attention  and  seems  peculiarly  adapted  to  it,  as  he 
has  been  remarkably  successful  in  his  operations. 

Mr.  Koch  is  a  native  of  Berks  County,  Pa.,  born 
near  Reading,  July  5.  1837.  Fie  is  the  son  of  Adam 
and  Mary  A.  (Gicker)  Koch,  the  former  born  in 
1785  and  the  latter  in  1805.  They  were  married  in 
about  1833,  and  the  father  all  his  life  was  engaged 
in  farming  pursuits.  Adam  Koch  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the  parental  household  until  the  death  of  his 
father,  when  he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  affairs, 
settled  up  the  estate,  bought  a  snug  home  for  his 
mother  and  sixers  near  Reading,  and  provided  for 
their  future  comfort  and  welfare.  The  death  of 
the  father  took  place  in  October,  1841,  when  he  was 
fifty-six  years  of  age.  The  mother  survived  her 
husband  thirty-four  years  and  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  seventy  years  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio. 
The  maternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  of 
German  origin  and  they  also  passed  their  last  days 
in  Berks  County,  near  Reading. 

Adam    Koch   and    family    moved    to    Fairfield 
County,  Ohio,  in  183'J.     Their  family  consisted  of 


six  sons  and  one  daughter:  Edwin  was  drowned 
when  eighteen  months  old;  R.  C.  married  Miss 
Amanda  C.  Dresback,  of  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  and 
afterward  removed  to  Champaign  County,  111.,  his 
death  occurred  in  this  county  in  March,  1870;  and 
his  widow  is  living  at  St.  Joseph.  Malcolm  of  this 
sketch  was  the  third  child.  Adam,  who  was  born  in 
Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier 
in  the  21st  Ohio  Infantry;  he  was  captured  by 
the  rebels  at  Chickamaugua  and  confined  in  both 
Libby  and  Andersonville  for  several  months,  and 
died  in  the  latter  prison  a  few  days  before  the  sur- 
render of  the  Confederate  army.  Alfred  entered 
the  army  in  1861,  having  enlisted  in  an  Ohio  regi- 
ment, and  at  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing  was 
wounded  and  sent  to  the  hospital.  As  soon  as  able 
to  travel  he  was  sent  home  on  a  furlough  of  thirty 
days,  after  which  he  returned  to  his  regiment.  He 
was  then  attacked  with  serious  illness  and  confined 
in  the  hospital  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  for  ten  or  eleven 
months.  When  partially  recovered  he  was  appointed 
Ward  Master  in  the  hospital,  and  while  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  was  taken  with  small-pox  and 
soon  afterward  died;  his  decease  occurred  in  the 
fall  of  1863.  Ann  N.  became  the  wife  of  Robert 
Hudson  of  this  county  on  the  1st  of  January,  1865, 
and  died  in  February,  1866;  Jonah  married  Miss 
Susan  Foor,  of  P'airfield  County,  Ohio,  and  they  are 
now  living  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  this  county. 

Our  subject,  after  leaving  his  native  State,  so- 
journed for  a  time  in  Ohio,  coming  to  this  State  in 
1864.  Before  he  had  perfected  his  arrangements 
for  establishing  himself  in  the  West,  he  provided 
himself  with  a  companion,  namety,  MissMercella  E. 
Peer,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  Franklin  County, 
Ohio,  Sept.  29,  1859.  Of  this  union  there  were 
born  four  children,  three  dying  in  infancy ;  Mary, 
after  reaching  years  of  womanhood,  passed  away  on 
the  5th  of  December,  1880.  The  wife  and  mother 
departed  this  life  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  Jan.  6, 
1864.  She  was  the  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah 
Peer.  The  second  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he 
was  married  April  7,  1864,  was  Miss  Mary  E. 
Thrush,  a  native  of  Hancock  County,  Ohio,  born 
in  1834,  and  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Olivia 
(Spurgeon)  Thrush,  also  natives  of  the  Buckeye 
State.  The  mother  died  young,  being  only  twenty- 


558 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


five  years  of  age.  Jacob  Thrush  is  still  living  and 
a  resident  of  Cornell,  Livingston  County,  this  State, 
being  sixty-nine  years  of  age.  The  children  of  this 
marriage,  five  in  number,  are  recorded  as  follows: 
Olivia  J.,  is  the  wife  of  James  White,  a  prosperous 
farmer  of  Stanton  Township;  Medelphia  A.,  Lloyd 
M.,  George  L.  and  Cora  A.  are  at  home  with  their 
parents. 

Mr.  Koch  sold  out  his  interests  in  Franklin 
County,  Ohio,  in  October,  1864,  and  coming  to 
this  State,  located  first  in  St.  Joseph  Township. 
He  purchased  his  present  farm  in  Stanton  Township 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1866.  It  included  eighty 
acres  of  uncultivated  prairie,  for  which  he  paid 
&6.87£  per  acre.  His  first  business  was  to  com- 
mence the  erection  of  the  dwelling  which,  however, 
cost  more  than  he  anticipated,  and  the  finances 
running  low  it  was  not  completed  for  some  time 
afterward.  He  had  no  money  to  buy  shingles  and 
windows,  but  the  family  took  possession  of  it  and 
managed  to  live  quite  comfortably  during  the  sum- 
mer season  and  in  the  meantime  he  worked  at  it  by 
degrees,  laying  aside  a  dollar  for  the  purpose  of 
buying  what  was  needed  until  it  was  finally  finished. 
That  time  was  quite  in  contrast  with  the  present,  as 
he  now  has  a  fine  house,  a  large  barn,  and  every- 
thing required  for  the  comfort  and  convenience  of 
the  modern  farmer.  His  persevering  industry  and 
excellent  judgment  served  him  well  and  a  few 
years  brought  a  great  change  in  his  financial  con- 
dition. He  added  to  his  purchase  as  time  progressed 
and  now,  in  viewing  the  result  of  his  labors  and 
realizing  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  his  home, 
feels  amply  repaid  for  the  difficulties  and  anxieties 
through  which  he  passed  in  the  earlier  years.  He 
and  his  family  are  connected  with  the  Friends' 
Church,  and  at  the  polls  he  assists  to  the  best  of  his 
ability  in  the  election  of  Democratic  candidates. 


WHITMAN  COVERT,  a  well-to-do  resident  of 
East  Bend  Township,  owns  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  on  section  30.  He  is  a  native  of  the 
Empire  State,  born  in  the  town  of  Greece,  Monroe 
County,  Aug.  8,1838.  His  father,  Mathias,  and 
his  grandfather,  Bunn  Covert,  were  natives  of  New 


Jersey.  It  is  supposed  that  the  family  originated 
in  Holland.  Its  first  representative  in  America  lo- 
cated first  on  Manhattan  Island  and  became  poses- 
sor  of  a  large  tract  of  land  which  is  now  included 
in  New  York  City.  The  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  removed 
from  New  Jersey  to  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  when  a 
young  man,  and  there  spent  his  last  days.  His  son, 
Mathias,  remained  on  the  farm  until  eighteen  years 
old  and  then  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  When 
ready  to  establish  a  home  for  himself  he  purchased 
a  small  tract  of  land  near  the  town  of  Greece,  but 
devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  time  to  his  trade. 
In  1842  he  traded  his  land  for  a  farm  in  AVilson, 
Niagara  County,  which  he  occupied  until  1870. 
He  then  sold  out  and  came  to  this  county,  locating 
in  Rantoul,  where  he  lived  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness, until  departing  this  life  on  the  6th  of  October, 
1886,  having  reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
five  years.  He  had  married  in  early  manhood  Miss 
Jemima  Duckworth,  a  native  of  his  own  State. 
This  lady  died  in  Niagara  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1857. 

Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  eleven  children, 
of  whom  nine  grew  to  mature  years  and  are  still 
living.  The  record  is  as  follows:  Elvira,  now  Mrs. 
Cushing,  lives  in  Wilson,  Niagara  Co.,  N.  Y. ;  Lo- 
viua  Tabor  is  a  resident  of  Stevensville,  Wis. ; 
Alviu,  of  Rantoul,  this,  county;  Albert  lives  in 
Ingham  County,  Mich. ;  Melissa,  Mrs.  Stone,  died 
in  Wilson,  N.  Y. ;  Truman,  of  our  sketch,  was  the 
sixth  child ;  May  J.  McKee  lives  in  Rantoul,  this 
county,  and  William  in  East  Bend  Township,  which 
is  also  the  residence  of  Bertha,  Dillmau  and  Fred- 
erick. Mathias  Covert,  for  his  second  wife,  married 
Mrs.  Martha  Jenny,  in  April,  1859.  She  departed 
this  life  July  5,  1886. 

Truman  Covert,  of  our  sketch,  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm  in  Niagara  County,  N.  Y.,  received 
his  education  in  the  district  school,  and  remained  a 
resident  of  his  native  county  until  1860.  He  then 
located  on  a  farm  of  his  cousin  in  Ingham  County, 
Mich.,  until  enlisting  in  the  army  in  December, 
1863.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  1st  Michigan 
Light  Artillery  until  after  the  close  of  the  war, 
being  under  command  of  Gen.  Sherman,  at  Chat- 
tanooga, marching  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  and 
participating  in  many  of  the  important  battles  of 


RES.OFTRUMAN  COVERT,  SEC.  30  .EAST  BEND  TOWNSHIP. 


RES.  AND  FARM  PROPERTY  OF  Si  LAS  PETTIT,SEC*.  G&.8  ^RITTENDEN  TOWNSHIP. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


561 


that  campaign.  He  was  taken  seriously  ill  at 
Goldsboro,  N.  C.,  whence  he  was  sent  to  Beaufort 
and  from  there  to  New  York  City,  and  was  mus- 
tered out  at  Ft.  Sehuyler  in  June  following.  Him- 
self and  twenty-six  of  his  comrades  enlisted  at  Les- 
lie, Mich.,  and  of  these  thirteen  died  in  the  service. 

Our  subject  after  leaving  the  army  was  unable 
to  do  manual  labor,  and  returning  to  his  native  town 
served  as  Constable  and  Collector  until  1870,  when 
the  family  came  to  this  State  and  located  on  the 
farm  which  he  now  owns.  The  land  at  the  time 
they  took  possession  of  it,  was  uncultivated  prairie, 
and  the  nearest  market  was  Rantoul,  ten  miles  dis- 
tant. The  face  of  the  country  has  been  greatly 
changed  since  that  time.  The  prairie  has  been 
transformed  into  cultivated  fields,  enclosed  with 
neat  hedges  and  substantial  fences,  and  a  good  resi- 
dence affords  a  pleasant  home  for  our  subject  and 
his  household.  Adjacent  to  it  are  all  the  necessary 
out-buildings  required  for  the  proper  shelter  of 
stock  and  the  other  products  of  the  farm. 

Mr.  Covert  was  married  in  Niagara  County,  N. 
Y.,  Nov.  24,  1859,  to  Miss  Jane  Robbins,  and  they 
had  five  interesting  children — Maude,  Ida  and 
Charles,  living,  and  two,  Ticey  and  Jennie,  de- 
ceased. Mrs.  Covert  was  born  in  Lockport,  N.  Y., 
May  11,  1842.  Her  father,  Cephas  Robbins,  of 
Vermont,  became  a  resident  of  the  Empire  State 
when  a  young  man,  and  was  there  married  to  Miss 
Drusella  Finch.  Mr.  Covert  is  a  member  of  the 
G.  A.  R.,  and  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  politics. 

The  thrift  and  industry  which  have  characterized 
the  life  of  Mr.  Covert  are  perhaps  illustrated  in  the 
most  forcible  manner  by  the  homestead  which  he 
has  built  up  from  the  wild  prairie,  and  a  view  of 
which  has  been  faithfully  lithographed  on  an  adja- 
cent page.  It  forms  a  picture  which  his  children 
will  be  proud  to  cherish  in  future  years. 


ILAS  PETTIT,  a  native  of  Greene  County, 
Pa.,  came  to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1864, 
soon  after  his  marriage,  locating  first  in 
Warren  County.  Thence  he  removed  to 
Putnam  County,  and  afterward  lived  in  Marshall 
County,  whence  in  December,  1868,  he  came  into 


Crittenden  Townsliip,  this  county,  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  which  is  now  included  in  his 
present  homestead  on  section  8.  To  this  he  after- 
ward added  and  redeemed  the  whole  from  its  un- 
improved condition.  He  now  has  a  valuable  home- 
stead of  257  acres,  thoroughly  cultivated  and  im- 
proved, supplied  with  all  necessary  buildings,  and, 
with  his  family,  is  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts 
and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the  1'Jth 
of  September,  1834.  His  father,  John,  and  his 
mother,  Helena  (Sherman)  Pettit,  were  natives  re- 
spectively of  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland.  John 
Pettit  when  a  young  man  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  after  the  close  of  this  struggle 
settled  down  to  farming  pursuits  in  Greene  County, 
Pa.,  where  he  departed  this  life  in  about  .1848. 
His  first  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Warford,  who  be- 
came the.  mother  of  eight  children.  Of  these  Jesse, 
William,  Lila  aiid  Nancy  are  deceased.  Rachel  be- 
came the  wife  of  John  Roach;  Martha  married  Jor 
seph  Hartley,  and  Mary-  married  James  Kughn ;  Sa- 
rah is  deceased.  Of  the  second  marriage  there 
were  born  Lydia,  Mrs.  Spragg;  Helena,  the  wife  of 
John  White,  and  Silas,  of  our  sketch. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  the  only  son 
and  'eldest  child  of  the  second  marriage  of  his  fa- 
ther. He  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  State,  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education,  and  engaged  in 
labor  on  the  farm  until  reaching  his  majority.  He 
was  then  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Elrnira  Dri- 
ver, a  native  of  West  Virginia,  and  the  daughter 
of  Gideon  and  Leah  (Deval)  Driver.  Mrs.  P.  was 
born  March  19,  1835.  They  remained  in  Pennsyl- 
vania until  the  spring  of  1804,  and  then  started  for 
the  West.  In  the  meantime  they  had  become  the 
parents  of  four  children.  William  died  of  spotted 
fever  in  this  county.  Those  living  are  John, 
Emma  and  Charles  W.  Our  subject  is  Democratic 
in  politics,  but  has  been  too  busy  with  his  farming 
affairs  to  devote  any  time  to  office-seeking.  He 
and  his  family  are  regular  attendants  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  of  which  he  has  been  an  active  member 
since  1866.  He  is  a  skillful  agriculturist  and  thor- 
ough business  man,  and  ranks  among  the  represent- 
ative citizens  of  Crittenden  Township. 

It   is  quite  natural,  in   reflecting  upon  the  life 


f 


t 


,    562 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ami  character  of  a  man  who  has  lived  worthily  and 
presented  an  example  of  thrift  and  industry  worthy 
of  imitation,  to  picture  in  the  mind's  eye  his  proba- 
ble surroundings,  and  in  order  that  our  readers 
shall  not  be  obliged  to  draw  too  much  upon  the 
imagination  we  present,  as  near  as  possible,  a 
truthful  picture  of  the  place  which  Mr.  Pettit  now 
calls  home,  and  which  in  all  its  appointments  is  one 
in  which  he  may  justly  take  pride. 


ffiOHN  W.  LAWRENCE  was  horn  July  10, 
1  1846,  in  Beaver  County,  Pa.,  and  was  the 
youngest  of  eight  children,  the  offspring  of 
John  and  Mary  (Calvin)  Lawrence,  natives 
of  the  same  State,  where  the  father  waS  engaged  in 
farming  pursuits.  In  about  1855,  John  Lawrence 
removed  with  his  family  to  Hardin  County,  Ohio, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm  of  forty  acres  which  he 
lived  upon  for  eleven  years  following.  He  then 
sold  out.  and  coming  to  this  State  purchased  100 
acres  of  wild  land  on  section  34,  in  Harwood  Town- 
ship, and  occupied  it  until  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  Jan.  9,  1887.  The  mother  de- 
parted this  life  on  the  1st  of  December.  1885. 
Our  subject  and  his  brother  Samuel  now  operate 
the  home  farm,  and  are  rated  among  the  peaceful 
and  law-abiding  citizens  of  their  community,  ful- 
filling in  a  praiseworthy  manner  all  their  obliga- 
tions as  honest  men  and  good  citizens. 

The  outbreak  of  the  late  war  took  place  before 
the  removal  of  the  Lawrence  family  from  Ohio. 
John  W.,  although  at  that  time  but  eighteen  years 
of  age,  enlisted  in  Co.  F,  196th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  un- 
der command  of  Capt.  Z.  C.  Andrews.  The  Col- 
onel of  the  regiment  was  Robert  P.  Canady.  This 
regiment  was  organized  and  drilled  at  Camp  Chase, 
Ohio,  and  when  ready  for  service  was  sent  through 
by  rail  to  Harper's  Ferry,  whence  they  marched  to 
Winchester.  From  there  they  went  to  Federal 
Hill  near  Baltimore,  by  way  of  Sandy  Hook.  A 
few  days  later  they  were  sent  down  the  coast  to 
Ft.  Delaware,  of  which  they  remained  in  charge 
three  months,  and  were  then  returned  to  Camp 
Chase  where  they  were  discharged,  after  having 


been  in  service  seven  months,  and  without  engag- 
ing in  any  fight.  In  the  meantime  the  parents  of 
our  subject  had  removed  to  Illinois,  and  after  be- 
ing mustered  out  he  joined  them  there. 

He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  1884,  and 
on  the  1st  of  November,  that  year,  took  his  first 
step  toward  the  establishment  of  domestic  ties  of 
his  own.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mattie  J.  Wood, 
fourth  child  of  Noah  and  Sarah  (Julick)  Wood, 
natives  of  Ohio,  where  the  father  followed  farming 
until  their  removal  to  this  State  in  1856.  The  par- 
ents of  Mrs.  Lawrence  are  still  living,  making  their 
home  in  Rantoul,  and  retired  from  the  active  la- 
bors of  life.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawrence  have  had  two 
children;  the  eldest,  an  infant  daughter,  is  deceased, 
and  the  only  son,  Charles  W.  Lawrence,  was  born 
Dec.  15,  1886. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife,  after  their  marriage 
located  on  his  father's  farm,  of  which  they  assumed 
the  management,  and  where  they  still  live.  The 
only  sister  of  our  subject  now  living,  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Runsur,  a  farmer,  and  the  County  Com- 
missioner of  Ilardin  County,  Ohio.  The  other 
members  of  the  family  have  passed  to  their  long 
home. 


J 


lOHN  L.  KELLER,  a  prosperous  German  far- 
mer of  Scott  Township,  is  the  owner  of  200 
acres  of  finely  improved  land,  located  on 
section  34.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign Count}'  since  the  fall  of  1868,  when  he  pur- 
chased 120  acres  of  land  which  is  now  included  in 
his  present  homestead.  He  commenced  life  at  the 
foot  of  the  ladder  and  has  accumulated  a  compe- 
tency through  the  exercise  of  his  natural  industry 
and  good  judgment.  He  was  born  in  Germany, 
May  6,  1835,  and  was  brought  to  America  when 
about  one  and  one-half  years  old  by  his  parents, 
George  A.  and  Catherine  Keller.  They  emigrated 
from  the  Fatherland  in  1837,  settling  first  in  Hock- 
ing County,  Ohio,  where  the  father  died  in  Febru- 
ary, 1883.  The  mother  still  survives.  Their  family 
included  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom 
John  L.  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth. 

John  L.  Keller  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


563 


and  remained  with  his  parents  until  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  when  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Hocking 
County,  which  he  occupied  untill  selling  out  pre- 
paratory to  starting  for  the  West.  Before  leaving, 
however,  he  was  married  in  Hocking  County  on  the 
loth  of  April,  1858,  to  Miss  Louisa  Stoker,  who 
was  a  native  of  that  county,  and  born  Nov.  20, 
1839.  Her  parents  were.  John  G.  and  Henrietta 
(Rohberg)  .Stoker,  who  emigrated  from  their  native 
Germany  and  located  lirst  in  Muskingum  County, 
Ohio,  whence  they  afterward  removed  to  Hocking 
County,  where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
days.  Their  family  included1  eight  children,  six 
sons  and  two  daughters. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keller  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  eight  children,  namely,  George  A., 
John  W.,  Peter,  Charles  J.,  Ely  M.,  Lewis  B.  and 
Henry  C.  Ely  M.  and  a  child  unnamed  died  in  in- 
fancy. George  married  Miss  Estella  Cobb,  and  is 
a  resident  of  Piatt  County,  this  State ;  John,  who 
married  Miss  Catherine  Hensley,  is  farming  in 
Scott  Township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keller  belong  to 
the  Lutheran  Church,  and  politically  our  subject 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  has 
held  some  of  the  miner  offices  of  his  township  and 
is  regarded  by  his  fellow-citizens  as  a  reliable  man 
and  a  useful  member  of  the  community. 


EDWIN  C.  SALE,  Supervisor  of  East  Bend 
Township,  is  a  resident  of  Dewey,  where  he 
carries  on  a  lucrative  trade  in  grain,  lumber, 
coal  and  agricultural  implements.  He  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  Prairie  State,  and  of  this  county, 
since  the  fall  of  1853.  His  father,  F.  B.  Sale,  dur- 
ing his  early  years  assisted  on  the  farm,  and  has 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  been  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  although  since  1857  he  has  been 
greatly  interested  in  religious  matters,  and  officiated 
as  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
He  was  ordained  Deacon  at  Bloomington  in  1 866. 
and  during  that  same  year  labored  as  an  agent  for 
the  American  Bible  Society,  traveling  through  the 
district  composed  of  the  counties  of  Champaign, 
Iroquois,  Piatt  and  Macon.  In  1871  he  was  ordained 


by  Bishop  Scott  as  Elder  at  Jacksonville,  where  he 
served  the  interests  of  his  church  faithfully  and 
with  satisfaction  to  all.  His  record  as  a  business 
man  and  member  of  society  is  equally  worthy  of 
imitation. 

Edwin  Sale  was  born  in  Xenia,  Greene  Co.,  Ohio, 
May  22,  1847,  and  is  the  son  of  Capt.  F.  B.  Sale, 
a  resident  of  Condit  Township.  The  latter  was  also 
born  in  that  county  and  State,  June  9,  1822.  The 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  John  Sale,  was  the  son 
of  Anthony  Sale,  and  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and 
a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Church.  He  removed 
to  Ohio  in  early  life,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
spreading  the  Gospel  truths,  and  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  Methodist  societies  in  the  pioneer  days  of 
the  Buckeye  State.  He  finally  located  near  Picka- 
way,  in  Miami  County,  where  he  was  Presiding  El- 
der, and  where  his  death  occurred  Jan.  9,  1827.  In 
early  manhood  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Nancy  Bonncr,  who  died  in  Greene  County,  Ohio, 
Feb.  5,  1865.  Her  father  was  Frederick  Bonner, 
also  born  in  Virginia,  whence  he  emigrated  to  Ohio 
in  1802.  He  also  was  a  devoted  Methodist,  and  in- 
duced many  of  his  brethen  to  emigrate  to  the  new 
country.  He  became  the  proprietor  of  about 
2,000  acres  of  land  in  the  Military  Tract,  and 
greatly  assisted  in  the  development  of  the  country. 
There  also  he  reared  a  family.  His  death  took  place 
on  the  homestead  which  he  had  established,  and 
where  he  spent  so  many  years  enjoying  the  respect 
and  association  of  the  best  residents  of  that  section- 

Capt.  F.  B.  Sale,  the  father  of  our  subject,  pur- 
sued his  early  studies  in  the  pioneer  schools,  and 
assisted  in  the  labors  of  the  homestead  until  1853, 
when  he  decided  to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  West. 
During  the  progress  of  the  late  war,  he,  in  1862, 
enlisted  in  the  125th  Illinois  Infantry,  under  the 
command  of  Col.  Harmon.  He  was  mustered  in  at 
Danville,  on  the  3d  of  September,  and  determined 
to  follow  the  fortunes  of  his  comrades  until  the 
preservation  of  the  Union  was  secured.  He  was  a 
brave  and  resolute  soldier,  and  in  due  time  was 
elected  Captain  of  his  company,  which  he  com- 
manded with  ability,  and  was  the  favorite  alike  of 
his  superior  officers  as  well  as  the  soldiers  under 
him.  The  long  inarches,  with  the  hardships  and 
privations  incident  to  a  soldier's  life,  undermined 


t. 


-  .  564 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


his  health,  and  although  greatly  regretting  the  ne- 
cessity, he  was  compelled  to  resign.  He  did  what 
he  could,  however,  to  save  his  country  at  home, 
encouraging  and  sustaining  the  Union  spirit,  and 
obtaining  recruits  for  the  service. 

The  marriage  of  Capt.  F.  B.  Sale  took  place  in 
Greene  County,  Ohio,  in  1844,  the  maiden  of  his 
choice  being  Miss  Maria  Cramer,  a  native  of  the 
same  county,  and  the  daughter  of  Solomon  and  Ket- 
tich  Cramer,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  namely:  Willis  George,  a  resident  of 
Indianapolis;  Edwin  C.,  of  our  sketch;  Charles  E., 
now  living  in  East  Bend;  John  A.,  of  Rantoul; 
S.  B.,a  merchant  of  Fisher;  'Frank  C.,  a  resident  of 
Huron,  Dak.;  James  P.  and  Fannie. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  a  lad  of  seven 
years  old  when  he  came  to  this  county  with  his  par- 
ents. His  early  studies  were  conducted  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  and  at  Urbana,  after  which  he  at- 
tended a  term  of  college  at  the  seminary  in  Onarga. 
When  twenty  years  of  age  he  commenced  teaching, 
which  he  followed  during  the  winter  seasons  ten 
successive  terms,  and  during  the  summer  engaged  in 
farming.  The  first  year  after  his  marriage  he  rented 
land  in  Newcomb  Township,  and  the  year  following 
in  Hensley.  In  1871  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
wild  prairie  on  section  26,  of  East  Bend  Township, 
entering  at  once  upon  its  improvement  and  culti- 
vation. He  occupied  this  until  the  fall  of  1877, 
then  decided  to  abandon  farming.  Taking  up  his 
abode  in  Devvey  he  engaged  in  the  grain  business, 
and  for  five  years  operated  for  Mr.  Hall,  of  Paxton. 
For  the  last  four  years  he  has  been  associated  with 
Mr.  Ricketts,  of  Fisher.  He  has  operated  as  a  lum- 
ber dealer  for  the  past  four  years,  and  built  up  a 
good  trade  in  coal  and  agricultural  implements.  As  a 
business  man  and  citizen,  he  is  prompt  and  reliable, 
and  in  all  respects  a  worthy  representative  of  the 
business  community. 

The  marriage  of  Edwin  C.  Sale  and  Miss  Mary 
Ferris  took  place  in  January,  1869,  at  the  home  of 
the  bride's  parents  in  Condit  Township.  Mrs.  Sale 
was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  19,  1847, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  John  M.  and  Lucretia  (Case) 
Ferris.  Their  five  children  are  Minnie,  Leslie, 
Walter,  Eva  and  Russell.  Our  subject,  politically, 
is  a  decided  Republican,  and  with  his  wife  has  been 


connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
.since  1870.  lie  was  elected  Supervisor  in  the  spring 
of  1876,  and  has  served  as  such  seven  years  in  suc- 
ce.sssion,  and  as  School  Trustee  eight  terms.  He 
takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the  intellectual  and 
moral  growth  of  his  community,  and  has  been  the 
encourager  of  every  enterprise  tending  to  its  ad- 
vancement. 


w 


ENRY  WILLEY  RENNER.  In  perusing  a 
biography,  whether  in  book  form  to  be 
handed  down  to  future  generations,  or  in 
the  newspaper,  which  is  usually  thrown 
away  and  forgotten,  the  natural  question  of  the 
mind  of  the  reader  concerning  the  subject  treated 
of,  is  as  to  where  he  drew  his  origin,  and  what  were 
the  characteristics  of  his  family.  Especially  is  this 
the  case  when  the  person  we  read  of  is  prominent 
in  business  and  social  circles,  and  when  by  his 
marked  traits  of  character  he  has  distinguished  him- 
self as  possessing  more  than  ordinary  ability  as  a 
financier  and  a  citizen.  Of  this  latter  class  our  sub- 
ject may  be  included  as  a  member  worthy  of  ad- 
miration and  respect.  We  at  once  turn  back  to  the 
few  pages  whereon  has  been  briefly  traced  the 
record  of  his  fathers  before  him,  which,  as  near  as 
we  can  learn,  is  as  follows:  The  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject, Henry  and  Mary  M.  (Willey)  Rcuner,  were 
natives  respectively  of  Frederick  and  Shenandoah 
Counties,  Va.,  the  former  bom  May  6,  1796,  and 
the  latter,  June  29,  1800. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Isaac 
Rentier,  was  of  stanch  old  Pennsylvania  stock,  and 
his  grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  whose  name 
was  Hetzel,  was  a  Huguenot.  The  maternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Willey,  came  to  America  from 
Switzerland  as  a  missionary  of  the  German  Re- 
formed Presbyterian  Church.  lie  possessed  in  a 
marked  degree  the  stern  and  resolute  character  of 
that  people,  who  endured  with  cheerful  courage  the 
loss  of  home,  friends  and  country  for  the  sake  of 
their  religion.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were 
married  April  18,  1826,  and  located  on  a  farm  in 
Frederick  County,  Va.,  where  they  remained  until 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


565 


1840.  That  year  they  removed  to  Woodstock,  the 
county  seat  of  Shenandoah  County,  Va.,  where  they 
resided  twelve  years,  and  thence  removed  to  Ohio, 
taking  up  their  abode  in  Licking  County.  In  18(59 
they  disposed  of  their  farm  property  in  that  sec- 
tion, and  coming  to  Illinois  located  in  Rantoul, 
this  county,  where  the  mother  departed  this  life 
Dec.  26,  1870.  Mrs.  Renner  was  frail  in  body 
but  strong  in  mind  and  character,  and  possessed  of 
all  womanly  and  Christian  virtues.  She  looked 
well  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  trained  her 
children  in  those  principles  which  have  made  them 
noble  in  their  minds  and  character,  with  the  steady 
purpose  in  view  to  emulate  her  and  her  beautiful 
and  upright  life.  Her  name  is  held  by  them  in  ten- 
der remembrance,  as  being  one  of  those  spoken  of 
in  the  Scriptures  whose  children  "  rise  up  and  call 
her  blessed."  Henry  Renner  survived  his  beloved 
partner  for  a  period  of  twelve  years,  and  then 
joined  her  in  the  land  of  the  hereafter,  his  death  tak- 
ing place  Jan.  21, 1882,  when  he  was  nearly  eighty- 
six  years  old. 

Henry  Willey  Renner  was  born  fifty  miles  south 
of  Harper's  Ferry,  in  Shenandoah  County,  Va., 
March  5,  1830.  He  remained  with  his  parents  dur- 
ing his  boyhood  and  youth,  and  after  his  marriage, 
in  1857,  came  from  Ohio  to  this  State.  He  was 
married  in  Licking  County,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Phebe 
A.,  daughter  of  Hon.  E.  O.  Williams.  The  bride 
and  groom  soon  afterward  packed  their  effects  into 
a  wagon  and  started  westward.  After  a  drive  of 
two  weeks  they  arrived  upon  the  present  site  of 
Newcomb,  now  in  Condit  Township,  on  the  25th 
of  May,  1857,  when  our  subject  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  on  section  4.  They  set  up  housekeeping  in 
the  one  building  located  upon  this  land,  and  occu- 
pied the  property  for  eight  years  afterward.  In 
18C5  Mr.  Renner  purchased  the  present  homestead, 
in  Rantoul  Township,  where  his  family  yet  reside. 
Mrs.  Renner  was  the  eldest  child  of  her  father's  fam- 
ily and  became  motherless  when  a  young  girl  thir- 
teen years  old.  Her  childhood  pleasures  were  lim- 
ited by  cares  which  naturally  devolve  upon  older 
persons,  and  she  filled  a  mother's  place  to  her 
younger  brothers  and  sisters.  She  was  thoughtful 
and  serious  beyond  her  years,  and  at  an  early  pe- 
riod in  life  gave  evidence  of  the  spirit  of  piety 


which  afterward  influenced  her.  She  became  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  while  in  Jersey 
Township,  Ohio,  and  continued  an-  active  worker 
in  the  cause  of  Christ  since  that  time.  A  large 
share  of  her  time  was  given  to  the  Sunday-school, 
and  she  had  the  peculiar  and  happy  faculty  of  inter- 
esting the  young  in  religious  subjects. 

To  Mr.  Renner  and  his  first  wife  there 
were  born  five  children,  namely:  Enos  Henry; 
Anna  Lucinda,  wife  of  William  A.  Rusk;  Sylvester 
Willey,  Mary  C.  and  Libby  S.  The  sons  are  now 
dealers  in  coal  and  agricultural  implements,  and  op- 
erate a  livery  stable  in  Champaign.  The  mother  of 
these  children  departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her 
husband  in  Rautoul  Township,  Nov.  26,  1873. 

The  mother  of  Mrs.  Phebe  A.  Renner,  who  be- 
fore her  marriage  was  Miss  Emeline  Smith,  was 
born  in  Waterford,  Erie  Co.,  Pa.,  May  1.  1819. 
Her  parents,  William  and  Elizabeth  Smith,  were 
natives  of  the  North  of  Ireland,  and  emigrating  to 
America  before  their  marriage  located  in  Erie 
County,  where  they  afterward  became  acquainted, 
and  where  their  hands  and  fortunes  were  united. 
After  marriage  they  located  in  another  part  of  Erie 
County,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their 
lives,  the  grandmother  living  to  the  advanced  age 
of  ninety-nine  years. 

The  second  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Sept.  28,  1876,  was  Miss  Julia,  eldest 
daughter  of  James  1).  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Wayne,  Pa. 
Mrs.  Julia  Renner  was  born  Dec.  7,  1840,  and  com- 
menced her  education  by  attendance  at  the  common 
schools  in  her  native  town.  Later  she  entered  the 
High  School  at  Waterford,  and  finally  graduating, 
studied  and  taught  thereafter  until  1863.  Being 
desirous  of  still  further  adding  to  her  store  of 
knowledge,  she  entered  upon  a  course  of  study  in 
Western  Female  Seminary,  at  Oxford,  Ohio,  from 
which  she  graduated  in  1865.  She  then  commenced 
teaching  in  the  Seminary,  and  pursued  a  profession 
both  pleasant  and  profitable  to  her  until  admon- 
ished by  failing  health  that  she  must  abandon  it. 
She  then  returned  to  her  parents  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  she  remained  for  a  time,  teaching  in  Erie  and 
Crawford  Counties  until  her  .marriage  with  our  sub- 
ject. The  one  child  of  this  union,  Charles  Ashley, 
born  Oct.  4,  1881,  died  on  the  5th  of  April,  1882. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


James  D.  Smith,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Julia 
Rentier,  was  born  in  Erie  Count}',  Pa.,  Sept. 
29,  1817,  and  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Smith,  who 
traced  his  ancestry  directly  to  Scotland,  whence 
they  removed  to  the  North  of  Ireland.  Directly 
after  the  marriage  of  Samuel  Smith  he  emigrated  to 
America  and  settled  in  Wayne  Township,  Erie  Co., 
Pa.,  at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  that  sec- 
tion. He  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land,  cleared 
a  farm  from  the  wilderness,  and  resided  there  until 
going-  the  way  of  all  the  earth.  His  son,  the  fa- 
ther of  Mrs.  Renner,  has  spent  his  life  so  far  in  his 
native  township,  and  is  prosperous  as  a  business 
man,  besides-  being  greatly  respected  as  a  citizen. 
His  property,  consisting  of  a  fine  farm  thirty-one 
miles  southeast  of  the  city  of  Erie,  and  seven  miles 
northwest  of  Corry,  includes  a  valuable  mill. 

Mr.  Renner,  when  but  a  youth,  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Woodstock,  and 
assisted  in  conducting  the  Sunday-school,  remain- 
ing a  zealous  worker  there.  He  was  one  of  the  orig- 
inal members  of  the  Jersey  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Condit  Township,  holding  the  positions  of 
Trustee,  Secretary  and  Ruling  Elder.  In  the  First 
Congregational  Church  of  Ranloul  he  was  Trustee, 
Secretary  and  Senior  Deacon,  and  a  member  of  the 
Official  Board,  also  of  the  committee  on  Church 
Extension  and  Church  Records,  and  District  Stew- 
ard in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Rantoul. 
He  is  also  a  life  member  of  the  County  Bible  So- 
ciety, and  became  President  of  the  Rantoul  Sunday- 
School  Association  in  18(57,  which  position  he  still 
holds.  In  1872  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
County  Sunday-School  Executive  Committee,  of 
which  he  was  President  four  years  later. 

Until  1873,  in  which  year  the  Grange  movement 
began  in  the  agricultural  districts,  Mr.  Renner  had 
voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  During  the  time  of 
the  agitation  mentioned,  however,  he  considered 
himself  justified  in  changing  his  views,  and  since 
then  identified  himself  with  the  Greenback  party, 
and  until  the  Prohibition  movement  originated, 
when  he  was  elected  President  of  the  Prohibition 
Club  at  Rantoul,  and  at  the  last  election  was  a  can- 
didate for  County  Judge  on  that  ticket.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  multiplicity  of  other  public  duties 
which  his  townsmen  have  called  on  him  to  per- 


form,  he  has  served  as  Township  Trustee,  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways,  Assessor  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  In  1802  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors  from  Condit  Township. 

Mr.  Renner  was  trained  by  excellent  parents  to 
habits  of  industry,  and  when  setting  out  in  life 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Woodstock,  under 
his  father,  and  being  a  natural  mechanic,  this  further 
acquaintance  with  the  use  of  tools  has  proved  of 
great  value,  and  the  saving  of  hundreds  of  dollars 
or:  the  farm.  His  energy  is  proverbial,  and  he  has 
an  honest  contempt  for  people  who  consider  them- 
selves too  nice  to  be  of  any  practical  use  in  the 
world.  He  began  teaching  at  the  age  of  twcnt\'- 
one,  in  Virginia,  taught  one  year  there,  five  years 
in  Ohio,  and  one  year  in  Illinois.  He  has  taken  a 
genuine  delight  in  conducting  the  operations  of  the 
farm,  being  fond  of  domestic  animals,  and  has  sur- 
rounded himself  with  herds  of  fine  cattle,  besides 
having  stables  tenanted  by  thoroughbred  horses; 
among  these  latter  is  a  Norman  stallion  imported 
from  France,  a  creature  of  magnificent  proportions 
and  of  great  value.  His  herd  of  cattle  includes 
three  full-blooded  Short-horns.  He  also  breeds  the 
Poland-China  hogs  and  full-blooded  Brahma  poul- 
try. 


IT  L.  TAYLOR  is  an  honored  repre- 
sentative of  the  pioneer  farmers  of  Cham- 
paign County,  and  one  of  the  self-made 
men  of  Illinois.  He  was  born  Sept.  28,  1841,  in 
this  county,  and  just  south  of  the  town  of  Ma- 
homet. His  parents  were  William  and  Harriet 
(Leland)  Taylor.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Scotland,  and  on  coming  to  America  he  first  made 
his  way  to  Ohio  and  thence  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
Champaign  County,  where  he  subsequently  married 
Miss  Leland.  Her  family  were  among  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county.  When  their  son  Gilbert 
was  about  five  years  of  age,  his  mother  was  taken 
from  her  home  and  family  by  death. 

Desirous  of  making  a  change  after  the  death  of 
his  wife,  Mr.  Taylor  sold  his  farm  at  Mahomet  .and 
went  to  Texas,  where  he  invested  in  a  large  tract 
of  land  with  the  intention  of  engaging  extensively 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


567 


in  stock-raising.  He  was  a  clear-headed,  energetic, 
active  man,  and  carried  on  a  large  trade  in  cattle, 
selling  his  stock  to  drovers.  Some  business  affairs 
requiring  his  presence,  he  came  to  Champaign 
County,  and  while  here,  was  stricken  down  by  se- 
vere illness,  and  died  in  March,  1855,  leaving  his 
son  Gilbert  an  orphan,  at  the  age  of  fourteen. 
Their  other  children  having  died  in  infancy,  Gil- 
bert was  the  sole  survivor  of  the  family.  After 
the  death  of  his  father,  he  bravely  started  out  to 
fight  his  way  in  the  world. 

When  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  Gilbert  L.  Tay- 
lor enlisted  in  Co.  I,  10th  111.  Cav.,and  was  sent  to 
the  division  of  the  army  west  of  the  Mississippi.  He 
remained  in  the  service  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
having  passed  through  its  dangers  and  vicissitudes 
without  being  wounded,  and  in  1865  was  mustered 
out  at  Springfield,  111.  After  having  been  honor- 
ably discharged  he  returned  to  Champaign  County, 
and  engaged  in  cultirating  a  rented  farm,  at  which 
business  he  continued  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years, 
when,  having  acquired  some  capital,  he  purchased 
his  present  property,  located  on  section  28,  which 
contains  400  acres  of  valuable  land,  and  is  known 
as  the  George  Burton  Farm.  He  has  been  very 
successful  in  -conducting  this  farm,  and  has  given 
special  attention  to  stock-raising. 

On  the  9th  of  December.  1866,  Mr.  Taylor  was 
married  to  Miss  Frances  Adkins,  daughter  of  John 
and  Eliza  Adkins,  of  Champaign  County,  where 
she  was  born  and  reared.  They  have  had  seven 
children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Taylor  and 
his  wife  are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
of  which  he  is  also  one  of  the  Trustees.  He  is  a 
Republican  in  politics,  and  socially  belongs  to  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  holding  fellowship  with  Lodge  No.  333, 
of  Champaign. 


<jjp^)  DGAR  G.  CONKLING,  Postmaster  of  Sey- 
mour, also  conducts  a  store  of  general 
merchandise,  and  occupies  a  prominent 
place  in  the  affairs  of  his  town,  both  in  social  and 
financial  circles.  He  is  anative  of  Hudson,  McLean 
Co.,  111.,  born  Nov.  1C,  1854,  and  the  son  of  I>r. 
Henry  and  Eliza  Conkling,  the  former  a  native 


of  New  Jersey,  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Mrs.  C.  be- 
fore her  marriage  to  the  father  of  our  subject  was 
the  widow  of  L.  A.  Sampson.  The  parental 
family  included  five  children — Henry  O.,  Ed- 
gar G.  of  our  sketch,  Frank  W.,  William  A.  and 
Belinda  C. 

The  subject  of  this  history  spent  his  childhood 
and  youth  in  his  native  village,  pursuing  his  stud- 
ies in  the  common  schools,  and  afterward  attended 
Wesleyan  University  at  Blooraington.  When  his 
school  days  were  over  he  learned  to  operate  the 
telegraph  and  obtained  a  position  with  the  I.  B.  & 
W.  R.  R.  Co.,  at  Hallsville,  in  De  Witt  County, 
where  he  was  employed  several  months.  He  came 
to  Seymour  in  June,  1876,  and  entered  the  employ 
of  the  I.  B.  &  W.  R.  R.  Co.,  as  operator  and  agent, 
in  which  position  he  continued  for  four  or  five 
years,  when  he  embarked  in  mercantile  business 
which  he  has  since  followed.  He  carries  a  complete 
stock  of  general  merchandise  and  has  built  up  a 
good  patronage.  He  was  appointed  Postmaster 
during  the  administration  of  President  Arthur  and 
has  held  the  office  since  that  time. 

Mr.  Conkling  was  married  in  Scott  Township, 
this  county,  Oct.  17,  1878,  to  Miss  O.  J.  Koogler, 
who  is  a  native  of  this  township,  born  Oct.  30,  1859. 
Her  parents  were  Samuel  and  Lucy  A.  Koogler,  of 
whom  a  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  have  two  children — Frank  and 
Helen.  Our  subject  is  a  member  in  good  standing 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  politically  casts 
his  vote  with  the  Republican  party. 


jJLLIS  STONE,  residing  on  his  fine  farm  in- 
side the  village  limits  of  Tolono,  and  a  na- 
tive of  Gibson  County,  Ind.,  was  born  on 
the  9th  of  March,  1831.  His  father,  Samuel  M. 
Stone,  whose  birth  took  place  in  1810,  in  Lincoln 
County,  Ky.,  was  but  a  year  old  when  his  father's 
family  removed  to  Gibson  County,  Ind.,  where  he 
was  reared  to  manhood.  The  grandparents  of  our 
subject  were  Thomas  and  Dorcas  Stone.  The  father 
of  our  subject  departed  this  life  upon  the  home- 
stead which  he  had  established  in  Gibson  County, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  The  mother  is 


I 


.568 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


still   living,  and   is    now    seventy-four   years  old. 

After  arriving  at  years  of  manhood  Samuel  M. 
Stone  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  W.  Maddox,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  all  liv- 
ing in  Gibson  County,  with  the  exception  of  New- 
ton, Willis,  of  our  sketch,  and  Thomas.  The  latter 
is  a  resident  of  this  county.  Sept.  26,  1882,  the 
parents  with  their  twelve  children  were  photo- 
graphed in  one  group,  and  make  a  picture  which 
will  be  preserved  by  their  descendants  probably  for 
generations  to  come.  Of  this  family,  Willis,  of  our 
sketch,  is  the  oldest.  The  others  are  Mary  J., 
the  wife  of  James  Crow;  Margaret,  who  married 
Rev.  William  Clark;  Henry;  Nancy,  Mrs.  James 
Spore;  Thomas;  Ellen,  Mrs.  James  Burke;  Eliza- 
beth, the  wife  of  James  Pruitt;  Newton;  Martha, 
Mrs.  William  Gordon;  Dorcas,  Mrs.  Thomas  Spore, 
and  George  C.  Newton  resides  in  Southern  Illi- 
nois, and  Henry  in  Posey  County.  Ind. 

Willis  Stone  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  on 
his  father's  farm  and  pursued  his  studies  in  the 
common  schools.  After  reaching  manhood,  in  1852, 
he  came  to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
in  Menard  County,  which  he  cultivated  until  1865. 
During  that  year  he  became  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign County,  and  purchased  eighty-one  acres  of 
land  which  now  lies  within  the  village  limits  of 
Tolono.  He  has  proved  himself  a  valuable  addi- 
tion to  his  community  and  enjoys  the  confidence  of 
his  fellow-citi-zens.  He  has  been  entrusted  with 
various  offices  in  the  township,  serving  as  Assessor 
one  term  and  Town  Trustee  for  a  period  of  nine 
years.  He  has  always  been  greatly  interested  in 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools  and 
taken  pleasure  in  noting  the  advancement  morally 
and  intellectually  of  his  county  and  township.  Al- 
though a  supporter  of  Democratic  principles,  in 
casting  his  vote  he  does  not  confine  himself  to  part3- 
candidates  but  aims  to  assist  in  placing  in  office  the 
men  best  qualified  to  serve  the  interests  of  the 
community.  The  temperance  movement  has  in 
him  a  firm  advocate  and  friend,  and  in  religious 
matters  he  leans  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination. 

During  his  residence  in  Menard  County  Mr. 
Stone  became  acquainted  with  his  future  wife,  Miss 
Margaret  Baker,  a  native  of  Scott  County,  Ind.,  to 


whom  he  was  married  in  1854,  at  the  residence  of 
her  parents  in  Menard  Count3r.  Mrs.  Stone  is  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Martha  (Estill)  Baker,  and 
was  born  Sept.  30,  1831.  Her  parents  were  natives 
of  Kentucky  and  removed  from  the  Blue  Grass 
regions  to  Menard  County,  III.,  in  the  pioneer  days. 
There  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives  and 
closed  their  eyes  finally  upon  the  scenes  of  earth. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  five  children — John  B. ;  Eva,  the  wife  of 
Charles  D.  [Merry ;  Mary ;  Lucy,  Mrs.  John  Pettit ; 
Anna  and  Edith.  Thefamil}'  residence  is  pleasantly 
located  in  the  village  of  Tolono,  and  its  inmates 
enjoy  the  society  of  the  best  people  in  that  locality. 


ILLIAM  R.  HA  YARD,  a  worthy  represent- 
ative of  the  farming  interests  of  Homer 
Township,  cultivates  170  acres  of  land  on 
section  32,  which  is  finely  stocked  with  graded 
Short-horn  cattle,  Norman  and  Clyde  horses,  and 
large  numbers  of  Poland-China  hogs.  He  has  a 
fine  farm  residence  which,  with  the  substantial  barn 
and  adjacent  ont-buildings.  is  located  on  a  gentle 
rise  of  ground,  and  forms  a  handsome  picture  with 
its  background  of  grain  fields  and  pasture  lands. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  in  the  southern  part  of  Wales, 
March  25,  1829.  At  an  early  age  he  left  his  fa- 
ther's farm,  and  for  three  years  was  employed  in  a 
coal  office  not  far  away.  He  subsequently,  how- 
ever, returned  to  the  homestead,  and  in  1 856  set 
sail  for  America.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been 
married,  and  was  accompanied  to  the  New  World 
by  his  wife.  Upon  landing  in  New  York  he  had 
but  $100  in  cash,  and  proceeding  directly  west- 
ward located  on  a  tract  of  land  in  Vermilion  Coun- 
ty, 111.  His  industry  soon  gained  him  the  respect 
of  his  neighbors,  and  in  due  time  he  found  himself 
on  the  road  to  prosperity,  arid  was  enabled  to  be- 
come the  possessor  of  real  estate,  his  first  purchase 
consisting  of  eighty  acres  on  section  32,  Homer 
Township.  He  has  steadily  advanced  financially 
and  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  becoming 
prominently  identified  witli  local  affairs.  He  held 
the  office  of  Township  Commissioner  for  six  y ears, 


"as 


— 


' 


.'  •     .".,    •'__'      •  ...         -  -     .  •.•-.•-...•-"-  .'.1-.    -•-•  .  -•'--••._"          ^     -  vr'_  ^'    '-"•-'.-    •'-."'     '^-"     .—'  -''-^  _      .  --    -     •       "--'..'--      -„_"."     ---.-'i!--'         -     ".-••-.-•        ",.'-     .. 

/"  '.   •'  •  '  • 


RE5IDENCEOF    A   .  G  .  P  O  RT  E  R  F  I  E  L  D  ,  5  EC  .  9  ,  RAYM  ON  D     TP. 


RESIDENCE    OF  W*.  WH  IT  E  ,  5E  C  .  31  ,  ST.  JOSE  P  H    TOWNSHIP 


'-        -         -      -'         ' 


RESIDENCE    OF    AQUILLA    PA  LM  E  R  ,  5EC5  .  18  &19,(-R-I4-W^,  HOMER   T  P  . 


UBRMff 

OF  THE 

UK;        ;;/  (,?  ILLINOIS 


. 


CHAMPAION  COUNTY. 


571 


anil  has  been  School  Director  several  terms.  Both 
he  and  Mrs.  H.  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church,  with  which  they  became  connected  in 
1863. 

After  becoming  a  naturalized  citizen  Mr.  Ha- 
vard  identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party, 
of  which  he  has  remained  a  loyal  adherent  since 
that  time.  Mrs.  Havard,  formerly  Miss  Rachel 
Jones,  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  Wales,  July 
27,  1828.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Seth  Jones,  who 
spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native  Wales.  The 
mother  died  of  heart  disease  many  years  ago,  leav- 
ing five  children,  viz.,  Mary,  John,  Rachel,  Sarah 
and  Seth.  Enos  died  in  Vermilion  County  many 
years  ago.  Miss  Jones  became  the  wife  of  our 
subject  April  27,  1856,  their  marriage  taking  place 
in  Monmouthshire,  Wales.  The  union  of  Mr  and 
Mrs.  Havard  resulted  in  the  birth  of  eight  children, 
namely,  John,  who  died  at  Pike's  Peak  in  1881 : 
Sarah  A.,  the  wife  of  M.  F.  Colwell;  Seth,  deceased; 
Mary,  Elon,  Albert,  Jennie  and  Oliver. 


L.  KUDER  was  born  Feb.  3,  1861,  in  Kerr 
Township,  this  county,  in  the  house  where 
his  father  still  resides.  He  was  the  eighth 
in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  nine  children.  (See 
sketch  of  Lewis  Kuder.)  Our  subject  remained  at 
home  acquiring  all  the  experience  and  advantages 
for  education  which  the  country  schools  afforded, 
until  the  age  of  twenty-two. 

March  8,  1883,  Mr.  Kuder  married  Miss  Julia 
J.  Hagerman,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  S. 
(Maloney)  Hagerman.  She  was  the  fourth  in  a 
family  of  eight  children.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  son  of  Samuel  Hagerman,  Sr. 
Her  mother  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  the  daughter  of 
Whiting  and  Sarah  Maloney.  Mrs.  Kuder  was 
born  Feb.  22,  1861,  in  Logan  County,  111.  Her 
father  had  removed  to  Illinois  at  a  very  early  day 
and  settled  in  Tazewell  County,  where  he  lived  un- 
til his  marriage,  when  he  removed  to  Logan  Coun- 
ty. He  now  resides  in  St.  John,  Stafford  Co.,  Kan. 
Mr.  Kuder  is  the  owner  of  120  acres  of  im- 
proved land  on  section  32,  Kerr  Township,  where 
he  is  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 


raising.  He  gives  special  attention  to  graded  cat- 
tle and  Chester- White  hogs.  Mr.  Kuder  and  wife 
are  the  parents  of  two  children — Maude  R.  and 
Lulu  Pearl.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been 
Town  Clerk  for  three  years,  but  his  own  business 
affairs  occupy  his  attention  so  exclusively  that  he 
has  not  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics. 


W.  MATHEWS.  The  journalistic  pro- 
fession is  of  such  a  peculiar  nature,  so 
complicated  in  its  literary  and  business 
channels,  and  withal  one  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult in  which  to  acquire  success,  that  but  few  attain 
any  eminence  in  it.  Our  State  has  developed 
some,  however,  who  have  acquired  distinction  in 
this  line,  and  prominent  among  the  number  is  M. 
W.  Mathews,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Cham- 
paign County  Herald.  He  came  to  Urbana  in  1867 
and  for  years  took  a  prominent  position  in  the 
legal,  political  and  business  circles  of  the  county. 
In  1879  he  purchased  the  Herald,  which  had  only 
•been  called  into  existence  two  years  previously. 
He  had  won  distinction  at  the  bar  and  on  the  stump 
and  consequently  much  was  expected  of  him  in  his 
new  role  as  a  journalist.  His  career  has  justified 
the  expectations  of  his  friends,  for  it  has  been  a 
distinguished  one,  proving  him  to  be  a  forcible 
and  able  writer  and  a  business  manager  of  rare 
ability. 

Mr.  Mathews  was  born  in  Clark  County,  111., 
March  1,  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  John  R.  and  Mary 
(McNeil)  Mathews,  natives  of  Coshocton  County, 
Ohio.  John  R.  Mathews  was  born  in  1820,  and 
was  the  son  of  Alexander  and  Prudence  (Laughlin) 
Mathews,  who  were  descended  from  excellent  Irish 
ancestry.  He  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits  and 
served  an  apprenticeship  at  the  blacksmith's  trade, 
which  he  followed  in  this  State  until  1852.  He  then 
took  a  trip  across  the  plains  to  California,  and  re- 
mained two  years  employed  in  mining  and  black- 
smithing.  In  the  meantime,  on  the  12th  of  August, 
1854,  the  wife  and  mother  died.  Five  years  later 
the  father  of  our  subject  removed  to  Wayne  Coun- 
ty, Ind.-,  where  he  followed  blacksmithing  until 
1861.  In  August  of  that  year,  the  Rebellion  hav- 


fi   572 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ing  assumed  alarming  proportions,  he  responded  to 
the  call  for  volunteers  and  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Co.  F,  36th  Ind.  Vol.  Inf.  He  was  only  permitted 
to  serve  one  year,  however,  being  discharged  on 
account  of  disability.  Upon  returning  home  he 
received  a  commission  from  Gov.  Morton  as  re- 
cruiting officer,  but  we  soon  find  him  again  going 
to  the  front.  This  time  he  enlisted  in  an  Indiana 
battery  with  which  he  went  to  Harper's  Ferry.  Here 
he  was  discharged  a  second  time  on  account  of  ill- 
health.  He  returned  to  Indiana,  remaining  a  resi- 
dent there  until  1864,  when  he  came  to  this  county 
and  located  upon  a  farm,  engaging  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  which  he  prosecuted  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Oct.  13,1884.  The  parental  family  in- 
cluded four  children,  one  of  whom  is  now  de- 
ceased. Samuel  A.,  the  eldest,  remained  upon  the 
farm  until  1861.  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  36th  Indiana  Infantry. 
He  was  promoted  for  bravery  at  the  battle  of  Stone 
River.  He  died  July  9,  1863,  in  the  Field  Hospital, 
in  Tennessee,  of  disease  contracted  during  his  serv- 
ice. M.  W.  of  our  sketch  was  the  second  son ;  Will- 
iam E.,  a  stationary  engineer,  is  a  resident  of  Kut-. 
tawa,  Ky. ;  Louise  H.,  Mrs.  J.  S.  Little,  is  in  Hills- 
boro  County,  Fla. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  remained  on  the 
until  1860,  and  during  the  years  following, 
when  the  country  was  in  the  throes  of  Civil  War, 
he  worked  on  a  farm  and  attended  school  alter- 
nately. He  completed  his  studies  under  the  tutor- 
ship of  Prof.  John  Cooper  at  the  Dublin  Academy. 
In  this  institution  he  afterward  became  assistant 
teacher.  The  day  following  the  assassination  of 
President  Lincoln  young  Mathews  started  for  Illi- 
nois, and  taking  up  his  abode  in  Philo,  this  county,  . 
commenced  teaching  near  what  was  known  as  Yan-  j 
kee  Ridge.  While  teaching  he  had  improved  his  I 
leisure  moments  in  the  study  of  law,  and  two  years  i 
later,  when  he  came  to  Urbana,  he  gave  to  it  his 
more  serious  attention  under  the  instruction  of  G. 
W.  Gere,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  August, 
1867.  Shortly  afterward  he  became  the  partner  of 
Mr.  Gere,  and  they  operated  together  for  two 
years,  after  which  Mr.  Mathews  continued  alone. 
In  1873  he  was  appointed  Master  in  Chancery, 
which  position  he  held  for  nine  years,  when  he  re-  I 


signed.  lie  was  elected  States  Attorney  in  1876, 
and  served  with  ability  for  eight  years.  Since  be- 
coming a  resident  of  this  county  he  has  been 
closely  identified  with  its  business  interests.  He  is 
a  stockholder  and  Director  in  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Urbana,  and  owns  the  Herald  Block,  i'n 
which  the  bank  and  post-office  are  located.  The  es- 
tablishment of  the  Loan  and  Building  Association 
was  largely  due  to  his  enterprise  and  encouragement, 
and  he  is  now  its  President.  Politically  Mr.  Mathews 
affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  the  principles 
of  which  he  most  sincerely  and  honestly  upholds. 
Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  O.  F.  and  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Mutual  Aid,  of  Illinois. 

The  marriage  of  M.  W.  Mathews  and  Miss  Julia 
Foote  took  place  in  1869  at  the  residence  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  Urbana.  Mrs.  M.  is  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  William  J.  and  Lucy  M. 
(Alcott)  Foote.  Of  this  union  there  have  been 
born  two  children — Mae  and  Clyde.  The  residence 
of  our  subject  is  pleasantly  located  on  Kim  street, 
and  Mr.  Mathews  and  his  family  enjoy  the  friend- 
ship and  confidence  of  the  best  people  of  this  lo- 
cality. 

We  take  pleasure  in  presenting  the  portrait  of 
Milton  W.  Mathews  in  this  volume,  as  not  only  one 
of  the  representative  citizens  of  the  county,  but  as 
that  of  a  leading  and  prominent  journalist  of  the 
State. 


OBERT  JOHNSTON,  of  the  firm  of  Johnston 
K  <t  Karr,  dealers  in  grain  and  stock,  and  lo- 
\  cated  at  Seymour,  111.,  is  a  native  of  Ireland, 
whence  he  emigrated  with  his  parents  to 
the  United  States  when  a  boy.  They  first  located 
in  Canada,  where  the3'  remained  five  years  and  be- 
came residents  of  Champaign  County  in  about 
18;">9.  Mr.  J.  is  the  son  of  George  and  Esther 
(Ervin)  Johnston,  natives  of  Ireland,  where  the 
father  died.  The  mother  afterward  emigrated  to 
America  with  her  family,  and  departed  this  life 
four  miles  north  of  Seymour,  this  county,  in  about 
the  year  1863. 

Our  subject,  during  his  earlier  years  worked  on 
a  farm  in  this  county,  and  in  about  1871  settled 
in  what  is  now  the  village  of  Seymour,  where  he 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


573 


has  since  lived.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  grain 
and  stock  business,  and  in  July,  1882,  formed  a 
partnership  with  James  Karr,  with  whom  he  has 
since  conducted  business  profitably,  and  with  a 
steadily  increasing  trade.  They  handle  most  of 
the  grain  which  is  brought  to  the  market  in  Sey- 
mour. Mr.  J.  owns  eighty  acres  of  improved  land, 
besides  his  village  property. 

Mr.  Johnston  was  married,  in  Mahomet,  111.,  to 
Miss  Rachel  A.  Hume,  who  was  born  in  Shelby  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  Feb.  28,  1858.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Martha  (Reed)  Hume,  the  former  of  whom 
died  in  Juniata,  Neb.,  while  there  on  business.  The 
mother  still  survives,  and  is  a  resident  of  Mahomet. 
There  were  seven  children  in  the  household,  Mrs. 
J.  being  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth.  Her  parents 
removed  to  Mahomet  when  she  was  quite  young, 
where  she  was  reared  and  educated.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
J.  have  five  children — Nina,  Maude,  Jessie,  Win- 
nie and  Robert  H.  Our  subject  was  Postmaster  at 
Seymour  for  several  years.  Politically  he  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  religiously  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Methodist  Church. 


FRANCIS  M.  YOUNG,  of  Scott  Township, 
owns  and  occupies  a  good  homestead  on 
section  28.  This  comprises  240  acres  of 
improved  land,  with  a  substantial  set  of  frame 
buildings.  Our  subject  came  to  this  vicinity  in 
the  winter  of  1867,  and  soon  afterward  located  in 
Scott  Township,  of  which  he  has  been  a  resident 
for  nearly  twenty  years.  He  is  a  native  of  Davis 
County,  Ind.,  born  Jan.  28,  1840,  and  the  eighth 
child  of  Larkin  and  Elizabeth  (Haun)  Young. 
Larkin  Young  was  born  in  Tennessee,  and  his  wife, 
Elizabeth,  in  Kentucky.  After  their  marriage 
they  located  on  Kane  Creek,  at  the  head  of  the 
Blue  Grass  region,  where  they  remained  several 
years,  then  removed  to  Davis  County,  and  after- 
ward to  Greene  County,  Ind.,  where  the  father 
died.  Mrs.  Young  departed  this  life  in  Henderson 
County,  111.  The  family  circle  included  eleven 
children,  six  sons  and  five  daughters. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  remained  on  the  farm 
with  his  parents  until  twenty  years  of  age.   He  then 


took  a  trip  to  the  Northwestern  Territory,  Wash- 
ington, Idaho  and  Oregon,  and  in  the  latter  State 
was  engaged  in  mining,  farming  and  freighting. 
He  staid  in  that  region  six  years,  and  then  returning 
to  Illinois  located  in  Henderson  County,  whence 
he  removed  soon  afterward  to  this  county,  where 
he  has  since  lived. 

The  marriage  of  Francis  M.  Young  and  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Perkins,  of  Indiana,  took  place  in  Davis 
County,  that  State,  on  the  3d  of  November,  1870. 
Of  this  union  there  were  born  seven  children  — 
Eugene,  Theortore,'  Norah  E.,  Etta,  Jesse  R.,  Delia 
A.  and  Grover  C.  Mr.  Young  is  independent  in 
politics,  and  has  served  in  his  township  as  School 
Director  and  Road  Commissioner. 


<fl  JjfclLLIAM  HAWKER,  a  prosperous  farmer 
\fj//  of  .Urbana  Township,  was  born  near  Day- 
V^f  ton,  Greene  Co.,  Ohio,  elan.  12,  1837.  His 
parents  were  David  and  Sarah  (Odaffer)  Hawker, 
one  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  other  of 
Maryland.  In  1826  the}'  removed  to  Ohio,  which 
was  at  that  time  considered  the  far  West,  where 
they  settled  in  Greene  County,  and  engaged  ex- 
tensively in  farming,  cultivating  about  500  acres. 
His  father  died  there'  in  1865,  and  his  mother,  who 
survived  him  for  some  time,  died  in  her  eighty- 
third  year.  She  had  a  family  of  nine  children, 
three  boys  and  six  girls.  The  record  is  as  follows  : 
Catherine  married  Abram  Darst,  and  is  now  de- 
ceased; John  T.  lives  in  Ohio;  Mary  A.  married 
Jonas  Lesher,  a  resident  of  Ohio;  Elizabeth  mar- 
ried Abram  Darst,  husband  of  Catherine  ;  Sarah  J. 
married  E.  Burrows;  William  is  our  subject;  David 
is  a  resident  of  Dayton,  Ohio;  Martha  married 
Clay  Kyler,  and  they  live  in  Dayton;  Harriet  mar- 
ried J.  F.  Levy,  and  they  live  in  Urbana. 

William  Hawker,  in  his  early  boyhood,  attended 
the  district  school,  but  later  had  the  advantage  of 
pursuing  his  limited  education  in  the  graded 
schools.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until  he 
had  attained  to  manhood,  when,  in  1807,  he  came 
West  and  located  on  section  28,  Urbana  Township, 
purchasing  240  acres  of  land,  which  he  cultivated 
and  improved  until  1878,  when  he  sold  off  160 


I 


574 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


acres,  reserving  eighty  acres  for  his  own  farm  resi- 
dence, where  lie  is  engaged  in  stock-raising,  giving 
his  attention  chiefly  to  the  best  breed  of  hogs. 

On  Dec.  24,  1868,  Mr.  Hawker  was  married  to 
Miss  Martha  Allen,  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Eliza- 
beth Allen.  Her  mother's  name  before  marriage 
was  Jackson,  and  her  family  were  formerly  from 
Kentucky,  where  her  father  died  in  185G.-  After 
his  death  her  family  moved  to  Champaign  County. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hawker  have  a  family  of  six  chil- 
dren— Charles  T.,  David  \V.,  Franklin  A.,  Stephen 
A.,  Lillie  Pearl  and  Otho  W.  Mr.-Hawker  is  in- 
terested in  the  public  affairs  of  the  county,  and  has 
held  the  office  of  School  Director  for  several  years. 
Himself,  his  wife  and  four  of  their  children  are 
members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  in  which  so- 
ciety they  are  regarded  with  much  esteem.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Hawker  is  a  Jeffersonian  Democrat. 


RS.  CASANDRA  MARRIOTT,  who  has 
been  a  resident  of  Somer  Township  since 
185G,  was  born  in  Anne  Arundel  County, 
Md.,  June  17,  1820,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Ketnrah  Sim.  She  removed  with  her 
parents  to  Kuox  County,  Ohio,  and  was  there  mar- 
ried to  Richard  Marriott,  Feb.  4,1840.  Mr.  M. 
was  born  Aug.  6,  1818,  in  Baltimore  County,  Md., 
whence  his  father  emigrated  to  Ohio  and  settled  in 
Knox  County  in  1831,  the  same  year  in  which  the 
parents  of  his  wife  located  there.  Richard  Marri- 
ott was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  after  his  mar- 
riage with  our  subject  removed  to  Illinois  and  pur- 
chased the  farm  which  is  now  owned  by  Louie 
Birely,  and  on  which  he  erected  a  brick  residence, 
one  of  the  first  in  Champaign  County.  Here  Mrs. 
M.  and  her  husband  made  their  home  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  February,  1870.  After 
the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  M.  removed  to  Ur- 
bana  and  lived  with  a  daughter  until  the  death  of 
the  latter.  Since  that  time  she  has  lived  with  her 
son-in-law,  C.  C.  Wilson,  in  Somer  Township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marriott  became  the  parents  of  six 
children,  three  boys  and  three  girls,  of  whom  the 
record  is  as  follows:  Cordelia  became  the  wife  of 


L.  R.  Birely;  Franklin  married  Miss  Lydia  Yearsly ; 
Mary  is  the  wife  of  Cassins  C.  Wilson,  and  lives  in 
Champaign  County ;  Oscar  T.  married  Miss  Retta 
Hill;  Joseph  died  when  twenty -four  years  of  age; 
Jessie  E.  became  the  wife  of  Homer  Prather,  and 
died  in  1 883,  leaving  two  children,  a  son  and  daugh- 
ter— Benjamin  Paul  and  Carolina  Maude. 

Mr.  Marriott  in  early  days  was  a  Whig,  politi- 
cally, bnt  upon  the  abandonment  of  the  old  party 
became  a  stanch  Republican.  Mrs.  M.  is  a  consist- 
ent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  now,  although  sixty-seven  years  of  age,  is  a 
strong,  healthy  and  happy  old  lady,  beloved  by 
her  family  and  neighbors,  and  an  honor  to  her 
children. 


\f  AMES  H.  HUNT,  of  Stanton  Township,  and 
who  spent  his  boyhood  on  a  farm  in  Erie 
County,  N.  Y.,  came  to  the  West  to  seek 
his  fortunes  when  a  young  man  of  sixteen 
years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1857  landed  in  Champaign 
Conntj7.  He  arrived  here  with  high  hopes  and  ex- 
pectations, and  probably  can  truthfully  say  that  he 
has  been  in  nowise  disappointed  with  the  results  of 
his  venture.  His  early  years  were  spent  in  honor- 
able labor,  but  he  did  not  consider  that  any  mis- 
fortune or  disgrace.  The  prairies  of  the  West,  at 
the  time  of  his  coming,  were  waiting  for  just  such 
industrious  hands  and  were  ready  to  reward  them 
with  homes  and  a  competency  whenever  there  was 
an  effort  put  forth  with  this  end  in  view.  Young 
Hunt  entered  heartily  into  this  arrangement  and 
the  result  has  fully  equaled,  if  not  exceeded, 
his  expectations.  He  commenced  without  means, 
having  only  his  strong  hands  and  willing  dispo- 
sition, and  now  after  the  lapse  of  thirty  years  looks 
around  him  upon  a  comfortable  homestead  where 
peace  and  plenty  reign,  and  with  barn  and  cellar 
overflowing  with  good  things  for  man  and  beast. 
His  property  is  located  on  the  southwest  quarter  of 
section  33,  in  Stanton  Township,  where  he  has 
walked  in  and  out  among  the  people  worthily  for 
over  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  enjoys  in  a  marked 
degree  their  confidence  and  esteem. 

The  family  history  of  Mr.  Hunt  will   be  perused 
with  interest  by  those  who  have  watched   his   later 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


575 


career,  :ind  we  present  it  as  follows:  The  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject,  Jonathan  Hunt,  was  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  born  in  1766,  and  died  in 
September,  181!).  He  married  Miss  Rebecca  Eddy, 
who  was  born  on  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  and  died 
during  the  year  1818.  They  raised  a  fine  family 
of  children,  their  son  Noah  being  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject.  He  was  born  Oct.  29,  1790,  in 
Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  and  afterward  removed  to 
Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  where  his  death  took  place  on 
the  1st  of  December,  1869.  He  married  Miss  Sallie 
Hunt,  who  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  July  12,  1792, 
and  died  at  the  homestead  in  Erie  County,  N.  Y., 
Sept.  13,  1879.  ten  years  after  the  decease  of  her 
husband.  The  marriage  of  the  grandparents  took 
place  in  Byron  Township,  Sussex  Co.,  N.  J.,  May  1, 
1812.  Their  son  Jonathan,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  Feb.  16,  1813,  in  the  township  where 
his  parents  were  married.  They  left  New  Jersey 
when  he  was  six  years  of  age  and  located  in  Erie 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  with  them  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  Upon  starting  out  on  his 
own  account  he  first  purchased  a  tract  of  land  near 
the  homestead,  which  he  occupied  until  1858,  and 
when  not  actively  engaged  in  farm  work,  followed 
surveying,  for  which  he  had  been  well  fitted  by  a 
good  education  and  more  than  ordinary  natural 
ability.  He  was  married  in  the  town  of  Brant, 
Erie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  29,  1837,  to  Miss  Caroline 
West.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in 
Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  27,  1815.  The  parental 
household  included  eight  children,  of  whom  one 
died  in  infancy.  The  others  are  still  living.  They 
are  named  James  II.,  Fillmore,  Augustus,  Leroy, 
Carrie  A.,  Mary  L.  and  Alfred. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  born  Aug.  4, 
1839,  in  Eden,  Erie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained 
with  his  father's  famity  until  eighteen  years  of  age. 
Early  in  life  he  began  to  lay  his  plans  for  the 
future,  and  at  this  time  having  heard  much  of  the 
far  West,  started  out,  accompanied  by  a  friend,  to 
seek  a  location.  The3r  proceeded  on  their  journey 
until  reaching  Toledo,  Ohio,  where  they  looked 
around  considerably,  but  not  finding  anything  to 
suit  their  fancy,  pushed  on  to  Chicago.  The  city 
thirty  years  ago  presented  a  vastly  different  appear- 
ance from  that  of  to-day,  and  gave  little  indication 


of  its  future  importance.  They  saw  no  reason  for 
locating  there  and  concluded  -to  move  on.  Young 
Hunt  happened  to  get  hold  of  an  Illinois  Central 
time  table  in  which  was  depicted  in  glowing  terms 
the  prospect  held  out  to  the  enterprising  emigrant 
to  Champaign  County,  and  to  that  point  they  at 
once  proceeded.  He  first  procured  work  on  the 
railroad,  having  landed  in  this  locality  without 
means  and  being  compelled  to  accept  the  first  thing 
offered.  Three  weeks  later  the  "boss"  left  for  parts 
unknown,  "forgetting"  in  his  haste  to  pay  his  men. 
Young  Hunt  was  without  meney,  having  nothing  to 
even  pay  his  board,  and  his  "chum"  was  in  the 
same  condition.  They  managed  however,  to  secure 
enough  eatables  to  keep  soul  and  body  together, 
and  going  into  the  country,  Mr.  H.  worked  a  few 
days  which  brought  in  a  few  dollars.  He  was  after- 
ward employed  by  Gardener  Mottin  Urbana  Town- 
ship, to  whom,  however,  he  did  not  become  very 
warmly  attached,  and  left  him  to  engage  with  a 
neighbor.  His  partner  in  the  meantime  located  in 
Urbana  Township,  and  he  made  his  home  with  him 
until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War. 

The  Rebellion,  furnished  employment  to  hun- 
dreds of  idle  men,  too  many  of  whom  perhaps  en- 
listed with  more  regard  for  the  $13  per  month  than 
for  the  preservation  of  the  Union.  This,  however, 
was  not  the  case  with  young  Hunt,  for  he  had  laid 
his  plans  and  had  no  doubt  that  in  time  he  would 
succeed  in  building  up  a  home  in  the  West  and  se- 
curing a  competency.  These  plans,  however,  he 
was  willing  to  lay  aside,  and  with  the  true  spirit  of 
patriotism  and  a  desire  to  be  of  service  in  the 
pressing  conflict,  enlisted  in  Co.  A,  20th  111.  Vol. 
Inf.,  taking  his  place  in  the  ranks  April  22,  1861. 
One  of  his  first  encounters  with  the  enemy  was  at 
Ft.  Donelson,  and  he  afterward  participated  in  the 
siego  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  the  battle  of  Pitts- 
burg  Lauding,  and  many  other  important  engage- 
ments of  the  war.  For  three  years  following  he 
experienced  all  the  vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life, 
the  weary  marches,  the  "hard  tack"  fare,  the 
harrassing  skirmishes  and  more  serious  encounters 
with  the  rebels.  After  building  up  a  good  record 
as  a  soldier  he  received  his  honorable  discharge  at 
the  close  of  his  term  of  enlistment  and  was  mus- 
tered out  at  Chattanooga,  July  16,  186.4. 


4- 

-  .  576 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


After  becoming  a  civilian  once  more,  Mr.  Hunt 
returned  to  Champaign  County  and  farmed  on  u 
tract  of  rented  land  for  a  few  years,  living  eco- 
nomically and  laying  aside  a  small  sum  annually. 
In  January,  1 867,  he  purchased  eight}'  acres  of  his 
present  farm,  which  he  improved  and  cultivated 
with  success  and  some  years  later  doubled  the 
amount  of  his  landed  estate.  The  quarter  section 
which  he  now  possesses  constitutes  a  fine  and  fertile 
farm,  conveniently  laid  off  into  pasture  lands  and 
grain  fields,  supplied  with  good  buildings  and  ma- 
chinery, and  is  in  all  respects  the  model  homestead 
of  a  progressive  decade.  After  the  purchase  of  his 
first  land  he  began  to  prepare  for  the  maintenance 
of  a  family,  putting  up  a  frame  house  and  adding 
other  necessary  buildings.  On  the  24th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1868,  he  was  made  the  husband  of  Miss  Katie 
Feely,  who  was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Anna 
Feely,  of  New  York  City,  the  wedding  taking- 
place  in  St.  Joseph  Township.  To  the  home  thus 
established,  in  due  time  there  came  a  family  of  six 
children,  who  were  named  respective!}',  Guy  T., 
Gertie  M.,  Tessie,  S.  Maude,  W.  Fay  and  Minnie 
Opal.  Mrs.  Hunt  is  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  our  subject  so- 
cially belongs  to  St.  Joseph  Post  No.  129,  G.  A.  R. 
He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  since  that  time  has  remained  a  decided 
Republican. 


AVID  MEAD.  The  fine  farm  of  this 
gentleman,  located  on  section  29,  in  Homer 
Township,  of  late  years  has  chietly  been 
devoted  to  stock-raising  and  the  grain 
consumed  by  the  stock.  He  has  100  acres  of  land, 
with  handsome  and  conveniently  arranged  build- 
ings, and  in  his  operations  has  evinced  the  skill  and 
good  judgment  of  the  intelligent  and  progressive 
agriculturist.  The  birthplace  of  Mr.  Mead  was  on 
Mill  Creek,  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  near  where 
the  main  part  of  the  city  of  Cincinnati  now  stands, 
and  the  date  thereof  Aug.  24,  1824. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  Nathaniel  and  Maria 
(Crane)  Mead,  were  natives  respectively  of  New 
York  and  Indiana;  the  former  was  born  in  1801 


and  is  still  living.  lie  engaged  in  farming  pursuits 
nearly  all  his  life  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Vermil- 
ion County,  111.  The  mother,  born  the  same  year 
as  her  husband,  died  at  their  home  in  Vermilion 
County  in  1862.  Both  parents  in  early  life  united 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  house- 
hold included  seven  children:  Sarah  A.,  Mrs.  Cod- 
dington,  lives  in  Indiana;  William,  a  farmer  of 
Vermilion  County,  married  Miss  Margaret  Turner; 
David,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  child;  George 
married  Miss  Tanner,  and  is  now  residing  in  Ver- 
milion County;  James  married  Miss  Iluldah  Collin; 
Mary  J.,  Mrs.  Cromwell,  lives  in  Vermilion  County; 
Anna  M.  married  John  Bales.  After  the  death  of 
the  mother  of  these  children,  Nathaniel  Mead  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Mary  Bogoot,  who  was  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  born  in  1800,  and  died  in  1868. 

David  Mead  was  reared  by  his  parents,  remain- 
ing with  them  during  his  boyhood  and  youth. 
After  coming  to  Vermilion  County,  this  State,  he 
worked  on  the  farm  and  attended  the  common 
school,  and  after  reaching  his  majority  made  his 
first  purchase  of  land  in  Vermilion  County.  He 
had  already  married,  and  with  his  young  wife  went 
to  housekeeping  on  his  new  purchase.  This  lady, 
formerly  Miss  Mary  Freeman,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Oct.  25,  1846,  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  her 
birth  taking  place  April  1,  1826.  She  became  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  and  died  at  the  home- 
stead in  Homer  Township,  on  the  1st  of  August, 
1874,  leaving  a  large  circle  of  friends  to  mourn 
their  loss.  She  was  a  lady  highly  respected,  and  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church.  The 
record  of  her  children  is  as  follows:  Thomas  mar- 
ried Miss  Clementine  McKnight,  and  is  engaged  in 
farming  in  Ogden  Township;  Matilda  married  Isaac 
Ogden,  of  Ogden  Township;  Lydia  died  Sept.  5, 
1878;  Ruth  J.  is  the  wife  of  John  McCullum,  of 
Ogden  Township;  Freeman  married  Miss  E.  John- 
son, and  they  are  living  in  Homer  Township;  James 
L.  married  Miss  Mary  Judd,  of  Homer  Township; 
Martha  is  the  wife  of  Christian  S.  Parrett,  of  Ogden 
Township. 

In  1875  Mr.  Mead  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Jemima  McKnight,  who  only  lived  six  months 
afterward.  She  also  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church.  The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  for- 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


577 


merly  Mrs.  Malinda  (Bruce)  Drake.  was  born  in  the 
State  of  New  York  in  1822.  and  was  married  to  our 
subject  June  20,  1878.  Her  first  husband,  Allen 
Drake,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  was  born 
in  1816,  and  they  were  married  on  the  7tii  of 
August,  1841.  Mr.  Drake  departed  this  life  in 
1859.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  two  children 
— Elizabeth  and  Captain  F. 

The  latter,  Captain  F.,  enlisted  in  the  107th  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  and  died  of  typhoid  fever  in  1863, 
when  but  nineteen  years  of  age.  At  the  time 
Southern  Ohio  was  raided  by  Gen.  Morgan,  the 
young  Captain  was  taken  prisoner  at  Elizabethtown, 
Ky.,  during  his  illness,  and  while  his  mother  was  at- 
tending at  his  bedside.  She  was  also  taken  with 
her  son  and  held  for  twenty-four  hours,  after  which 
he  was  paroled  and  they  returned  to  her  home  in 
Illinois,  where  his  death  took  place.  The  widowed 
mother,  after  the  death  of  her  son,  drew  a  pension 
until  her  subsequent  marriage  witli  our  subject. 
Mr.  Mead  at  one  time  was  the  owner  of  500  acres 
of  land  in  Homer  Township,  a  good  share  of  which 
he  divided  up  among  his  children,  reserving  but  a 
quarter  section  for  his  own  use. 


. 


eHARLES  W.  PECK,  a  prosperous  farmer  of 
Stanton  Township,  is  located  on  section  26> 
where,  with  his  wife  and  seven  children,  he 
lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  home  of  more  than  or- 
dinary comfort  and  surrounded  by  the  good  things 
of  life.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  this  vicinity 
since  1849,  in  which  year  his  parents  removed  by 
wagon  from  Terr£  Haute,  Ind.,  to  Sonier  Township, 
this  county.  Our  subject  was  born  in  the  first 
mentioned  place  March  16,  1845,  and  is  the  son  of 
Charles  and  Margaret  Peck.  The  mother  only  lived 
nine  years  after  the  removal,  and  the  father  with 
his  family  afterward  moved  into  Warren  County, 
111.,  occupying  a  farm  there  four  years.  In  1863 
they  came  back  to  this  county  and  located  in  Homer, 
where  the}'  remained  until  the  spring  of  1866.  The 
father  then  took  up  his  abode  in  Vermilion  County, 
where  his  death  occurred  six  months  later.  He 
was  a  native  of  New  York  State  and  all  his  life 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  The  children  of 


the  parental  family  are  recorded  as  follows:  Marie, 
the  eldest  daughter,  became  the  wife  of  James 
Julick,  and  is  a  resident  of  Urbana;  Elizabeth,  the 
wife  of  Peter  Richter,  lives  in  Urbana;  William 
married  Miss  Mary  Weaver,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  two  children,  and  they  and  their  chil- 
dren have  all  passed  to  their  long  home;  John  mar- 
ried Miss  Ann  Kirby.  and  is  a  resident  of  Adair 
County,  Iowa ;  Ann,  the  wife  of  William  Richter, 
is  now  deceased ;  Sarah  married  Daniel  Aholtz ;  both 
are  deceased, but  their  one  child  is  living;  Charles 
W.,  of  our  sketch,  is  the  youngest  of  the  family. 

When  our  subject  first  ventured  out  from  under 
the  home  roof  he  did  so  for  the  purpose  of  enlist- 
ing as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army.  He  was  then 
but  seventeen  years  and  six  mouths  old,  but  was 
filled  with  patriotism,  and  nothing  could  prevent 
his  entering  the  ranks.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  G,  84th 
111.  Vol.  Inf.,  was  enrolled  on  the  16th  of  July.  1862, 
and  after  a  creditable  record  received  his  honorable 
discharge  on  the  8th  of  June,  1865,  when  the  war  was 
practically  ended.  He  had  been  promoted  Corporal 
and  was  in  a  large  number  of  the  important  battles 
of  the  war,  including  that  of  Stone  River,  Chicka- 
mauga,  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  the  siege 
of  Atlanta,  and  in  various  other  minor  engagements, 
of  which  he  has  preserved  a  long  list  and  the  dates 
thereof.  He  was  remarkably  fortunate,  and  al- 
though experiencing  many  hairbreadth  escapes, 
was  never  wounded  and  never  in  the  hospital.  His 
regiment  belonged  to  the  4th  Corps  of  the  3d 
Brigade,  and  his  company  went  out  of  service  with 
only  thirty  of  the  original  number  enrolled. 

After  retiring  from  the  army  Mr.  Peck  returned 
to  Homer,  111.,  and  on  the  25th  of  December  fol- 
lowing, fulfilled  the  pledges  which  he  had  made 
Miss  Elizabeth  E.  Noyes,  of  Indiana,  by  making 
her  his  wedded  wife.  In  less  than  two  short  years 
she  passed  from  the  scenes  of  earth,  her  death  tak- 
ing place  Dec.  4,  1867. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Nov.  8,  1870,  was  formerly  Mrs.  Mary  A. 
McKinney,  daughter  of  Simon  and  Sarah  Helton, 
formerly  of  Bath  County,  Ky.,  and  widow  of  M. 
W.  McKinuey.  This  marriage  took  place  in  Cham- 
paign County,  where  they  located  and  have  since 
lived.  The  farm  includes  120  acres  of  land  and  is 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


supplied  with  good  buildings  and  everything  neces- 
sary for  conducting  its  operations  in  the  most  ap- 
proved manner.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Peck  departed 
this  life  Dec.  23,  1872,  when  fifty-seven  years  of 
age,  and  the  mother  four  yeai-s  later,  on  the  I  Oth 
of  July,  1876,  aged  fifty-four.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P. 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  politically  our  subject  is  identified 
with  the  Republican  party.  The  seven  children  of 
the  household,  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  are 
all  living  and  named  as  follows:  Lizzie,  Willie, 
Frank,  Lillie,  Albert  and  Charlie  (twins)  and  Ivy. 


yiLLIAM  WOOD,  a  successful  young  fanner 
of  Philo  Township,  owns  and  operates  a 
fine  country  estate  of  eighty  acres  with  an 
abundance  of  choice  fruits  and  the  various  other 
luxuries  and  improvements  of  a  first-class  modern 
farm.  He  comes  from  an  excellent  family,  being 
the  son  of  Oliver  and  Mary  (  Winn)  Wood,  and  was 
born  in  Edgar  County,  this  State,  May  25,  1857. 
His  parents  became  residents  of  Edgar  County,  in 
the  pioneer  days,  and  until  our  subject  was  eight- 
een years  of  age,  the  time  of  his  father  was  about 
equally  divided  between  Edgar  and  Champaign 
Counties. 

Oliver  Wood  was  trained  to  habits  of  industry 
by  his  excellent  parents,  and  being  naturally  bright 
and  ambitious,  attained  to  more  than  the  average 
in  mental  capacity  and  business  ability.  His  first 
visit  to  this  county  occurred  while  the  now  nourish- 
ing cities  of  Champaign  and  Urbaua  were  mere 
hamlets.  Before  he  was  twenty  years  old  he  was 
attacked  by  the  California  gold  fever,  and  in  com- 
pany with  a  boy  friend,  Mr.  Abe  Ordell,  of  whom  a 
sketch  appears  in  another  part  of  this  work,  joined 
a  party  en  route  for  the  Pacific  slope.  Upon  reach- 
ing St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  they  became  involved  in  a  dis- 
pute with  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  company  and 
they  both  returned  to  Champaign  County.  Oliver 
Wood  for  some  time  afterward  was  employed  in  a 
brickyard  but  never  abandoned  his  idea  of  visiting 
California.  In  about  1852,  he  set  out  a  second  time 
and  succeeded  in  reaching  his  destination.  He  en- 
tered the  mines  as  a  laborer,  and  soon  afterward 


met  with  a  terrible  allliction  by  the  premature  ex- 
plosion of  a  blast,  which  destroyed  his  eyes.  Of  the 
man  who  operated  this  there  was  not  even  found  a 
bone. 

Mr.  Wood  at  this  time  had  accumulated  about 
$800  worth  of  gold  dust  which  lie  intrusted  with  a 
friend  during  his  confinement  of  six  weeks  in  the 
hospital.  As  soon  as  able  he  set  out  on  his  return 
home  alone,  with  his  gold  and  other  baggage,  via  the 
water  route.  They  had  not  proceeded  far  on  the 
voyage  when  the  ship  was  disabled  and  pronounced 
in  sinking  condition.  Mr.  Wood  lashed  himself  to 
his  trunk,  and  with  his  gold  firmly  secured  around 
his  body,  leaped  into  the  water  and  swam  around 
until  the  vessel  had  been  righted  and  was  deemed 
safe  enough  to  proceed  with.  Some  of  the  crew 
then  picked  Mr.  Wood  out  of  the  water,  together 
with  his  effects,  when  he  was  entirely  exhausted 
and  nearly  ready  to  sink.  He  returned  to  Edgar 
County,  111.,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandising, 
and  a  little  later  was  married  to  the  noble-hearted 
woman  who  was  willing  to  take  him  with  his  afflic- 
tion. This  lady,  Mrs.  Mary  (Wiun)  Hubbell,  was 
born,  reared  and  first  married  in  Greenville,  Ind. 
Mr.  Hubbell  died  in  Edgar  County  of  cholera,  to- 
gether with  four  of  their  six  children.  After  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Wood  with  Mrs.  Hubbell  they 
united  their  efforts  in  the  establishment  of  a  home,  in 
which  they  met  with  success  and  remained  residents 
of  Edgar  County  until  1867.  In  that  year,  with 
their  new-born  son,  our  subject,  and  the  two  chil- 
dren of  Mrs.  Wood  by  her  former  husband,  they 
came  to  Philo  Village,  where  Mr.  Wood  engaged  in 
merchandising  as  before,  and  with  the  assistance  of 
his  family  built  up  a  good  trade,  although  never  re- 
covering the  loss  of  his  sight.  In  due  time  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  on  section  27,  in  Philo  Town- 
ship, which  became  his  permanent  home,  and  upon 
which  he  brought  about  many  improvements,  in- 
cluding a  comfortable  dwelling  and  all  necessary 
out-buildings.  Here  his  death  occurred  April  18, 
1 884,  when  he  was  fifty-two  years  old.  Notwith- 
standing his  affliction  he  was  quite  skillful  in  the 
use  of  tools,  possessing  more  than  ordinary  mechani- 
cal genius.  His  kindness  of  heart  secured  for  him 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  by  whom 
he  was  universally  regretted  when  called  from  earth. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


581 


He  accepted  cheerfully  the  final  summons  in  the 
hope  of  a  better  life  beyond  the  tomb.  He  died 
a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  I 
Church,  with  which  lie  had  united  in  about  1 884. 
Mrs.  Wood  survived  her  husband  only  about  one 
year,  dying  of  consumption  May  12,1885.  She 
performed  her  duties  nobly  as  a  wife  and  mother, 
and  her  name  is  held  in  affectionate  remembrance 
by  all  who  knew  her. 

William,  the  only  son  of  Oliver  and  Mary  W. 
Wood,  and  the  subject  of  this  history,  was  born  in 
Edgar  County,  this  State,  May  25,  1857,  and  was 
ten  years  old  when  his  parents  became  residents  of 
Philo  Township.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  and  never  left  his  blind  father 
while  the  latter  was  living.  Like  him  he  is  pos- 
sessed of  that  social  and  genial  temperament  which 
renders  him  a  favorite  among  his  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances, and  in  his  business  dealings  he  is  the 
soul  of  honor.  Besides  property  in  Urbana  he  owns 
the  homestead,  which  at  one  time  included  the  larg- 
est apple  orchard  in  this  county. 

Mr.  Wood  was  married  at  his  home  in  Philo 
Township  to  Miss  Isabelle  Roe,  June  13,  1880,  the 
ceremony  being  performed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Orr,  of 
Philo.  Mrs.  Wood  is  a  native  of  Missouri,  and  was 
born  Feb.  3,  1859.  She  came  when  a  chil'd  with 
her  parents  to  Illinois.  They  located  in  Douglas 
County,  where  her  father,  Hugh  D.  Roe,  died  in 
1871.  He  was  born  and  reared  in  Bath  County, 
Ky.,  and  there  met  and  married  Miss  Ann  E.  Hop- 
kins, a  native  of  his  own  county.  They  removed 
to  Missouri  soon  afterward,  whence  they  emigrated 
to  Douglas  County,  111.,  and  where  the  mother 
is  still  living,  having  married  again.  Mrs.  Wood 
after  the  death  of  her  father,  who  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  earned  her  own  living  and  was  a  young 
lady  greatly  respected  wherever  known.  By  her 
marriage  with  our  subject  she  became  the  mother  of 
three  children — Mary  E.,  Ethel,  and  one  who  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Wood,  like  his  father  before  him, 
is  a  firm  adherent  of  the  Democratic  party.  Mrs. 
W.  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  A  view  of  the  old  Wood  home- 
stead is  quite  essential  in  completing  the  review  of 
the  pioneers  of  Philo  Township,  and  it  will  ac- 
cordingly be  found  on  another  page.  Its  honored 


founder  has  passed  to  his  reward,  but  his  son  Will- 
iam will  not  suffer  it  to  lose  any  of  its  intrinsic 
value,  either  for  its  connection  with  the  past,  or  as 
the  abiding-place  of  a  modern  and  progressive 
citizen. 


ENES  M.  McKEE,  a  prominent  and  highly 
respected  resident  of  Brown  Township,  be- 
came a  resident  of  this  county  in  1868.  He 
had,  however,  in  1855,  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
in  Newcomb  Township,  and  began  its  improve- 
ment in  1861.  He  occupied  this  until  1869,  then 
sold  out  and  removed  to  Champaign,  of  which  he 
was  a  resident  a  year  and  a  half.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  this  time  he  purchased  a  part  of  his  present 
homestead  on  section  33,  where,  about  four  years 
ago,  he  put  up  a  fine-  residence  which  is  said  to  be 
the  best  irf'the  township,  and  of  whose  merits  our 
readers  can  partially  judge  from  the  fine  litho- 
graphic view  presented  on  another  page  in  connec- 
tion with  this  sketch,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  460 
acres  of  laud.  This  is  thoroughly  drained  with 
upward  of  3,000  rods  of  tile,  is  all  enclosed,  and 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  The  farm  in  all 
its  appointments  presents  a  picture  of  the  model 
country  estate,  superintended  by  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability  and  of  ample  means. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Oct. 
16,  1830.  He  is  the  son  of  Ely  C.  and  Nancy  H. 
(Grifiin)  McKee,  the  former  a  native  of  Hamilton 
County,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Rush  County,  Ind. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Samuel 
McKee,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War, 
and  served  for  a  time  under  the  command  of  Gen. 
Anthony  Wayne.  He  was  Scotch-Irish  by  birth, 
and  came  to  America  with  his  brother  prior  to  the 
Revolutionary  War.  At  its  close  he  settled  on  a 
farm  within  six  miles  of  Cincinnati,  and  which  he 
owned  and  occupied  until  his  death.  The  parents 
of  our  subject  located  in  Indiana  after  their  mar- 
riage, and  thence  returned  southeastward  to  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio.  Ely  McKee  was  a  blacksmith  by 
trade,  which  he  pursued  in  the  Queeu  City  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  then  removing  to  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  with  his  wife,  there  spent  the  re- 


I 


t. 


582 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


mainder  of  his  days.  The  household  circle  in- 
cluded ten  children,  live  buys  and  five  girls. 

Our  subject,  in  common  with  his  brothers  and 
sisters,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
reared  to  farming  pursuits.  After  reaching  man- 
hood, he  engaged  as  a  stock-dealer,  buying  and 
shipping  with  considerable  success.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  Feb.  "22,  1868, 
to  Miss  Sarah  M.  lliatt,  who  was  born  in  Vigo 
County,  Ind.,  March  27,  1839,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Josiah  and  Mary  J.  (Shaffer)  lliatt.  Josiah 
Hiatt  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  of  Welsh  an- 
cestry, and  the  mother,  who  was  bom  in  Ohio,  was 
of  German  and  French  descent.  They  lived  in 
different  States,  finally  settling  in  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  where  Mr.  Hiatt  died  in  1843.  The 
mother,  who  was  born  May  18,  1815,  still  survives, 
and  is  now  making  her  home  with  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  McKee.  Their  family  consisted  of  three  girls 
and  one  boy,  of  whom  Mrs.  McKee  of  our  sketch 
was  the  eldest.  She  was  first  married  in  Greene 
County,  Ind.,  to  Paul  Harney,  a  native  of  Indiana 
and  of  German  descent.  Of  that  marriage  there 
was  born  one  child,  a  daughter.  Maude,  who  is  now 
the  wife  of  George  W.  Halleck,  of  Brown  Town- 
ship, this  county.  Mr.  Harney  died  in  Missouri. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKee  became  the  parents  of  five 
children,  of  whom  only  two  are  now  living — 
Thomas  C.  and  Grace  P.  Those  deceased  are,  Min- 
nie W.,  Nancy  II.  and  Gertrude  B.  Mr.  McKee 
has  been  Commissioner  of  Highways,  and  has  held 
various  other  offices  in  this  township.  He  is  Re- 
publican in  politics,  and  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity.  His  worthy  wife  is  connected  with  the 
Christian  Church. 


f,.,t  BEL  S.  SCOTT,  who  is  comfortably  located 
Ol    on  section  8,  Scott  Township,  has   been  a 


resident   there    since  the  spring  of    1867. 

He  is  the  ownar  of  500  acres  of  choice  land, 
all  improved  and  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
He  has  erected  good  buildings  on  his  farm,  has 
choice  grades  of  stock,  valuable  farm  machinery, 
and  in  all  respects  is  fully  equipped  as  a  first-class 
progressive  agriculturist. 


Our  subject  was  born  in  Hardy  County,  W.  Ya., 
Aug.  31,  183i).  and  is  the  son  of  Alexander  and 
Mary  (Seymour)  Scott,  natives  of  the  same  State 
and  county,  where  they  were  married  and  spent 
their  entire  lives.  Their  family  consisted  of  three 
children,  one  son  and  two  daughters.  Abel  S.  re- 
mained at  home  until  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
receiving  a  common-school  education  and  attend- 
ing the  Military  Institute  in  Lexington,  for  a 
period  of  four  years.  Here  he  was  under  the  tutor- 
ship of  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  graduated  in  1860. 
He  then  enlisted  in  the  13th  Virginia  Infantry,  C. 
S.  A.,  in  which  he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
During  the  latter  year  of  the  conflict  he  was  taken 
prisoner  but  held,  however,  only  a  short  time. 
After  his  return  to  civil  life  he  proceeded  to  Ross 
Count}',  Ohio,  on  a  visit,  and  from  there  went  to 
Louisiana,  where  he  engaged  one  year  in  raising 
cotton.  In  1867  he  came  to  this  county,  which  has 
since  been  his  home. 

Mr.  Scott  was  married  in  this  county,  April  30, 
1872,  to  Miss  Sallie  J.,  daughter  of  Abel  li.  and 
Jane  (Dill)  Seymour,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mrs.  Scott  was  born  in 
Ross  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  25,  1846,  and  by  her 
union  with  our  subject  has  become  the  mother  of 
four  children — Anna,  Robert  S.,  William  R.  and  a 
babe  unnamed.  Mr.  Scott,  politically,  affiliates  with 
the  Democratic  party.  He  has  held  the  offices  of 
School  Director  and  Road  Commissioner,  and  so- 
cially is  a  worthy  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. 


\\]  W.  AM)  R.  A.  PARRETT,  familiarly  known 
as  Parrett  Bros.,  and  prominently  identified 
with  the  agricultural  interests  .  of  Ogden 
Township,  are  located  on  section  30,  where 
they  have  charge  of  285  acres  of  their  father's 
land  and  are  principally  engaged  in  stock-raising. 
These  gentlemen  are  the  sons  of  John  and  Sophia 
(Cochran)  Parrett,  natives  of  Ohio.  Their  father 
was  born  in  1827,  and  the  mother  in  1831.  John 
Parrett  is  also  engaged  in  farming,  occupying  with 
his  excellent  and  worthy  wife,  a  good  homestead 
in  Ross  County,  Ohio.  They  are  people  highly  re- 
spected wherever  known,  and  members  in  good 


••*• 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


583 


standing  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  father 
of  John  Parrett,  Frederick  A.  by  name,  who  was 
born  in  Ohio,  came  to  Illinois  in  the  pioneer  days, 
and  took  up  the  land  now  owned  by  his  descend- 
ants, and  where  his  death  occurred  in  1805.  .  His 
wife  had  died  many  years  before.  The  children  of 
John  and  Sophia  Parrett  were  named  respectively, 
Wallace,  Florence,  William  A.,  Robert  A.,  Eliza- 
beth, Mary  B.,  Arthur,  M.  C.  and  Kstella  M. 

The  marriage  of  J.  W.  Parrett  and  Miss  Susan 
Peters  took  place  on  the  30th  of  December,  1885. 
Mrs.  Parrett  was  born  July  18,  1862,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Swearinger) 
Peters,  the  father  a  native  of  Illinois,  and  the 
mother  of  Ohio.  Both  are  living  and  residing  in 
St.  Joseph  Township. 

Mr.  Parrett  came  to  Illinois  in  1880,  and  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother,  who  came  in  1 882,  has  fol- 
lowed farming  since  that  time.  They  are  enter- 
prising and  energetic  young  men,  and  valued  fac- 
tors in  the  farming  interests  of  this  section.  Their 
stock  consists  principally  of  fine  hogs  and  cows. 
Mr.  Parrett  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  local  affairs, 
and  votes  the  Republican  ticket.  He  is  still  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ohio,  and  so- 
cially belongs  to  Lodge  No.  252,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  at 
Homer,  with  which  he  became  connected  four  years 
ago.  Mrs.  Parrett  belongs  to  the  Christian  Church. 
They  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  Florence,  born 
Nov.  22,  1886. 


j?ILLIAM  H.  OWENS,  of  Urbana,  is  senior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Owens  &  Shriver, 
which  is  engaged  in  the  agricultural  imple- 
ment trade  on  Market  street.  He  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Urbana  since  the  spring  of  1856,  commenc- 
ing his  mercantile  experience  as  a  clerk  for  Mr. 
Halberstadt.  After  an  experience  of  fifteen  years 
he  set  up  in  business  for  himself,  in  which  he  con- 
tinued until  March,  1887,  then  sold  out  and  became 
a  member  of  the  present  firm.  He  possesses  excel- 
lent business  capacity,  and  has  been  uniformly  suc- 
cessful in  his  efforts  to  obtain  a  good  position 
among  his  fellow-citizens,  both  socialhy  and  finan- 
cially. 

Mr.  Owens  was  born  in   Baltimore  County,  Md., 


Dec.  22,  1833, ftnd  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Eliza 
(Brooks)  Owens,  both  natives  of  Maryland.  His 
father  was  engaged  as  a  merchant  in  his  native 
State  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  and  died  there  Jan. 
21,  1849.  After  his  .decease  his  widow  continued 
the  business  until  her  death,  which  took  place  on 
the  12th  of  December,  1.S72.  The  parental  house- 
hold included  four  children:  Joshua,  of  Baltimore, 
Md.;  William  II.,  of  our  sketch;  Sarah  A.,  Mrs. 
Hoover,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  Samuel  W.,  of  Ca- 
tonsville,  Md. 

Our  subject  was  reared  to  mercantile  business, 
receiving  a  practical  education,  and  remained  at 
home  until  twenty-two  years  of  age.  He  then  emi- 
grated to  Ohio,  and  locating  in  Miami  County,  was 
engaged  in  railroading  and  butchering.  His  subse- 
quent course,  until  1873,  we  have  already  detailed. 
That  year  he  purchased  120  acres  of  land  in  Ma- 
homet Township,  which  is  now  operated  by  a  ten- 
ant. Upon  his  farm  he  has  a  fine  assortment  of 
live-stock,  and  in  the  city  of  Urbana  he  has  a  stable 
of  Norman,  Morgan  and  Sprague  horses.  His  Nor- 
man stallion  is  an  imported  animal,  valued  at 
$2,500,  and  the  Morgan  is  valued  at  *  1,000.  Mr. 
Owens  carries  on  the  operations  of  his  farm  with 
the  same  good  judgment  which  he  exercises  in  his 
mercantile  business,  and  has  upon  it  the  various 
improvements  indispensable  to  the  modern  coun- 
try estate. 

Mr.  Owens  was  married  in  1858,  to  Miss  Sarah 
A.  Wolfe,  who  is  a  native  of  Knox  County,  Ohio, 
and  daughter  of  Rev.  Joseph  and  Harriet  (Doan) 
Wolfe.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  father  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  five  children: 
Joseph  D.  is  Agent  for  the  United  States  and  Pacific 
Express  Company  at  Urbana;  Bessie  W.,  in  1885, 
graduated  from  the  Illinois  State  University ;  Lucy 
D.,  Katie  and  Daisy  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 
The  handsome  and  substantial  family  residence  is 
pleasantly  located,  and  its  inmates  enjoy  the  so- 
ciety and  esteem  of  the  best  people  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Owens  has  always  been  greatly  interested  in 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  educational 
and  religious  institutions,  and  with  his  wife  and 
children,  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  In  this  he  has  served  as  Class-Leader  for 


584 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


a  period  of  thirty-one  years,  and  is'  a  regular  at- 
tendant of  the  Sabbath-school.  He  assisted  in  the 
first  organization  of  the  society,  and  in  the  erection 
of  the  church  building,  and  has  contributed  regu- 
larly and  cheerfully  of  his  means  to  the  support  of 
every  measure  calculated  to  increase  the  welfare  of 
his  township  and  county. 


ELISHA  CORRAY,  favorably  known  as  a 
worthy  resident  of  Somer  Township,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Pike  County,  Ohio,  born  Feb.  27, 
1822.  His  father,  Isaiah  Corray,  a  native  of  Bed- 
ford, Pa.,  was  born  in  about  1785,  and  removed 
when  a  young  man  to  Pike  County,  Ohio,  in  1810. 
He  was  there  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Leeth,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  nine 
of  whom  survived  to  become  men  and  women. 
These  were  John,  Rachel,  Elizabeth,  Elisha,  Mary, 
Eliza,  Jane,  Nancy  and  Isaiah.  Of  those  now  liv- 
ing Jane  is  a  resident  of  Iowa;  Mary,  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  this  county,  and  Elisha,  of  Somer  Town- 
ship. 

Our  subject  remained  under  the  home  roof  until 
he  had  arrived  at  years  of  manhood,  and  was  then 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Susannah  Clements, 
their  wedding  taking  place  July  1,  1847.  Of  this 
union  there  were  born  'twelve  children,  of  whom 
nine  are  still  living.  One  died  in  infancy;  Eliza- 
beth, who  became  the  wife  of  Richard  Dilman,  died 
Feb.  £0,  1877;  Lucinrla,  who  married  James  M. 
Johnston,  died  June  6,  1883.  Those  surviving  are 
Melinda,  the  wife  of  William  Stephens;  George; 
Rachel,  Mrs.  William  Florence:  James  A.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Zodiac  Springs,  Mo. ;  Etta  D.  and  Hettie 
B.  (twins) ;  Luetta,  the  wife  of  James  Berry,  who 
resides  on  the  old  homestead,  and  Carrie,  the  young- 
est. Howard  Dilman,  the  grandson  of  our  subject, 
was  taken  into  the  family  after  the  death  of  his 
father,  and  is  as  near  to  his  grandparents  as  one  of 
their  own  children. 

Mr.  Corray  came  to  the  West  a  poor  man,  but  is 
now  in  possession  of  a  fine  homestead  of  240  acres 
finely  located  on  section  25.  He  has  managed  his 
business  and  farming  operations  with  rare  judg- 
ment and  forethought,  and  at  an  early  day  was 

<• 


recognized  by  his  fellow-townsmen  as  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability  and  one  eminently  able 
to  become  a  leader  in  his  community.  He  is  a  firm 
adherent  of  the  Democratic  party,  has  been  School 
Director  and  Trustee  in  his  township,  and  was  As- 
sessor for  a  number  of  years.  During  the  war  his 
sympathies  were  entirely  with  the  Union,  and  al- 
though not  engaging  in  active  service,  he  was  in- 
strumental in  raising  recruits,  and  encouraged  by 
his  voice  and  means  the  success  of  the  Union  army. 
He  has  been  engaged  of  late  years  in  the  raising 
of  fine  stock,  including  cattle,  horses  and  swine. 
He  is  now  sixty-five  j'ears  old,  but  hale  and  heart}', 
and  bids  fair  to  continue  the  industrious  citizen 
which  he  has  been,  for  many  years  to  come. 


VILLIAM  SKINNER.  The  subject  of  the 
following  biography,  who  is  a  native  of  the 
Buckeye  State,  owns  and  occupies  a  good 
farm  of  130  acres  on  section  35,  Tolono  Township. 
His  residence,  however,  is  within  the  town  limits. 
He  is  a  native  of  Warren  County,  Ohio,  born 
March  3,  1842,  and  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Lu- 
cinda (Miller)  Skinner.  The  former  was  a  native 
of  Warren  County,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Hamil- 
ton County,  that  State. 

After  their  marriage  the  parents  located  upon  a 
farm.  The  father,  who  in  early  life  had  learned 
the  trades  of  a  shoemaker  and  carpenter,  worked 
at  these,  in  connection  with  his  farming,  as  oppor- 
tunity afforded,  and  the  parents  occupied  the  home- 
stead on  which  they  first  settled  until  their  decease, 
in  1863,  the  father  dying  February  10,  and  the 
mother  two  days  afterward.  Their  family  consisted 
of  six  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy  and 
one  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  The  latter's  death 
occurred  three  days  after  the  mother,  Feb.  15,  1863. 
Four  lived  to  attain  their  majority.  Daniel  is  a 
plasterer  by  trade  and  resides  in  his  native  county, 
in  Ohio;  Abraham  D.  is  farming  in  Tolono  Town- 
ship; William  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Thomas 
N.,  the  youngest,  is  unmarried  and  a  resident  of 
Kansas. 

William  Skinner  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


585 


and  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  ; 
of  the  Buckeye  .State.  He  remained  with  his  par-  ' 
ents  as  long  as  they  lived,  and  in  18GS  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Martha  Rich,  who  was  j 
born  in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  Aug.  30,  1847, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Rich.  The 
following  spring  he  came  with  his  bride  to  Illinois, 
and  in  company  with  his  brother,  Abraham,  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  land  in  Tolono  Township, 
which  they  cultivated  together  for  five  years  fol- 
lowing. Our  subject  then  disposed  of  his  interest 
in  the  property  and  purchased  of  a  younger  brother 
eighty  acres  in  the  same  township,  which  he  culti- 
vated also  five  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  re- 
moved into  town.  He  always  believed,  however, 
that  real  estate  was  a  good  investment,  and  soon 
afterward  purchased  210  acres  lying  on  section  35, 
in  Tolono  Township.  In  June,  1884,  he  traded 
eighty  acres  of  said  land  for  his  present  commo- 
dious and  conveniently  arranged  residence  in  the 
village.  He  still  owns  1 30  acres,  the  cultivation  of 
which  he  superintends  and  which  embraces  a  fine 
fertile  tract  of  land,  prolific  of  the  various  choice 
crops  indigenous  to  the  soil  of  Illinois. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
three  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  infancy.  Those 
surviving  are  Cortland  and  Pearl.  Mr.  S.  is  Re- 
publican in  politics,  a  member  in  good  standing  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  with  his  family,  is  a  regular  at- 
tendant of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


AVID  MICHENER.  That  which  forms  the 
chief  object  of  attraction  in  passing  through 
the  Prairie  State  is  the  evident  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  a  large  proportion  of  the 
farming  community.  There  is  no  fairer  picture  in 
the  world  during  the  summer  season  than  the  broad 
stretches  of  cultivated  prairie  which  beautify  the 
landscape  of  Central  Illinois,  and  which  is  divided 
between  grain  fields  and  pasture  lands,  the  yellow 
corn  embellishing  the  one  and  the  fine  cattle  roam- 
ing in  contentment  over  the  other. 

Looking  upon  what  has  been  accomplished  dur- 
ing the  last  twenty-five  years   the  mind  naturally 


reverts  to  those  who  have  been  instrumental  in 
redeeming  the  soil  from  its  original  condition.  The 
courage  and  perseverance  with  which  they  labored 
can  scarcely  be  realized  except  by  themselves,  and 
no  more  enduring  monument  can  be  reared  to  their 
worth  as  citizens  and  as  agriculturists  than  the 
written  biography  which  may  be  perused  by  their 
descendants  and  others  who  shall  come  after  them. 
Among  those  who  have  been  esteemed  worthy  of 
especial  notice  in  the  AutrM,  whose  facts  and  figures 
have  been  gathed  after  great  labor  and  forethought, 
David  Michener,  of  Homer  Township,  should  oc- 
cupy no  unimportant  place.  He  comes  of  good 
parentage,  but  when  starting  out  for  himself  in  life, 
possessed  no  means,  except  his  two  hands  and  in- 
domitable courage. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  Benjamin  and  Abigail 
(Staton)  Michener,  at  the  time  of  his  birth  were 
living  on  a  farm  in  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  David 
being  added  to  the  household  on  the  15th  day  of 
March,  1818.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  his  mother  of  North  Carolina.  The 
former,  who  was  born  in  1781,  spent  the  early  years 
of  his  life  in  Philadelphia,  where,  after  becoming 
of  suitable  age  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  hatter, 
which,  however,  he  finally  abandoned  for  the  more 
congenial  pursuits  of  farm  life.  He  selected  for 
the  scene  of  his  future  operations  a  tract  of  land  in 
Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  where  he  removed  in  1804, 
and  four  years  later  was  married  to  the  mother  of 
our  subject.  This  excellent  lady  was  born  in  1787, 
of  parents  who  descended  from  the  English,  and 
after  performing  well  her  part  in  life  as  wife, 
mother,  sister  and  friend,  rested  from  her  earthly 
labors'in  1840,  aged  fifty-three  years.  Her  husband 
survived  her  until  in  March,  1854,  and  then  he,  too, 
closed  his  eyes  upon  the  scenes  of  earth.  They 
were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  in  which 
denomination  the  father  of  our  subject  was  one  of 
the  select  ministers  and  Elders  for  many  years,  and 
the  mother  was  especially  active  in  advocating  the 
doctrines  of  her  faith  and  using  her  influence  in 
gathering  the  young  into  the  fold.  The  ten  chil- 
dren of  this  congenial  union  were  named  respect- 
ively Levi,  Susanna.  John,  Lydia,  Henry,  David, 
Isaac,  Edwin,  Martha  and  Elma. 

Our   subject   during,  his   boyhood   and   youth, 


I 


586 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


which  was  interspersed  with  attendance  at  the  com- 
mon schools  in  the  winter  seasons,  labored  con- 
tentedly with  his  father  and  brothers  on  their  farm 
in  the  Buckeye  State  until  after  reaching  his  ma- 
jority. When  laying  his  plans  for  the  future  he  in- 
cluded in  them  the  establishment  of  a  home  and  the 
maintenance  of  a  family,  and  on  the  2d  of  October, 
1842,  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lisetta 
Smith,  the  wedding  taking  place  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  Zanesfield,  Ohio.  Mrs.  M.  is  a 
native  of  Lognn  County,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of 
Benjamin  and  Cynthia  Netta  (Garwood)  Smith. 
Her  birth  took  place  in  1824.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  a  tanner  and  currier  by  trade, 
to  which  he  also  added  the  business  of  a  merchant, 
and  was  in  fact  interested  in  various  projects,  being 
wide-awake,  enterprising  and  prosperous.  The  par- 
ents are  now  deceased.  The  children  of  the  par- 
ental household  were  named  respectively  Lisetta, 
Eliza,  Amanda,  Sarah  A.,  Samuel  B.,  Mary,  John 
C.,  Cynthia  Netta,  Franklin  and  Eudora;  a  daughter 
died  in  infancy  unnamed. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Michener 
remained  in  Ohio  until  1864,  where  their  eight 
children  were  born.  Of  these  the  record  is  as  fol- 
lows: Edwin  R.  married  Miss  Catherine  Johnson, 
of  Homer  Township,  Feb.  4,  1886;  Abigail  became 
the  wife  of  Nathan  W.  Cockayne;  Minnie  married 
Nathan  Smoot,  of  Vermilion  County;  Earl  S.  mar- 
ried Miss  Caroline  Beals,  who  only  lived  a  short 
time;  his  second  wife  was  Miss  Am}'  Griffith. 
William  II.  is  deceased;  Ava  is  at  home  with  her 
parents;  Benjamin  Dell  married  Miss  Margaret 
Eglestein;  Lulu  is  Mrs.  Frank  Toney. 

Upon  coming  to  this  State  our  subject  at  once 
located  in  Homer  Township,  Champaign  County, 
purchasing  242  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  has 
since  labored,  improving  and  beautifying  the  farm 
and  making  it  one  of  the  most  valuable  in  this 
locality.  The  fine  residence,  erected  in  1884,  is  the 
admiration  of  the  passer-by,  and  all  its  surround- 
ings indicate  plenty,  with  a  near  approach  to  luxury. 
Mr.  Michener  is  highly  esteemed  as  a  citizen,  and 
each  year  at  the  general  elections  drives  to  town 
and  deposits  his  ballot  in  support  of  Republican 
candidates  willing  to  serve  as  ollice  holders  and 
otherwise  in  conducting  the  affairs  of  government. 


His  family  is  one  eminently  to  be  proud  of,  the 
sons  being  industrious  and  enterprising,  and  en- 
gaged, like  their  father,  in  farming  pursuits.  Ed- 
win R.,  the  eldest,  owns  160  acres,  and  Earl  S. 
owns  140  acres,  both  farms  lying  in  Vermilion 
County. 


>ILLIAM  S.  VANCE,  a  worthy  member  of 
the  farming  community  of  Brown  Town- 
ship, occupies  374  acres  on  sections  3,  10 
and  1 1 ,  and  is  pursuing  his  chosen  calling  in  an  in- 
telligent and  effective  manner.  He  is  also  engaged 
in  stock-raising.  Mr.  Vance  is  a  native  of  Pendle- 
ton  County,  W.  Va.,  born  Oct.  12,  1844,  and  the 
son  of  Wilson  and  Mary  (Parker)  Vance,  natives 
of  the  Old  Dominion,  where  they  were  reared,  mar- 
ried and  settled.  In  about  1850  they  came  to  Illi- 
nois, locating  in  Empire  Township,  McLean  Coun- 
ty, where  they  still  reside.  Of  their  children,  nine 
in  number,  seven  still  survive. 

William  S.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  eldest  of  the 
family,  and  was  about  twelve  years  old  when  they 
came  to  the  Prairie  State.  He  received  a  fair  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools,  and  remained  under 
the  home  roof  until  twenty-five  years  of  age. 
After  leaving  home  he  lived  one  year  in  De  Witt 
County,  and  in  the  spring  of  1869  took  up  his 
abode  in  Brown  Township,  this  county,  where  he 
has  since  remained,  engaged  in  farming  pursuits. 
His  broad  acres  are  all  finely  adapted  to  the  raising 
of  grain  and  other  products  of  the  Mississippi  Val- 
ley, while  his  residence  and  farm  buildings  compare 
favorably  with  any  in  this  part  of  the  count}',  and 
are  among  the  best  in  the  township,  as  will  be  seen 
by  examining  the  view  of  them  which  is  to  be 
seen  in  this  work. 

While  a  resident  of  De  Witt  County  our  subject 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Eliza  Helmick, 
their  wedding  taking  place  on  the  16th  of  Septem-. 
ber,  1867.  Mrs.  Vance  was  the  daughter  of  Elisha 
and  Mary  Helmick,  and  was  born  Oct.  19,  1848,  in 
I)c  Witt  County,  where  her  parents  now  reside.  Of 
this  union  there  were  born  four  children — Willis  F., 
Fannie  E.,  Clara  O.  and  Walter  E.  The  wife  and 
mother  departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her  hus- 
band in  Brown  Township,  Sept.  28,  1884.  She  was 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


587 


a  worthy  Christian  lady,  a  consistent  member  of 
the  United  Brethren  Church,  and  greatly  respected 
by  her  friends  and  acquaintances.  The  present  wife 
of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  this 
county,  June  22,  1886,  was  formerly  Miss  Alice 
Bland,  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  Nov.  23,  1860,  and 
the  daughter  of  Amos  and  Mary  (Heavner)  Bland. 
Both  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  and  when  called  upon  to 
cast  his  ballot  Mr.  V.  gives  his  support  to  Demo- 
cratic candidates.  The  products  of  his  farm  add  ma- 
terially to  the  annual  report  of  the  grain  producing 
section  of  the  State,  and  as  a  member  of  the  busi- 
ness community  no  man  stands  higher.  He  started 
in  life  with  nothing  but  a  determined  will  and 
strong  arms,  and  while  reviewing  the  result  of  his 
labors  may  justly  feel  pride  in  his  possessions  and 
the  means  by  which  he  has  obtained  them. 


ELI  BARRETT,  an  intelligent  and  well-edu- 
cated citizen  of  Brown  Township,  owns  a 
good  farm  of  160  acres  on  section  22,  a 
view  of  which  is  presented  in  this  work.  The  land 
is  highly  cultivated,  and  the  buildings  valuable  and 
attractive,  including  a  handsome  residence,  which 
our  subject  occupies  with  bis  wife  and  six  children, 
and  in  the  adornment  of  which  he  has  taken  great 
pleasure  and  pride.  Mr.  Barrett  began  the  struggle 
of  life  without  means  or  influential  friends,  and  his 
present  unincumbered  property  is  the  result  of  his 
own  industry  and  perseverance.  His  high  moral 
principles,  together  with  his  uniform  kindness  of 
heart,  have  won  for  him  the  profound  respect  and 
esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Edward  and  Eliza  (En- 
sor)  Barrett,  natives  of  Maryland,  and  the  parents 
of  four  children.  Eli  being  the  third.  lie  also  is  a 
native  of  the  same  State,  born  in  Baltimore  County, 
March  7,  1826.  When  nine  years  of  age,  after  the 
deatli  of  his  father,  he  went  to  live  with  an  uncle 
in  Fail-field  County,  Ohio,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  reaching  his  majority  in  the  spring  of  1847. 
He  then  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Maryland, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1860,  when,  ac- 
companied by  his  wife  and  four  children,  he  emi- 


grated to  Logan  County,  111.,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  From  there  he 
removed,  in  1872,  to  this  county,  locating  in  Brown 
Township  upon  the  land  which  constitutes  his 
present  farm.  This  he  has  vastly  improved  since 
taking  possession  of  it,  it  having  then  received  but 
little  attention  at  the  hands  of  the  agriculturist. 
He  is  also  engaged  in  the  breeding  of  high-grade 
Short-horns. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Barrett  took  place  in  Fair- 
field  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  7,  1852,  the  lady  of  his 
choice  being  Miss  Amanda  Miller,  a  native  of  West 
Virginia.  "  She  was  the  daughter  of  William  and 
Lncinda  (Woods)  Miller,  natives  of  Virginia.  After 
their  marriage  they  moved  to  Ohio,  Mrs.  Barrett 
being  then  about  three  years  of  age.  The  children 
of  our  subject  and  wife  are:  Marion  W.,  who  lives 
in  Nuckolls  County,  Neb. ;  Emma  L. ;  Frank  M.  mar- 
ried Louisa  Schenck,  and  they  live  in  Audubon 
County,  Iowa;  Addie  E.  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  II. 
Taylor,  and  they  live  in  Brown  Township;  Amanda 
E.  and  Myrtie. 

Mr.  Barrett  lias  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of 
his  township  since  becoming  a  resident  of  it,  holding 
the  offices  of  Assessor,  Collector  and  School  Direc- 
tor, and  otherwise  being  called  to  officiate  in  mat- 
ters of  importance.  Politically  he  is  an  uncompro- 
mising Democrat. 


-* 


EDMUND  FREEMAN,  a  highly  respected 
farmer,  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Ogden 
Township,  where  he  now  lives,  "came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1830.  His  birth  took  place  in  Helmont 
County,  Ohio,  on  the  3d  of  May,  1 828,  and  his 
parents  were  James  and  Rebecca  (Ogden)  Freeman, 
natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio. 
James  Freeman  was  born  Jan.  24,  1801,  followed 
farming  the  greater  part  of  his  life  and  was  es- 
sentially a  self-made  man,  who  from  an  humble  posi- 
tion in  life,  made  his  way  upward,  secured  by  his 
own  efforts  a  good  education  and  had  the  honor  of 
conducting  the  first  school  taught  in  Champaign 
County,  for  the  purpose  of  which  he  devoted  a  cor- 
ner of  his  own  dwelling.  He  himself  had  been  edu- 
cated principally  by  his  father,  Thomas  Freeman, 


f 


,  >     588 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


who  also  was  a  self-made  mini  and  who  accumulated 
a  fine  property,  which  he  left  to  his  family  at  his 
death.  lie  was  Constable  four  years  in  Ogden 
Township,  and  with  his  wife,  Rebecca,  .1  member  of 
the  Christian  Church.  James  Freeman  departed  this 
life  in  Ogden  Township  in  1 867.  The  mother  of 
our  subject,  who  was  born  in  1804,  had  passed  away 
previous  to  the  death  of  her  husband,  her  decease 
occurring  in  1854.  The  household  included  ten 
children,  who  were  named  as  follows:  Thomas  and 
Mary  (twins),  Edmund,  Lydia  A.,  Eleazer,  An- 
drew J.,  Rebecca,  who  died  in  infancy,  Angeline, 
Martha,  who  died  in  infancy,  and  James  L. 

The  boyhood  days  of  Mr.  Freeman  were  passed 
on  the  farm  in  Ohio,  whence  he  removed  with  his 
parents  to  Illinois.  Soon  after  reaching  his  major- 
ity he  was  married  in  Vermilion  County,  to  Miss 
Jemima  Rush,  their  wedding  taking  place  in  the 
spring  of  1853.  Mrs.  F.  was  born  April  20,  1834, 
and  after  remaining  the  companion  of  her  husband 
for  a  period  of  thirty-three  years,  departed  this 
life  at  the  homestead  in  Ogden  Township  in  Janu- 
ary, 1886.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Catherine  (Wright)  Rush,  who  were  excellent  peo- 
ple and  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  They  are  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Freeman  became  the  parents  of  eleven  children ; 
Elizabeth  was  born  July  31,  1854;  Thomas  M..  Dec. 
23,  1855;  Elias,  who  was  born  June  22, 1857,  mar- 
ried Miss  Nancy  J.  Fisher;  Reuben  was  born  Feb. 
16,  1859;  Levi,  born  Sept.  27,  1860,  married  Miss 
Susan  E.  Harmison;  Nancy  E.,  born  July  5,  1862, 
died  July  12,1863;  James  was  born  April  27,  1864; 
Jessie,  born  Oct.  1,  1866,  died  when  seven  years  of 
age,  in  1873;  John  M.  was  born  March  12,  1868; 
George  W.,  born  July  4,  1875,  died  the  following 
day;  Cora  May  was  born  July  31,  1879. 

Mr.  Freeman  made  his  first  purchase  of  land  in 
about  1850,  entering  it  from  the  Government. 
This  was  unimproved,  and  the  few  years  afterward 
were  employed  in  the  careful  cultivation  of  the  soil 
and  planting  the  crops  it  was  the  most  likely  to  pro- 
duce. He  gained  a  little  better  foothold  each  year, 
and  as  his  means  accumulated  added  to  his  real 
estate  so  that  he  is  now  the  posssessor  of  438  broad 
acres,  part  of  it  devoted  to  pasturage  and  the  balance 
producing  the  richest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State. 


In  1877  Mr.  Freeman  erected  the  fine  frame  dwell- 
ing now  occupied  by  the  family,  which  is  Hanked  by 
substantial  barns  and  other  necessary  farm  build- 
ings and  is  kept  in  good  repair,  while  the  implements 
of  husbandry  and  the  entire  machinery  of  the  farm, 
of  first-class  description  and  kept  in  fine  order, 
give  evidence  of  the  enterprising  character  of  the 
proprietor.  He  labored  with  willing  hands  and 
cheerful  heart  during  his  early  manhood  and  is  now 
reaping  the  rightful  reward  of  his  industry.  He 
delights  in  noting  the  march  of  progress  and  pros- 
perity in  his  township,  and  has  been  no  unimpor- 
tant factor  in  establishing  its  present  position 
among  the  surrounding  communities.  Since  ex- 
ercising the  rights  of  an  American  born  citizen  he 
has  cast  his  influence  in  support  of  Republican 
principles. 


llAMES  W.  CHAMP,  of  Condit  Township, 
was  born  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  on  the 
22d  of  February,  1822,  and  is  the  son  of 
John  William  and  Mary  (Shanton)  Champ, 
the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of 
Kentucky.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, William  Champ,  removed  from  the  Old  Do- 
minion to  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  settling  first  in 
Pickaway  County,  whence  he  removed  to  Ross 
County,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
His  son  John,  the  father  of  our  subject,  removed 
with  the  family  to  Ohio,  where  he  married,  be- 
came the  father  of  nine  children,  and  in  the  midst 
of  an  interesting  family  was  cut  down  in  the  prime 
of  life,  dying  in  Pickaway  County  in  1832.  The 
mother  was  thus  left  a  widow  with  young  children 
and  a  farm  of  125  acres  somewhat  encumbered. 
With  heroic  resolution  she  kept  her  family  together 
until  they  were  old  enough  to  provide  for  them- 
selves, they  in  the  meanwhile  assisting  her  in  the 
improvement  and  cultivation  of  the  homestead. 
This  she  occupied  until  the  close  of  her  life  in  1867. 
Mr.  Champ  was  the  sixth  child  of  his  parents 
and  lived  with  his  mother  until  nineteen  years  old. 
He  then  went  out  to  work  by  the  day  or  month  as 
he  could  secure  employment,  and  was  thus  occu- 
pied five  years  following.  At  the  expiration 
this  time,  with  the  small  sum  he  had  saved 


expiration  of   I 
saved  by  the  1 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


589, 


closest  economy,  he  took  unto  himself  a  companion 
and  helpmeet,  and  renting  a  farm  in  Ross  County, 
Ohio,  resided  there  until  1855.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  he  came  to  Illinois,  locating  first  in  Logan 
County,  where  he  operated  on  rented  land  until 
1870.  He  was  successful  in  his  labors,  and  then 
coming  into  this  county  purchased  the  farm  which 
he  now  owns  and  occupies.  It  was  a  wild,  uncul- 
tivated tract  of  prairie,  and  its  present  finely  im- 
proved condition  is  the  result  of  his  uninterrupted 
labor  since  that  time.  It  is  now  enclosed,  all  un- 
der the  plow,  and  supplied  with  handsome  and  sub- 
stantial frame  buildings,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  glance 
at  the  view  presented  on  another  page. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Champ  and  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Ilobbs  took  place  on  the  23d  of  May,  1847.  Mrs. 
Champ  is  a  native  of  Ross  County,  Ohio,  born  Oct. 
28,  1 826,  and  the  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Sarah 
(Chasteen)  Hobbs.  Her  parents  were  born  in  A'ir- 
ginia,  whence  they  removed  to  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
at  an  early  period  in  the  settlement  of  that  State. 
The  seven  children  born  of  this  marriage  are  re- 
corded as  follows :  Zachariah  T.  and  Francis  Ma- 
rion are  residents  of  Gage  County,  Neb.;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  H.  H.  Woods,  lives  on  the  home  farm ; 
Abraham,  in  Elk  County,  Kan.;  Sarah  Ann,  Mrs. 
A.  C.  Hatch,  in  Gage  County,  Neb. ;  Maria,  Mrs. 
John  Parnell,  in  Newton  Township,  this  county, 
and  John  A.  on  the  homestead. 

Our  subject  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  with 
his  excellent  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  During  the  long  period  in 
which  they  have  moved  in  and  out  among  the  peo- 
ple of  Condit  Township,  few  have  "  named  them 
but  to  praise." 


AN1EL  NISEWANDER,  one  of  the  hon- 
ored pioneers  of  Illinois,  came  to  Cham- 
paign County  in  1850,  and  was  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Mahomet  Township, 
whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Hensley,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  He  owns  and  occupies  a  fine 
estate  consisting  of  401  acres  of  land,  a  handsome 
and  substantial  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  all  the 
appliances  of  a  first-class  agriculturist.  He  has 


witnessed  with  satisfaction  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  his  adopted  State,  and  has  contributed  in 
no  small  degree  to  the  present  prosperity  of  Cham- 
paign County.  He  has  for  many  years  been  closely 
identified  with  its  agricultural  and  business  inter- 
ests, and  has  contributed  liberally  and  cheerfully 
of  his  time  and  means  for  the  encouragement  of 
every  worthy  project. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Oct. 
18.  1819.  His  father,  Joseph  Nisewander,  was  a 
native  of  Washington  County,  Md.,  and  his  grand- 
father was  born  in  Switzerland.  The  latter  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  when  a  young  man, 
settling  in  Washington  County,  Md.,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  There  his  son 
Joseph,  the  father  of  our  subject,  grew  to  man- 
hood and  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lydia  Avey.  She  was  born  in  Maryland,  of  Ger- 
man parentage.  After  their  marriage  the  young 
people  removed  to  Ohio,  and  settled  on  a  part  of 
the  present  site  of  the  Queen  City.  It  was  at 
that  time  but  a  small  village.  Joseph  Nisewander 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  which  now  lies  in  the 
heart  of  the  city.  Disposing  of  this  in  1821  he  re- 
moved to  Montgomery  County,  of  which  he  re- 
mained a  resident  seven  years,  then,  emigrating  to 
Indiana  located  in  Tippecanoe  County,  and  was 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  that  section.  He  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  timber  land,  a  portion  of  which  he 
cleared  and  to  which  he  added  later  a  small  area  of 
prairie.  He  remained  a  native  of  that  county  un- 
til his  death  in  1859.  The  wife  and  mother  sur- 
vived but  a  few  years,  then  joined  her  husband  on 
the  other  shore,  her  death  also  taking  place  on  the 
homestead  which  they  had  unitedly  established. 

Of  the  nine  children  comprising  the  parental 
family  Daniel  was  the  fourth.  He  was  but  two 
years  old  when  his  parents  removed  to  Cincinnati, 
and  nine  years  old  when  they  left  the  Buckeye 
State  for  Indiana.  He  remained  under  the  par- 
ental roof  until  1850,  then  came  to  this  county  dur- 
ing the  early  settlement  of  Mahomet  Township. 
The  greater  part  of  the  prairie  around  was  unten- 
anted  save  by  wild  animals,  and  deer  roamed  at 
will  over  the  long  grass.  The  nearest  markets 
were  the  towns  on  the  Illinois  and  Wabash  Rivers. 

Our    subject    was    variously    engaged    for    nine 


590 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


f 

t 


years  following  his  arrival  in  Mahomet  Township, 
during  which  time  lie  had  saved  what  he  could  of 
his  limited  earnings,  and  in  1859  purchased  a  part 
of  the  land  which  constitutes  his  present  homestead. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  years  since 
that  time  have  been  industriously  employed  in  the 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  homestead, 
which  now  in  all  respects  indicates  the  supervision 
of  the  progressive  and  intelligent  farmer  and  busi- 
ness man.  The  course  of  Mr.  Nisewander  has  been 
uniformly  upright  and  praiseworthy,  and  he  enjoys 
in  a  marked  degree  the  confidence  and  respect  of 
his  fellow-townsmen. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  and  Miss  Sarah 
Breace  took  place  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  in  1849. 
Mrs.  N.  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  departed  this  life  at 
the  home  of  her  husband  in  Hensley  Township, 
Feb.  12,  1873.  The  children  of  this  union  were : 
Sarah,  now  the  wife  of  George  Lutz,  of  Champaign  ; 
William,  who  lives  in  Hensley  Township,  and  one 
deceased. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he 
was  married  June  12,  1875,  was  formerly  Miss 
Alice  Morris,  who  was  born  in  Brown  County,  Ohio, 
Jan.  12,  1859.  Of  this  marriage  there  have  been 
born  Edgar,  Jennie,  Merritt  and  Ira.  Our  subject 
is  Democratic  in  politics,  a  man  of  decided  views 
and  opinions  and  fearless  ;in  the  expression  of  his 
sentiments. 

The  home  of  Mr.  Nisewander  makes  a  pleasant 
picture  in  the  landscape  of  Hensley  Township,  and 
the  view  is  reproduced  on  another  page  of  this 
work. 


E.  HANDY,  Agent  of  the  Western  Union 
Telegraph  Company,  at  Tolono.  He  lo- 
cated in  this  place  on  the  10th  of  May, 
1870.  He  is  an  expert  operator,  and  commenced 
to  learn  the  business  in  1878,  at  Perry  Springs, 
Pike  County,  this  State.  He  is  a  native  of  Cam- 
eron, Mo.,  and  was  born  Sept.  2,  1860.  He  is  the 
son  of  John  W.  a'hd  Hepsy  R.  (High)  Handy,  the 
former  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 
The  parents  soon  after  marriage  located  in  Cam- 
eron, Mo.,  where  the  father  died  in  1861.  The  year 
following  the  mother  with  her  only  son  removed 


to  Illinois  and  located  at  Chambersburg,  in  Pike 
County,  where  she  still  resides.  She  was  married  the 
second  time,  in  September,  1880,  to  Mr.  J.  W.  Smith, 
a  prominent  and  successful  fruit-grower  of  that 
section. 

Our  subject  began  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  county  and  completed  it  in 
Wesleyan  University  at  Bloomington.  He  com- 
menced to  learn  the  art  of  telegraphy  in  1878,  as 
we  have  stated,  and  has  operated  successfully  since 
that  time.  He  was  married  in  January,  1880,  to 
Jennie  M.,  daughter  of  O.  E.  and  Jane  B.  Culbert- 
son,  of  Tolono.  Mrs.  Handy  was  born  in  Tolono 
in  1861,  and  by  her  marriage  with  our  subject  has 
become  the  mother  of  two  children — Charles  E. 
and  Alice. 

Mr.  H.,  politically,  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party,  and  has  been  quite  prominent  in  local  poli- 
tics, serving  as  Chairman  of  the  Township  Central 
Committee.  He  has  also  been  Village  Clerk.  So- 
cially he  is  a  member  of  Tolono  Lodge  No.  391, 
A.  F.  <fe  A.  M.,  in  which  he  has  been  Master  for 
three  years.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Chapter  at 
Champaign,  and  Commandery  No.  16,  at  Urbana, 
and  is  a  most  exemplary  young  man,  gifted  with 
excellent  business  judgment,  and  an  affable  disposi- 
tion. 


J~  OHN  T.  MILLER.  Among  the  pleasant 
homesteads  in  Ludlow  Township,  that  of 
our  subject  invariably  attracts  the  attention 
of  the  passing  traveler.  It  is  located  one 
and  one-half  miles  from  the  flourishing  city  of 
Rantoul,  which  furnishes  a  convenient  market  and 
a  point  easily  accessible  for  trading  purposes.  The 
farm  comprises  160  acres  of  land  finely  located, 
and  enclosed  and  improved  with  a  convenient  and 
tasteful  residence,  a  good  barn,  and  all  other  build- 
ings required  by  the  modern  and  progressive  agri- 
culturist. Our  subject  has  been  a  resident  of  this 
county  since  1880,  in  which  year  he  took  posses- 
sion of  his  farm.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye 
State,  born  in  Clarke  County,  June  28,  1841.  His 
father,  Daniel,  and  his  grandfather,  Frederick  Mil- 
ler, were  both  natives  of  Virginia,  and  the  latter  of 
German  ancestiT.  He  occupied  himself  in  farrn- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


591 


ing  the  greater  piirt  of  his  life,  remaining  a  resident 
of  the  Old  Dominion  until  1818,  and  then  emi- 
grated to  Ohio.  He  purchased  a  tract  of  timber 
land,  opened  up  a  good  farm  from  the  wilderness, 
and  on  the  homestead  thus  established  by  the  labor 
and  industry  of  years,  passed  his  last  days  in  the 
enjoyment  of  an  honest  competency. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  lad  of  fourteen 
years  when  his  parents  removed  to  Ohio.  The 
journey  was  made  overland  with  teams,  and  they 
carried  their  provisions,  cooking  by  the  wayside 
and  sleeping  in  their  wagons  at  night.  Daniel  as- 
sisted his  father  in  clearing  the  farm,  and  learned 
the  trade  of  a  blacksmith.  Upon  reaching  man- 
hood, he  purchased  five  acres  and  put  up  a  house 
and  shop,  of  logs.  At  that  time  Cincinnati  was 
but  an  embryo  village,  about  eighty  miles  distant, 
and  the  nearest  depot  for  supplies.  During  the 
winter  season  young  Miller  used  to  take  a  load  of 
flour  and  whisky  to  Cincinnati,  and  return  with 
iron,  salt  and  other  necessary  articles.  After  a  few 
years,  during  which  he  had  accumulated  a  little 
means,  he  purchased  160  acres  of  timber  land 
six  miles  west  of  Springfield,  which  he  commenced 
to  clear,  in  the  meantime  carrying  on  his  trade  as 
opportunity  afforded.  After  a  time  he  abandoned 
the  latter  and  gave  his  entire  attention  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  his  land.  He  added  to  his  real  estate 
until  he  became  possessed  of  277  acres,  and  before 
his  death  had  placed  it  nearly  all  under  a  good 
state  of  cultivation.  He  erected  a  substantial 
brick  house  and  frame  barn,  planted  orchards,  and 
had  all  the  comforts  and  conveniences  of  an  East- 
ern home.  He  died  there  in  1878.  He  had  mar- 
ried, in  early  manhood,  Miss  Elizabeth  Neff,  who 
was  born  in  Virginia,  and  became  the  true  com- 
panion and  sympathizer  of  her  husband  in  all  his 
undertakings.  Her  death  occurred  on  the  old 
homestead  in  1870. 

They  had  a  family  of  eleven  children  :  Mary,  the 
eldest  daughter,  became  the  wife  of  George  Gor- 
don and  died  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two  years;  Sarah  died  in  early  childhood, 
when  nine  years  old;  Delilah,  Mrs.  James,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  McLean  County,  this  State ;  Leah,  Mrs. 
Pursell,  is  a  resident  of  Clarke  County,  Ohio;  Ben- 
jamin lives  in  Shelby  County,  111.;  Emeline,  Mrs. 


Hughel,  died  in  Anderson,  Ind.;  Willis  H.,  during 
the  late  war  became  a  soldier  in  the  44th  Ohio  In- 
fantry, and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Beverly,  W. 
Va.  ;  Henrietta,  Mrs.  Collins,  lives  in  Harrison 
County,  Mo.  ;  our  subject  was  the  next  child  ; 
Eliza,  Mrs.  Ellis,  lives  at  Yellow  Springs,  and  Clara, 
Mrs.  Detrick,  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio. 

Our  subject  was  the  youngest  son  of  the  family, 
and  remained  at  home  attending  the  district  school 
and  assisting  his  parents  until  the  opening  of  the 
war.  In  September,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  F. 
44th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  serving  until  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  enlistment,  and  veteranizing  in  Jan- 
uary. 1863,  followed  the  fortunes  of  his  comrades 
in  arms  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  pres- 
ent at  many  of  its  important  battles,  including  that 
of  Lewisburg,  W.  Va.,  and  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and 
joined  the  command  of  Gen.  Sheridan  in  the  Shen- 
andoah  Valley  campaign.  There  were  skirmishes 
and  other  encounters  with  the  enemy  too  numerous 
to  mention.  His  company  was  afterward  trans- 
ferred to  the  8th  Ohio  Cavalry,  and  was  mustered 
out  at  Clarkesburg,  W.  Va.,  in  August,  1865. 
Upon  his  return  home  Mr.  Miller  engaged  in  farm- 
ing with  his  father  on  the  old  homestead  for  fif- 
teen years  following,  then  came  to  this  State  and 
purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried in  1868,  was  Miss  Ella,  daughter  of  Smith  and 
Sarah  (Stephens)  Wallace.  She  has  borne  our  sub- 
ject five  children  —  John  W.,  Frank  A.,  Calvin  P., 
Jessie  May,  and  Thomas  S.,  who  died  in  his  thir- 
teenth 3'ear.  Mr.  Miller  is  Republican  in  politics, 
and,  with  his  wife  is  connected  with  the  Baptist 
Church. 


RS.  NARCISSA  HOLADAY.  Standing 
back  from  the  road  leading  to  the  little 
city  of  St.  Joseph,  from  which  it  is  two 
and  one-half  miles  distant,  is  a  handsome 
and  commodious  residence,  set  in  the  midst  of  beau- 
tiful grounds  surrounded  by  choice  shade  trees  and 
shrubbery,  with  a  fine  lawn  and  numerous  winding 
walks,  and  which  is  the  admiration  of  every  passer- 
by. Adjacent  and  in  the  rear  of  the  dwelling  is  a 


I 


592 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


i 


large  barn,  including  the  stables  and  carriage  house 
which,  in  construction  and  size,  correspond  with  the 
residence,  and  are  flanked  by  the  smaller  build- 
ings necessary  to  the  well-regulated  country  estate. 
The  fields  belonging  to  this  homestead  stretch  away 
over  -240  acres,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  finely 
cultivated  land  and  yields  in  abundance  the  richest 
harvests  of  the  Prairie  State.  This  beautiful  home 
has  been  occupied  by  the  lady  above  named  for  a 
period  of  fourteen  years,  with  the  exception  of 
eight  years  spent  in  Vermilion  Grove  for  the  pur- 
pose of  educating  her  children. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  is  the  daughter  of 
I.  T.  and  Rebecca  (Commons)  Lewis,  late  of  Stan- 
ton  Township,  and  the  widow  of  J.  P.  Holaday, 
who  departed  this  life  April  '2,  1872.  The  paternal 
grandparents  of  Mrs.  H.,  Caleb  Lewis  and  his  wife, 
were  natives  of  North  Carolina.  After  marriage 
they  removed  from  their  native  State  to  Ohio, 
where  they  reared  their  family  and  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives.  Their  son  I.  T.  was  born  in 
North  Carolina,  Dec.  19,  1804,  and  was  a  boy  of 
eight  years  when  his  parents  became  residents  of 
the  Buckeye  State.  He  remained  with  them  until 
his  marriage  with  Miss  Rachael  Waldrip,  who  was 
a  native  of  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  and  born 
March  20,  1809.  They  became  husband  and  wife 
on  the  30th  of  August,  1827.  Eighteen  years  later, 
after  becoming  the  mother  of  six  children,  the  wife 
died,  on  the  14th  of  February,  1845. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Holaday,  after  the  death  of  his 
first  wife,  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Commons,  in 
Wayne  County,  lud.,  May  11,  1846.  This  lady 
was  the  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  Commons, 
of  English  descent,  and  of  their  union  there  were 
born  seven  children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters, 
all  of  whom  grew  to  become  men  and  women: 
Perry  is  managing  the  farm  of  his  sister,  Mrs.  Hola- 
day: Oliver  married  Miss  Sue  Ellis  of  Vermilion. 
The  father  of  these  children  died  in  Vermilion 
County,  111.,  in  about  1885. 

Mr.  Holaday  was  the  first  son  of  William  and 
E.  J.  Holaday,  and  remained  witli  his  parents  until 
reaching  his  majority.  When  first  coming  to  Stan  ton 
Township  he  purchased  160  acres  of  railroad  laud 
on  section  34.  for  which  he  paid  #15  per  acre.  It 
had  never  been  cultivated,  and  his  first  business 


mis  to  break  the  sod  and  fence  the  fields,  at  which 
he  labored  industriously  until  he  had  brought  it  to 
a  good  state  of  cultivation.  lie  added  to  his  real 
estate  as  time  progressed  and  accumulated  a  hand- 
some property.  He  had  been  raised  in  the  Quaker 
faith,  and  to  this  he  loyally  adhered  during  his  life. 
Politically  he  voted  with  the  Republican  party. 
Mr.  and  Mrs  H.  became  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren, namety,  Olive  M.  and  Oren  P. 

A  few  months  after  the  death  of  her  husband 
Mrs.  Holaday  removed  to  Vermilion  Grove,  remain- 
ing there  with  her  children  until  they  had  completed 
their  education.  She  returned  to  the  farm  in  the 
spring  of  1886,  and  began  to  carry  out  the  projects 
of  her  husband  in  regard  to  the  further  improve- 
ment of  their  property.  The  fine  residence  which 
forms  an  attractive  feature  of  the  estate  was  built 
under  her  supervision,  and  she  has  in  other  respects 
added  to  the  beauty  and  value  of  the  property. 
She  is  living  comfortably,  in  the  enjoyment  of  all 
the  conveniences  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  mod- 
ern life,  having  her  two  children  with  her,  and  vis- 
ited by  the  best  people  of  the  community,  who  ap- 
preciate her  'intelligence  and  ability  and  within 
whose  hospitable  doors  they  always  find  a  pleasant 
welcome. 


|)ILLIAM  B.  BRODRICK.  This  gentleman, 
who  is  comfortably  located  on  a  good  farm 
in  Newcomb  Township,  is  a  native  of  Ham- 
ilton County,  Ohio,  born  May  10,  1815,  and  is  the 
son  of  Anthony  and  Rachel  (Doan)  Brodrick,  na- 
tives of  New  York.  The  parental  household  in- 
cluded one  son  and  six  daughters. 

Wrilliam  B.  Brodrick  remained  in  his  native 
county  until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  and  then 
set  out  to  do  for  himself.  He  first  went  to  Dear- 
born County,  Ind.,  where  he  lived  four  years,  and 
from  there  proceeded  to  Tippecanoe  County,  and 
there  resided  until  the  spring  of  1853,  when  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Newcomb  Tp.,  this  county, 
which  has  since  been  his  home.  He  has  always  been 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  and  at  present  is  the 
owner  of  185  acres  of  good  land.  Upon  this  he  has 
erected  a  tasteful  and  convenient  dwelling  which, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


593     -  >  ] 


together  with   his   barn   and   other  necessary  out- 
buildings, forms  a  comfortable  homestead. 

Mr.  Brodrick  was  married  in  Tippecanoe  Coun- 
ty, hid.,  April  13,  1839,  to  Miss  Phebe  Keeler,  a 
native  of  Indiana.  The  record  of  the  children  of 
this  union,  seven  in  number,  is  as  follows:  Hester 
A.  became  the  wife  of  Hiram  Peabody,  and. met  her 
death  by  being  poisoned,  in  1885;  William  B.,  Jr., 
during  the  late  war  was  a  member  of  Co.  A,  20th  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  and  was  killed  by  a  shell  at  the  battle  of 
Champion  Hills,  Miss.;  John  F.  at  the  same  time 
was  a  member  of  Co.  B,  51st  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  died 
in  the  hospital  at  Jackson,  Tenn. ;  Charles  W.  is 
married,  and  a  resident  of  Nebraska;  Allen  W.  is 
an  artist;  Amanda  M.  became  the  wife  of  James  M. 
Mitchell,  a  resident  of  Gibson,  111.,  and  died  while 
on  a  visit  to  her  parents  in  Newcomb  Township, 
this  county ;  Phebe  K.,  Mrs.  D.  H.  Lester,  resides 
with  her  husband  on  a  farm  in  Newcomb  Town- 
ship. The  wife  of  our  subject,  who  was  a  consist- 
ent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  a  lady  highly  esteemed  in  the  community,  de- 
parted this  life  at  her  home  in  Newcomb  Township, 
Jan.  15,  1855.  Mr.  Brodrick  is  connected  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  politically  is  a 
stanch  Democrat  and  Prohibitionist. 


<\w)  OIINSON  OBRYANT,  deceased.  The  quar- 
I  ter  section  of  land  which  in  1851  became 
the  property  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
forms  a  part  of  section  27,  in  Sadorus  Town- 
ship, where  he  labored  for  a  period  of  fourteen 
years,  and  built  up  a  good  homestead  for  his  fam- 
ily. The  people  of  that  community  among  whom 
he  went  in  and  out,  honestly  and  conscientiously, 
bear  testimony  to  the  excellence  of  his  character 
and  the  correctness  of  his  quiet  and  unassuming 
life.  Although,  perhaps,  not  the  hero  of  many 
great  events,  he  discharged  his  duty  to  the  best  of 
his  ability,  and  was  accounted  a  good  and  useful 
member  of  the  community. 

The  birth  of  Mr.  Obryant  took  plaoe  in  Pike 
County,  Ohio,  Nov.  10,  1812.  He  was  the  second 
child  of  James  and  Sarah  (Povvleson)  Obryant, 

I    «• 


also  natives  of  the  Buckeye  State,  where  the 
father's  death  took  place.  In  1846  the  mother  came 
to  Illinois,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  her  days  on 
a  farm  with  her  son  James,  in  Douglas  County. 

Johnson  Obryant,  when  fourteen  years  of  age, 
left  home  and  went  into  Bainbridge,  Ross  County, 
to  learn  the  tanner's  trade,  at  which  he  served  an 
apprenticeship  of  nearly  six  years.  A.  little  before 
his  twentieth  year  he  was  married,  Oct.  22,  1840, 
to  Miss  Jane  McUnn,  daughter  of  William  and 
Nancy  McUnn.  The  young  people  at  once  pro- 
ceeded westward,  and  crossing  the  Mississippi,  set- 
tled near  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  where  our  subject  was 
employed  at  his  trade,  and  where  for  a  brief  time 
they  enjoyed  the  comforts  of  a  modest  home.  A 
year  later  his  young  wife  died,  leaving  him  with 
one  child,  a  boy,  Austin  M.,  who  was  afterward 
cared  for  by  his  grandmother.  He  spent  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  this  county,  and  although  not 
strong  physically  was  bright  and  intelligent,  and 
when  grown  to  manhood  became  Collector  for  Sa- 
dorus Township.  While  holding  this  office  he  mys- 
teriously disappeared,  and  no  trace  was  afterward 
found  of  him.  It  &  generally  believed  that  he  was 
murdered  for  his  money,  as  he  was  a  young  man  of 
sterling  integrity  and  excellent  habits,  and  his  hon- 
esty was  never  questioned. 

Mr.  Obryant  followed  farming  in  Missouri  a  lit- 
tle more  than  two  years,  and  after  tiie  death  of  his 
wife  came  to  Illinois,  to  the  home  of  his  mother 
and  brother  in  Douglas  County.  He  rented  land 
near  the  farm  of  the  latter,  and  remained  there  five 
years.  In  January,  1847,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Catharine,  the  second  child  of  William  and  Nancy 
(Beavers)  Rouck.  Mr.  Obryant  remained  in 
Douglas  County  four  years  after  this  event,  and 
then  came  to  Champaign  County,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days,  departing  this  life  Feb. 
28,  1868. 

Mrs.  Obryant,  after  the  death  of  her  husband 
remained  on  the  farm  with  her  children  until  the 
spring  of  1887,  when  she  moved  north  and  settled 
on  section  14,  taking  possession  of  200  acres,  which 
came  to  her  from  her  father's  estate,  and  where  she 
now  lives  near  a  married  daughter.  Of  her  union 
with  our  subject  there  were  born  six  children — Re- 
becca II.,  Mary  P.  and  Lemuel  R.,  born  in  Doug- 


I 

] 

f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


las  County,  and  Isabell,  Josephine  and  Emma,  na- 
tives of  Champaign.  The  eldest  daughter,  Rebecca, 
became  the  wife  of  John  Fulkerson,  a  farmer  of 
Pesotum  Township,  and  died  Oct.  27,  18G8,  leav- 
ing one  child,  a  daughter,  Minnie  B.,  who  followed 
her  mother  on  the  18th  of  November,  not  quite  a 
month  later;  Mary  P.  married  Robert  C.  Beuton.  a 
farmer  of  Sadorus  Township,  and  departed  this  life 
Feb.  13,  1879,  leaving  one  child,  a  son,  Hugh  J., 
who  is  now  with  his  father  in  Missouri;  Lemuel  R., 
unmarried,  is  at  home  with  his  mother;  Isabell  be- 
came the  second  wife  of  her  brother-in-law,  R.  C. 
Benton,  and  died  Feb.  16,  1882,  leaving  a  child, 
Harry,  who  joined  the  mother  in  the  other  life,  on 
the  13th  of  October  following;  Josephine  is  the 
wife  of  James  Chapman,  a  harness-maker  of  Whiting, 
Jackson  Co.,  Kan.,  where  he  conducts  a  harness- 
shop,  and  owns  a  farm  near  by,  which  is  operated 
by  a  tenant;  this  daughter  became  the  mother  of 
four  children — John  Lemuel  (deceased),  Ralph  B., 
Emma  W.  and  Iva  G.  The  youngest  daughter  is 
married  to  William  Price,  who  is  carrying  on  their 
forty-acre  farm,  and  at  the  same  time  is  also  man- 
aging the  farm  property  belonging  _to  her  mother. 
He  is  an  active  and  enterprising  young  farmer,  fully 
deserving  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  him.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Price  have  two  children — Catharien  A. 
and  Parker  J.  Mr.  Obryant  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  and  Mrs.  Obryant  is  a  member  of  the 
same  denomination. 

ENRY  KURTZ,  well  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Brown  Township,  is  a  native  of 
Stark  County,  Ohio,  his  birth  taking  place 
Jan.  18,  1844.  He  is  the  son  of  Henry  and 
Anna  (Eschliman)  Kurtz,  the  former  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  Both  were 
reared  in  the  Buckeye  State,  where  they  married, 
and  located  in  Stark  County,  and  there  the  father 
died  in  the  fall  of  1843.  Mrs.  Kurtz  survived  her 
husband  over  forty  years,  her  death  taking  place 
in  1885,  in  Piatt  County,  this  State.  Their  family 
consisted  of  three  children,  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter, of  whom  our  subject  was  the  youngest. 


Henry  Kurt/,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and 
during  the  winter  season  attended  the  district 
school,  remaining  a  resident  of  his  native  county 
until  1872,  when  he  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age. 
lie  then  decided  to  seek  a  locality  farther  west. 
For  two  years  before  leaving  Stark  County,  he  had 
been  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  and  obtained 
some  knowledge  of  the  methods  of  dealing  in  stock 
and  grain.  His  tastes  inclining  to  this  latter  branch 
of  business,  after  locating  in  Piatt  Count}7,  this 
State,  he  engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  stock  for 
six  years,  and  for  two  years  afterward  followed 
milling. 

Mr.  Kurtz  came  to  Brown  Township  in  the  spring 
of  1881,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  360  acres  of  im- 
proved land,  which  he  largely  devotes  to  stock- 
growing,  keeping  about  thirty  head  of  cattle  and 
150  hogs,  and  has  fed  large  numbers  of  sheep.  He 
takes  pride  in  having  all  his  operations  carried  on 
systematically  and  in  good  order,  and  is  always 
full  of  business,  possessing  the  energy  required  for 
the  proper  supervision  of  his  extensive  interests. 
The  residence  is  a  tasteful  and  convenient  struct- 
ure, and  the  barn  excels  anything  of  the  kind  in 
that  section.  The  homestead  in  all  its  appoint- 
ments forms  a  model  country  estate,  which  its  pro- 
prietor may  be  pardoned  for  viewing  with  pride 
and  satisfaction. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Kurtz  took  place  in  Wayne 
County,  Ohio,  Feb.  7,  1867,  his  chosen  bride  be- 
ing Miss  Barbara  A.  Nisewanger,  who  was  the 
youngest  daughter  of  Emanuel  and  Barbara  Nise- 
wanger, the  former  a  native  of  Maryland  and  the 
latter  of  Pennsylvania.  To  the  parents  of  Mrs. 
Kurtz  there  were  born  thirteen  children,  seven  sons 
and  six  daughters.  Her  father  is  deceased,  but  her 
mother  is  still  living. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Wayne 
County,  Ohio,  Sept.  23,  1848,  and  remained  with 
her  parents  until  her  marriage,  receiving  careful 
home  training  and  instruction  in  all  housewifely 
duties.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kurtz,  ten 
in  number,  were  named  respectively,  Leo  G.,  Sam- 
uel E.,  Orlando  N.,  Willis  L.,  Henry  H.,  Jessie  M., 
Sylvia  A.,  Ralph  E.,  Barbara  M.  and  Raymond  W. 

( )ur  subject  has  been  Supervisor  of  Brown  Town- 
ship, besides  holding  some  of  the  minor  offices.  , 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


595 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kurtz  are  connected  with  the  Ger- 
man Baptist  Church,  and  politically  Mr.  Kurtz 
votes  with  the  Republican  part}'. 

The  homestead  of  Mr.  Kurt/  invariably  attracts 
the  attention  and  admiration  of  the  passing  traveler, 
and  we  have  selected  it  to  assist  in  embellishing 
this  work,  as  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  another 
page. 


fa  RS.  ELIZABETH  O.  MYERS,  who  occu- 
pies a  worthy  position  in  the  society  of 
Homer  Village,  is  the  widow  of  John  L. 
Myers,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Eleanor 
(Wilson)  Ochiltree.  She  was  born  in  Greenbrier 
County,  W.  Va.,  July  6,  1810,  and  remained  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Old  Dominion  until  1817.  Her  father. 
John  Ochiltree,  was  born  in  1777,  and  died  in  Fay- 
ette  County,  Ohio,  in  1833,  he  having  become  a 
resident  of  the  latter  State  in  the  spring  of  1817. 
The  mother,  also  a  native  of  Virginia,  was  born  in 
1787,  and  after  the  death  of  her  husband  moved 
further  westward,  to  Illinois,  locating  near  the  home 
of  Mrs.  Myers  in  this  county,  and  departed  this 
life  in  1857.  Both  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  during  the  years  of  their 
active  life  engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  Their 
nine  children  were  named  respectively,  Martha, 
Elizabeth,  Mary,  Eleanor,  John  R..  Jane,  Amanda, 
Malinda  and  America.  With  the  exception  of  our 
subject,  John  R.  and  America,  all  these  children 
have  departed  to  the  silent  land. 

Mrs.  Myers  remained  under  the  home  roof  re- 
ceiving careful  training  from  her  excellent  parents, 
being  instructed  in  all  womanly  and  housewifely 
duties,  and  obtaining  a  fair  education.  When 
twenty-three  years  of  age  she  was  married,  first, 
Sept.  12,  1833,  to  Jacob  M.  Custer.  Mr.  C.,  also  a 
native  of  the  Old  Dominion,  was  born  in  1806, 
followed  farming  the  greater  part  of  his  life  and 
rested  from  his  earthly  labors  on  the  17th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1865.  Fifteen  years  after  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Custer  came  to  Illinois,  locating  on  a 
farm  three  miles  from  the  present  village  of  Homer. 
In  1854  Mr.  C.  built  the  Homer  House  in  the  vil- 
lage, which  he  occupied  about  four  years,  acting  in 


the  meantime  as  "  mine  host,"  and  afterward  took 
a  smaller  residence  half  a  mile  east,  where  he  re- 
sided with  his  family  until  his  death. 

Mr.  Custer  was  a  good  man  in  the  broadest  mean- 
ing of  the  word,  fulfilling  creditably  all  his  duties 
toward  his  family  and  his  neighbors,  and  was 
a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  for  over  twenty  years.  He  was  an  earnest 
advocate  of  the  temperance  movement  and  greatly 
missed  by  the  society  with  which  he  had  labored 
for  a  number  of  years  in  building  up  the  sentiment 
against  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks.  He  was 
noted  for  his  honesty  and  uprightness,  and  during 
the  later  years  of  his  life  was  quite  extensively 
engaged  as  a  stock  dealer. 

The  children  of  this  marriage,  nine  in  number, 
are  recorded  as  follows :  Margaret  died  in  infancy ; 
Martha  E.  became  the  wife  of  Aaron  Dolby ;  Mary 
E.  married  James  Hays;  William  married  Miss 
Marie  Noble;  John  married  Miss  Dove  Noble; 
James  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  during  the  late 
war  and  died  in  the  service  in  1862;  George  died 
in  infancy ;  Jacob  A.  married  Mrs.  Jennie  Haysley, 
and  Benjamin  married  Miss  Carrie  Radabaugh. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Custer  his  wife  remained 
at  Homer  and  was  married  to  John  L.  M3'ers, 
in  June,  1874.  Mr.  M.,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born 
in  1803,  where  he  remained  during  the  early  years 
of  his  manhood.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  fine  abili- 
ties and  good  education,  and  in  1874  was  elected 
to  represent  his  native  county  in  the  General  As- 
sembly. He  was  frequently  called  to  other  respon- 
sible positions  and  possessed  the  clear  head  and 
temperate  judgment  which  could  be  relied  upon  at 
all  times.  His  mind  inclined,  however,  to  farming 
pursuits,  and  for  many  years  he  was  engaged  as  a 
dealer  in  cattle  and  hogs,  of  which  he  made  a  suc- 
cess. He  was  greatly  interested  in  current  events 
and  as  a  politician  exercised  much  influence  in  the 
movements  of  the  Republican  party  of  his  district. 
He  removed  to  this  State  in  1875,  but  died  in  Ohio' 
while  on  a  visit  among  his  old  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances, in  1883.  Religiously  he  had  been 
identified  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

.Mrs.  Myers  has  eight  grandchildren  and  three 
great-grandchildren.  She  came  to  Illinois  in  1848, 
and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


596 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Church  for  over  forty  .years.  During  the  late  war 
her  two  sons,  William  C.  and  John  M.  Custer,  served 
three  years  in  the  Union  army.  Besides  the  hand- 
some village  property  Mrs.  Myers  has  ninety  acres 
of  choice  land  which  is  managed  by  her  son. 
Although  nearly  seventy-seven  years  of  age  she 
retains  her  bright  mental  faculties  to  a  remarkable 
degree,  and  is  the  favorite  companion  of  both  young 
and  old,  who  delight  in  hearing  her  relate  incidents 
of  the  early  days  and  the  manner  of  living  before 
the  thousand  modern  conveniences  of  the  present 
time  had  found  their  way  across  the  borders  of 
what  was  then  considered  the  wild  West,  and  which 
included  the  Prairie  State.  After  a  worthy  and 
conscientious  life  she  is  nearing  the  sunset  slope, 
surrounded  by  the  comforts  which  rightfully  belong 
to  her  as  one  having  performed  faithfully  the  duties 
of  daughter,  wife,  mother  and  friend. 


J~  AMES  W.  HENDERSON.  The  record  of 
this  sterling  and  energetic  citizen  of  Sadorus 
Township  is  as  follows:  He  was  born  in 
Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  May  8,  1837.  and  was 
the  first  child  of  Samuel  G.  and  Eliza  A.  (Hender- 
son) Henderson,  natives  of  the  same  State,  who 
followed  farming  and  remained  there  all  their  lives. 
Our  subject,  in  1862,  when  a  young  man  of 
twenty-five  years,  believing  that  he  could  better 
his  condition  in  one  of  the  Western  States,  pro- 
ceeded northward,  and  coining  into  this  county  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land  in  Sadorus  Township, 
and  prepared  to  establish  a  permanent  home.  He 
has  adhered  closely  to  his  first  resolution,  having 
now  his  first  purchase  and  fifty -four  acres  which  he 
subsequently  added.  This  lies  on  section  2,  and 
in  point  of  cultivation  and  improvement  bears  fail- 
comparison  with  the  farms  around  it.  Mr.  Hender- 
son labored  industriously  On  his  homestead  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  late  war,  and  then,  laying  aside 
his  personal  interests,  joined  a  Kentucky  regiment, 
the  loth  Infantry,  commanded  by  Gen.  Pope.  He 
was  rejected  however,  at  the  medical  examination, 
and  compelled  to  resume  the  peaceful  vocation  of 
a  farmer.  In  October,  1863,  desiring  a  companion 
who  should  direct  the  affairs  of  his  household  and 


sympathize  with  him  in  his  struggles  for  a  com- 
petency, he  became  the  husband  of  Miss  Sophia 
W.  Jones,  a  native  of  Jefferson  County,  Ky.,  born 
in  1844.  Mrs.  H.  is  the  daughter  of  Carter  T.  and 
Eliza  A.  (Roberts)  Jones,  natives  of  Kentucky. 
The  young  people  at  first  boarded  with  Mr.  Swope, 
and  the  second  year  Mr.  Henderson  put  up  a  plain 
but  modest  dwelling  for  his  family.  This  still  re- 
mains their  residence,  although  having  been  ren- 
ovated, improved,  and  fitted  with  the  more  modern 
appliances.  Mr.  Henderson  devotes  the  larger  part 
of  his  time  to  grain-raising  and  keeps  a  herd  of 
good  cattle  which  consume  most  of  this  product. 
He  takes  pride  in  his  animals  and  has  attained 
quite  a  reputation  as  a  stock-raiser.  While  en- 
gaged in  his  farming  pursuits  he  has  not  lost  sight 
of  the  welfare  of  his  township,  and  as  opportunity 
permitted,  has  given  his  time  and  influence  to  the 
establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools  and  other 
worthy  enterprises.  He  uniformly  votes  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  and  has  been  Tax  Collector  for  three 
years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  active  members 
of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Henderson  frequently 
recalls  many  interesting  incidents  of  his  boyhood 
and  recollects  hearing  his  parents  relate  how  the 
manufacture  of  the  genuine  and  far-famed  Old 
Bourbon  whisky  was  carried  on  in  his  native 
county.  This  industry  was  long  since  abolished 
there,  Bourbon  County  now  priding  itself  on  the 
fact  that  not  even  a  saloon  exists  within  its  borders. 
Those  who  examine  the  accompanying  view  of  the 
homestead  of  Mr.  Henderson  will  acknowledge  that 
it  is  a  fine  subject  for  the  pencil  of  the  artist,  as  it 
is  also  the  admiration  of  the  traveler  passing  through 
that  section  of  county. 


OWARJ)  I.  CLEVENGER,  an  extensive 
farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Hensle3r  Town- 
ship, is  finely  situated  on  section  33,  his 
farm  being  formerly  the  homestead  of  his 
father.  It  is  a  beautiful  and  well-conducted  coun- 
try estate,  supplied  with  modern  improvements  in 
the  way  of  farm  buildings  and  machinery,  and  as 
a  home  and  farm  combined,  is  scarcely  excelled  in 
this  county,  as  may  be  supposed  by  those  who  will 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


599 


notice  the  carefully  executed  lithographic  view  on 
an  adjacent  page.  Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Up- 
per Freehold  Township.  JMonmouth  Co.,  N.  J.,  and 
was  born  Sept.  1 8,  1 839.  He  is  the  son  of  Joshua 
and  Edith  (Lai-risen)  Clevenger,  both  natives  of 
the  same  State  and  county  as  their  son.  They  be- 
came the  parents  of  eleven  children  and  were  in 
quite  limited  circumstances. 

The  father  of  -our  subject  when  fifteen  years  of 
age  was  bound  out,  but  his  master  dying  three 
years  later,  he  purchased  his  time  of  the  widow, 
paying  her  $50  in  money,  which  he  afterward 
earned,  working  at  &(!  per  month.  So  he  started 
out  when  eighteen  years  of  age  $50  in  debt.  He 
had,  however,  inherited  the  patient  perseverance  of 
his  parents,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  pay  it  off. 
In  due  time  this  was  accomplished,  and  he  then 
considered  himself  his  own  man.  When  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  he  was  married,  and  commenced 
his  career  as  a  farmer  like  his  father  before  him. 
He  first  operated  on  rented  land,  and  after  a  few 
years  was  enabled  to  purchase  ICO  acres  in  his  na- 
tive township.  After  a  further  residence  of  eight- 
een years,  he 'sold  out  and  purchased  a  farm  in 
.  Burlington  County,  the  same  State,  which  he  occu- 
pied until  1869.  In  the  meantime  he  had  visited 
Illinois  and  Champaign  Count}',  and  purchased  390 
acres  of  land  on  sections  33  and  34  of  Hensley 
Township.  He  then  rented  his  farm  in  New  Jer- 
sey, and  in  the  year  named  returned  to  this  county 
and  commenced  the  cultivation  of  his  new  pur- 
chase, which  was  already  improved.  He  put  up  a 
good  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  lived  here  with 
his  family  until  1882.  He  then  removed  to  Ever- 
est, Brown  Co.,  Kan.,  where  he  bought  village 
property,  and  engaged  in  basking,  which  he  still 
continues. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  second  child 
of  the  family.  He  was  reared  in  his  native  county, 
educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  when  twenty- 
two  years  old  commenced  teaching.  H«  made  his 
home  with  his  parents  until  1867,  and  then  began 
farming  on  his  own  account.  He  was  still  unmar- 
ried, and  employed  his  sister  to  keep  house  for 
him.  He  came  to  Champaign  with  his  father  in 
1869.  remaining  under  the  home  roof  until  his 
marriage,  which  took  place  March  28,  1871,  the 


maiden  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Laura  A.  Frazier. 
Mrs.  Clevenger  is  a  native  of  Miami  County,  Ohio, 
and  the  daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Ilaney) 
Frazier,  natives  respectively  of  New  Jersey  and 
Ohio.  After  marriage  the  young  people  settled 
upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Scott  Township,  where  they 
resided,  with  the  exception  of  one  year,  until  1883. 
Mr.  Clevenger  then  removed  his  family  to  Cham- 
paign where  they  lived  two  years,  and  thence  to 
the  old  homestead  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. Their  four  children  are,  Lizzie,  George  G., 
Melissa  May  and  Ethel.  Our  subject  is  Demo- 
cratic in  politics,  and  is  highly  esteemed  both  as  a 
business  man  and  a  citizen.  His  straightforward 
methods  of  dealing  with  his  fellow-men,  and  his 
skill  in  all  the  departments  of  agriculture,  have 
placed  him  in  the  front  ranks  among  those  to  whom 
Central  Illinois  is  indebted  for  its  rapid  growth 
and  development. 


B.  CHAPIN,  publisher  and  pro- 
prietor  of  the  Tolono  Herald,  is  a  native  of 
Clyde,  N.  Y.,  and  came  with  his  parents  to 
this  State  in  1858,  when  a  child  two  years  of  age. 
His  birth  occurred  on  the  7th  of  May,  1856,  and 
he  is  the  son  of  Edward  J.  Chapin,  a  native  of 
Chickopee  Falls,  Mass.,  who  followed  the  trade  of 
a  watchmaker  for  many  years  in  his  native  State. 
He  is  now  a  resident  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  engaged 
in  manufacturing  blacksmiths'  and  gasfitters'  tools. 
The  mother  of  our  subject,  Mrs.  Rosetta  (Smith) 
Chapin,  was  born  at  Patchogue,  L.  I.,  and  is  still 
living.  The  eight  children  of  the  household  con- 
sisted of  four  sons  and  four  daughters. 

Edward  B.  Chapin  was  the  third  son  in  the  family 
and  completed  his  education  in  the  High  Schools  at 
Ottawa  and  Ashley,  this  State.  Upon  becoming  of 
suitable  age  he  commenced  to  learn  watch-making 
under  the  instruction  of  his  father.  This,  however, 
was  not  entirely  congenial  to  his  tastes,  and  in  1872 
he  entered  upon  his  career  as  a  journalist,  by  be- 
coming a  correspondent  for  various  papers  through- 
out the  State.  Mr.  Chapin  is  the  founder  of  the 
Tolono  fferalrl,  which  he  established  in  1875,  and 
has  conducted  since  that  time.  It  is  a  six-column 


.t. 


fiOO 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


quarto  sheet,  issued  weekly,  MII<|  Republican  in  poli- 
tics. It  is  :ililv  edited,  and  its  business  depart- 
ment managed  skillfully  and  successfully.  Its  cir- 
culation is  steadily  increasing,  and  as  a  newspaper 
it  is  becoming  indispensable  to  the  people  of  this 
section. 

The  marriage  of  Edward  B.  Chapin  and  Miss 
Lucy  Pierce  was  celebrated  in  Tolono  on  the  7th 
of  October,  1 877.  Mrs.  C.  is  the  daughter  of  James 
and  Louise  (Smith)  Pierce,  who  became  residents 
of  Champaign  County  during  its  early  settlement. 
Mrs.  Chapin  was  born  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  but 
was  only  an  infant  when  her  parents  came  to  Illi- 
nois. The  household  includes  five  children — Ed- 
ward P.,  Arlo,  George,  Lucy  and  May. 

Mr.  Chapin  was  appointed  Postmaster  at  Tolono 
in  December,  1880.  and  held  the  office  until  Sep- 
tember, 1885.  Both  he  and  his  amiable  and  ac- 
complished wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  enjoy  the  society  of  the  cultured  peo- 
ple of  Tolouo.  Socially  both  are  members  of  the 
K.  and  L.  of  II.,  Mr.  C.  being  at  the  head  of  the 
order  in  this  place  for  several  years  after  its  organi- 
zation. He  was  also  one  of  the  organizers  and  is  a 
life  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  said  order,  and 
belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen. 


\fJSAAC  FIELDING,  of  the  firm  of  Smyser,  Pow- 
ers &  Fielding,  is,  with  his  partners,  successfully 
engaged  in  the  publication  of  the  Champaign 
Times,  the  only  Democratic  paper  in  this  county. 
He  is  a  native  of  Westport,  Conn.,  born  Feb.  16, 
1857,  and  the  son  of  William  and  Esther  (Nuttell) 
Fielding,  natives  of  England.  They  emigrated  to 
America  earl}'  in  life,  and  settled  in  Westport, 
Conn.,  where  William  Fielding  engaged  in  the 
manufucture  of  cotton  goods.  He  was  thus  oc- 
cupied until  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  then 
coming  to  Illinois,  located  in  Shelby  County  and 
engaged  in  farming.  After  three  years  he  sold  out 
and  removed  to  Sullivan,  Moultrie  County,  where 
his  death  took  place  in  1883. 

The  parental  household  included  six  children,  of 
whom  only  four  are  now  living,  namely,  Elizabeth 
A.,  Mrs.  William  Shaffer;  Mary  E.,  Mrs.  Danheiser; 


1 


Isaac  and  Alice.  The  stibject  of  this  biography 
served  an  apprenticeship  in  a  woolen  factory  in  the 
West,  at  which  lie  worked  until  1869,  and  then  took 
up  the  printer's  trade  in  Sullivan,  where  he  con- 
tinued for  ten  years  following.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  time  lie  became  associated  with  Messrs. 
Smyser  &  Powers,  and  they  have  operated  together 
successfully  since. 

Mr.  Fielding  was  married  in  Champaign,  in  1884, 
to  Miss  Alice  B.  Yates,  who  is  a  native  of  Cham- 
paign County,  and  the  daughter  of  A.  ,1.  Yates.  It 
is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  Mr.  Fielding  Is 
Democratic  in  politics.  He  and  his  accomplished 
wife  are  both  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
They  number  among  their  friends  and  associates 
the  best  citizens  of  Champaign. 


SJOSHUA  R.  MCCLELLAND.    The 

I  stead  of  this  esteemed  gentleman,  a  litho. 
graphic  view  of  which  appears  on  another 
page.  lies  on  the  road  leading  west  to  the 
village  of  Foosland,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  country 
estates  in  Brown  Township.  It  consists  of  480  broad 
acres,  with  a  fine  residence  in  the  midst  of  hand- 
some grounds,  shapely  and  substantial  barns  and 
stables,  and  all  the  appurtenances  of  a  modern 
country  home.  Of  this  property  the  subject  of  our 
sketch  took  possession  in  1874,  and  since  that  time 
has  devoted  his  energies  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
fields  and  the  beautifying  of  the  immediate  sur- 
roundings of  the  family.  One  of  'the  attractive 
features  of  the  farm  is  the  fine  stock,  including 
Norman  horses,  Short-horn  cattle  and  Poland-China 
hogs.  Mr.  McClelland  has  been  eminently  success- 
ful in  tilling  the  soil,  judicious  in  his  disbursement 
of  funds,  and  is  ranked  among  the  representative 
farmers  and  business  men  of  Champaign  County. 

Mr.  McClelland  comes  of  substantial  Pennsyl- 
vania stock,  his  parents,  James  and  Nancy  (Flanni- 
gan)  McClelland,  having  been  natives  of  the  Key. 
stone  State,  the  former  a  native  of  Allegheny 
County,  and  the  latter  of  Washington  County. 
After  uniting  their  fortunes  they  located  first  in  the 
former  county,  but  in  1839  removed  to  Guernsey 
County,  Ohio,  where  they  carried  on  farming  un- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


601 


til  the  death  of  the  father,  a  period  of  nearly  thirty 
years.  His  decease  occurred  Nov.  6,  1 868.  The 
mother,  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  continued 
on  the  homestead  in  Guernsey  County,  but  her 
death  occurred  in  Muskingum  County  Feb.  28, 
1887,  while  on  a  visit  to  her  son  residing  there. 
She  was  a  true  pioneer  wife  and  mother,  looking 
well  to  the  ways  of  her  household  and  the  training 
of  her  family,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  her.  Twelve  children 
gathered  around  the  home  hearth,  ten  living  to  be- 
come men  and  women. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  the  fifth  child  of  his 
parents,  was  born  in  Allegheny  County,  Pa.,  Nov. 
15,  1830.  He  was  nine  years  of  age  when  his  par- 
ents removed  to  the  Buckeye  State,  and  he  remained 
with  them  until  reaching  his  majority,  attending 
school  in  winter  and  being  employed  on  the  farm 
the  balance  of  the  year.  After  reaching  his  ma- 
jority he  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account  in 
Guernsey  and  Muskingum  Counties  until  the  spring 
of  1854.  That  year  he  removed  to  Licking  County, 
near  the  city  of  Newark,  continuing  there  until 
August,  1866.  In  the  meantime  he  had  come  into 
possession  of  a  wife  and  family,  and  soon  after  the 
date  mentioned,  accompanied  by  them,  started  for 
the  Prairie  State.  First  taking  up  his  abode  in  Shir- 
ley, McLean  County,  he  engaged  in  milling  there 
until  the  winter  of  1874,  becoming  then  a. resident 
of  Brown  Township,  where  he  has  since  remained. 

The  marriage  of  Joshua  R.  McClelland  and  Miss 
Eliza  J.  Foster  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  8, 
1854.  Mrs.  McC.  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Celia 
A.  (Ballou)  Foster,  the  latter  a  relative  of  the  late 
President  Garfield.  Her  father  was  born  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  the  mother  in  Ohio.  They,  too, 
emigrated  from  Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  to  Mc- 
Lean County,  111.,  settling  in  Shirley  in  1865,  where 
they  still  live.  When  a  lad  nine  years  of  age  Mr. 
Foster  walked  barefooted  from  Massachusetts  to 
Indiana,  and  this  circumstance,  perhaps,  indicates 
sufficiently  the  character  of  this  gentleman.  The 
Foster  family  included  five  children,  three  of  whom 
lived  to  adult  years,  Mrs.  McC.  being  next  to  the 
eldest.  She  was  born  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio, 
Feb.  4, 1836.  She  was  trained  to  habits  of  industry 


by  her  excellent  mother  and  became  mistress  of  the 
housewifely  arts  necessary  to  a  well  regulated  home. 
Four  children  now  call  her  mother,  namely,  Ella 
O..  Aurelia  F.,  Alice  G.  and  Carroll  L.  The  eldest, 
a  daughter,  Ella,  became  the  wife  of  George  A. 
Fisher,  in  May,  1882,  and  is  now  the  mother  of  two 
children — Lorin  V.  and  Robert  F. ;  they  live  near 
the  town  of  Fisher. 

The  fellow-townsmen  of  Mr.  McClelland  in  look- 
ing about  for  a  worthy  representative  of  their  in- 
terests elected  him  Commissioner  of  Highways  in 
1882,  and  have  always  assigned  to  him  a  promi- 
nent place  in  matters  relating  to  the  general 
welfare  of  the  community.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  Mr.  McC.  especially  taking  a  warm  interest 
in  leading  the  young  into  the  fold.  He  has  been 
President  of  the  Brown  Township  Sunday-School 
Association  since  its  organization.  Socially  he  be- 
longs to  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Gibson  Lodge  No. 
783,  at  Gibson,  and  Evergreen  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
at  Bloomington.  In  politics  Mr.  McClelland  is  a 
stanch  Republican. 


GEORGE  w.  M.  PARKER,  instructor  in 

Wood  Work,  and  Foreman  in  this  depart- 
ment in  the  University  of  Illinois,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Worcester,  Mass.  He  was  born  Aug.  19, 
1841,  and  is  the  son  of  Charles  A.  and  Sylvia  A. 
(Moore)  Parker,  who  were  natives  of  the  Bay 
State.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  employed  as 
a  furniture  manufacturer,  and  departed  this  life  in 
1854.  His  grandfather,  Ebenezer  W.,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Massachusetts,  was  of  English  ancestry. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  had  a  family  of  seven 
children,  five  now  living — -Lucy,  Mrs.  Howe;  Sa- 
rah A.,  Mrs.  Howe;  Emma  F.,  William  D.,  and 
George  W.  M.  of  our  sketch, 

The  subject  of  this  Jiistory  was  reared  in  the 
town  of  Princeton,  Mass.,  and  when  quite  young 
commenced  to  work  in  his  father's  furniture  house, 
remaining  at  home  until  fifteen  years  old.  He  then 
went  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  which  he 
served  four  years  in  Sterling,  Mass.  At  the  out- 


602 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


break  of  the  Civil  War,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  K,  .">;>il 
Mass.  Vol.  Inf.,  fur  a  term  of  nine  months.  At 
the  expiration  of  this  time  he  went  to  Chicago, 
where  he  remained  one  year,  and  then,  on  account 
of  ill-health,  took  a  trip  to  New-  Orleans,  and  for 
three  years  afterward  was  a  resident  of  the  Cres- 
cent City,  and  Alexandria.  La.,  engaged  in  con- 
tracting for  the  United  States  and  State  Govern- 
ment. 

In  18G8  Mr.  Parker  came  to  this  county,  and 
engaged  as  foreman  in  the  planmg-mill  of  Messrs. 
Cliaddon  &  Hesse,  which  position  he  occupied  for 
six  years.  He  then  leased  the  works  and  employed 
his  former  employers  for  three  years  following, 
when  the  mill  was  destroyed  by  tire.  For  a  short 
time  after  svard  he  was  engaged  as  contractor  and 
builder.  In  1882  he  was  appointed  to  take  charge 
of  the  University  Carpenter  Shops,  where  he  has 
since  remained. 

Prof.  Parker  was  married,  Dec.  Ifi,  18GG,  to 
Miss  Laura  1).  Hamilton,  a  native  of  Louisiana. 
Of  this  union  there  have  been  born  six  children — 
Henry  K.,  Nettie  F.,  Carrie  E.,  George  A..  Gallon 
W.  and  Walter  (i.  The  family  reside  in  Cham- 
paign. Politically  our  subject  is  a  warm  advocate 
of  Republican  principles. 


AMES  M.  MOORE.  The  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  biography  was  born  and 
reared  among  the  hills  of  Harrison  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  nineteen 
years  of  age.  He  then  started  for  the  farther  West, 
first  crossing  the  Mississippi  into  Iowa,  and  thence 
returning  to  this  State,  located  in  Champaign 
County  in  1875.  Not  long  afterward  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land,  to  the  improvement  of  which 
he  has  since  devoted  the  greater  portion  of  his 
time.  He  is  now  in  possession  of  a  good  home- 
stead in  Brown  Township,  with  excellent  frame 
buildings  and  pleasant  surroundings,  and  is  enjoy- 
ing all  the  comforts  of  life.  This,  by  all  who  know 
him,  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  just  reward  of  his 
industry  and  perseverance;  to  these  alone  is  he  in- 


debted  for  his  present  condition,  both  socially  and 
financially. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  James  M.,  Sr.,  and 
Ellen  (Black)  Moore,  were  natives  respectively  of 
Harrison  Count}',  Ohio,  and  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  After 
marriage,  they  located  in  the  Smoky  City,  where 
the  elder  Moore  followed  his  trade  as  a  tailor  and 
clothier,  and  where  he  remained  until  having  accu- 
mulated sufficient  capital  to  establish  in  business  for 
himself.  He  then  removed  with  his  family  to  Har- 
rison County,  Ohio,  locating  in  Hopedale,  where 
he  established  a  good  trade,  and  with  the  mother 
of  his  children  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Their  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, of  whom  our  subject  was  the  second  child. 
His  birth  took  place  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio, 
June  1C,  1837.  His  early  studies  were  conducted 
in  the  common  schools,  and  later  he  attended  Hope- 
dale  Normal  School,  after  which  he  worked  as  a 
tailor  in  the  shop  of  his  father.  His  mind,  how- 
ever, always  inclined  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and, 
as  we  have  stated,  when  nineteen  years  of  age  he 
started  out  on  the  search  for  a  suitable  location 
and  his  future  farm.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
he  was  induced  by  Moses  Hanley,  of  Ohio,  to  join 
him  in  the  livery  business,  and  when  starting 
for  the  West,  they  took  with  them  ten  buggies 
and  six  horses.  After  reaching  Des  Moines,  they 
sold  out  their  stock  and  abandoned  their  project. 
,  Mr.  Moore  remained  there  two  years  afterward, 
dealing  in  horses,  then  recrossing  the  Father  of 
Waters,  came  into  McLean  County,  this  State,  and 
for  two  years  following  dealt  in  horses  at  Le  Roy. . 
Afterward  he  rented  a  farm  in  that  locality,  upon 
which  he  operated  until  1875,  then  coming  to  this 
county  took  possession  of  the  land  which  constitutes 
his  present  farm. 

After  having  been  a  resident  of  McLean  County 
for  thirteen  years,  Mr.  Moore  met  and  married 
Mrs.  Frankie  Blakeman,  of  Le  Roy,  the  wedding 
taking  place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents, 
Sept.  9,  1866.  Mrs.  Moore  is  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Esther  (Fain)  Taylor,  and  was  first  mar- 
ried to  Gabriel  Blakeman,  who  died  in  Kentucky. 
Jan.  28,  1862.  The  only  child  born  of  that  mar- 
riage was  a  sou  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Moore 
is  a  native  of  Jessamine  County,  Ky.,  born  May  6, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


603 


1844.  Of  the  three  children  resulting  from  her 
union  with  our  subject,  one  only  is  living,  a  son, 
William  M.  Rebecca  A.  died  when  about  five 
years  of  age,  and  John  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Moore 
and  his  wife  are  members  and  regular  attendants 
of  the  United  Brethren  Church  at  Fisher,  and  our 
subject,  politically,  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party.  He  has  officiated  as  Road  Commissioner 
for  several  years,  and  was  Collector  in  Brown  Town- 
ship in  1882. 

The  lithographic  view  of  the  handsome  residence 
and  surroundings  are  sufficient  indication  of  the 
cultivated  tastes  and  the  enterprise  of  Mr.  Moore, 
whose  home  forms  one  of  the  pleasantest  spots  in 
this  section  of  country. 


I 


BURNS,  of  the  firm  of  Lamb  & 
Burns,  druggists  and  grocers  at  Tolono, 
came  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1872. 
He  first  established  a  jewelry  store  which  he 
conducted  for  seventeen  years,  and  at  the  end  of  this 
time  became  the  partner  of  Dr.  L.  K.  Lamb,  and 
in  connection  with  the  jewelry  business  added  a 
stock  of  drugs  and  groceries.  Both  partners  are 
possessed  of  good  business  capacities  and  are  build- 
ing up  a  fine  patronage. 

Mr.  Burns  was  born  in  Rushville,  Ind.,  Feb.  65 
1854.  He  is  the  son  of  Calvin  C.  and  Eliza  E. 
(Piunphrey)  Burns,  the  former  a  native  of  New 
York  and  the  latter  of  Indiana.  The  family  re- 
sided in  Johnson  County,  the  latter  State,  from 
1854  to  1869,  then  removed  to  this  State  and  lo- 
cated in  Homer,  where  the  father  established  a  jew- 
elry business,  which  he  conducted  for  a  period  of 
eight  years.  Thence  they  removed  to  Macon 
and  later  to  -Pana,  where  they  now  reside.  The 
household  included  eight  children,  five  now  living. 
Byron,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  eldest  of  the  family, 
and  was  but  an  infant  when  his  parents  removed 
from  the  Empire  State  to  Johnson  County,  Ind. 
He  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  received 
a  good  education  in  the  common  schools,  afterward 
learning  the  trade  of  a  jeweler  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  his  father,  and  which  he  followed  for  sev- 
eral years  afterward.  lie  came  with  the  family  to 


Illinois,  and  afterward  was  employed  at  his  trade 
in  various  towns  in  this  State  and  Indiana.  In 
1877  he  located  in  Sidney,  this  county,  whence  in 
the  spring  of  1880  he  removed  to  Tolono.  Here 
he  followed  his  trade  one  year,  then  purchased  a 
stock  of  jewelry  and  conducted  business  until  July, 
1886,  when  he  became  the  partner  of  Mr.  Lamb. 

Mr.  Burns  was  married  on  the  22d  of  February, 
1881,  to  Miss  Lulu,  daughter  of  George  W.  and 
Ella  Hartman.  Mrs.  B.  was  born  in  Sidney,  111., 
where  she  resided  until  after  her  marriage.  They 
have  one  daughter,  Mabel  E.,  born  March  8,  1884. 
Mrs.  Burns  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  a  lady  greatly  respected  for  her  kindness  of 
heart  and  social  qualities.  Our  subject  politically 
is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  has  frequently  been 
sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  county  and  district  con- 
ventions. Socially  he  is  a  Knight  Templar  and  a 
member  of  both  Subordinate  and  Encampment 
Lodges  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  in  Tolono.  He  has  made 
a  good  beginning,  both  as  a  citizen  and  business 
man,  and  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


GEORGE  G.  WEBBER,  a  well-known  and 

highly  respected  farmer  of  Urbana  Town- 
ship, first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of 
day  in  Shelby  County,  Ky.,  on  the  3d  of  Septem- 
ber, 1830.  He  is  the  son  of  William  T.  and  Nancy 
(Baskets)  Webber,  natives  of  Virginia,  born  east 
of  the  Blue  Ridge.  His  grandfather,  Rev.  Philip 
Webber,  was  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion, 
and  a  clergyman  of  the  Baptist  Church.  He  re- 
moved to  Kentucky  with  his  family  at  an  early 
day,  where  he  continued  his  labors  as  pastor  and 
preacher  until  the  close  of  his  life.  His  family 
consisted  of  six  children,  of  whom  William  T.  was 
the  fourth.  His  birth  took  place  Aug.  11,  1785, 
and  he  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Baskett,  Oct. 
30,  1806.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  until  1833.  He  became 
the  father  of  thirteen  children,  all  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  all  living  when  the  family  left  that  State, 
in  1833.  During  that  year  William  T.  Webber 
came  into  Champaign  County  and  purchased  640 


<>04 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


acres  of  land,  sume  of  it  school  laud,  and  the  bal- 
ance he  purchased  direct  from  the  Government, 
laying  $1.25  per  acre.  His  land  was  located  in 
I'rbana  Township,  and  he  had  but  just  commenced 
its  improvement  when  he  was  stricken  down  by  the 
hand  of  death,  on  the  9th  of  September,  1838. 
The  mother  survived  her  husband  over  twenty 
years,  departing  this  life  Sept.  14,  18110.  The  only 
children  now  living  are  John  W.,  William  H., 
George  G.  of  our  sketch,  Sarah,  Mrs.  Romine,  and 
Nancy,  Mrs.  Muuhall.  William  T.  Webber  was 
prominent  in  the  affairs  of  I'rbana  Township  after 
locating  here,  and  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  several  years.  During  the  War  of  1812  he  fur- 
nished a  substitute. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  reared  on  the 
farm,  and  remained  a  member  of  the  household 
until  twenty  years  of  age.  He  then  crossed  the 
Mississippi  into  Des  Moines  County,  Iowa,  and  the 
year  following  engaged  in  teaching  school.  Sub- 
sequently he  returned  to  this  county,  and  not  long 
afterward  purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  owns 
and  which  consists  of  160  acres  adjoining  the  city 
of  I'rbana.  He  has  brought  his  land  to  a  flue  state 
of  cultivation,  and  it  is  well  supplied  with  good 
grades  of  the  domestic  animals,  the  latest  improved 
machinery,  and  all  necessary  buildings.  Of  late 
years  he  has  given  considerable  attention  to  the 
breeding  of  fine  stock.  Besides  his  farm  property, 
he  owns  several  houses  and  lots  in  Urbaiia,  from 
which  he  derives  a  handsome  income.  He  has 
been  prominently  connected  with  local  affairs,  hold- 
ing the  office  of  Assessor  and  serving  as  a  member 
of  the  School  Board. 

The  marriage  of  George  G.  Webber  and  Miss 
Martha  McFarland,  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of 
the  bride's  parents,  June  4,  1852.  Mrs.  Webber  is 
a  native  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Martha  (Corey)  McFarland,  natives 
respective^  of  Scotland  and  Newport,  R.  I.  Mr. 
McFarland  came  to  Illinois  about  1838,  settling 
upon  a  farm  in  McLean  County,  and  following  ag- 
ricultural pursuits  until  within  a  few  years  of  his 
death.  lie  finally  retired  to  Atlanta,  Logan  Coun- 
ty, where  he  died  in  1808.  The  family  of  himself 
and  his  excellent  wife  included  eight  children,  of 
whom  six  are  now  living — Daniel,  Thomas,  Robert; 


t 


Martha,  Mrs.  Webber;  Sarah,  Mrs.  Crihfield,  and 
Cyrus,  living  in  Essex,  Iowa. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webber  have  six  children:  Flora 
M.  is  the  eldest;  Fannie,  Mrs.  Thorpe,  lives  with 
her  husband  in  Urbana,  and  has  one  son,  Charles; 
Laura  B.  is  at  home;  Frank  B.,  a  resident  of  lTr- 
bana,  married  Miss  Maggie  McConuell,  and  they 
have  two  children — Benjamin  and  Annie;  Harry 
E.,  who  resides  in  Lima,  Ohio,  married  Miss  Nellie 
Boysel,  and  they  have  one  child,  Fay;  Frederick 
is  the  youngest  and  is  at  home. 

Our  subject  is  Democratic  in  politics,  a  member 
in  good  standing  of  the  A.  F.  <fe  A.  M.,  and  with 
his  wife  coincides  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  Church.  He  is  a  strict  temperance  man, 
interested  in  the  prohibition  movement,  and  as  a 
financier  and  citizen,  ranks  among  the  foremost  in 
one  of  the  best  counties  in  the  State. 


^ILLIAM  L.  BRADEN,  who  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Ludlow  Township  in  1866,  and 
has  firmly  established  himself  in  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  is  a  native 
of  Decatur  County,  Ind.,  and  was  born  March  1, 
1844.  He  is  the  son  of  John  H.  Braden,  whose 
parents  emigrated  from  the  North  of  Ireland  in 
about  1790,  soon  after  their  marriage.  Their 
(then)  only  child  died  while  on  the  voyage,  and 
its  body  was  preserved  to  be  buried  on  land.  The 
last  dollar  which  the  parents  possessed  was  required 
to  pay  the  funeral  expenses,  leaving  them  penniless 
in  a  strange  country.  They  made  their  way"  to 
Greensburg,  Pa.,  where  the  father  succeeded  in 
obtaining  employment  and  prospered,  while  a  con- 
siderable family  grew  up  around  them.  When 
Kentucky  was  being  colonized  they  pushed  on  and 
settled  among  the  pioneers  in  the  new  State. 

Observing  the  many  evils  attendant  upon  the 
system  of  slavery  as  practiced  there,  they  resolved 
to  leave  that  locality,  and  accordingly  removed  to 
Indiana  in  1820,  six  months  after  the  birth  of  their 
eleventh  and  youngest  child,  John  H.  They  lo- 
cated in  what  is  now  Greensburg.  After  the  death 
of  her  husband,  William  Braden,  in  1825,  the 
mother  lived  happily  with  her  children  until  her 
death,  which  took  place  in  I860,  at  the  age  of 


f 


t. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


605 


ninety-six  years.  John  II.  Braden,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  made  his  home  with  his  brother-in-law, 
Luther  A.  Donnell,  until  marriage.  This  event  took 
place  .Sept.  3, 1840,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Eliza  Reeder,  of  Rush  County,  Ind.  She  was  the 
youngest  child  of  her  parents,  who  were  of  Welsh 
and  German  descent.  Her  grandfather,  who  emi- 
grated from  Wales,  was  murdered  by  the  Indians 
about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  on 
what  is  now  the  site  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Shortly  after  their  marriage  Mr.  Braden  and  his 
young  wife  set  up  housekeeping  in  a  log  cabin  in 
the  midst  of  a  tract  of  timber  land,  eighty  acres  of 
which  he  had  purchased,  and  upon  which  no  im- 
provements whatever  had  been  made.  Their  first 
dwelling  was  constructed  by  his  own  hands.  Soon 
afterward  he  began  to  clear  and  cultivate  his  land, 
and  in  due  time  the  country  around  him  slowly 
settled  up.  When  the  government  of  the  township 
came  under  discussion  Mr.  B.  distinguished  himself 
as  a  stanch  Whig  and  a  radical  temperance  advo- 
cate. Their  oldest  child,  Margaret  J.,  now  resides 
near  Gilman,  111.,  and  is  the  wife  of  Simeon  Collier, 
who  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army  during 
the  late  war.  John  H.  Braden  served  in  the  late 
war  as  a  volunteer.  He  was  chosen  First  Lieuten- 
ant of  the  company  to  which  he  belonged,  the  76th 
Indiana  Infantry. 

Our  subject  was  the  eldest  son  of  his  parents, 
and  in  his  boyhood  and  youth  was  made  fully 
acquainted  with  the  experiences  of  life  in  a  new 
country.  In  1852  his  father  traded  the  farm,  which 
now  consisted  of  209  acres  of  improved  land,  for  a 
more  valuable  homestead  in  the  same  vicinity.  In 
1853  he  exchanged  this  for  a  stock  of  general  mer- 
chandise and  a  fine  residence  in  the  village  of  Mil- 
ford,  Ind.  Here  his  son  enjoyed  better  facilities 
for  schooling,  and  at  thirteen  years  of  age  became 
serviceable  in  his  father's  store.  During  the  war, 
when  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  on  account  of  slender 
growth  he  was  considered  unfit  for  military  duty 
and  rejected.  In  March,  1864,  when  twenty  years 
of  age,  he  was  stricken  down  with  spotted  fever, 
which  left  him  with  a  shattered  nervous  system, 
from  which  misfortune  he  has  never  fully  recovered. 
In  the  fall  of  that  year  his  parents,  with  their  family 
of  six  boys  and  two  girls,  removed  to  State  Line 


City,  between  Indiana  and  Illinois,  six  miles  east  of 
Danville.  They  remained  there,  however,  but  a  few 
months,  coming  thence  to  this  county. 

Notwithstanding  his  constant  ill-health,  unwill- 
ing to  be  idle,  our  subject  opened  a  general  store 
in  the  village  of  what  was  then  Pera,  but  is  now 
Ludlow,  in  partnership  with  Daniel  Allhand.  The 
latter-named  gentleman,  after  disposing  of  his  inter- 
ests to  R.  J.  Braden,  the  brother  of  our  subject, 
died  about  1872.  Our  subject,  by  his  straightfor- 
ward method  of  doing  business  and  promptness  in 
meeting  his  obligations,  in  time  built  up  a  good 
trade  and  made  many  friends.  In  1867  he  was 
elected  Clerk  of  Ludlow  Township  and  re-elected  in 
1868  and  1869,  and  in  1870  was  chosen  Township 
Collector.  The  duties  of  these  positions  he  fulfilled 
with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  all  con- 
cerned. He  served  as  School  Treasurer  for  a  period 
of  eleven  years,  holding  it  until  his  business  affairs, 
in  1880,  induced  him  to  resign.  He  is  at  present 
engaged  in  the  grain  trade  with  William  C.  Holmes. 
The  father  of  our  subject  now  resides  in  Mil- 
ford,  111.,  and  in  company  with  his  two  sons,  Richard 
F.  and  John  H.,  Jr.,  is  conducting  a  large  dry  -goods 
store  at  Watseka,  Iroquois  County,  where  they  enjoy 
an  extensive  patronage. 

William  L.  Braden,  on  account  of  his  sad  afflic- 
tion, has  never  fully  developed  the  social  side  of 
his  nature,  but  so  far  as  he  is  able  is  an  earnest 
worker  in  the  temperance  and  other  good  causes,  and 
is  the  encourager  of  all  enterprises  tending  to  the 
moral  and  intellectual  welfare  of  his  community. 
He  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church, 
in  which  he  has  filled  the  office  of  Clerk  for  fourteen 
years.  He  supports  the  principles  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  but  takes  no  active  part  in  politics, 
preferring  his  business  to  ai^  political  emoluments. 


ffi  OHN  LEONARD.  The  subject  of  the  fol- 
lowing sketch  is  a  forcible  illustration  of  the 
self-made  man,  who  began  life  at  the  foot  of 
the  ladder,  and  by  his  own  earnest  efforts 
has  climbed  up  to  a  good  position,  socially  and 
financially,  among  his  fellow-men.  He  is  one  of  the 
most  substantial  farmers  of  Condit  Township,  and 


1     • 

f 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  owner  of  720  broad  acres  which  he  has  re- 
deemed from  wild  prairie,  and  transformed  into  a 
valuable  country  estate.  He  took  possession  of  a 
part  of  this  in  1870,  since  which  time  he  has  added 
to  his  first  purchase  as  time  passed  on  and  his 
means  accumulated.  He  has  a  handsome  and  sub- 
stantial dwelling,  as  will  be  noted  by  a  glance  at 
the  lithographic  view  presented  on  another  page  in 
this  work,  and  which  is  surrounded  by  fruit,  shade 
and  ornamental  trees,  besides  a  good  barn  and  all 
other  needful  buildings.  He  has  been  successfully 
engaged  in  the  raising  of  grain  and  stock,  and  has 
carried  on  his  operations  in  that  systematic  and  . 
intelligent  manner  which  is  the  sure  guarantee  of 
prosperity. 

Mr.  Leonard  was  born  in  County  Carlow,  Ire- 
land, in  1834,  and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Cecelia 
(Cockram)  Leonard,  natives  respectively  of  Car- 
low  and  Wexford.  James  Leonard  was  a  tenant 
farmer  and  operated  on  leased  land  all  his  life. 
Our  subject  assisted  him  in  his  labors  until  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  then,  not  being  satisfied  with  his 
condition  and  prospects  in  his  native  country,  he 
emigrated  to  the  United  States,  stopping  first  at 
Northfleld,  Vt.,  where  he  landed  with  about  $20  in 
his  pocket.  He  had  a  good  stock  of  resolution, 
however,  and  his  strong  hands  to  work  with.  With 
this  capital  he  occupied  himself  as  hostler  and 
porter  in  a  hotel  for  four  years  and  then  decided  j 
to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  West.  Going  to  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  he  secured  a  position  as  watchman  in  the 
Tremont  House,  where  he  remained  one  year,  then 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
as  a  track  layer.  He  was  afterward  promoted  sec- 
tion boss  at  Patoka,  Marion  County,  and  at  the  ex- 
piration of  four  years,  having  saved  what  he  could 
of  his  earnings,  found  himself  with  sufficient  means 
to  start  in  business  for  himself.  He  purchased  forty 
acres  of  wild  land  in  Menard  County,  which  he 
cultivated  two  years,  then  sold,  and  purchased  120 
acres  in  Logan  County,  to  which  he  afterward 
added  forty  acres,  and  occupied  until  1870.  He  then 
came  to  this  county  and  took  possession  of  the  prai- 
rie land  which  he  has  since  lived  upon  and  which  is 
now  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  section. 

Mr.  Leonard  was  married  in  i  857,  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth   Kissner,    a    native    of    Ross    Count}',    Ohio, 


whose  birth  occurred  Sept.  1(5,  lH4o.  The  parents 
of  Mrs.  L.  were  George  and  Nancy  H.  Kissner,  the 
former  of  whom  died  when  his  daughter  was  a 
young  child.  The  mother  was  afterward  married 
to  Samuel  Phelps,  and  in  1850  they  came  to  this 
State  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Moultrie  County. 
They  afterward  removed  to  Marion  County,  where 
the  death  of  the  mother  occurred  in  about  l.ssd. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
nine  children — James,  Celia,  Edward,  Annie,  Jo- 
hanna, Thomas,  John,  Mary  and  Charles.  The  eld- 
est of  these  are  mostly  residents  of  the  Prairie 
State,  and  the  youngest  remain  at  home  with  their 
parents. 


A.  HALEY,  M.  D.,  of  Champaign,  founder 
of  the  Medical  Institute  for  the  treatment 
of  acute  and  chronic  diseases,  is  one  of  the 
most  skillful  practitioners  in  the  medical 
fraternity  of  this  section.  He  is  a  native  of  Hamp- 
den,  Mass.,  and  was  born  on  the  10th  of  April, 
1830.  His  parents  were  Tucker  and  Hannah  (Wat- 
son) Haley,  natives  of  Rhode  Island,  where  they 
engaged  in  the  dairy  business  in  the  earlier  years 
of  their  wedded  life.  They  afterward  removed  to 
Illinois,  and  located  in  Somer  Township,  this  county, 
where  the  mother  died  in  1863,  and  the  father  in 
1864.  The  record  of  their  three  children  is  as  fol- 
lows: Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Waters,  is  a  resident  of 
Stanton  Township,  this  county ;  Jennie  A.  and  our 
subject  were  twins;  the  former  is  now  Mrs.  Waters, 
and  lives  in  New  York  City. 

H.  A.  Haley,  of  our  sketch,  spent  his  childhood 
and  youth  on  the  farm,  and  when  fifteen  3Tears  old 
commenced  attending  the  Westfield  University  in 
his  native  county.  After  two  terms  he  took  up  the 
study  of  medicine  under  the  instruction  of  Dr.  J. 
B.  Gifford,  with  whom  he  remained  three  years,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Bland- 
ford,  Hampden  Co.,  Mass.  In  1857  he  emigrated 
west  to  this  State,  and  on  account  of  failing  health 
abandoned  professional  life  for  a  season  and  pur- 
chased a  large  farm,  which  he  operated  successfully 
for  ten  years  with  excellent  results,  both  pli3rsically 
and  financially.  Then,  deciding  to  resume  his 
practice,  and  for  the  purpose  of  fitting  himself  more 


e  i 

t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


thoroughly  for  the  work  before  him,  lie  attended  a 
course  of  lectures  at  the  Hahnemann  College,  Chi- 
cago, and  the  Chicago  Homeopathic  College,  from 
the  latter  of  which  he  graduated  in  1 882.  The 
following  year  he  came  to  this  county  and  opened 
the  institute  which  he  has  conducted  creditably  and 
successfully  since  that  time.  In  connection  with 
the  Institute  are  all  conveniences  for  giving  Electro- 
Thermal,  Russian,  Turkish.  Ocean  Brine,  Sulpher, 
Medicated  and  Shower  baths,  also  Compound  Oxy- 
gen and  Rarified  and  Condensed  Air  treatment. 

Dr.  Haley  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Annette  G.  Fenn,  of  Otis,  Mass.,  in  1853.  Mrs. 
H.  is  the  daughter  of  Isaac  S.  and  Annie  Fenn,  both 
natives  of  Connecticut.  Of  this  union  there  is  one 
child,  a  son,  Arthur  F.  The  handsome  residence 
of  the  family  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Park  and 
Church  streets,  Champaign,  where  the  Doctor  and 
his  wife  enjoy  the  society  of  the  most  refined 
people  of  the  city.  He  is  Republican  in  politics 
and  belongs  to  the  Chicago  Homeopathic  Medical 
Association.  Dr.  H.  enjoys  an  extensive  practice, 
has  shown  himself  skillful  as  a  physician,  and  as  a 
citizen  is  generally  respected.  His  industry  and 
energy  are  proverbial  and  have  been  full}'  illustrated 
in  the  improvement  of  one  of  the  largest  and  finest 
farms  in  the  county,  which  he  still  owns  and  the 
proceeds  of  which  yield  a  handsome  income. 


ORRIS  JONES.  Upon  section  29,  in  Con- 
dit  Township,  resides  the  subject  of  the 
following  biography,  who  is  one  of  the 
representative  agriculturists  of  Champaign 
County  and  favorably  known  throughout  this  sec- 
tion. He  was  born  and  reared  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Atlantic  in  Carnarvon  County,  Wales,  his 
birth  occurring  Dec.  29,  1828.  His  parents,  John 
and  Alice  (Evans)  Jones,  were  natives  of  the  same 
country  as  their  son,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives  and  where  their  remains  were  laid  to  rest. 
John  Jones  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  our 
subject  was  bred  to  agricultural  pursuits  until  six- 
teen years  of  age.  He  then  commenced  working 
in  the  slate  mines  of  his  native  county,  where  he 
continued  for  five  years  and  until  1851.  On  the 


2d  of  April,  that  year,  he  set  sail  for  the  United 
States,  and  after  a  safe  voyage  landed  in  New  York 
City  on  the  17th  of  May  following.  From  there  he 
proceeded  to  Fair  Haven,  VI,.,  where  he  arrived 
with  but  a  few  pennies  in  his  pocket. 

Mr.  Jones  had  been  reared  to  habits  of  industry, 
however,  and  soon  procured  employment  in  a  slate 
quarry  there,  remaining  for  a  period  of  nearly  four 
years.  Thence  he  went  to  Granville,  Washington 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was  similarly  employed  for  two 
and  a  half  or  three  years,  after  which  he  started  for 
the  West.  Going  up  into  Wisconsin  he  engaged 
in  the  lead  mines  at  Hazel  Green  five  months,  and 
thence  came  to  this  State  and  opened  a  stone  quarry 
at  Big  Rock  in  Kane  County.  This,  however,  he 
soon  afterward  sold,  and  with  the  desire  to  see  once 
more  the  faces  of  his  parents  and  his  old  associates, 
embarked  on  a  voyage  to  his  native  Wales.  His 
father  in  the  meantime  had  died,  and  our  subject 
for  nine  years  afterward  remained  with  his  mother 
on  the  homestead  looking  after  the  property  and 
conducting  the  farming  operations.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  been  married,  in  1860,  on  the  7th  of 
April,  to  Miss  Margaret  Williams,  a  native  of  his 
own  county,  and  the  daughter  of  David  and  Phebe 
(Jones)  Williams,  also  natives  of  Wales,  where  they 
spent  their  entire  lives. 

To  our  subject  and  his  wife  there  were  born  eight 
children,  namely,  John,  William,  Phebe,  Morris, 
Daniel,  Phebe  (2d),  Alice  and  Maggie.  Of  these 
only  John,  William,  Morris  and  Phebe  are  living, 
four  being  deceased.  The  two  elder  sons  were 
born  in  Wales.  After  nine  years  spent  there  our 
subject  returned  to  America  with  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, and  coming  to  this  county,  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  East  Bend  Township,  at  $9  per 
acre.  It  was  wholly  without  improvements,  and  his 
first  business  was  to  put  up  a  habitation  for  his 
family.  This  he  soon  effected  and  the  following 
spring  planted  his  first  corn.  He  continued  the 
cultivation  of  his  land  intelligently  and  successfully, 
and  added  to  his  estate,  as  time  passed  on,  by  the 
purchase  of  a  quarter  section  half  a  mile  from  the 
main  farm.  This  he  afterward  took  possession  of 
and  built  upon  it  a  good  residence  and  added  other 
improvements,  occupying  it  until  1883.  He  then 
sold  out  and  removed  to  Condit  Township,  pur- 


h  ,   608 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


chasing  his  present  farm.  This  comprises  254  acres 
in  a  fine  state  of  cultivation  with  grain  producing 
fields  and  handsome  stretches  of  pasture.  It  is  en- 
closed with  good  fencing,  and  with  its  excellent 
buildings  forms  one  of  the  pleasantest  homesteads 
in  the  township. 

Mr.  Jones  has  been  remarkably  fortunate  in  his 
choice  of  a  life  companion.  The  lady  who  bears 
his  name  has  assisted  him  in  his  undertakings  and 
is  honored  as  a  wife  and  mother  as  well  as  a  neigh- 
bor and  friend.  Their  blooming  family  of  chil- 
dren have  been  well  reared  and  educated  and  will 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  their  parents  as  worthy 
representatives  of  an  intelligent  and  prosperous 
community. 

It  is  gratifying  to  be  able  to  present  a  view  of 
the  home  and  surroundings  of  this  estimable 
gentleman  who  has  so  materially  assisted  in  de- 
veloping the  soil  of  Central  Illinois.  Another  page 
illustrates  the  style  of  the  buildings,  which  in  their 
substantial  character  closely  resemble  the  personal 
traits  of  the  proprietor. 


ENRY  M.  TYLER,  a  farmer  and  stock- 
grower,  living  on  section  6,  Sidney  Town- 
ship, is  the  son  of  Nathan  VV.  and  Lucy  S. 
(Dean)  Tyler,  born  in  Geauga  County, 
Ohio.  Oct.  27,  1844.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
New  York  and  his  mother  of  Vermont.  In  1852 
they  removed  from  Ohio  to  Michigan,  and  re- 
mained there  until  1856,  when  they  again  changed 
their  place  of  residence  to  Kdgar  County,  111. 
They  remained  there  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Tyler, 
which .  occurred  Feb.  6,  1870.  Mrs.  Tyler  then 
moved  with  her  family  to  Sidney  Township,  where 
she  died  in  1887.  Mr.  Tyler  had  spent  most  of 
his  life  as  a  successful  teacher.  His  family  con- 
sisted of  five  children,  of  whom  but  one  survives — 
Henry  M.  Mary  A.  died  aged  fourteen  years, 
and  William  when  two  years  old;  the  others  died 
in  infancy. 

On  the  16th  of  February,  1872,  our  subject  was 
married  to  Miss  Morgan,  daughter  of  Elmos  Mor- 
gan, born  March  4,  1856.  There  were  five  chil- 
dren in  her  father's  family.  The  names  of  her 


Ijrotliers  and  sisters  are,  Martha,  William,  Cather- 
ine and  Wilson.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  have  become 
the  parents  of  three  children :  Elsie  is  deceased ; 
the  others  are  Ida  E.  and  William. 

Mr.  Tyler  owns  forty-two  acres  of  highly  im- 
proved land  with  excellent  buildings.  Himself 
and  wife  are  both  highly  respected  members  of  the 
Christian  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  good  Repub- 
lican. 


ENOS  JAMES,  of  New.comb  Township,  has 
been  a  resident  of  Champaign  County  since 
the  spring  of  1877.  He  has  a  fine  farm  of 
320  acres  on  section  19,  and  in  his  agricultural 
operations  has  been  uniformly  successful.  His  land 
is  all  improved,  supplied  with  a  first-class  set  of 
buildings,  and  on  all  sides  indicates  the  supervision 
of  the  thrifty  and  prosperous  farmer.  Our  subject 
is  a  native  of  Morgan  County.  Ohio,  and  was  born 
Feb.  24,  1821.  He  is  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Mary 
(Stover)  James,  the  former  of  English  and  the 
latter  of  German  ancestry.  After  marriage  the  par- 
ents first  settled  in  Morgan  County,  whence  they 
removed  to  Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  where  both 
died,  the  mother  in  about  1828,  and  the  father  in 
March,  1874. 

Enos  James  was  the  second  of  a  family  of  five 
children.  He  remained  a  resident  of  the  Buckeye 
State  until  the  spring  of  1852,  when  lie  emigrated 
to  Iowa,  and  for  seventeen  years  following  was  a 
resident  of  Lucas  County.  At  the  expiration  of 
this  time  he  returned  to  Ohio,  where  he  lived  until 
the  spring  of  1877,  and  then  came  to  this  county. 
For  the  last  nine  years  he  has  industriously  ap- 
plied himself  to  increasing  the  value  and  beauty  of 
his  property,  and  by  his  business  talent  and  fore- 
thought has  secured  a  good  position  among  his  fel- 
low-citizens. 

Mr.  James  was  married  in  Iowa,  in  April,  1855, 
to  Miss  Sarah  F.  Bundy,  and  of  this  union  there 
were  born  five  children,  of  whom  only  two  survive 
. — Isaac  and  Charles.  Those  deceased  are  Amanda, 
Lilly  and  Maggie.  Mrs.  Sarah  James  departed  this 
life  in  Iowa,  Jan.  30,  1867.  The  second  marriage 
of  our  subject  took  place  Oct.  7,  1869,  in  Muskin- 
County, Ohio.  His  present  wife  was  formerly 


i   r 

V 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Miss  Lucy  J.  Batiglmian,  ;i  native  of  the  above 
mentioned  county,  and  born  May  21,  1841.  Their 
nine  children  were  Moses  B.  J.,  Lucy  C.,  an  in- 
fant who  died  unnamed,  John  W.,  Mary  E.,  Bes- 
sie E.,  Anna  R.,  George  E.  G.  and  Clara  I.  John 
W.  died  when  nine  months  old.  Maggie  died  in 
Iowa  when  an  infant.  Amanda  died  in  Muskingum 
County,  Ohio,  when  about  nine  years  of  age.  Lilly 
also  died  in  that  county,  Nov.  27,  1886,  when 
twenty-three  years  old.  She  was  the  wife  of 
Augustus  Cherry.  Our  subject  is  Republican  in 
politics,  and  has  been  School  Director  in  his  town- 
ship. Mrs.  James  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church. 


RANCIS  M.  WRIGHT,  attorney  at  law  at 
I'rbana,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  city 
since  December,  1868,  and  during  the 
period  of  twenty  years  has  built  up  for  himself  a 
fine  practice,  and  become  intimately  identified  with 
the  business  and  social  interests  of  this  section. 
He  is  a  native  of  Adams  County,  Ohio,  born  Aug. 
5,  1844.  His  parents  were  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Copple)  Wright,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
grandfather,  Stephen  Wright,  a  native  of  Scotland, 
emigrated  to  the  United  States,  settling  first  in 
Maryland,  and  thence  removed  to  Ohio  with  his 
family  in  the  pioneer  days.  He  set  up  a  black- 
smith-shop, and  rendered  good  service  in  his  line 
to  the  people  of  his  community  the  remainder  of 
his  days.  Of  his  three  sons  none  are  now  living. 
James,  the  father  of  our  subject,  during  the, 
earlier  years  of  his  life,  engaged  in  blacksmithing, 
but  later  abandoned  the  shop  in  town  for  the  farm, 
although  he  afterward  established  a  shop  there,  in 
which  lie  carried  on  the  repairing  necessary  in  con- 
nection with  farm  machinery.  He  made  his  home 
in  Liberty  Township  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred Dec.  31,  1854.  He  was  a  stern  opponent 
of  the  manufacture  of  ardent  spirits.  Both  parents 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
in  which  James  Wright  was  Class-Leader  and 
Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school  for  many 
years  before  his  death.  The  mother  was  well  cal- 
culated to  be  the  companion  and  helpmeet  of  her 
husband,  being  earnest  in  religion  and  temperance, 


and  performing  the  part  of  a  most  amiable  and 
affectionate  wife  and  mother.  Her  death  took 
place  at  Bentonville,  Ohio,  March  23,  1887;  she 
was  seventy-eight  years  of  age.  The  parental 
household  included  six  children,  only  three  of  whom 
are  now  living:  John  C.  is  engaged  in  farming  in 
Adams  County,  Ohio;  Francis  M.,  of  our  sketch, 
is  the  next  eldest;  Nathan  P.  is  blacksmithing  in 
Bentonville,  Ohio. 

The  first  recollections  of  Francis  M.  Wright 
were  of  the  time  when  he  pursued  his  studies  in  the 
Brier  Ridge  log  school-house,  when  a  little  lad  of 
six  years.  The  temple  of  learning  was  widely  dif- 
ferent from  the  school  edifices  of  the  present  day, 
and  the  system  of  teaching  likewise.  He  pursued 
his  studies  there  under  the  instruction  of  a  male 
teacher  until  1859,  and  until  large  enough  to  be  of 
service  on  the  farm,  after  which  he  could  only  be 
spared  during  the  winter  season.  In  1860  he  en- 
tered the  Ohio  Valley  Academy  at  Decatur,  Brown 
County,  where  he  pursued  a  thorough  course  of 
study  for  several  months,  and  became  fitted  for  a 
teacher,  which  profession  he  followed  in  that  vicin- 
ity until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war.  He  was 
then  only  seventeen  years  of  age,  but  enlisted  as  a 
Union  soldier  in  Co.  I,  39th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  enter- 
ing as  a  private  and  being  promoted,  first  a  Cor- 
poral and  afterward  First  Sergeant,  and  Second 
Lieutenant  of  Company  C,  under  which  last  com- 
mission he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  being 
mustered  out  in  July,  1865.  During  his  army  ex- 
perience he  was  present  at  the  battles  of  New  Mad- 
rid, Island  No.  10,  Farmington,  Corinth  and  luka, 
Miss.,  besides  various  other  engagements,  includ- 
ing the  siege  and  capture  of  Atlanta,  and  marched 
with  Sherman  and  his  army  to  the  sea.  During 
this  time  he  never  lost  a  ration,  a  march  or  a  bat- 
tle, only  receiving  a  flesh  wound  on  the  22d  of 
July,  at  Atlanta.  After  the  war  he  returned  to 
Ohio,  engaged  in  reading  law  with  Col,  London,  of 
Georgetown,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  April, 
1867,  at  Cincinnati.  He  afterward  attended  the 
Law  School  in  that  city,  from  which  he  received 
the  degree  of  B.  L.  L.  He  commenced  practice  in 
Brown  County,  Ohio,  where  he  continued  until 
December,  1868,  then  came  to  Urbana  and  has 
built  up  in  this  place  a  profitable  patronage.  He 


T 


4 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


was  elected  City  Attorney  in  1870,  the  duties  of 
which  position  he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and 
satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

The  marriage  of  Francis  M.  Wright  and  Miss 
Elizabeth  West,  of  Deeatur,  Ohio,  was  celebrated 
in  July,  1868.  Of  this  union  there  have  been  born 
four  children — Royal,  Marion,  Edith  and  Lora. 
The  residence  of  our  subject  and  his  attractive  lit- 
tle family  is  pleasantly  located  at  No.  44  Green 
street,  and  indicative  of  refined  and  cultivated 
tastes.  Mr.  Wright  is  Republicali  in  politics,  and 
socially  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the 
G.  A.  R. 

-><?<£—  - 


t 


ILLIAM  L.  SMITH  is  the  owner  of  eighty 
acres  of  valuable  land  located  on  section 
25,  Sidney  Township,  where  he  carries  on 
an  extensive  farming  and  stock-raising  business. 
He  has  brought  his  land  to  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, and  his  residence  and  the  grounds  surround- 
ing it  are  tasteful  and  elegant.  His  farm  build- 
ings are  commodious  and  kept  in  excellent  order. 
Like  many  others  among  the  best  residents  of  the 
county,  he  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  where  he  was  born 
Aug.  3,  1841.  He  is  the  son  of  Milam  L.  and  Ma- 
hala  (Armstrong)  Smith,  natives  respectively  of 
Old  Virginia  and  Ohio.  There  were  seven  chil- 
dren in  his  parents'  family.  The  record  of  the 
others  is  as  follows:  John  M.  married  Sophronia 
Bloomer,  and  is  living  in  Ohio;  Sarah  J.,  the  wife 
of  Ely  Gordon,  is  living  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio; 
Joseph  H.  married  Carrie  McLinn;  Able  A.  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Caleb ;  Harriet  is  the  wife  of  James 
B.Conner; all  these  are  living  in  Ohio;  Mary  is  de- 
ceased. His  mother  died  at  the  old  homestead  in 
Ohio,  in  July,  1885,  where  his  father  is  still  living. 
Since  his  son  William  made  his  residence  here  his 
father  has  several  times  visited  Illinois. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  1871,  Mr.  Smith  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  C.  Fancher,  the  daughter 
of  Hiram  and  Martha  (Dickson)  Fancher.  Her 
mother  is  still  living  at  the  old  homestead  in  this 
township,  where  her  father  died  in  1868.  Their 
native  State  was  Indiana,  and  Mrs.  Smith  was  born 
in  Boone  County,  in  that  State,  June  3,  1850. 
There  were  two  other  children  in  their  family; 


William  F.,  who  married  /ilia  Cash,  and  is  living 
in  Sidney  Township,  and  Nancy  J.,  the  wife  of 
Granville  Thompson,  a  resident  of  Clarke  County, 
Kan. 

Mr.  Smith  and  his  wife  have  an  interesting  family 
of  six  children:  Carrie  E.,  born'Sept.  27,1873; 
Mertie,  April  10,  1876;  Hiram  O.,  June  21,  1879; 
Milam  O.,  June  21,  1879;  Dasie  E.,  Oct.  6,  1880; 
William  E.,  Dec.  18,  1885.  Of  these  the  eldest 
was  born  in  Ohio,  the  others  in  Illinois. 

Mr.  Smith  enlisted  in  the  168th  Ohio  National 
Guards,  and  did  some  gallant  fighting  in  the  Civil 
War.  He  served  eight  months,  and  participated 
in  the  engagements  against  Gen.  Morgan.  His 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 


ENRY  W.  HUNSLEY,  proprietor  of  the  Prai- 
rie Farm,  which  is  well  known  as  one  of  the 
handsomest  bodies  of  land  in  Condit  Town- 
ship,  was  born  on  the  other  side  of  the  At- 
lantic, in  England,  Aug.  30,  1852.  His  father, 
Henrv  Hunsley,  was  also  born  in  that  country,  and 
lived  there  until  1853,  when  he  emigrated  with  his 
family  to  the  United  States.  His  household  in- 
cluded his  wife  and  eight  children.  They  landed 
first  at  Quebec  and  proceeded  from  there  to  Oxford 
County,  Province  of  Ontario,  where  they  settled 
at  an  early  period  in  its  history.  The  father  lo- 
cated in  a  timber  tract  from  which  he  cleared  a 
good  farm,  and  there  his  death  occurred  in  Octo- 
ber, 1862.  The  mother,  who  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Frances  Burton,  still  resides  on  the  old 
homestead.  One  child  was  added  to  the  house- 
hold after  their  arrival  in  America,  and  the  names 
of  the  nine  are  as  follows:  Charles;  Sarah,  now  Mrs. 
Butler;  Martha  Boyer,  Mary  A.  McConnell,  Eliza- 
beth Sitts,  Emma  Smart,  George,  Henry,  of  our 
sketch,  and  Joseph.  All  are  living  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Martha  and  Elizabeth,  and  are  residents  of 
Oxford  County. 

Our  subject  was  but  an  infant  when  his  parents 
set  out  on  their  ocean  voyage  to  the  New  World. 
He  remained  in  the  Province  of  Ontario  during  his 
childhood  and  youth,  attending  the  pioneer  schools. 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


611 


and  when  large  enough  assisted  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  farm.  He  remained  on  the  homestead  until 
after  his  marriage,  which  occurred  Jan.  15,  1880, 
and  the  following  year  he  came  to  Illinois  and  lo- 
cated in  this  county.  He  first  lived  on  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Hensley  Township,  upon  which 
he  labored  one  year,  then  traded  it  for  his  pres- 
ent farm.  This  included  160  acres  under  a  good 
state  of  cultivation,  and  supplied  with  excellent 
frame  buildings. 

Mr.  Hunsley  was  married  in  Allegau,  Mich.,  to 
M  iss  Emma,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  A.  Lit- 
tle. She  was  born  in  Dereham,  Canada,  Feb.  25, 
1855.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there  are 
two  children — Nellie,  born  in  1882,  and  Clara  in 
1884.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Hunsley  was  a  native  of 
Lincolnshire,  England,  born  in  1819,  and  the  son 
of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Bulivant)  Little.  He  was 
reared  on  a  farm  in  his  native  shire,  and  there  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  A.  Spensley,  a  native  of  the  same 
country.  Robert  Little  learned  the  trade  of  a  mil- 
ler when  young,  which  he  followed  until  after  his 
marriage  and  until  1844.  In  the  spring  of  that 
year  he  set  sail  for  the  New  World,  landing  after  a 
voyage  of  thirty-six  days,  in  New  York  City. 
From  there  he  proceeded  directly  to  Canada,  and 
located  four  miles  from  Hamilton,  on  a  farm  which 
he  occupied  one  summer.  He  then  returned  to  his 
trade  and  afterward  operated  a  flouring-mill  in 
Wilmot  Township,  Waterloo  County.  In  1848  he 
returned  to  England  for  his  family,  coming  back 
with  them  in  August  following.  He  purchased  a 
tract  of  timber  land  in  Oxford  County,  Ontario, 
from  which  he  constructed  a  good  farm.  At  the 
time  of  locating  there  his  cash  capital  was  $300. 
The  first  dwelling  of  the  family  was  a  log  house,  in 
which  Mrs.  Hunsley,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  was 
born.  In  due  time  the  father  cleared,  principally 
with  his  own  hands,  eighty-five  acres,  and  occupied 
his  land  there  until  1856.  He  then  sold  out  and 
removed  to  Yates  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  purchased 
a  farm  and  lived  until  1873.  That  year  he  sold  this 
also,  removing  thence  to  Allegan,  Mich.,  of  which 
he  remained  a  resident  until  1881,  in  the  meantime 
engaging  in  farming  as  before.  Subsequently  he 
came  to  Hensley  Township,  this  county,  purchas- 
ing a  farm  on  section  22,  but  disposed  of  it  three 


years  later  to  take  possession  of  the  one  he  now 
owns  and  occupies  on  section  14.  Since  taking 
possession  of  this  he  has  greatly  improved  it  in 
many  respects,  and  is  valued  as  an  upright  and 
worthy  citizen. 


J^l  ACOB  McCLOSKE  Y,  one  of  the  pioneer  far- 
mers of  Urbana  Township,  was  born  in 
|  Centre  County,  Pa.,  near  the  town  of  How- 
'  ard,  Jan.  17,  1848.  His  grandfather,  David 
McCloskey,  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and  emigrated 
to  America  in  the  year  1700.  Our  subject's  father, 
whose  name  was  Joseph  McCloskey,  was  born  in 
Northumberland  County,  Pa.,  and  married  Miss 
Mary  Wagner,  of  Centre  County,  that  State,  where 
after  his  marriage  they  located,  and  where  their 
children  were  born  and  reared.  Mr.  McCloskey 
died  there  on  the  old  homestead  Aug.  5,  1875,  and 
his  widow  still  makes  her  home  in  that  county. 
Two  of  their  nine  children  died  in  infancy,  the 
others  —  seven  sons  —  are  still  living  in  Pennsylvania 
with  the  exception  of  two,  Jacob,  and  his  brother 
William,  who  resides  with  him.  Two  jiephews, 
Nathan  and  Matthias,  also  make  their  home  with 
our  subject. 

The  Wagner  family  was  originally  from  Ger- 
many and  emigrated  to  America  in  the  year  1  700. 
The  mother  of  Jacob  McCloskey,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  a  native  of  Centre  County,  Pa., 
born  Feb.  14,  1814.  His  maternal  grandfather, 
Matthias  Wagner,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Centre  County,  where  his  death  occurred  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years.  liv  the  family  of 
his  grandparents  there  were  seven  children,  who  all 
attained  to  the  age  of  maturity,  married  .and  had 
families. 

Jacob  McCloskey,  a  bright,  intelligent  boy",  at- 
tended the  district  school,  where  he  acquired  such 
education  as  its  advantages  afforded.  He  lived  at 
home  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-four  years 
of  age,  when,  seeking  a  new  range  of  experience,  he 
drifted  westward.  The  State  of  Illinois  was  at  that 
time  the  "Mecca"  to  which  so  many  in  the  East 
were  turning,  and  young  McCloskey  made  his  first 
settlement  in  Kendall  County.  There  he  afterward 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


married  Miss  Lizzie,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Mary  J.  (Stephenson)  Penman,  residents  of  that 
county.  Her  parents  were  from  Scotland.  Mrs. 
McC.  was  born  in  Kendall  County,  111. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  McCloskey  returned  to 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  for  a  time,  but 
not  feeling  satisfied  with  his  prospects  there,  he 
again  sought  the  West.  On  this  occasion  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Champaign  County,  where  he 
remained  for  a  time.  After  having  made  about 
three  removes  he  finally  took  up  his  permanent  resi- 
dence on  his  present  farm,  located  on  section  35, 
which  contains  1 20  acres  of  valuable  land.  This 
place  was  known  for  many  years  as  the  Clayton 
farm,  and  Mr.  McC.  has  devoted  the  land  largely  to 
the  raising  of  grain  and  stock. 

Of  the  seven  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mc- 
Closkey, but  four  are  now  living — Edna,  Thomas 
P.,  Emma  and  John  G.  In  politics  our  subject  is 
a  Democrat  of  the  Jeffersonian  School.  His  ex- 
cellent business  methods  and  his  skill  as  an  agri- 
culturist long  ago  received  ample  recognition,  and 
are  perhaps,  nowhere  better  evidenced  than  in  his 
home  surroundings — the  residence  and  its  adjacent 
buildings — which  our  artist  has  carefully  repro- 
duced on  another  page. 


C.  WRIGHT,  Prosecuting  Attorney  of  Ur- 
bana,  occupies  a  good  position  among  the 
<Jv\\  intelligent  men  of  the  legal  profession  in 
wg)  Champaign  County.  He  was  chosen  to  his 
present  office  in  1 884,  after  having  been  elected  to 
the  Lower  House  of  the  Legislature,  and  having 
served  as  Sheriff.  The  positions  in  which  he  has 
been  placed  since  becoming  a  resident  of  the  State 
give  ample  evidence  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  is 
held,  and  indicate  him  to  be  a  man  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary ability. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Winchester,  Randolph 
Co.,  Ind.,  Nov.  3,  1829,  and  is  the  son  of  Jesse  B. 
and  Mary  (Draper)  Wright,  natives  respectively  of 
Ohio  and  Virginia.  The  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, John  B.  Wright,  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Do- 
minion, descended  from  excellent  German  and 


Irish  ancestry,  and  spent  his  last  days  in  this  county. 
Of  his  seven  children  three  only  are  now  living — 
James  S. ;  Rebecca,  Mrs.  Butler;  and  Sydney,  Mrs. 
Swearingen.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  be- 
came a  man  of  note  in  his  State,  where  he  married 
early  in  life  and  settled  near  Winchester.  He  en- 
gaged in  farming,  and  after  a  comparatively  brief 
residence  in  Indiana  was  elected  to  the  Legislature, 
where  he  served  two  terms.  In  the  fall  of  1 830  he 
removed  to  this  State  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Ver- 
milion County.  His  first  wife  had  died  in  Indiana, 
and  he  was  married  the  second  time,  to  Miss  Annie 
Stanfield,  of  the  last  named  county.  Their  one 
child  was  a  daughter  named  Catherine,  who  mar- 
ried James  Sirepless,  of  Vermilion  County.  Both 
are  now  deceased. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  who  was  the  oldest 
child  of  John  B.  Wright,  removed  from  Indiana  to 
Illinois  with  his  father  in  1830.  He  enlisted  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  died  of  cholera 
in  the  service,  at  Rock  Island,  three  months  later, 
leaving  a  wife  and  two  children:  R.  C.,  of  our 
sketch,  and  Eliza  A.,  who  married  Alvah  Hubble  of 
Decatur,  111.  The  mother  died  in  the  fall  of  1882, 
surviving  her  husband  for  a  period  of  over  fifty 
years.  Their  son,  R.  C.,  of  our  sketch,  was  reared 
on  a  farm  in  the  western  borders  of  Vermilion 
County,  and  received  a  fair  education  in  the  dis- 
trict school,  pursuing  his  studies  until  he  was  eight- 
een years  old.  At  this  period  he  returned  to  Win- 
chester, Ind.,  and  made  his  home  with  an  uncle, 
William  M.  Way,  in  the  meantime  attending  Ran- 
dolph County  Seminary  for  two  years  and  fitting 
himself  for  a  teacher.  He  followed  this  calling  in 
Vermilion  and  Champaign  Counties  four  years, 
then  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  store  at  Homer,  and  two 
years  after  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  in 
which  position  he  served  six  years  and  distinguished 
himself  as  the  possessor  of  fine  ability  both  in  a  busi- 
ness and  judicial  capacity.  He  retired  from  this 
office  to  enter  upon  other  duties,  being  appointed 
Deputy  County  Surveyor.  After  having  filled  this 
office  acceptably  twelve  years,  he  was  called  to  the 
still  higher  one  of  Representative  in  1870,  and  was 
associated  with  such  men  as  J.  C.  Sheldon  and 
.lames  W.  Langley,  by  whose  assistance  he  secured 
the  appropriation  of  $125, 000  for  the  establishment 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


613 


of  the  Agricultural  College,  which  is  now  called  the 
Illinois  University,  at  Champaign. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Jane 
Moore,  of  New  York  City,  was  celebrated  in  Homer, 
this  county,  in  1853.  Mrs.  W.  is  the  daughter  of 
Enoch  Moore,  of  New  York,  and  by  her  marriage 
with  our  subject  has  become  the  mother  of  six  chil- 
dren —  Mary  A..  Charles  B.,  Maude  A.,  Annie  B., 
Edwin  R.  and  Jessie  C.  They  occupy  a  handsome 
home  on  University  avenue,  Urbana,  and  have 
gathered  around  them  a  large  circle  of  warm 
friends.  Mr.  Wright  is  Republican  in  politics,  and 
a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  His  business  office  is  located 
in  the  Busey  Block  on  Main  street. 


HARLES  N.  ANDERSON,  formerly  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  in  this  county,  is 
now  retired  from  active  labor,  and,  sur- 
rounded by  the  comforts  of  life,  is  living  in  a 
pleasant  home  in  Champaign  City.  He  has  been 
a  resident  of  this  county  since  1857,  in  which 
year  he  purchased  a  farm  of  200  acres  in  Cham- 
paign Township.  This  he  operated  until  1885. 
with  the  exception  of  a  brief  time  spent  in  Ken- 
tucky, in  the  meantime  having  made  of  it  a  beauti- 
ful country  estate,  supplied  with  handsome  and 
substantial  buildings  and  all  other  modern  improve- 
ments. In  the  year  mentioned  he  purchased  his 
present  residence  on  Church  street,  where  he  has 
since  lived. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  born  in  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky., 
Dec.  18,  1823,  and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Lucinda 
Anderson,  natives  of  Montgomery  County,  Ky., 
where  the  father  followed  blacksrnithing  all  his  life, 
and  died  on  the  17th  of  June,  1829.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Abihu  Anderson,  and  his 
great-grandfather,  Nicholas  Anderson,  were  both  na- 
tives of  Virginia,  and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits. 
The  latter  removed  to  Kentucky  with  his  family, 
locating  at  Boonesboro,  where  he  was  among  thi 
earliest  settlers,  and  became  acquainted  with  Daniel 
Boone,  the  famous  pioneer  and  Indian  fighter. 
Abihu  Anderson  removed  to  Indiana  in  about 
1825,  where  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  His 


son  James,  the  father  of  our  subject,  after  reaching 
manhood  was  married,  and  became  the  father  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  only  two  are  now  living — 
Nancy  N.,  Mrs.  Morris,  and  C.  N.  of  our  sketch. 

The  subject  of  this  history  remained  on  the  farm 
of  his  father  in  his  native  town  until  about  fifteen 
years  old,  and  was  then  apprenticed  to  learn  the 
trade  of  a  cabinet-maker,  at  which  he  served  four 
years,  and  afterward  worked  three  years  as  a  jour- 
neyman. Then,  wishing  to  still  further  perfect 
himself  in  his  studies,  he  entered  Franklin  College, 
about  five  miles  east  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  for 
four  years  he  thoroughly  applied  himself  to  his 
books,  in  the  meantime  defraying  his  expenses  by- 
working  at  his  trade  as  opportunity  afforded.  He 
began  college  life  with  his  books  and  $7  in  cash, 
and  graduated  on  the  18th  of  October,  1848,  with- 
out any  assistance  from  o-itside  parties. 

After  leaving  school  Mr.  Anderson  started  on 
horseback  for  the  purpose  of  securing  employment 
as  a  teacher.  He  rode  three  days  and  could  only 
secure  an  offer  of  $30  per  month  and  board  himself. 
He  declined  this  and  returned  to  Nashville,  where, 
he  worked  in  a  cabinet-shop  for  three  months  and 
then  engaged  to  teach  a  subscription  school  near 
Lexington.  After  eighteen  months'  experience, 
during  which  time  he  gained  the  approval  of  the 
Trustees,  he  was  elected  Principal  of  a  graded 
school  in  the  same  city,  which  position  he  held  for 
the  following  five  years,  and  until  coming  to  this 
county.  After  purchasing  his  farm  in  Champaign 
Township  he  was  re-elected  Principal  of  the  school 
at  Lexington,  which  position  he  accepted.  About 
this  time,  however,  the  war  excitement  became  so 
great  that  the  schools  closed  and  Mr.  Anderson 
returned  to  his  farm.'  His  subsequent  course  we 
have  already  indicated. 

The  marriage  of  C.  N.  Anderson  and  Miss  Ann 
J.  Noble  took  place  in  Lexington,  Ky..  Feb.  1, 
1849.  Mrs.  A.  is  a  native  of  Harrodsburg,  Ky., 
and  the  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  (Baxter) 
Noble,  the  former  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the 
latter  of  Virginia.  Of  the  seven  children  born  to 
them,  four  are  now  living,  namely :  Lucy;  Laura 
M.,  Mrs.  Greeuhalgh,  of  Champaign  City:  William 
N..  a  merchant  of  Chicago,  and  Ida  V.,  at  home. 
Those  deceased  are  Mary  F.  and  Charles  E.,  both 


t 


I 


614 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Ella  J.  died  when  an 
interesting  young  lady  of  nineteen  years  old.  She 
was  a  student  at  the  University  of  Illinois,  greatly 
admired  and  beloved  by  all  her  associates,  and  her 
death  was  a  sore  affliction  to  her  fond  parents  and 
many  friends. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and  with 
his  wife  and  daughters  is  a  member  and  regular 
attendant  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He 
has  long  been  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Cham- 
paign County  as  a  representative  man  and  useful 
citizen. 


JEORGE  W.  GILMORE,  pleasantly  located 
on  section  10,  Newcomb  Township,  and  a 
view  of  whose  homestead  is  given  in  this  con- 
nection, is  a  native  of  Preston  County,  W.  Va.,  and 
was  born  July  4,  1  830.  He  is  the  son  of  Peter  and 
.Sarah  (Wiles)  Gilmore,  who  were  natives  of  the 
same  county,  where  the  mother  died  when  her  son 
George  was  an  infant.  The  father  afterward  re- 
moved to  Monongalia  County,  W.  Va.,  and  died 
there  in  about  1877.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, and  descended  from  English  ancestry.  The 
mother  was  of  German  birth  and  parentage.  Their 
children,  four  in  number,  were  Maria,  Susanna, 
William  J.  and  George  W. 

Our  subject,  the  youngest  of  his  father's  family, 
remained  in  his  native  county  until  he  was  thirty 
years  of  age.  In  1860  he  went  to  Ohio  and  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Licking  County,  upon  which  he 
lived  for  a  period  of  sixteen  years.  Eight  months 
after  taking  up  his  abode  there  he  was  drafted  into 
the  army,  and  assigned  to  Co.  C,  76th  Ohio  Vol. 
Inf.  He  served  about  eleven  months,  taking  part 
in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  the  battle  of  Arkan- 
sas Post.  While  with  his  regiment  in  Mississippi 
he  received  a  sunstroke,  from  which  he  has  never 
fully  recovered.  After  his  discharge  he  returned 
to  Licking  County,  Ohio,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  until  the  spring  of  187C,  when  he  became  a 
resident  of  this  county,  locating  in  Newcomb 
Township.  Here  he  has  200  acres  of  good  land,  a 
handsome  and  substantial  dwelling,  a  good  barn, 
farm  machinery,  stock,  and  all  the  appliances  of  the 
prosperous  modern  agriculturist. 


The  marriage  of  George  W.  Gilmore  and  Miss 
Hannah  J.  Holland  took  place  in  Monongalia 
County,  W.  Va,  Oct.  8,  18G1.  Mrs.  Gilmore  is  the 
daughter  of  Reason  and  Leah  (Way)  Holland,  who 
settled  in  Virginia  after  their  marriage,  whence  they 
removed  to  Pennsylvania,  from  there  to  Licking 
County,  Ohio,  and  finally  to  Williamson  County, 
111.,  where  Mr.  Holland  died  in  December,  1876. 
He  volunteered  in  Co.  I,  14th  W.  Va.  Vol.  Inf., 
and  served  in  the  Union  army  three  years.  He 
was  seriously  wounded  at  the  fight  which  took 
place  between  Winchester  and  Martinsburg.  Of 
the  eight  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holland 
only  four  grew  to  mature  years,  namely — Hannah 
J.,  William  J.,  George  W.  and  Anna  S.  The  wife 
of  our  subject  was  born  in  Moiiougalia  County, 
W.  Va.,  Aug.  22,  1843. 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gilmore  became  the  parents  of  six 
children — William  J.,  Enezela,  Anna  B.,  Frank  W., 
Charles  H.  and  Ora  L.  Enezela  is  the  wife  of  Den- 
nis D.  Hinton,  a  farmer,  and  resident  of  Newcomb; 
Anna  B.,  Mrs.  Robert  J.  Myers,  is  a  resident  of 
Newcomb;  the  others  are  at  home.  Our  subject 
and  his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  politically  Mr.  G.  votes 
with  the  Democratic  party.  He  has  held  the  various 
offices  of  his  township,  including  those  of  School 
Trustee,  Collector  and  Director,  and  is  regarded  b}T 
all  who  know  him  as  a  man  of .  excellent  business 
judgment. 


ffiOHN  COMER.  This  worthy  representative 
of  the  farming  community  of  Crittendeu 
Township,  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
and  was  born  in  Jefferson  Township,  Jack- 
son County,  Dec.  17,  1832.  His  parents,  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Harmon)  Comer,  were  natives  of 
Virginia.  His  grandfathers  both  served  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary War,  and  his  two  uncles,  Emanuel  and 
George  Comer,  enlisted  in  the  War  of  1812.  The 
service  of  the  former,  however,  was  exceedingly 
brief,  as  peace  was  declared  soon  after  his  enlist- 
ment, which  occurred  when  he  was  but  eighteen 
years  of  age.  The  parents  of  our  subject,  soon 
after  their  marriage,  removed  from  the  Old  Do- 
minion to  Ohio,  and  were  among  the  earliest  pio- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


617 


neers  of  Jackson  County.  There  they  became  the 
parents  of  eight  children,  seven  of  whom  were 
reared  to  become  men  and  women.  Upon  the 
homestead  established  in  the  wilderness  they  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  days,  the  father  dying  at  the 
advanced  age  of  nearly  eighty-seven  years.  The 
mother  died  in  1845,  when  our  subject  was  but 
thirteen  years  of  age.  One  daughter  of  the  house- 
hold died  in  childhood,  and  another.  Elizabeth, 
died  when  about  twenty-two  years  old.  Of  those 
living  the  record  is  as  follows :  George  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Gallia  County,  Ohio;  Catherine  became  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Davis,  and  resides  in  Jackson 
County,  Ohio;  Lewis  served  through  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  having  first  enlisted  in  the  three  months' 
service,  and  after  the  expiration  of  that  term  he  re- 
enlisted,  in  the  56th  Ohio  Infantry,  and  served 
until  nearly  the  close  of  the  struggle,  when  he 
was  discharged  on  account  of  disability,  but  his 
patriotism  would  not  permit  him  to  seek  safety  at 
home,  and  he  followed  his  regiment  until  the  final 
downfall  of  the  Confederacy;  he  is  now  living  in 
Scioto  County,  Ohio.  Mary,  the  wife  of  George  A. 
Cook,  and  Susan,  Mrs.  Stephen  Arthur,  all  reside  in 
Scioto  County,  Ohio;  John,  of  our  sketch,  was  the 
youngest  son  and  next  to  the  youngest  child  in  the 
family. 

Mr.  Comer  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  coun- 
ty, and  assisted  his  father  and  brothers  in  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  farm.  In  1846  he  went  into  the 
employ  of  Campbell,  Peters  &  Co.,  and  commenced 
hauling  iron  ore,  coal,  etc.,  from  Olive  Furnace  to 
Wheelersburg  Landing  with  ox-teams,  and  pursued 
this  monotonous  occupation  for  seventeen  years.  In 
1863  he  resolved  to  change  his  vocation  and  try  his 
fortunes  in  the  more  western  country.  After  com- 
ing into  this  State  he  located  upon  a  tract  of  rented 
land  in  Crittenden  Township,  which  he  cultivated 
until  1867.  He  then  purchased  eighty  acres  of  his 
present  farm,  which  was  then  mostly  in  a  wild  con- 
dition. By  years  of  unwearying  industry  he 
brought  this  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and 
added  100  acres,  the  whole  of  which  is  now  finely 
improved  and  well  drained,  and  which  he  has  prin- 
cipally devoted  to  grain-raising.  He  has  also  erected 
a  good  set  of  farm  buildings,  and  has  all  the  ap- 
pliances necessary  for  keeping  up  a  valuable  es- 


tate,  after  the  most  approved  methods  of  the  day. 
As  one  of  the  representative  farm  homes  of  the 
count_y,  we  present  a  view  of  his  place  in  this 
ALBUM. 

Mr.  Comer  was  married,  in  Gallia  County,  his 
native  State,  on  the  4th  of  May,  1856,  to  Miss  Em- 
ily Miller,  who  was  born  in  that  county,  and  daugh- 
ter of  F.  J.  and  Sarah  (Cheeseman)  Miller.  Of  this 
union  there  were  born  fourteen  children,  eight  of 
whom  died  in  early  childhood,  and  one  son, 
Thomas,  died  of  measles  when  nineteen  years  old. 
Those  living  are  William,  Charles,  F.  J.,  Martha 
E.  and  James. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Comer  was  a  Whig  politically. 
Our  subject,  since  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party,  has  been  a  warm  supporter  of  its  principles, 
but  has  had  no  time  to  give  to  any  office,  being 
wholly  absorbed  in  his  business  and  farm  affairs. 
He  is  reckoned  among  the  reliable  citizens  of  his 
township,  and  is  universally  esteemed  by  all  who 
know  him. 


<if/OHN  FAULKNER,  an  exceedingly  ener- 
getic, and  consequently  successful  farmer  of 
Kerr  Township,  was  born  April  2,  1834,  in 
Cheshire,  England.  He  is  the  son  of 
Thomas  and  Ann  (Potts)  Faulkner,  natives  of  the 
same  place.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Thomas 
Faulkner,  was  also  a  native  of  Cheshire. 

The  father  of  our  subject  became  much  inter- 
ested in  the  land  advantages  of  America,  and  re- 
solved to  gain  an  inheritance  for  his  family  in  the 
New  World.  In  about  the  year  1846  he  left  En- 
gland with  the  intention  of  sending  for  his  family, 
when  he  should  have  become  sufficiently  established 
in  this  country.  But  the  hopes  and  plans  of  men 
are  in-  the  hands  of  a  higher  power.  He  embarked 
on  board  the  Rio  Sovereign,  bound  from  Liverpool 
to  New  York,  and  when  the  vessel  had  about 
reached  mid-ocean,  he  accidentally  fell  overboard 
and  was  drowned.  Four  or  five  years  later  his  son 
and  daughter  carried  out  his  resolution  of  coming 
to  America,  and  the  rest  of  the  family  soon  fol- 
lowed. 

John  Faulkner  was  but  fifteen  years  of  age  when 


t. 


618 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


he  landed  at  Portsmouth,  N.  11.  He  obtained  work 
in  a  cotton  factoiy  at  that  place,  where  he  re- 
mained for  seven  or  eight  years.  There  being  no 
opportunity  in  New  Hampshire  to  follow  the  brick 
and  tile  making  trade,  to  which  he  had  been  brought 
up.  he  finally  resolved  to  go  further  West.  Fol- 
lowing up  this  resolution  we  next  hear  of  him  in 
Minnesota,  where  he  undertook  brick-making,  but 
this  business  not  proving  successful  he  returned  two 
years  later  to  New  Hampshire  and  resumed  his  work 
in  the  cotton  factory  until  the  spring  of  1865.  He 
then  turned  westward  again  and  located  in  Kendall 
County,  III.,  where  he  remained  three  years  en- 
gaged in  farming. 

Mr.  Faulkner  was  married.  Dec.  14,  18G1,  to 
Miss  Sarah  Arendale,  the  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Klix.a  (Roberts)  Arendale,  natives  of  England. 
She  was  born  in  Cheshire,  England,  and  her  mar- 
riage with  Mr.  Faulkner  took  place  in  Lawrence, 
Mass.  From  Kendall  County  Mr.  Faulkner  and 
his  wife  came  to  this  county,  arriving  about  the 
time  of  the  great  fire  in  Chicago,  in  1871.  The}' 
settled  on  section  31,  Kerr  Township,  and  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  wild  land  in  Compromise 
Township,  and  soon  afterward  bought  eighty  acres 
where  he  now  resides. 

In  1883  his  beloved  wife,  the  mother  of  six  chil- 
dren, was  removed  by  death.  The  names  of  their 
children  are  as  follows:  Eliza  A.,  Joseph,  Thomas, 
Albert,  Lizzie  and  Minnie.  Of  these  Albert  and 
Lizzie  are  deceased.  Eliza  married  Mr.  Isaac  Car- 
ter, and  lives  in  this  county,  where  her  husband 
owns  and  cultivates  a  fine  farm  in  Rantoul  Town- 
ship. 

Mr.  Faulkner  was  the  second  time  married,  Feb. 
24, 1886,  to  Mrs.  Julia  Booth,  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
a  lady  whom  he  had  known  during  his  residence 
there.  She  is  a  native  of  Portsmouth,  and  the 
daughter  of  Albion  and  Maria  (Deuet)  Wilson,  of 
that  State.  The  first  Governor  of  Maine  was  her 
mother's  uncle.  Mr.  Faulker  resides  on  his  farm, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising.  He  does  not  aspire  to  political  preferment, 
and  has  never  taken  an  active  part  in  politics,  but 
votes  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  has  been  for 
a  number  of  years  agent  for  Mr.  W.  S.  Prentice, 
of  Springfield,  111.,  a  large  land-owner  in  this  town- 


ship.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Faulkner  were  formerly 
members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  are  now 
regular  attendants  and  supporters  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  although  not  officially  connected 
with  that  religious  denomination. 


AVID  SILVER,  deceased,  formerly  num- 
bered among  the  successful  fanners  and 
one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Urbana  Township, 
was  born  in  Salem  County,  N.  J.,  Feb.  15, 
1798,  and  was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Patience  (Fer- 
guson) Silver.  They  had  a  family  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, six  sons  and  six  daughters,  and  all  of  these, 
with  one  exception,  grew  to  maturity.  The  paternal 
grandparents  were  Aaron  and  Ann  (Hall)  Silver. 
The  family  was  originally  from  Wales,  from  which 
its  first  representatives  to  this  corntry  emigrated 
in  the  sixteenth  "century.  The  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject removed  from  New  Jersey  to  Ohio  in  1801, 
where  they  were  engaged  in  farming  in  Warren 
County.  There  young  David  grew  to  manhood  and 
married  Hiss  Eliza,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and 
Elizabeth  Hunger. 

The  Hunger  family  was  of  English  extraction, 
and  the  great-grandfather,  Reuben  Hunger,  was 
kidnapped  in  London  and  held  for  some  time  a 
prisoner,  and  then  sold  for  his  passage  to  this 
country.  On  his  arrival  in  America  he  settled  in 
Connecticut.  His  mother  was  the  youngest  daugh- 
ter of  the  Earl  of  Dudley.  The  grandfather,  Jona- 
than Hunger,  was  born  in  Guilford,  Conn.,  in 
November,  1755.  He  married  Hiss  Elizabeth  Law- 
rence, and  they  had  a  family  of  five  children,  one 
son  and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
maturity. 

David  Silver,  after  marriage,  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until 
the  fall  of  1854,  when  he  moved  with  his  family  to 
Champaign  County.  In  the  following  year  he  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  land  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  and  to  this  he  subsequently  added  eighty 
acres.  When  a  youth  of  eighteen  years  he  had  de- 
termined to  study  law,  but  finding  himself  unfitted 
by  nature  for  the  successful  practice  of  that  pro- 
fession, he  wisely  returned  to  farming.  He  possessed 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


619 


great  energy  and  strength  of  character  and  applied 
himself  successfully  to  agricultural  pursuits,  bring- 
ing his  land  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  mak- 
ing good  improvements.  In  1855  he  built  a  fine 
brick  residence,  which  was  the  first  erected  in  the 
township,  and  in  1857  added  a  large  barn.  He 
was  especially  successful  in  stock-raising,  includ- 
ing choice  breeds  of  cattle  and  hogs.  He  returned 
on  a  visit  to  Ohio  in  1867.  After  an  active  and 
useful  life  he  died  on  the  old  homestead,  Nov.  10, 
1875,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years.  His  wife, 
who  was  born  Jan.  2, 1802,  in  Montgomery  County, 
Ohio,  died  in  1863.  They  had  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren: William  M.,  who  is  now  in  Dakota;  John  L. ; 
Wallace,  a  resident  of  this  county  ;  Myra,  and  Perry, 
who  died  in  December,  1885.  The  latter  served  as 
a  Union  soldier  in  the  Civil  War  three  years,  being 
a  member  of  Co.  G,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  Myra,  the 
only  daughter  and  owner  of  the  farm,  was  born  in 
Ohio,  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that  State, 
and  possesses  much  practical  sense  and  business 
capacity.  The  old  homestead,  on  which  she  resides, 
is  a  fine  estate  comprising  240  acres. 


Jkn. 
nal 
_    )    be, 


M.  BESORE,  widely  and  favorably 
known  throughout  Stanton  Township,  is  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  near  Cham- 
bersburg  in  Franklin  Count}',  Sept.  14, 1836. 
His  father,  John  Besore,  was  born  near  Waynes- 
burg,  Franklin  County,  and  married  Miss  Mary 
Mound  of  the  same  county.  They  settled  on  a 
farm  in  that  county  and  became  the  parents  of  a 
fine  family,  including  seven  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom  are  living  and  now  residents  of 
Champaign  County,  111.,  having  added  greatly  to 
the  intelligence  of  its  population  and  to  its  credit 
as  a  farming  and  business  community.  The  family 
is  of  French  descent,  the  first  representatives  in 
this  country  locating  in  and  adjacent  to  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  grandfather,  John  Besore, 
Sr.,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Franklin  County, 
Pa.,  and  after-  locating  there  made  it  his  borne  dur- 
ing the  balance  of  his  days. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the   third  son  of 
his   father's  family  and  passed    his    boyhood  and 


youth  in  his  native  county,  after  the  manner  of 
most  farmers'  boys.  He  received  a  common-school 
education  and  remained  with  his  father  until  the 
death  of  the  latter,  which  occurred  in  1855.  After- 
ward he  assisted  his  mother  in  conducting  the 
affairs  of  the  homestead  until  he  was  no  longer 
needed.  Joseph  Besore  came  West  to  this  State  in 
1865,  locating  in  Vermilion  County,  where  he 
resided  for  one  year  and  became  a  resident  of  this 
count}'  in  1866.  He  first  rented  a  farm  three  years 
in  Stanton  Township  and  then  purchased  160  acres, 
which,  after  occupying  four  years  alone,  he  aban- 
doned for  a  brief  season  while  he  returned  to  his 
native  State  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  nearer 
friend  and  companion  than  any  which  he  had  found 
in  this  locality,  and  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Barbara  F.  Heneberger. 

Mr.  Besore  at  once  returned  with  his  bride  to  his 
new  farm  on  the  prairie,  where  they  set  up  house- 
keeping in  an  economic  and  primitive  style  and 
worked  in  unison  to  establish  a  home.  At  the  time 
of  taking  possession  of  his  farm,  there  was  but  a 
small  frame  house  and  stable  upon  it,  which  have 
long  since  given  place  to  first-class  modern  improve- 
ments. The  handsome  residence  and  farm  build- 
ings were  planned  mostly  by  the  present  proprietor. 
He  superintended  their  construction,  and  the  result 
is  one  of  the  finest  sets  of  farm  buildings  in  the 
county.  Mr.  Besore  was  obliged  to  incur  an  indebt- 
edness of  $800  at  the  start,  but  this  was  in  due 
time  liquidated  and  he  then  had  his  spare  cash  to 
devote  to  improvements.  He  was  engaged  largely 
in  the  raising  of  grain  and  hogs,  from  which  he  has 
derived  the  larger  portion  of  his  income.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  putting  up  of  buildings,  fencing  his 
fields  and  purchasing  the  necessary  farm  machinery, 
there  were  also  the  needs  of  a  growing  family  to 
provide  for,  and  taken  altogether,  his  success  has 
been  truly  phenomenal. 

In  due  time  there  came  to  the  household  of  our 
subject  and  wife  a  family  of  six  children,  four  sons 
and  two  daughters,  whom  the  parents  named  Charles 
E.,  Montie  C.,  Isaac  H.,  Warren  C.,  Elsie  Ray  and 
Norah  May.  They  are  all  living  and  reside  mostly 
with  their  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  identified 
themselves  with  the  German  Reform  Church,  of 
which  they  have  remained  active  and  consistent 


•  <*• 

t  ,    620 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


members,  contributing  of  their  means  to  the  sup- 
port of  this  as  well  as  to  every  other  worthy  c:uisu 
and  enterprise  in  their  adopted  county.  When  our 
subject  became  a  voter  he  adopted  politics  of  the 
Democratic  party,  and  has  found  no  reason  to  con- 
sider himself  mistaken  in  his  first  views  in  regard 
to  local  aixl  National  government. 


HIOMAS  JEFFERSON    BEVERLIN.     One 

of  the  most  valuable  farms  in  Stautun  Towu- 
ship  is  located  on  section  34,  and  comprises 
280  acres,  well  improved  and  in  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation. On  the  choicest  point  of  ground  on  this 
place  prominently  appear  the  handsome  farm 
buildings,  well  constructed,  neat  and  substantial, 
sheltered  here  and  there  by  fruit  and  choice  shade 
trees,  with  good  fences,  and  everything  around 
indicating  cultivated  tastes  and  ample  means.  Mr. 
Beverlin  began  life  in  a  modest  manner,  his  first  pur- 
chase being  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  prairie,  upon 
which  he  located,  and  removed  his  family  into  the 
dwelling  which  stood  upon  it,  and  which  was  much 
inferior  to  that  which  they  at  present  occupy.  He 
possessed  more  than  ordinary  business  ability,  was 
industrious  and  economical  in  the  extreme,  and 
soon  began  to  realize  the  reward. lot  his  labors. 
He  added  to  his  real  estate  by  degrees,  and  as  his 
means  accumulated  substituted  new  buildings  for 
old  ones,  and  now  little  remains  to  be  seen  of  the 
place  as  it  was  in  its  original  condition.  His  quali- 
ties as  a  leader  in  the  community  soon  received 
due  recognition,  and  he  was  called  to  the  various 
offices  of  trust  in  the  township,  serving  as  Road 
Commissioner  and  Trustee,  and  there  were  few 
enterprises  set  on  foot  in  which  his  aid  or  his  opin- 
ions were  not  solicited.  To  these  calls  he  always 
responded  generously,  and  fully  identified  himself 
with  the  welfare  of  the  people  around  him. 

Mr.  Beverlin  was  born  in  Wabash  County,  this 
State,  Oct.  6.  1840.  His  father  and  grandfather, 
both  named  William,  were  born  in  Wayne  County, 
Ind.  The  Beverlin  family  is  of  English  extraction. 
William,, Jr., grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  county, 
and  there  married  Miss  Rebecca  Commons.  After 
marriage  they  removed  to  Wabash  County,  III., 


locating  on  a  farm,  where  the  father  died  in  1842. 
The  mother  subsequently  returned  to  her  native 
county  in  Indiana,  taking  her  children  with  her, 
and  there  Thomas  J.  of  our  sketch  spent  his  boy- 
hood. He  was  but  two  yeass  of  age  at  the  time  of 
his  father's  death.  His  mother  was  afterward  mar- 
ried to  Isaac  Lewis,  and  removed  to  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.  Thence  the  family  came  into  Ver- 
milion County,  this  State,  and  some  years  later  to 
this  county. 

Thomas  J.  Beverlin  after  coming  to  this  State 
went  to  live  with  Levi  Lewis,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  fifteen  years  of  age.  He  then  took 
up  his  abode  with  his  stepfather,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war,  and 
notwithstanding  he  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age 
he  determined  to  do  what  he  could  in  assisting  to 
preserve  the  Union.  He  accordingly  enlisted  in 
Co.  K,  37th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  serving  faithfully  three 
years  and  four  months,  and  taking  part  in  the  bat- 
tles at  Pea  Ridge,  Lexington,  and  New  Orleans. 
From  the  Crescent  City  his  regiment  was  detailed  to 
go  to  the  Bra/os  River  in  Texas,  at  which  time  the 
war  was  nearing  its  close.  Soon  afterward  came  the 
news  of  the  surrender,  and  the  troops  were  ordered 
to  Washington  for  the  grand  review.  Those  years 
were  filled  with  a  rich  experience,  and  afforded  to 
young  Beverlin,  with  thousands  of  others,  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  South,  the  face  of  the  country,  and  its 
people  and  their  manner  of  living,  which  perhaps 
they  would  have  gained  in  no  other  way.  After 
receiving  his  honorable  discharge  he  returned  to 
Vermilion  County,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
until  the  fall  of  1866.  He  was  then  attracted  to 
the  unusual  fertility  of  this  section,  and  selected  a 
tract  of  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Stanton 
Township,  where  began  the  successes  of  his  later 
life  which  we  have  already  indicated. 

Soon  after  his  return  from  the  army  Mr.  Bever- 
lin fulfilled  his  engagement  of  marriage  with  Miss 
Elizabeth  Stephenson,  of  Edgar  County,  their  wed- 
ding taking  place  in  Paris,  in  the  fall  of  1865.  This 
union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  eight  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  still  living,  and  form  a  bright  and 
intelligent  family,  of  which  the  parents  may  be  par- 
doned for  regarding  with  extreme  pride.  They 
were  named  respectively  Lilly,  Archie,  Omer, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


r,-2i 


Earnest,  Lora,  Osa  and  William.  Adella  is  de- 
ceased. Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beverlin  are  members 
of  the  Friends'  Church.  Mr.  Beverlin  is  a  Repub- 
lican in  politics. 


eHARLES  BABB.  One  of  the  pleasantest 
homes  in  Rantoul  Township  is  located  on 
section  7  (east),  and  is  owned  by  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch. 
He  has  123  acres  of  land,  tile-drained  and  finely 
improved  with  neat  fences  and  good  buildings,  and 
everything  about  him  is  calculated  to  make  life  a 
comfort  and  a  pleasure.  The  farm  is  well  stocked 
with  graded  animals,  including  one  full-blood  Short- 
horn and  several  head  which  are  nearly  full-bloods. 
The  property  of  Mr.  Babb  is  free  from  incumbrance 
and  he  has  acquired  it  solely  by  his  own  honest 
labor  and  good  management.  He  commenced  in 
life  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder  without  means,  but 
with  the  resolution  to  become  the  possessor  of  a 
good  home  and  occupy  a  worthy  position  in  his 
community.  His  present  surroundings  fully  indi- 
cate the  degree  to  which  his  resolution  has  been 
carried  out. 

The  early  home  of  our  subject  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic  in  Staffordshire,  England, 
where  he  was  born  under  his  father's  roof  Dec.  18, 
1841.  His  parents,  John  and  Margaret  (White) 
Babb,  after  their  marriage,  located  upon  the  farm 
in  Staffordshire,  which  had  been  in  possession  of  the 
family  since  its  purchase  by  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  when  he  was  a  young  man.  John  Babb 
died  on  the  old  homestead  in  1849,  where  he  was 
born  and  where  he  spent  his  entire  life,  and  his 
good  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  still  resides 
in  Staffordshire.  She  was  of  Scottish  parentage, 
and  a  lad}'  of  strong  character  and  high  principles, 
universally  respected  wherever  known.  The  par- 
ental household  consisted  of  five  children,  as  fol- 
lows: John  is  single  and  divides  his  time  between 
England,  America  and  Scotland;  Ann,  the  widow 
of  Henry  Bunting,  lives  in  Uttoxeter,  Staffordshire ; 
Charles,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  child  ;  Thomas 
died  in  Australia;  Margaret  married  Edward  Wood, 
of  Derb}'shire. 


Charles  Babb  during  his  boyhood  and  youth  at- 
tended school  in  his  native  shire,  and  assisted  his 
parents  in  the  duties  around  the  farm.  He  remained 
under  the  home  roof  until  reaching  his  majority, 
and  being  soon  afterward  married  then  located  on 
leased  land  in  Staffordshire,  where,  together  with 
farming,  he  carried  on  stock-raising  for  a  period  of 
four  years,  but  on  account  of  a  cattle  disease  which 
broke  out,  lost  money,  not  being  able  to  sell  his 
stock.  In  1870  he  decided  to  seek  his  fortunes  in 
the  United  States.  After  reaching  American  shores 
he  proceeded  directly  westward  to  this  State  and 
county  and  located  in  Hensley  Township,  where  he 
worked  by  the  day  trimming  hedge,  and  being  an 
expert  at  this,  he  earned  good  wages.  He  lived 
economically,  saving  what  he  could,  and  in  1883 
had  sufficient  means  to  purchase  123^  acres  of 
good  land  now  included  in  his  present  farm.  He  has 
an  excellent  business  capacity  and  has  carried  on 
his  farming  operations  vvith  marked  success.  Mr. 
Babb  is  esteemed  as  a  good  citizen  and  valued 
member  of  the  community  ;  a  man  honest  in  all  his 
transactions  and  one  whose  word  is  as  good  as  his 
bond. 

Charles  Babb  was  married  in  December,  1  849,  to 
Miss  Eleanor  Bunting,  a  native  of  Uttoxeter,  Staf- 
lordshire,  England.  The  four  bright  children  which 
came  to  their  home  have  now  reached  years  of  dis- 
cretion and  are  a  quartette  of  which  the  parents 
may  vvell  be  proud.  Arthur  is  farming  in  Coudit 
Township;  Jessie  became  the  wife  of  Samuel  Lit- 
tle, and  lives  in  Armstrong,  Vermilion  Co.,  111.  ; 
Maggie,  Mrs.  Charles  Merchant,  is  a  resident  of 
Rantoul  Township;  Annie  is  at  home  with  her  par- 
ents. Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  were  reared  in  the  Episco- 
pal faith  but  at  present  are  not  connected  with  any 
church  denomination.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


>ILLIAM  DAILEY,  a  farmer  of  Kerr  Town- 
ship, and  a  gentleman  who  has  followed 
that  vocation  since  large  enough  to  hold 
the  handles  of  a  plow,  is  the  son  of  James  and 
Mary  (Moxan)  Dailey,  natives  of  Ireland,  and  was 
born  June  20,  1856,  in  Morris,  Grundy  Co.,  111. 
His  grandfathers  were  Joseph  Moxan  and  William 


622 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Dailey,  both  natives  of  Ireland,  neither  of  whom 
ever  came  to  this  country.  Our  subject's  father 
carnc  to  the  United  States  in  1850,  bringing  with 
him  his  wife  and  two  children.  They  settled  in 
Grundy  County,  where  he  died  in  1861,  and  two 
years  later  his  mother  also  died,  leaving  the  family 
to  the  care  of  relatives. 

William  Dailey,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was 
brought  up. in  the  family  of  his  uncle,  John  Moxan, 
in  Morris,  where  he  had  the  advantages  of  an  ex- 
cellent common  school.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
left  home  to  do  for  himself,  and  during  three  years 
worked  at  different  places  in  the  surrounding  coun- 
try. He  then  moved  to  Champaign  County,  111., 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land.  Feb. 
9,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Hannigan, 
the  fourth  child,  and  one  of  twins,  born  to  Felix 
and  Helen  (McCormick)  Hannigan,  the  former  of 
whom  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  an  exten- 
sive land-owner  in  Grundy  County.  The  town  of 
Felix  in  that  county  was  built  on  his  property,  and 
named  in  his  honor.  His  daughters  were  all  edu- 
cated for  teachers  and  are  well  known  in  the  pro- 
fession in  this  county. 

Mrs.  Dailey  was  a  highly  accomplished  lady, 
receiving  her  education  at  the  State  Normal  School, 
Bloomington.  Her  reputation  as  a  teacher  was  well 
known  in  this  part  of  the  State,  where  she  was  con- 
sidered one  of  the  best  educators  in  the  ungraded 
schools  of  the  county.  But  death  loves  a  shining 
mark,  and  this  accomplished  wife  and  well-beloved 
mother  was  stricken  down  with  disease  and  died 
Aug.  17,  188C,  leaving  four  children — James,  John, 
William  and  Margaret,  all  of  whom  are  living. 
Mrs.  Dailey  was  a  consistent  and  devoted  member 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  in  which  society  she  was 
prominent  in  good  works.  She  was  a  lady  of  much 
refinement  and  strength  of  character,  and  her  influ- 
ence was  felt  throughout  the  entire  community  in 
which  she  lived.  Her  death  occurred  while  living 
on  their  own  farm  in  Compromise  Township,  the 
home  which  her  husband  had  purchased  after  their 
marriage. 

Mr.  Dailey  is  the  owner  of  ninety  acres  of  laud 
on  section  30,  Kerr  Township;  both  of  his  farms 
are  now  rented,  and  with  his  children  he  resides  on 
section  30,  but  is  not  engaged  in  carrying  on  the 


farm  himself.  He  is  at  present  Assessor  of  the 
township,  to  which  office  he  was  elected  on  the 
People's  ticket.  He  is  a  Republican,  but  takes  no 
active  interest  in  politics;  religiously  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  His  brother, 
Mr.  John  J.  Dailey,  resides  in  Utah,  near  Park  City, 
and  is  the  owner  of  the  celebrated  Dailey  mines, 
valued  at  $2,000,000.  He  superintends  the  mines 
himself,  and  single-handed  and  alone,  has  worked 
his  way  to  the  uppermost  round  of  the  ladder  of 
fortune,  and  to-day  the  name  of  John  J.  Dailey  is 
considered  good  for  a  round  million  of  dollars. 


EORGE  A.  WALKER,  a  successful  and  en- 
terprising farmer  of  Urbana  Township,  is  of 
Scotch  extraction,  and  was  born  in  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  Dec.  17,  1832.  His 
great-grandfather,  Andrew  Walker,  was  a  native  of 
Ireland,  but  his  grandfather,  Robert  Walker,  was 
born  in  New  Hampshire,  as  likewise  was  the  father 
of  pur  subject,  who  was  also  named  Robert.  The 
father's  business  was  that  of  a  machinist,  at  which 
employment  he  was  very  skillful.  He  married  Miss 
Nancy  Gordon,  the  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Gordon. 
The  Gordon  family  were  of  Scotch  and  Irish  ex- 
traction. They  had  settled  in  the  northern  part 
of  Ireland  during  the  dissensions  that  disturbed 
the  reigns  of  William  of  Orange  and  Charles  II. 

In  1836  Robert  Walker  removed  with  his  fam- 
ily from  New  Hampshire  to  Tazewell  County,  111., 
and  located  near  Pekin,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  His  death  occurred  in  March, 
1839.  His  widow  and  four  children  were  left  to 
struggle  alone  in  the  wilderness  on  the  Illinois 
frontier,  in  Tazewell  County,  until  1870,  when 
they  removed  to  Champaign.  George  A.  Walker 
became  the  protector  of  his  mother,  with  whom 
she  lived  until  her  death,  which  occurred  Feb.  24, 
1887.  in  her  eighty-eighth  year.  She  was  born  in 
1799. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1868,  Mr.  Walker  was 
married  to  Miss  Perie  Drake,  the  daughter  of  Ran- 
dolph Drake.  She  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  and 
after  marriage  settled  with  her  husband  in  Taze- 
well County,  whence  they  removed  to  this  county. 
She  died  July  19,  1884,  leaving  no  children. 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Mr.  Walker's  present  farm,  containing  100  acres 
of  valuable  land,  is  located  on  section  29,  l.'rbana 
Township.  Mr.  Walker  began  his  career  in  life  ham- 
pered by  many  disadvantages,  and  with  but  little 
capital  save  his  good  common  sense  and  energy. 
He  has  by  his  excellent  business  qualifications  ac- 
quired a  fine  landed  property,  all  of  which  is  well 
cultivated  and  improved.  He  is  to  some  extent 
interested  in  stock-raising. 

Mr.  Walker  possesses  sterling  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart.  In  all  social  questions  he  is  found  on 
the  side  of  law  and  order.  He  has  served  as  School 
Trustee, '  and  is  now  Supervisor  of  Urbana  Town- 
ship. He  is  one  of  the  Deacons  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  is  a  consistent  Christian  in  all  the  re- 
lations of  life.  In  politics  he  is  a  strong  Repub- 
lican, and  is  also  a  strict  temperance  man. 


ROF.    STEPHEN    A.    FORBES,    Ph.    D., 

i  State  Entomologist  and  Director  of  the 
State  Laboratory  of  Natural  History,  is 
connected  with  the  Department  of  Natural 
History  of  the  University  of  Illinois,  at  Urbana, 
which  embraces  courses  in  Botany,  Vegetable  Phys- 
iology, Microscopy,  Anatomy,  Zoology,  Geology, 
etc.  The  course  in  Botany  is  illustrated  by  a  col- 
lection of  over  1,000  indigenous  Illinois  plants,  and 
the  department  constitutes  a  museum  well  worth 
the  examination  of  the  student  and  visitor. 

Prof.  Forbes  is  eminently  qualified  for  the  posi- 
tion which  he  holds  in  this  department,  both  by 
nature  and  education.  He  is  a  native  of  Stephenson 
County,  this  State,  born  near  Freeport,  111.,  May 
29,  1844.  His  parents,  Isaac  S.  and  Agnes  (Van- 
Hosen)  Forbes,  were  natives  respectively  of  Ver- 
mont and  New  York.  The  father  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  farmer.  They  emigrated  to  the 
Prairie  State  in  183G,  and  took  up  a  claim  of  Gov- 
ernment land  four  miles  from  what  is  now  the  thriv- 
ing city  of  Freeport.  This  was  before  the  organi- 
zation of  Stephenson  County,  in  which  work  Isaac 
Forbes  was  prominent,  and  became  Postmaster  at 
Silver  Creek,  occupying  the  position  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  belonged  to  the  old  Whig  party. 


The  parental  family  included  seven  children,  of 
whom  only  four  are  now  living:  Mrs.  F.  A.  Bliss; 
Col.  H.  C.  Forbes;  Prof.  Stephen  A.  and  Mrs.  N.  F. 
Snyder.  Isaac  Forbes,  after  building  for  himself  a 
good  record  as  a  business  man  and  citizen, 
departed  this  life  at  his  home  in  Stephenson 
County,  in  1854.  The  mother  survived  her  hus- 
band for  a  period  of  eighteen  years,  and  closed  her 
eyes  to  the  scenes  of  earth  in  1872. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  remained  at  home 
on  the  farm  and  attended  school  until  fourteen 
years  old.  He  then  went  to  Beloit,  Wis.,  and 
entered  the  academy  there,  which  he  attended  for 
one  year.  Returning  home  he  pursued  his  studies 
under  the  instruction  of  an  older  brother,  until 
1861,  at  which  time  there  was  a  call  for  soldiers  to 
assist  in  the  preservation  of  the  Union.  Young 
Forbes  enlisted  in  Co.  B,  7th  111.  Vol.  Cav.,  and 
served  four  and  one-half  years,  participating  in 
many  of  the  important  battles  of  the  war.  He  was 
captured  at  the  evacuation  of  Corinth  in  1862,  and 
confined  for  a  period  of  five  months  in  the  prisons 
of  Mobile,  Macon  and  Richmond.  He  entered  the 
service  as  private  and  was  mustered  out  as  Captain. 
After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  he  returned 
home  and  began  the  study  of  medicine,  also  taking 
a  course  of  lectures  at  Rush  Medical  College,  Chi- 
cago. Afterward  he  took  up  the  study  of  botany 
and  zoology. 

In  1868  Prof.  Forbes  commenced  teaching  in  the 
public  schools  of  Franklin  and  Jefferson  Counties, 
being  thus  occupied  for  three  years  following,  and 
in  the  meantime  devoting  his  leisure  hours  to  the 
study  of  botany.  He  taught  school  during  the  win- 
ter season  and  spent  his  summers  in  the  fields  of 
Southern  Illinois,  among  the  curious  plants  and 
shrubs  indigenous  to  that  part  of  the  State.  In 
1872  he  was  appointed  Curator  of  the  State  Museum 
at  the  Normal  University  in  McLean  County,  and 
soon  after  made  Professor,  where  he  remained  until 
1884.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been  appointed 
State  Entomologist  by  Gov.  Cullom,  in  1882.  In 
1884  he  was  called  to  his  present  position  by  the 
Trustees  of  the  University,  and  the  duties  of  which 
he  has  fulfilled  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  all  con- 
cerned. 

Prof.  Forbes  was  married  in  1872,  to  Miss  Clara 


>    fi-24 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


S.  (iaston.  Mrs.  F.  is  a  native  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
and  the  daughter  of  John  R.  and  Frances  (Shaw) 
Gaston,  of  Normal,  111.  Of  this  union  there  have 
been  born  five  children — Bertha,  Ernest  B.,  Wini- 
fred, Ethel  C.  and  Richard  E.  The  family  occupy 
a  pleasant  residence  near  the  University,  and  num- 
ber among  their  friends  and  associates  the  refined 
and  cultured  people  of  Urbana.  The  Professor  is  ! 
Republican  in  politics,  and  takes  a  genuine  interest 
in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  advancement  of 
moral  it}'  and  education. 


ARK  JEAKIN8,  deceased,  who  was  of 
English  birth  and  parentage,  emigrated  to 
this  country  in  the  spring  of  1851,  and  a 
few  years  later  became  a  resident  of  the 
Prairie  State.  He  first  located  in  Peoria  County, 
afterward  sojourned  for  a  time  in  Vermilion  Coun- 
ty, and  in  1867  settled  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
Compromise  Township,  this  county,  on  section  33. 
He  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  but  slightly 
improved,  and  at  once  set  himself  to  work  to  estab- 
lish a  home  and  secure  a  competency.  How  well 
he  succeeded  in  this  determination  is  indicated  by 
the  fine  estate  which  he  left  at  his  death.  This  in- 
cludes 200  acres  of  land,  with  a  fine  set  of  farm 
buildings  and  other  improvements  necessary  for 
the  completion  of  a  modern  farm  homestead.  In 
his  course  as  a  husband,  father  and  citizen  Mr. 
Jeakins  set  an  example  that  is  worthy  of  imita- 
tion. He  was  honorable  and  upright  in  his  trans- 
actions, prompt  to  meet  his  obligations,  and  left 
the  heritage  of  a  worthy  name  to  his  descendants. 
The  boyhood  and  youth  of  Mr.  Jeakins  were 
spent  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  where  he  was  born 
Sept.  2,  1828.  His  parents,  John  and  Elizabeth 
Jeakins,  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  of  whom  six, 
James,  John,  Mathew,  Charles,  Sarah  and  Mark, 
accompanied  their  parents  to  the  United  States. 
Emma,  William  and  Ann  are  in  England.  John 
Jeakins  departed  this  life  in  Delaware  in  about 
1858.  The  mother  died  in  Ohio.  Our  subject  re- 
mained in  his  native  country  until  attaining  his 
1  majority,  being  bred  to  farm  life.  In  1851,  ac- 


com  panted  by  his  brother  James,  he  emigrated 
from  his  native  land,  arriving  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia in  May  of  that  year.  He  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  Quaker  City,  whence  two  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  and  from  there  came  to  the  Prai- 
rie State.  His  death  occurred  Aug.  24,  1885,  on 
the  homestead  which  he  had  labored  so  many  years 
to  build  up  and  beautify. 

Mr.  Jeakins  was  twice  married,  first  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  in  September,  1 851 ,  and  his  wife  died  while 
on  the  journey  from  Philadelphia  to  Ohio.  After 
coming  to  this  State  Mr.  Jeakins,  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1867,  was  married  to  Mrs.  Phebe  Ann 
(Barton)  Gear.  Mrs.  J.  was  born  in  Parke  County, 
Ind.,  March  28,  1835,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Martha  Barton,  natives  of  Kentucky.  She 
was  reared  in  Indiana,  and  was  first  married  Oct. 
16,  1864,  to  Rev.  Alexander  Gear,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  a  minister  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church.  Mr.  Gear  was  always  interested  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  followed  farming  in  connec- 
tion with  his  ministerial  duties.  They  resided  in 
Indiana  a  3fear  after  their  marriage,  then  removed 
to  Vermilion  County,  this  State,  where  Mr.  Gear 
departed  this  life  Dec.  25,  1865.  Of  this  marriage 
there  were  no  children. 

Of  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mark  Jeakins 
there  were  born  three  children — John  S.,  Harvey  J. 
and  Lillie  M.  Religiously  Mr.  J.  belonged  to  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  of  which  Mrs.  J.  is  still  a 
member.  The  latter  since  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band has.  with  the  assistance  of  her  children,  man- 
aged the  farm  in  a  creditable  and  judicious  man- 
ner, and  is  a  lady  greatly  respected  by  all  who 
know  her. 


fENDEL  REINHART  has  been  identified 
with  the  farming  interests  and  the  local  af- 
fairs of  Pesotum  Township  since  the  spring 
of  1867,  when  he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  lying  near  the  line  between 
Crittendeu  and  Pesotum  Townships.  Since  that 
time  he  has  added  gradually  to  his  possessions  until 
he  now  has  a  fine  farm  of  320  acres  lying  partly  in 
each  of  the  townships  named.  As  one  of  the  most 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


prosperous  and  enterprising  of  Champaign  County's 
foreign-born  citizens,  who  have  contributed  so 
greatly  to  the  development  of  the  Prairie  State, 
we  present  iu  connection  with  this  brief  outline  of 
his  life  the  likeness  of  a  face  familiar  in  the  useful 
walks  of  life  and  of  one  who  has  built  up  a  record 
enduring  and  valuable,  and  which  will  be  looked 
upon  by  his  descendants  years  hence  with  pride  and 
satisfaction. 

Soon  after  coming  to  this  section  the  intelligence 
of  Mr.  Rinehart  and  his  value  as  a  man  and  citizen 
made  itself  apparent  to  his  fellow-townsmen,  who 
entrusted  him  with  the  various  offices  within  their 
gift,  and  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  in  a 
manner  highly  satisfactory  to  them  and  creditable 
to  himself.  Being  loyal  to  the  customs  of  his  na- 
tive country,  Germany,  he  is  a  believer  in  compul- 
sory education,  and  has  always  been  interested  in 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools,  doing 
everything  in  his  power  to  encourage  and  promote 
the  cause  of  education  in  this  section.  He  served 
six  years  as  School  Director,  has  been  Commissioner 
of  Highways  nine  years,  and  Justice  of  the  Peace 
six  years.  There  have  been  but  few  enterprises 
having  for  their  object  the  public  good,  which  he 
has  not  encouraged  and  supported,  holding  very 
properly  to  the  theory  that  whatever  benefits  one 
citizen  is  of  benefit  to  all. 

The  subject  of  this  history  spent  his  childhood 
in  the  Province  of  Alsace-Lorraine,  now  in  Ger- 
many, where  he  was  born  on  the  5th  of  February, 
1832.  When  a  youth  of  fifteen  years  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  with  his  parents,  Nicholas  and 
Catherine  (Pan tier)  Reinhart,  who,  in  1847,  came  to 
this  State  and  located  in  Peoria  County,  of  which 
their  son  was  a  resident  for  twenty  years  thereafter. 
There,  as  here,  he  became  prominent  among  the  men 
of  his  township,  which  he  represented  in  the  Board 
of  Supervisors,  and  was  otherwise  connected  with 
its  local  affairs.  He  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds 
of  matrimony,  Jan.  8,  1860,  to  Mary,  daughter 
of  Valentine  and  Mary  (Eberle)  Schlink,  of  Peoria, 
111.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  three  children, 
two  only  now  living — Mary  and  George.  Peter 
died  when  five  months  old ;  Mary  is  the  wife  of 
George  Gillis,  who  is  proprietor  of  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  in  Crittenden  Township;  George  married  Miss 


Mary  Summers,  and  also  follows  farming* 
tenden  Township.  The  mother  of  these  children 
departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in 
Peoria  County,  on  the  '28th  of  March,  1864.  The 
second  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried Jan.  16,  1866,  was  Miss  Eva  Meister,  of  Wood- 
ford  County,  this  State.  Of  the  nine  children  born 
of  this  marriage,  two  sons,  Louis  and  Frank,  died 
when  five  years  old.  The  children  surviving  are 
Theresa,  John  W.,  Joseph,  Lizzie,  Henry,  Charles 
and  Peter  E.,  all  at  home  with  their  parents.  The 
boys  assist  their  father  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
farm,  which  of  late  years  has  been  devoted  chiefly 
to  the  breeding  of  cattle  and  horses. 

Mrs.  Mary  Reinhart  was  a  devoted  member  of 
the  German  Catholic  Church,  with  which  also  our 
subject  and  his  present  wife  have  been  connected 
many  years. 


i-ILLIAM  COLLEY  is  of  English  descent, 
and  owns  eighty  acres  of  well-improved 
land  on  section  33,  Ayers  Township.  He 
was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  Oct.  10,  1846,  and 
is  the  son  of  Robert  and  Ann  (Wardell)  Colley. 
When  at  the  tender  age  of  two  years  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  lose  his  mother  by  death.  He  was 
then  taken  to  the  home  of  his  maternal  grandfather, 
where  he  grew  to  boyhood.  He  attended  school  in 
his  native  land,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years 
was  bound  out  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade,  serv- 
ing as  an  apprentice  for  four  years.  He  applied 
himself  with  diligence  and  energy  to  his  work  and 
became  very  skillful,  and  was  employed  in  the  con- 
struction of  several  large  and  costly  edifices.  He 
spent  six  years  working  at  his  trade,  and  then  be- 
coming interested  in  the  advantages  offered  the  emi- 
grant by  this  country,  he  j'ielded  to  the  desire  dear 
to  the  heart  of  every  Englishman,  of  becoming  a 
land-owner,  and  in  1870  sought  the  shores  of  the 
New  World  with  this  end  in  view.  After  landing 
at  New  York  he  came  at  once  to  Morgan  County, 
111.,  where  he  remained  through  the  winter.  After- 
ward for  two  years  he  was  employed  to  work  by  the 
month. 

In  1872  Mr.  Colley  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen 


628 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


Swan,  who  was  also  of  English  descent.  She  \va* 
born  in  Illinois,  (Jet.  IN,  1847.'_.Thcy  have  two  in- 
teresting children  living,  and  two  are  dect'a.-cd. 
The  names  of  the  children  arc  as  follows:  Thomas 
W. ;  John  H.,  deceased;  Eddie  S.,  and  another,  who 
died  in  infancy.  The  household  includes  a  cousin, 
Clara  Swain,  who  has  made  her  home  at  Mr.  Col- 
ley's  since  her  father's  death. 

The  energy  of  Mr.  Colley  displayed  in  his  pro- 
fession has  been  amply  rewarded.  His  land  is 
under  good  cultivation  and  he  has  a  tasteful  farm 

e 

residence  and  the  grounds  are  well  cared  for.  He 
owns  some  fine  Hereford  stock,  good  farm  machin- 
ery, and  all  the  appointments  of  his(  place  are  well 
suited  to  the  home  of  an  English  country  gentle- 
man. 

Mr.  Colley  established  his  home  in  this  county 
in  1877,  and  although  comparatively  a  recent  resi- 
dent, has  become  largely  identified  with  the  inter- 
ests of  the  community.  He  is  a  member  and  one 
of  the  Trustees  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  also 
Superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school.  He  has 
never  taken  out  his  naturalization  papers,  but  re- 
gards himself  as  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and 
in  politics  his  sympathies  are  with  the  Republican 
party. 

The  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Colley,  as  shown 
on  another  page,  will  be  recognized  as  that  of  one 
of  the  most  useful  members  of  the  farming  com- 
munity of  this  locality,  and  one  who  has  con- 
tributed his  full  quota  in  enhancing  the  beauty  of 
the  landscape  and  the  value  of  the  soil  in  Ayers 
Township. 


^ILLIAM  BROWN,  a  well-known  resident 
of  the  city  of  Champaign,  and  formerly 
one  of  tne  most  prosperous  farmers  of  this 
county,  is  now  living  in  ease  and  retirement  at  his 
fine  residence,  No.  502  University  avenue.  He  has 
been  a  resident  of  the  Prairie  State  since  1869, 
when  he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased  140 
acres  of  land  in  Somer  Township,  which  he  im- 
proved and  cultivated  until  the  fall  of  1885.  He 
then  purchased  the  handsome  property  which  he 
now  owns  in  this  city,  and  where,  surrounded  by 
the  friends  who  have  known  him  for  so  many  years, 


he  is  passing  down  the  sunset  hill  of  life  in  the 
midst  of  comfort  and  luxury,  the  reward  of  an  act- 
ive and  energetic  business  life. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  in  Pres- 
ton County,  Oct.  25,  1815.  His  parents  were  AVin- 
dell  and  Amelia  (Moore)  Brown,  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania, whence  they  removed  after  their  mar- 
riage to  Virginia,  and  were  engaged  there  in  farm- 
ing pursuits.  In  the  year  1837  they  removed  to 
Union  County,  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Brown  purchased 
a  heavily  timbered  tract  of  400  acres,  and  where 
he  established  a  comfortable  homestead  upon  which 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  his  decease  oc- 
curring in  1851.  The  mother  died  two  years  later, 
in  1853.  Of  their  nine  children  three  only  are  now 
living — Aaron,  William  and  Amelia. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  reared  to  farm- 
ing pursuits,  and  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  his  parents  closed  their  eyes  upon  the  scenes 
of  earth.  He  afterward  occupied  the  old  home- 
stead until  1869,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to 
this  State.  He  is  what  may  be  properly  called  a 
self-made  man.  He  was  reared  to  habits  of  indus- 
try and  economy,  and  in  his  younger  days  learned 
to  live  within  his  income.  He  began  early  in  life 
to  accumulate  money,  and  many  a  day  engaged  in 
mowing  bay  at  twenty -five  cents  per  acre,  often 
cutting  the  grass  from  four  acres  in  one  day.  He 
was  also  an  expert  at  splitting  rails,  and  would 
often  turn  out  200  of  these  in  half  a  day,  after  they 
had  been  cut  from  the  timber.  He  was  strong, 
physically,  and  no  one  in  his  county'  could  lay  him 
on  the  ground.  His  early  education  was  conducted 
in  the  pioneer  log  school-house.  Those  early  ex- 
periences contributed  to  his  independence  of  char- 
acter, and  laid  the  foundations  for  his  future  suc- 
cess in  life. 

Since  coming  to  this  locality  Mr.  Brown  has  been 
prominentl}7  connected  with  the  affairs  of  the 
county,  and  has  contributed  in  no  small  degree  in 
bringing  it  to  its  present  position  as  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  sections  of  the  State.  He  is  Dem- 
ocratic in  politics,  and  has  held  the  offices  of  School 
Director  and  Path  Master,  besides  filling  other  im- 
portant positions,  and  taking  a  prominent  part  in 
the  counsels  of  his  fellow-townsmen.  Both  he  and 
his  excellent  wife  early  in  life  became  connected  ' 


1 


4=5 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


629   j 


with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which 
they  are  still  worthy  and  consistent  members.  Mr. 
Brown  has  always  been  interested  in  the  success  of 
the  temperance  movement,  lending  his  influence 
and  lifting  his  voice  as  -opportunity  occurred, 
against  the  crying  evil. 

The  marriage  of  William  Brown  and  Miss  Ke- 
ziah  C.  Ford,  was  celebrated  in  Union  County, 
Ohio,  in  1853.  Mrs.  Brown  is  a  native  of  Clarke 
County,  and  the  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Hanua)  Ford,  natives  respectively  of  New  Jersey 
and-  Ohio.  Our  subject  and  wife  have  become  the 
parents  of  five  children,  only  three  of  whom  are 
living:  Clark  married  Miss  Sarah  Fuller,  and  they 
have  two  children — Charlie  A.  and  Helen  E. ;  they 
live  in  Phelps  County,  Neb.  Ray  and  William  A. 
are  living  on  the  home  farm. 

Mr.  Ford,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Brown,  during  his 
earlier  years  engaged  in  farming  in  the  Buckeye 
State,  but  about  1871  removed  to  this  State,  where 
he  is  still  living.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
Brown,  died  in  Union  County,  Ohio,  in  1854. 
Eight  of  the  nine  children  born  to  them  are  now 
living  and. named  as  follows:  Nancy  V..  William 
J.,  David  J.,  Keziah,  John  W.,  Mattie,  Ruey  and 
Isabella.  Mr.  Ford  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  some 
years  in  the  Buckeye  State,  and  Chaplain  of  the 
temperance  society  there. 


J"  AMES  W.  STAMEY,  an  active  and  prosper- 
ous farmer  of  Urbana  Township,  was   born 
Feb.   I,  1842,  on  the  homestead   where  he 
'    now  resides.     His  father,  Elias  Stamey,  was 
the  son  of  Daniel  Stamey  and  came  to  Champaign 
County  with    his   mother's  uncle,  Charles   Busey, 
where  he  married  Miss  Nancy  D.  Busey,  and  after- 
ward settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  son, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

The  estate  of  our  subject  includes  150  acres, 
located  on  section  6.  During  a  very  unhealthy 
season  about  ten  years  after  his  marriage,  Elias 
Stamey  died,  after  which  his  wife  very  successfully 
conducted  the  farm,  in  the  meantime  educating  her 
four  sons — Matthew  E.,  Daniel  W.,  James  W.  and 
John  C.  James  W.  remained  on  the  farm  with  his 


mother  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and 
completed  his  education  at  the  public  school  in 
Urbana.  When  the  estate  was  divided,  the  home- 
stead became  his  portion,  and  his  mother  has  since 
resided  with  him.  She  is  now  in  her  seventy- 
second  year. 

James  Stamey  in  1868  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Nancy  Somers,  the  daughter  of  James  L. 
Somers,  who  came  from  North  Carolina  and  was 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county.  Mrs. 
Stamey  died  Oct.  28,  1886. 

Mr.  Stamey  has  been  engaged  principally  in  gen- 
eral farming,  and  raises  cattle  and  hogs,  which  he 
sells  on  the  farm  and  ships  to  market.  His  land  is 
well  tiled  and  enclosed  with  wire  fencing.  He  has 
a  Qne  residence  and  good  farm  buildings. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stamey  there  were  born  three 
children  —  John,  Jennie  and  Frank.  Mr.  Stamey  is 
an  energetic,  active  man,  interested  in  public  affairs, 
and  has  filled  some  of  the  official  positions  of  the 
township. 


ENRY  McBRIDE,  formerly  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  farmers  of  Scott  Township,  in 
1886  retired  to  the  village  of  Bondville, 
where  he  is  enjoying  the  rest  and  comfort 
to  which  the  industry  and  economy  of  former 
years  have  fully  entitled  him.  He  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1867,  locating  first 
in  Fulton  County,  where  he  farmed  on  rented  land, 
and  whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Piatt  County 
of  which  he  was  a  resident  for  twelve  years.  He 
removed  to  Bondville  in  the  spring  of  1886,  where 
he  has  become  one  of  its  most  highly  respected 
citizens.  He  is  a  native  of  Frederick  County,  Md., 
born  Sept.  6,  1832,  and  the  son  of  George  and  So- 
phia McBride.  They  also  were  born  in  Maryland, 
where  they  were  reared  and  married,  and  where 
the  mother  died  in  about  1836.  In  the  fall  of 
1853  George  McBride  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he 
resided  one  year,  and  then  came  to  Fulton  County, 
this  State.  From  there  he  removed  to  Piatt 
County,  where  his  death  took  place  Sept.  6,  1884. 
The  three  children  of  the  parental  household  all 
grew  to  mature  years. 

When  Henry  McBride  was  sixteen  years  of  age, 


630 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


he  became  a  resident  of  the  Buckeye  State,  and 
there  lived  until  the  spring  of  18(17.  He  was  brod 
to  farming  pursuits,  which  he  followed  in  Ohio 
and  after  coming  to  this  State.  Before  leaving 
Ohi»,  our  subject  was  married,  in  Preble  County, 
Oct.  25,  1855,  to  Miss  Rebecca  M.,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  A.  (Martin)  Kelley.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kelley  were  natives  of  Virginia,  whence  they 
removed  to  Ohio  in  about  1814.  The  wife  of  our 
subject  was  born  Jan.  14,  1831,  and  their  marriage 
resulted  in  the  birth  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
Viola  C.  died  when  two  years  old;  Luella  S.,  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Stephenson,  is  a  resident  of  Piatt 
County,  this  State ;  Mary  A.  is  at  home  with  her 
parents;  Jacob  E.  married  Miss  Clara  Connor,  and 
is  a  resident  of  Piatt  County ;  Laura  A.,  Mrs. 
Charles  Ruhl,  resides  in  this  county ;  William  H., 
Cora  O.  and  Arthur  K.  remain  on  the  homestead. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  McBride  are  members  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  our  subject, 
politically,  casts  his  vote  in  support  of  Republican 
principles. 


ILO  THAYER.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
came  to  Champaign  County  in  1871,  and 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  wild  prairie  land 
on  section  G,  in  Rantoul  Township.  Of  this 
thirty  acres  had  been  broken,  and  upon  it  there 
stood  a  small  house  in  whose  erection  neither  taste, 
solidity,  nor  skill  had  been  employed.  With  some 
repairs,  however,  it  served  as  a  temporary  home  for 
Mr.  T.  and  his  family  until  he  was  enabled  to  put 
up  a  better  one.  Since  coming  here  his  time  has 
been  fully  employed  in  the  improvement  and  cul- 
tivation of  his  land,  which  has  now  become  valuable 
property,  and  in  the  erection  of  the  buildings,  in 
which  he  may  justly  feel  a  large  degree  of  satisfac- 
tion. The  grounds  around  the  residence  have  been 
embellished  with  fruit  trees  of  the  finer  order  and 
handsome  shade  trees.  The  home  of  Mr.  Thayer 
compares  well  with  that  of  the  prosperous  neigh- 
bors around  him,  by  whom  he  is  respected  as  a 
skillful  and  intelligent  farmer  and  a  valued  mem- 
ber of  the  community. 

Our   subject,   in    establishing    his   home    in    the 


Prairie  State,  traveled  many  miles  from  the  place 
of  his  birth,  which  took  place  in  Vermont,  Feb.  28, 
1831.  He  is  the  son  of  Gardener  Thayer,  also  a 
native  of  the  Green  Mountain  State,  who  during 
the  year  following  the  birth  of  his  son  Milo, 
removed  with  his  family  to  New  York  State,  set- 
tling in  Allegany  County.  The  journey  was  made 
via  Lake  Champlain  and  Champlain  to  Troy,  thence 
by  the  Erie  Canal  to  Rochester,  and  from  there  to 
Allegany  County.  He  secured  a  tract  of  timber 
land  from  the  Holland  Purchase,  and  clearing  a 
farm  from  the  wilderness,  lived  there  the  balance 
of  his  days.  He  had  been  married  in  his  native 
State  to  Miss  Saloma  Smith,  who  journeyed  with 
her  husband  from  Vermont  to  Allegany  County, 
N.  Y.,  carrying  her  little  son,  our  subject,  much  of 
the  way  in  her  arms.  She  became  the  mother  of 
ten  children,  of  whom  five  died  when  young,  and 
five  grew  to  become  men  and  women :  Alonzo  is 
still  a  resident  of  Allegany  County,  N.  Y. ;  Saloma, 
who  married  Charles  Carpenter,  died  there ;  Carlton, 
when  a  young  man  removed  to  Dakota  and  is  still 
living  there  in  Day  County ;  Milo  of  our  sketch  was 
the  fourth  child.  . 

The  subject  of  this  biography,  when  of  suitable 
years,  commenced  assisting  his  father  in  clearing 
the  farm  in  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  and  pursued 
his  early  studies  in  the  pioneer  schools.  When 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  desirous  of  seeing  some- 
thing of  the  world,  he  started  for  the  Pacific  slope. 
The  first  part  of  the  journey  was  made  via  the  rail- 
road, lakes  and  rivers  to  Independence,  Mo.,  where 
he  joined  a  company  equipped  with  ox-teams,  and 
set  out  to  complete  the  journey  to  California. 
After  traveling  117  days  they  reached  Hangtown, 
or  Placerville,  where  our  subject  entered  the  gold 
mines  and  remained  the  greater  part  of  the  time  for 
four  years.  In  1856  he  returned  via  the  Isthmus 
and  New  York  to  the  old  homestead  in  Allegany 
County.  Three  years  later  he  took  up  his  location 
in  Canada  Township,  Allegany  County,  where  he 
resided  until  1871,  on  a  farm  which  he  had  pur- 
chased. In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  sold  out  and 
made  his  way  to  this  county,  of  which  he  has  since 
been  a  resident. 

Two  years  after  returning  from  California,  Mr. 
Thayer  was  married  in  Allegany  County,  N.  Y., 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Doe.  27,  1858,  to  Miss  Mary  Wright.  Mrs.  Thayer 
was  born  in  Hume,  N.  Y.,  March  4,  1838,  and  is 
the  daughter  of  Miles  and  Matilda  (Odle)  Wright, 
natives  respectively  of  Vermont  and  Utica.  N.  Y. 
After  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  located  first 
in  Allegany  County,  whence  they  removed  to  the 
village  of  Hume,  where  they  remained  the  rest  of 
their  lives,  the  father  dying  in  18(57,  and  the 
mother  in  1873. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thayer  became  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows: 
Sina,  who  became  the  wife  of  Robert  Dickey,  died 
in  Kantoul  in  1883,  aged  twenty-four  years;  Julia, 
Mrs.  Reynolds,  lives  in  Rantoul ;  Grace,  Mrs.  George 
Fletcher,  in  Condit  Township;  Matie,  Elizabeth, 
Alonzo,  Charlie  and  Edith  are  at  home  with  their 
parents.  In  politics  Mr.  Thayer  is  a  Republican. 


OHN  McMULLEN,  a  highly  respected  far- 
mer, and  the  efficient  Supervisor  of  Scott 
Township,  is  pleasantly  located  on  section 
10,  where  he  has  a  good  homestead  with  all 
modern  improvements.  He  became  a  resident  of 
the  Prairie  State  in  the  spring  of  1868,  and  for  a 
period  of  twelve  years  lived  in  Seymour,  this 
countj'.  Since  coming  to  the  State  he  has  been 
continuously  engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  His 
homestead  includes  eighty  acres,  which  produces  in 
abundance  the  choicest  crops,  and  upon  which  he 
has  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings,  conveniently 
arranged  for  the  requirements  of  a  modern  agri- 
culturist. 

Our  subject,  who  was  born  in  Indiana  County, 
Pa.,  Feb.  2,  1822,  is  the  son  of  Alexander  and 
Catherine  (McKinney)  McMullen,  natives  of  Frank- 
lin County,  Pa.  After  marriage  they  settled  in 
Indiana  County,  where  Alexander  McMullen  fol- 
lowed farming  the  balance  of  his  life.  In  the 
meantime  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812, 
and  was  a  strong  Abolitionist,  despising  and  con- 
demning the  system  of  slavery.  The  seven  children 
of  the  parental  household  included  three  boys  and, 
four  girls,  of  whom  four  survive.  John  was  the 
third  child,  lie  received  a  common-school  educa- 


tion and  remained  at  home  until  twenty  years  of 
age.  He  then  served  an  apprenticeship  of  two  and 
one-half  years  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he 
followed  in  his  native  county  until  1868,  when  he 
came  to  this  State.  John  McMullen  was  married 
in  his  native  coimty,  Nov.  14,  1850,  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Dickie,  also  a  native  of  Indiana  County,  Pa., 
and  born  June  23,  1830.  Her  parents  were  William 
H.  and  Jane  (Allison)  Dickie,  natives  of  the  Key- 
stone State,  born  in  Westmoreland  and  Indiana 
Counties  respectively.  Mr.  D.  carried  on  farming 
in  Indiana  County,  where  he  and  his  wife  settled 
soon  after  marriage  and  became  the  parents  of  five 
sons  and  seven  daughters. 

To  our  subject  and  his  wife  there  have  been 
born  six  children,  three  only  of  whom  survive — 
William  II.,  George  D.  and  Frank  H.  Those 
deceased  are  Thomas  B.,  Catherine  J.,  and  an  infant 
unnamed.  William  married  Miss  Carrie  A.  Collins, 
and  resides  on  a  farm  in  Kansas;  George  is  teach- 
ing in  Colorado;  Frank  is  at  home  with  his  parents. 
Mr.  McMullen  was  elected  Supervisor  of  Scott 
Township  in  the  spring  of  1887.  He  has  held  the 
minor  offices  of  his  township,  is  Republican  in 
politics,  and  religiously,  with  his  amiable  and  excel- 
lent partner,  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 


J '"JAMES  PARSLEY,   deceased,   was  formerly 
I    one  of  the    most   enterprising   and    highly 
I    esteemed  citizens  of  Urbana  Township.    He 
'    was  a  native  of  Russell  County,  Va.,  and  was 
born  Jan.   1,   1817.     His   death  occurred  July  1, 
1880.     His  father,  James  Parsley,  was  of  German 
descent,  and  was  also  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  his 
mother,  Rhoda  Crabtree,  was  a  native  of  the  same 
State. 

When  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  James  Pars- 
ley moved  with  his  parents  to  Greene  County,  Ind., 
where  they  settled  and  the  father  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. A  few  years  later  they  again  changed  their 
home,  moving  to  Marion  County,  the  same  State, 
where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  days. 
James  grew  to  manhood  in  that  county  and  was 
much  attached  to  the  old  homestead,  continuing 
to  reside  upon  it  until  his  removal  to  Champaign 


632 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


County,  in  August,  1863.  He  first  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land  which  was  partly  improved.  To  this 
he  subsequently  added  until  the  present  farm  con- 
tains 150  acres.  It  is  located  on  section  25,  Urbana 
Township,  and  the  residence,  barns,  and  most  of  the 
improvements  were  put  upon  the  place  by  himself. 
His  laud  was  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  he  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  successful 
stock-raisers  in  the  county. 

In  December,  1856,  Mr.  Parsley  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Margaret  Arlington,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Matilda  (McUuffle)  Arlington.  The 
Me  Duffles  were  of  Scotch  and  Irish  origin,  and 
natives  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  When  Mrs. 
Parsley  was  eighteen  months  old  her  parents  re- 
moved to  Indiana,  where  she  grew  to  womanhood. 
They  subsequently  moved  to  Champaign  County, 
where  both  are  now  living,  in  St.  Joseph  Township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parsley  became  the  parents  of  four 
children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of  whom 
are  living  at  home.  Their  names  are  Edward  S., 
Daniel  L.,  Lee  W.  and  Minnie. 

During  Mr.  Parsley's  early  life  in  Indiana  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  but  on  settling 
here,  there  being  no  organization  of  that  denomi- 
nation in  the  vicinity,  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  was  one  of  its  Trustees. 
Mrs.  Parsley  is  a- member  of  the  same  church.  She 
occupies  the  old  homestead,  and  with  the  assistance 
of  her  sons  manages  the  farm  very  successfully. 


•,OBERT  LESLIE,  Agent  of  the  Wabash 
Railroad  and  also  of  the  Pacific  Express 
Company,  has  been  a  resident  of  Tolono 
)  since  the  fall  of  1875.  He  is  a  native  of 
the  Shetland  Islands  (belonging  to  Scotland),  and 
was  born  June  10,  1850.  He  is  the  son  of  Robert 
and  Ann  Leslie,  the  former  of  whom  came  to  his 
death  by  drowning,  in  about  1858.  The  mother 
afterward  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  died 
at  the  home  of  her  son  at  Tolono  about  three 
months  after  her  arrival.  The  parental  family  in- 
cluded nine  children,  four  now  deceased.  Ann  is 
a  resident  of  Tolono;  John  of  Savoy;  Robert  is  the 


third  eldest;  Christina  is  a  resident  of  Tolono,  and 
Margaret,  the  wife  of  John  Eunson,  resides  on  her 
native  island,  Shetland. 

The  early  years  of  our  subject  were  spent  with 
his  parents  on  a  small  farm,  where  he  followed  fish- 
ing as  an  occupation,  and  received  but  a  limited 
education.  After  attaining  his  majority,  however, 
he  felt  the  necessity  of  more  book  learning  and 
through  his  own  efforts  mastered  the  common 
branches.  In  1873  he  set  sail  for  the  United  States, 
lauding  in  New  York  City  in  the  month  of  April. 
From  there  he  proceeded  westward,  arriving  in 
Chicago  on  the  1 2th  of  that  month.  The  follow- 
ing week  he  obtained  a  situation  as  watchman  on 
one  of  the  Hyde  Park  trains  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  which  he  abandoned,  however,  on  the 
10th  of  June,  to  work  in  the  car  shops  of  the  same 
company,  where  he  remained  one  year.  He  was 
then  detailed  to  watch  and  keep  in  repair  the  cars 
received  by  the  Wabash  Railroad  Company  at 
Tolono. 

In  the  fall  of  1876  Mr.  Leslie  took  advantage  of 
the  reduced  rates  offered  on  account  of  the  Cen- 
tennial Exposition,  and  started  for  his  native  island. 
Upon  the  route  he  visited  Niagara  Falls  and  the 
Centennial  Exposition,  and  then  set  sail  for  Liver- 
pool. He  remained  in  the  Queen's  dominions  un- 
til the  following  March,  then  returned  to  the 
United  States,  and  reached  Tolono  on  the  14th  of 
April,  1877.  He  had  left  his  position  with  leave 
of  absence,  and  in  the  meantime  the  station  had 
been  abandoned,  so  that  upon  his  return  he  found 
himself  without  a  job.  He  then  engaged  to  work 
for  a  farmer  at  a  salary  of  $14  for  two  months,  but 
later  received  $16  per  month.  During  that  year 
he  returned  to  Chicago  and  entered  the  employ  of 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  as  car  repairer.  After 
six  weeks  he  was  sent  by  the  company  to  Madison, 
111.,  but  in  the  spring  of  1878  returned  to  the  Wa- 
bash at  Tolono,  in  whose  employ  he  remained  as 
repairer  and  inspector  until  this  station  was  con- 
solidated with  the  Illinois  Central.  He  was  then 
tendered  the  position  of  Baggagemaster,  and  was 
thus  occupied  until  Sept.  1,  1881,  when  he  was 
promoted  to  Assistant  Station  Agent  of  the  W.,  St. 
L.  &  P.  R.  R.  In  February,  1883,  he  was  ten- 
dered his  present  position.  His  successive  promo- 


**• 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


633 


tions  have  been  ample  evidence  of  his  fidelitj'  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  while  as  a  citizen  he  is 
highly  esteemed  by  the  people  of  Tolono.  He 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party,  and  relig- 
iously is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Baptist 
Church. 

Mr.  Leslie  was  married  in  1879  to  Miss  Mary, 
daughter  of  Archibald  B.  and  Christiana  (Stewart) 
Campbell.  She  is  a  native  of  Scotland  and  born 
in  1861.  They  became  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren, of  whom  one  daughter  died  at  the  age  of  five 
years.  Those  surviving  are  Anna  J.  and  William  R. 


ABAN  C.  BURR  represents  the  furniture 
and  undertaking  business  at  Tolono.  He  is 
a  native  of  the  Prairie  State,  and  was  born 
in  Charleston,  Coles  County,  Oct.  1,  1831.  His 
father,  Samuel  P.  Burr,  a  native  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, was  born  Sept.  8,  1809,  and  was  the  son  of 
Laban  and  Prudence  (Gushing)  Burr,  the  latter  a 
descendant  of  Caleb  Gushing,  the  eminent  jurist. 
The  Burr  family  are  of  English  extraction  and  can 
be  traced  back  to  Rev.  Jonathan  Burr,  who  was 
born  in  1604  in  Redgrove,  Suffolk,  England,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1639,  settling  in  Dor- 
chester, N.  H.  He  had  four  children.  His  sons 
were  Jonathan,  John  and  Simon.  From  John, 
Aaron  Burr  descended;  from  Simon,  our  subject 
descended.  John,  the  son  of  Simon,  married  Mary 
AVarren ;  Jonathan,  the  son  of  John,  married  Mary 
Lincoln ;  John,  his  son,  married  a  Miss  Gushing,  of 
Hingham,  a  descendant  of  Matthew  Gushing,  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  New  England,  and  this  brings 
us  to  the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject.  His 
sons  were  Samuel,  Gushing,  Levi,  Perey,  Theophilus, 
Robert  and  Laban.  He  had  one  daughter,  Emma. 
In  1820  Laban  Burr  emigrated  with  his  family 
to  Illinois,  settling  near  Paris,  Edgar  County,  among 
the  pioneers.  There  the  father  of  our  subject  grew 
to  manhood,  and  entered  the  ministry  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he  continued 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  man 
singularly  retiring  in  disposition,  never  seeking  to 
promote  himself,  and  at  one  time  declined  a  desira- 
ble charge  in  Chicago  to  accept  one  in  the  little 


town  of  Wilmington,  111.  He  married  Miss  Mar- 
gery A.  Modrell,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky,  and 
came  with  her  parents  to  Illinois  when  a  young 
child.  She  departed  this  life  in  about  1834,  leav- 
ing three  children — George  W.  and  Laban  C. 
(twins),  and  a  daughter,  Julia  A.,  now  deceased. 
In  due  time  the  father  was  married  the  second  time, 
Miss  Almira  J.  Evans  becoming  his  wife.  Of  this 
union  there  were  five  children — Louisa,  Mary, 
Charles,  Jessie  and  Maude. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  but  three  years 
old  when  his  mother  died  and  his  father  entered 
the  ministry.  Until  the  second  marriage  the  chil- 
dren were  boarded  among  the  membership  of  the 
church.  Laban  C.  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation, and  when  fifteen  years  of  age  became  an 
apprentice  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  cabinet-maker  in 
Wilmington,  111.  Subsequently  he  attended  two 
years  at  the  Paris  Academy.  In  the  spring  of  1853 
he  started  overland  for  California,  and  remained  on 
the  Pacific  slope  until  the  fall  of  1856.  After 
being  successfully  engaged  in  mining  and  at  his 
trade,  he  returned  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and 
New  York.  He  had  quite  a  little  capital  upon 
returning  to  Illinois,  a  part  of  which,  however,  he 
expended  in  payment  of  money  which  he  had  bor- 
rowed to  cross  the  plains.  He  loaned  the  balance 
of  the  money  which  he  had  saved,  and  engaged  as 
clerk  in  a  store. 

In  the  spring  of  1858  Mr.  Burr  married  Miss 
Rebecca  Thrasher,  and  purchased  120  acres  of 
prairie  land  in  Charleston,  Coles  County,  besides 
twenty-six  acres  of  timber.  He  followed  farming 
about  five  years  and  then,  on  account  of  the  dis- 
turbances arising  from  the  Rebellion,  which  was 
then  in  progress,  he  sold  out  and  removed  to  To- 
lono, of  which  he  has  since  been  a  resident.  After 
coining  here  he  engaged  as  a  contractor  and  builder 
for  three  years,  and  then  resumed  cabinet-making. 
In  due  time  he  purchased  a  stock  of  furniture,  and 
established  one  of  the  pioneer  stores  of  the  kind  in 
Champaign  County. 

Upon  reaching  his  majority  Mr.  Burr  became  a 
member  of  the  old  Whig  party,  and  cast  his  first 
presidential  vote  for  Gen.  AVinfield  Scott.  In  the 
summer  of  1856  he  was  selected  as  a  delegate  to  the 
first  Republican  State  Convention  of  California,  at 


t 


634 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


** 


the  time  when  the  old  party  was  about  to  be  aban- 
doned in  consequence  of  the  organization  of  the 
Republican.  Upon  his  return  from  the  Pacific 
slope  and  at  the  next  presidential  election,  our  sub- 
ject voted  for  John  C.  Fremont,  and  has  since  been 
a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Republican  party.  lie 
always  took  a  lively  interest  in  State  and  National 
affairs,  and  while  a  resident  of  Coles  County  was 
frequently  sent  as  a  delegate  to  political  conven- 
tions. Since  coming  to  Champaign  County  he  has 
held  nearly  all  the  local  offices  and  served  for  six 
years  as  Supervisor  of  Tolono  Township.  Relig- 
iously he  has  been  an  active  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  since  early  manhood,  occu- 
pying important  offices  therein  and  serving  as 
Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school,  besides  work- 
ing in  other  directions  for  the  success  of  the  Gos- 
pel generally.  He  has  also  been  a  delegate  to  the 
Conference,  and  at  Danville  was  elected  Presiding 
Officer  of  the  lay  delegates. 

Mrs.  Burr  was  born  in  Coles  County,  this  State, 
and  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Margaret 
(Sousley)  Thrasher,  natives  of  Kentucky.  Of  her 
union  with  our  subject  there  were  born  four  chil- 
dren: Luella,  the  wife  of  Charles  Trimble;  Laban 
A.,  a  practicing  physician  of  White  Oak,  111. ;  Kent, 
who  died  in  infancy,  and  dishing  L.,  who  is  now  a 
student  in  the  Wesleyan  University  at  Blooming- 
ton.  Mr.  Burr  was  a  second  time  married,  May  2i, 
1874,  to  Miss  Hannah  Smith,  of  Tolono.  By  this 
union  there  is  no  issue.  Mr.  Burr  has  been  uni- 
formly successful  in  his  business  operations  since 
becoming  a  resident  of  Tolono  Township,  and  be- 
sides his  ample  stock  of  goods,  owns  the  store,  his 
pleasant  and  commodious  residence  and  other  vil- 
lage property.  He  also  has  an  interest  in  Nebraska 
lands. 


BERNARD  YOUNGMAN,  one  of  the  first 
projectors  of  the  manufacture  of  tile  in  this 
State,  is  still  a  young  man,  but  possesses  the 
energy  and  good  judgment  of  one  having 
acquaintance  with  a  greater  number  of  years.  Since 
1884  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Pesotum,  where  he 
lias  successfully  carried  on  the  tile  factory  which 
lie  purchased,  and  which  he  has  equipped  with  new 


machinery  and  enlarged  its  capacity  so  that  he  can 
fill  a  large  order  expeditiously  and  with  the  best 
goods.  This  important  industry  has  been  no  small 
factor  in  the  business  interests  of  Pesotum,  and 
is  fully  appreciated  by  the  surrounding  farmers, 
many  of  whom  possess  a  large  area  which  would 
be  practically  worthless  were  it  not  for  thorough 
drainage. 

The  subject  of  this  history  drew  his  first  breath 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  in  the  little  King- 
dom of  Bavaria,  on  the  9th  of  November,  1848. 
His  parents,  Michael  and  Margaret  (Peisch)  Young- 
man,  were  natives  of  the  same  country,  and  the 
former  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  standing  army  of 
the  Empire  of  Germany,  for  a  period  of  sixteen 
years.  Afterward  he  engaged  in  agrcultural  pur- 
suits until  1853,  when  he  sold  out  his  interest  in 
the  land  of  his  nativity  and  set  sail  for  America. 
After  landing  in  New  Orleans  he  followed  the 
river  up  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  met  friends 
who  accompanied  him  with  his  family  into  the 
country.  He  chose  for  his  location  a  tract  of 
eighty  acres  in  Ripley  County,  Ind.j  where  he  es- 
tablished a  comfortable  home  for  his  family,  and 
carried  on  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  this 
until  the  death  of  the  wife  and  mother,  in  1865. 
Afterward  he  left  his  farm  in  charge  of  his  son 
Jacob,  and  has  since  spent  his  time  among  his  chil- 
dren. 

Bernard  Youngman  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  the  death  of  his  mother,  when  he  began  the 
battle  of  life  alone  and  among  strangers  in  another 
locality.  He  operated  a  farm  one  season,  and  then 
going  into  Decatur  County,  Ind.,  engaged  in  a  tile 
factory  near^  the  town  of  Greensburg,  and  which 
was  the  second  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  State. 
Tile  drainage  was  then  in  its  infancy,  and  the 
machinery  used  in  its  manufacture  was  consid- 
erably behind  that  of  the  present  time.  His 
brother,  Fred  Youngmau,  turned  out  the  first 
tile  made  in  the  State  of  Indiana.  Our  subject  re- 
mained an  employe  at  this  place  for  a  period  of  six 
years,  during  which  time  he  gave  the  manufacture 
of  tile  his  strict  attention,  and  became  a  thorough 
master  of  the  art.  Removing  to  Indianapolis 
he  followed  his  trade  in  that  city  until  about  1873, 
when  he  came  to  Peoria  County,  this  State,  where 


L       ^ 


„..- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


637 


he  opened  up  a  tile  factory  for  II.  G.  McCullougli, 
who  was  the  first  manufacturer  of  the  kind  in  that 
county.  After  getting  this  fully  under  way,  and  in 
the  meantime  having  established  his  reputation  as  a 
competent  workman  and  superintendent,  he  was 
called  to  Warren  County,  and  at  Monmouth  estab- 
lished a  tile  factory  for  the  firm  of  Patten  Bros., 
this  being  the  first  of  its  kind  also  in  Warren  Coun- 
ty. Thence  he  went  to  Fulton  County,  opening 
the  first  factory  there  for  Furry  &  Ellis.  He  re- 
mained with  these  gentlemen  for  a  period  of  four 
years,  and  from  there  came  to  this  county  and,  in 
company  with  Martin  Heckard,  established  a  tile 
factory  at  Tolono,  which  they  operated  under  the 
firm  name  of  Youngman  &  Heckard  for  two  years. 
Our  subject  then  sold  out  his  interest  to  his  part- 
ner, and  returning  to  Indiana  located  on  a  farm  of 
ninety  acres,  in  Howard  County,  where  he  intended 
establishing  his  permanent  home.  Eighteen  months 
later  he  was  induced  to  sell  this  at  a  price  much 
greater  than  what  he  paid.  Soon  afterward  he  re- 
turned to  Tolono,  where  his  old  partner  was  still  en- 
gaged in  the  tile  business.  Mr.  Youngman  purchased 
his  former  interest  in  the  factory,  and  the  firm 
took  in  a  third  partner  and  commenced  enlarging 
the  facilities  for  manufacturing,  adding  steam  power 
and  putting  in  modern  machinery.  After  operating 
successfully  for  the  two  years  following  Mr.  Young- 
man once  more  disposed  of  his  interests  at  Tolono,, 
and  purchased  the  valuable  plant  owned  and  opera- 
ted by  Davis  &  Crawford  in  Pesotum.  For  this  he 
paid  the  sum  of  $5,300,  and  also  equipped  it  with 
new  machinery,  so  that  it  is  not  now  excelled  by 
anything  of  the  kind  in  Central  Illinois. 

While  having  extensive  business  interests  to  en- 
gage his  attention  Mr.  Youngman  yet  felt  that  his 
life  was  incomplete,  and  that  his  partners  in  business 
did  not  fully  supply  what  was  requisite  for  his  en- 
tire comfort.  It  is  probable  that  this  matter  had 
already  been  under  consideration  between  himself 
and  the  lady  whom  he  had  selected  as  the  nearer 
companion  of  his  life.  In  1885  he  went  to  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  and  brought  back  with  him  Miss  Lena 
M.  Henry,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  Indianapo- 
lis, on  the  15th  of  November.  They  at  once  set  up 
housekeeping  in  Pesotum,  where  Mr.  Youngman, 
with  commendable  forethought,  had  purchased  the 


property  of  William  Hoc,  and  caused  to  be  erected 
thereon  a  snug  cottage,  which  has  remained  the 
residence  of  himself  and  wife  since  that  time.  The 
house  is  tastefully  finished  and  furnished,  and  there 
is  in  the  village  of  Pesotum  no  pleasanter  resort  for 
refined  and  cultivated  people.  The  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject was  the  sixth  child  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
(Youngman)  Henry,  who  were  natives  of  the 
Franco-German  Provinces  of  Alsace  and  Bavaria 
respectively.  They  came  to  the  United  States  with 
their  parents  in  their  youth,  and  were  reared  in 
Indiana.  The  father  is  deceased,  and  the  mother 
is  living  on  the  old  home  place. 

The  residence  of  Mr.  Youngman  and  the  tile  fac- 
tory are  objects  of  great  interest  to  the  people  of 
Pesotum,  as  evincing  the  energy  and  industry  of 
one  of  its  most  important  citizens,  and  we  have 
taken  pleasure  in  reproducing  the  picture  they 
form  as  a  fitting  tribute  to  manly  enterprise,  and  as 
serving  to  assist  in  illustrating  the  attractive  feat- 
ures of  Pesotum  and  vicinity. 


AMUEL  VAN  BRUNT.  This  honored 
citizen  of  Philo  Township  owns  and  oc- 
cupies a  fine  homestead,  including  280 
acres  of  land  on  section  12,  and  which  from 
its  character  and  surroundings  has  been  deemed 
as  especially  desirable  for  illustration  by  the  artist's 
pencil,  as  will  be  seen  by  examination  of  another 
page.  Mr.  Van  Brunt,  besides  the  home  farm,  also 
has  eighty  acres  on  section  1,  and  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  locality  since  1869.  He  came  to  this 
county  in  1855,  and  for  a  number  of  years  carried 
on  farming  in  Sidney  Township.  He  was  accom- 
panied to  this  locality  by  his  father,  who  purchased 
160  acres  in  Sidney  Township,  where  he  carried  on 
farming  for  a  period  of  five  years.  This  gentleman, 
Samuel  Van  Brunt,  Sr.,  was  of  German  ancestry, 
but  born  in  New  Jersey.  His  father,  Hendrick  Van 
Brunt,  was  from  Holland,  whence  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States  when  a  young  man,  settling  in 
New  Jersey,  and  afterward  becoming  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolutionary  War.  He  remained  with  the  army 
until  the  independence  of  the  Colonies  was  estab- 
lished and  afterward  engaged  in  farming,  which  he 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


followed  as  long  as  able  to  labor,  and  died  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years.  He  had,  in  the 
meantime,  removed  from  New  Jersey  to  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  in  1839,  where  his  death  occurred  in 
1854. 

The  grandmother  of  our  subject  was  a  New  En- 
gland lady  of  Scottish  and  French  ancestry.  She 
lived  to  remove  with  her  husband  to  Indiana,  and 
died  upon  the  homestead  there  four  days  after  his 
decease.  They  were  people  highly  esteemed 
wherever  known,  and  possessed  those  traits  of 
character  which  constituted  them  valued  members 
of  the  community.  The  grandfather  during  his 
early  life  was  employed  as  a  ship  carpenter.  Their 
son  Samuel,  the  father  of  our  subject,  grew  to  man- 
ho'od  in  New  Jersey,  and  afterward  went  to  Ohio, 
where  he  located  on  a  farm  in  Darke  County. 
There  his  father  joined  him  a  few  years  later.  He 
also  in  that  county  met  and  married  the  mother  of 
our  subject,  who  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss  Melvina 
Brown.  It  is  supposed  that  she  was  born  in  Darke 
County,  Ohio,  where  she  was  reared  and  married. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  afterward  removed  to 
Clinton  County,  Ind.,  and  later  to  Tippecanoe 
County,  where  the  mother  died  in  1850,  and  was 
buried  in  the  old  battle-field  graveyard  at  Tippe- 
canoe, as  were  also  her  father  and  mother-in-law. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife  Samuel  Van  Brunt, 
Sr.,  in  1855  came  to  this  county  and  located  in  Sid- 
ney Township,  where  he  lived  five  years.  He  then 
sold  out  and  removed  to  Warren  County,  Iowa, 
where  his  death  occurred  in  1860,  when  he  was 
fifty-nine  years  old.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  views 
and  much  force  of  character,  and  after  the  time 
that  he  first  exercised  the  right  of  suffrage,  voted 
the  straight  Democratic  ticket.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Christian  Church  for  many  years.  The 
mother  died  in  the  faith  of  the  United  Brethren. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  in  Darke 
County,  Ohio,  Sept.  1,  1841.  He  was  the  fifth 
child  of  the  household  circle,  of  whom  there  were 
four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Two  of  the  sons  and 
three  of  the  daughters  are  yet  living.  Maj. 
Mend  rick  Van  Brunt  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  late 
war,  and  at  the  battle  of  Lookout  Mountain  was 
wounded  and  captured,  and  after  experiencing  all 
the  horrors  of  Libby  Prison,  yielded  up  his  life 


within  its  confines.  He  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the 
10th  Iowa  Infantry,  and  endured  with  his  comrades, 
bravely  and  faithfully,  all  the  vicissitudes  of  war, 
leaving  behind  him  a  good  record  as  a  faithful 
observer  of  his  duties  both  as  a  man  and  a  soldier. 

Samuel  Van  Brunt  of  our  sketch  spent  his  child- 
hood and  youth  in  Darke  County,  Ohio,  and  came 
to  Illinois  with  his  parents.  Upon  the  first  call  for 
500,000  men  he  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier  in  Co. 
I,  10th  111.  Vol.  Cav.,  under  Capt.  Butterfield  and 
Col.  D.  Wickersham,  his  regiment  being  assigned 
to  the  Army  of  the  Southwest.  He  participated 
with  his  comrades  in  the  battles  of  Prairie  Grove, 
Ark.,  Little  Rock,  Bull's  Bayou,  and  various  minor 
engagements  and  skirmishes.  He  was  detailed  as 
commander  of  a  foraging  squad  many  times  during 
the  service.  In  18G3,  at  Brownsville,  Ark.,  he  was 
promoted  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  and  remained 
with  his  regiment  until  the  close  of  the  war,  re- 
ceiving his  final  discharge  at  San  Antonio,  Tex. 
After  his  retirement  from  the  army  he  returned  to 
his  home  in  Sidney  Township,  this  county,  and  be- 
gan farming  on  his  own  account.  Three  years  later 
he  removed  to  his  present  farm  in  Philo  Township, 
and  since  that  time  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
its  cultivation  and  improvement.  He  has  a  fine 
selection  of  Short-horn  cattle,  and  has  been  very 
successful  in  the  breeding  of  Poland-China  swine. 
The  residence  and  out-buildings  are  shapely  and 
substantial  structures,  the  farm  machinery  of  first- 
class  description,  and  everything  about  the  premises 
indicates  the  industry  and  enterprise  of  its  pro- 
prietor. 

The  marriage  of  Samuel  Van  Brunt  and  Miss 
Rachael  B.  Samson  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of 
the  bride's  parents  in  Sidney  Township,  this  county. 
March  19,  1866.  Mrs.  Van  B.  was  born  in  Mar- 
shall, near  Plymouth,  Ind.,  Feb.  14,  1847.  She  is 
the  daughter  of  Willard  and  Margaret  (Grande!) 
Samson,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York  State, 
and  the  latter  of  Canada.  They  were  married  in 
the  Dominion  and  later  came  to  the  United  States, 
locating  first  in  Indiana,  and  thence  removed  to 
Sidney  Township,  this  county,  where  the  father 
died  in  1876.  The  mother  is  yet  living  and  sixty- 
seven  years  of  age.  The  wife  of  our  subject  was 
reared  by  her  parents  and  remained  a  member  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


639    t] 


the  household  circle  until  her  marriage.  Of  their 
union  there  were  eight  children,  of  whom  one,  Mar- 
cus C.,  met  his  death  by  accident  at  Lexington,  Mo., 
on  the  18th  of  April,  1887.  While  in  the  employ 
of  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  as 
brakeman,  and  passing  under  an  elevated  wagon 
bridge,  he  was  struck  jn  the  back  of  the  head  and 
instantly  killed.  He  was  a  young  man  of  great 
promise  and  excellent  character,  and  greatly 
esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances. He  was  buried  with  railroad  honors,  and 
the  rich  floral  offerings,  together  with  the  large  at- 
tendance, attested  the  affection  and  respect  in  which 
he  was  held  by  his  friends  and  by  his  employers. 
The  surviving  children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife 
arc,  Raymond  B.,  Gertrude  II.,  Earl  E.,  Eddie, 
Murton  S.,  Chester  S.  and  Clyde.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van 
II.  are  active  members  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
our  subject  politically  is  a  warm  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  Road 
Commissioner  and  School  Director,  and  in  all  re- 
spects is  worthy  to  be  classed  as  a  valued  and  use- 
ful member  of  the  community.  Mrs.  Van  B.  also, 
is  a  highly  esteemed  lady. 


C.  HOWARD,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  oldest  phy- 
sicians of  Champaign  County,  and  who  has 
been  remarkably  skillful  and  successful  in 
his  calling,  came  to  this  vicinity  in  the 
spring  of  1854,  and  for  a  period  of  over  thirty 
years  has  been  an  admired  and  respected  citizen 
who,  by  his  uprightness  of  character  and  enterpris- 
ing business  talent,  has  fully  identified  himself  with 
the  interests  of  the  county.  Dr.  Howard  was  born 
in  the  Empire  State,  on  the  12th  of  July,  1829, 
while  his  parents  were  residents  of  Monroe  County. 
He  is  the  son  of  Eleazer  and  Matilda  (Wood)  How- 
ard, who  were  born  in  Tolland  County,  Conn.,  the 
former  in  Union  and  the  latter  in  Ashland  Town- 
ship. 

Eleazer  Howard  at  an  early  day  removed  from 
his  native  State,  and  located  on  a  farm  near  the  city 
of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  sixteen  years. 
Subsequently  he  became  a  resident  of  the  town  of 
Yates.  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  hotel- 


keeping  for  another  sixteen  years,  and  from  there 
removed  to  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  where  for  ten 
years  he  was  occupied  in  farming  and  milling.  In 
1851  he  resolved  to  push  on  further  westward,  and 
came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  McLean  County,  where 
he  made  his  home  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
after  he  had  arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.  The  parental  household  included  six 
children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Four  are 
now  living,  namely,  George  M.,  Dan  O.,  John  W. 
and  our  subject. 

Dr.  Howard  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  remained 
with  his  parents  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  in  the 
meantime  receiving  a  practical  education.  He  then 
went  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  entered  upon  the 
study  of  medicine  under  the  instruction  of  Profs. 
Hamilton  &  Butterfield,  and  was  admitted  to  prac- 
tice in  1851,  commencing  in  a  New  York  hospital, 
which  was  the  refuge  for  emigrants  and  those  un- 
fortunates who  were  partly  the  objects  of  charity. 
He  remained  there  two  }Tears,  then  came  to  McLean 
County,  this  State,  and  located  in  Le  Roy  for  one 
year,  whence  he  removed  to  this  county  and  has 
since  remained.  He  was  admitted  to  the  State 
Medical  Society  of  Ohio  in  1851,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  State,  District  and  County  Societies.  He  is 
Republican  in  politics,  and  socially  belongs  to  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 

Aside  from  his  practice  Dr.  Howard  has  been 
engaged  in  developing  mines  in  Colorado  for  the 
last  six  years,  and  patented  several  claims  the  past 
year.  He  has  also  been  occupied  in  buying  and 
selling  Florida  orange  lands,  having  a  town  laid 
out  on  his  own  estate  there,  which  is  called  Au  ben- 
dale.  He  donated  eighty  acres  of  land  to  secure 
the  South  Florida  Railroad  through  that  town.  He 
has  heretofore  been  quite  prominently  identified 
with  railroad  interests,  having  been  President  of 
the  Gainesville,  Ocala  &  Charlotte  Harbor  Rail- 
road in  Florida.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  his  life 
has  been  full  of  activity,  and  it  is  certain  that  he 
enjoj's  himself  in  no  other  way  so  well.  His  busy 
brain  is  ever  devising  some  new  plan  for  the  devel- 
opment of  some  new  section  of  country  or  some 
new  and  worthy  enterprise.  Were  it  not  for  such 
men  America  might  have  remained  in  its  original 
condition,  without  railroads  or  manufactories,  and 


4 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  thousand  other  things  which   now   make   life  a 
pleasure  and  satisfaction. 

Dr.  Howard  was  married,  in  1857,  to  Miss  Mi- 
randa Monroe,  who  was  a  native  of  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  and  the  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine 
(Ayers)  Monroe,  natives  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey  respectively.  Of  this  union  there  were  born 
live  children:  Edwin  M.  married  Miss  Belle  Brooks, 
of  Florida,  where  he  is  now  engaged  in  the  loan, 
land  and  fruit  business;  Mary  M. ;  John  H.  was 
killed  in  a  railroad  collision  in  Colorado;  Charles 
P.,  and  Harta  C.,  Jr.,  are  living  with  their  parents 
in  Champaign.  The  family  residence  is  located 
upon  the  corner  of  Church  and  Randolph  streets, 
and  the  Doctor's  office  is  at  the  corner  of  Main 
and  Neal  streets. 


TEPHEN  G.  WILLIAMS  is  a  successful 
farmer  residing  in  Urbana  Township  on 
section  11.  He  is  a  native  of  the  State  of 
Indiana,  and  was  born  in  Madison  County, 
16,  1836.  The  great-great-grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  Richard  Williams,  and  the  family 
came  to  America  about  the  time  of  William  Penn. 
They  were  of  Welsh  extraction.  His  great-grand- 
father was  Silas  Williams,  the  grandfather  was  Will- 
iam Williams, ~and  our  subject's  father  was  Caleb 
Williams. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Stephen  G.  Williams 
was  born  in  Grayson  County,  Va.,  Oct.  4,  1805. 
In  1811  he  came  North,  and  first  located  in  Ohio; 
afterward,  when  his  son  Caleb  was  about  sixteen 
years  of  age,  he  changed  his  residence  to  Indiana, 
becoming  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Madison 
County.  Here  also  he  established  the  first  nursery 
in  the  State.  Caleb  remained  with  his  father  until 
he  reached  years  of  maturity,  when  he  married 
Miss  Hannah  Gregg.  Her  family  were  originally 
Virginians,  but  she  was  born  in  Ohio.  Caleb  Will- 
iams settled  in  Madison  County,  Ind.,  and  remained 
there  until  the  spring  of  1865,  when  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  this  county,  locating  on  the 
farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  son,  Stephen 
(J.  He  was  a  surveyor  in  Indiana,  as  was  his 
grandfather  in  Virginia. 


Nov. 


Of  the  family  of  William  Williams,  Caleb  and 
one  sister  are  the  only  members  now  living.  The 
sister  is  a  resident  of  Madison  County,  Ind.  The 
children  of  Caleb  Williams,  five  in  number,  in- 
cluded three  boys  and  two  girls,  all  of  whom  are 
now  living  and  have  families,  and  whose  homes  are 
scattered  throughout  the  different  States.  The 
record  is  as  follows:  Milton  resides  in  Thomas 
County,  Kan.;  Stephen  G.  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Silas  resides  in  Madison  County,  Ind.; 
Lydia  is  married  to  James  Kinworthy,  of  Washing- 
ton Territory;  Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  James 
Smith.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  June  6, ' 
1855.  Caleb  Williams  is  still  living,  a  hale  and 
hearty  man,  although  he  is  now  eighty-two  years 
of  age.  He  is  actively  interested  in  politics,  and 
always  votes  the  Republican  ticket.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Friends'  Church. 

Stephen  G.  Williams  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Madison  County,  Ind.,  and  learned  to  read 
his  primer  in  the  log  school-house  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. Possessing  a  naturally  quick,  intelligent 
mind,  he  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  the  com- 
mon branches  of  study.  He  resided  with  his  par- 
ents until  reaching  manhood,  and  in  March,  1862, 
was  married  to  Miss  Massey  W.,  daughter  of  John 
G.  and  Anna  (Warner)  Oldham.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Williams  became  the  parents  of  five  children,  three 
of  whom  are  living — Miriam,  Jason  and  Olive. 

After  his  marriage  he  continued  to  reside  at  the 
home  farm  until  the  spring  of  1865,  when  he  moved 
with  his  family  to  this  county,  and  commenced 
farming  on  a  100-acre  tract  of  land.  To  this  he 
has  since  added  until  he  now  has  200  acres,  com- 
prising some  of  the  finest  land  in  the  county.  The 
soil  is  excellent,  and  well  adapted  to  the  produc- 
tion of  all  kinds  of  grain.  The  property  is  well 
fenced  and  tiled,  and  Mr.  Williams  carries  on 
general  farming.  He  raises  the  choice  breeds  of 
hogs  and  cattle,  and  has  now  about  thirty-two 
head  of  fine  steers.  From  a  sixty -acre  field  he  has 
harvested  1,600  bushels  of  the  choicest  quality  of 
wheat. 

Mr.  Williams  is  considerably  interested  in  the 
public  affairs  of  the  county,  and  has  served  three 
years  as  Road  Commissioner,  and  for  seven- years 
filled  the  position  of  Supervisor.  While  holding 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


641 


the  latter  office,  he  was  Chairman  of  the  committee 
on  public  grounds  and  buildings,  and  also  served 
on  the  committee  on  poor-house  and  farm,  and 
likewise  on  the  committee  on  fees  and  salaries  for 
one  year.  Religiously  himself  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Society  of  Friends. 


W.  M.  CONANT,  junior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Fleming  &  Conant,  hardware  mer- 
chants of  Champaign,  is,  with  his  partner, 
carrying  on  a  profitable  trade  at  No.  69 
Neal  street,  which  was  established  in  1884.  Our 
subject  is  a  native  of  Shelbyville,  this  State,  and 
was  born  March  12,  1856.  His  parents  were  Sam- 
uel D.  and  Mary  E.  (Stratton)  Conant,  the  former 
a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  the  latter  of  New 
York.  Samuel  Conant,  who  was  engaged  as  a  boot 
and  shoe  merchant  in  his  native  State,  emigrated 
to  Illinois  in  1850,  while  still  a  young  man,  settling 
first  in  Springfield.  After  a  year's  residence  in  the 
capital  city  he  removed  to  Winchester,  Scott 
County,  where  he  established  in  his  former  busi- 
ness, which  he  carried  on  three  years.  Thence  he 
removed  to  Shelbyville,  and  from  there  in  1857  re- 
turned to  the  Bay  State,  where  he  spent  two  years. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  .came  back  to 
Shelbyville,  which  renmined  his  residence  until  after 
the  close  of  the  war.  After  a  residence  in  Winchester 
of  nine  months  he  removed  to  Urbana,  where  he 
remained  until  1868,  then  came  to  Champaign, 
which  remained  his  home  until  his  death,  in  1885. 
The  mother  is  still  living,  making  her  home  with 
her  son,  our  subject.  Of  the  three  children  com- 
prising the  parental  family  only  two  are  now  liv- 
ing— Josie  E.,  Mrs.  House  of  Chicago,  and  S.  W. 
M.,  of  our  sketch.  Samuel  Conant  was  a  stanch 
adherent  of  the  Republican  party,  also  a  Mason 
and  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  was  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Baptist  Church  for  about  eighteen 
years.  The  mother  still  belongs  to  that  church. 

Young  Conant  attended  school  during  his  child- 
hood, and  in  1868  commenced  working  on  a  farm. 
Three  years  later  he  began  serving  an  apprentice- 
ship at  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  followed  un- 
til 1883.  Toward  the  latter  part  of  that  year,  in 


company  with  his  present  partner,  he  purchased  the 
hardware  styck  of  15.  F.  Harrison,  and  has  been 
connected  with  it  since  that  time.  In  addition  to 
the  store,  which  contains  a  well-selected  assortment 
of  articles  pertaining  to  this  branch  of  trade,  they 
carry  on  a  tinshop  and  usually  give  employment 
to  three  men.  Mr.  C.  is  a  wide-awake  young  busi- 
ness man,  having  decided  ideas  upon  matters  of 
general  interest,  and  politically  casts  his  vote  with 
the  Republican  party.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Julia  B.  Jenkins,  July  13,  1887,  at  Am- 
boy,  111. 


0-  ASPER  C.  BENJAMIN.  The  name  of  this 
gentleman  is  well  known  throughout  Com- 
promise Township.  He  is  a  genuine  repre- 
sentative of  the  thrift  and  enterprise  which  have 
been  the  means  of  developing  the  resources  of 
Champaign  County,  and  which  have  assisted  in  giv- 
ing to  it  the  best  class  of  people.  Mr.  Benjamin 
spent  the  first  four  years  of  his  life  near  the  town 
of  Fredouia,  Licking  Co..  Ohio,  where  he  was  born 
March  3,  1850,  and  whence  his  parents  removed  in 
1854  to  this  State.  They  located  first  in  Randolph, 
McLean  County,  where  they  staid  the  following 
twenty-one  years,  and  where  our  subject  was  reared 
to  manhood,  and  married.  He  was  but  twenty 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  this  interesting  event, 
and  soon  afterward  established  his  bride  in  a  modest 
home  on  a  tract  of  land  which  he  had  rented  and 
where  he  carried  on  farming  two  years.  Afterward 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  land, 
which  he  sold  a  year  later  and  then  practically  be- 
came a  real-estate  dealer,  buying  and  selling  with 
fair  results  until  the  spring  of  1875. 

In  the  year  last  mentioned  Mr.  Benjamin  came 
into  this  county,  and  in  company  with  his  father 
purchased  400  acres  of  improved  land.  The  panic 
of  1876  disorganized  the  plans  of  many  men,  and 
our  subject  suffered  in  common  with  the  others, 
although  perhaps  in  a  different  manner.  On  account 
of  illness  in  his  family,  he  was  finally  compelled  to 
sell  his  interests  in  the  property  aforesaid  to  his 
father,  and  was  variously  occupied  until  the  spring 
of  1878.  He  then  purchased  120  acres,  mostly  wild 
land,  at  $16.50  per  acre.  From  this  he  slowly  but 


I 


,  ,    642 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


surely  built  up  a  homestead,  laid  off  the  fields  and 
fenced  them,  drained  the  land  with  tile,  and  sold 
it  at  an  advance  of  $21  per  acre.  In  1885  he 
purchased  another  tract  of  eighty  acres  in  Harwood 
Township,  where  he  proceeded  the  same  as  before. 

In  the  meantime,  in  connection  with  his  farming 
Mr.  Benjamin  had  established  a  furniture  and  un- 
dertaking business  at  Gifford,  which  he  conducted 
successfully  for  three  years.  He  then  sold  out,  and 
in  company  with  Edward  West  purchased  a  few 
choice  imported  Norman  horses,  in  which  they 
operated  successfully  for  a  number  of  years.  After 
closing  out  this  business  Mr.  Benjamin  invested  in 
a  stock  of  general  merchandise  in  which  he  built  up 
a  good  trade,  and  sold  out  profitably  in  the  spring 
of  1 887.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  dealing  in 
buggies,  carriages  and  wagons.  Besides  his  farm 
property  Mr.  Benjamin  now  has  a  fine  residence  in 
the  village  of  Gifford  and  is  ranked  among  its  most 
valued  citizens.  In  a  pleasant  home,  surrounded 
by  his  family  and  friends,  he  is  largely  enjoying 
the  good  things  of  this  life  and  it  has  never  been 
said  that  he  secured  his  property  otherwise  than  by 
fair  and  honest  dealing. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Benjamin  took  place  on  the 
20th  of  March,  1870,  he  choosing  from  among  the 
maidens  of  McLean  County  Miss  Mary  L.,  daughter 
of  Philander  and  Samantha  Pierce,  and  who  was 
born  Sept.  18,  1852,  at  Athens,  Menard  County, 
this  State.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Benjamin  are  natives 
of  New  York,  whence  they  removed  to  McLean 
County,  111.,  in  1869.  They  located  upon  a  farm 
and  are  still  living,  being  prominent  people  in  that 
section  and  universally  esteemed.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Benjamin  are:  Alcie,  Lillie,  Lon  P., 
Floyd,  Carrol,  Fern  and  Fannie.  Carrol  and  Floyd 
died  young.  Mrs.  Benjamin  presides  over  the 
home  of  her  husband  with  dignity  and  grace  and  is 
a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Our  subject  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  besides 
being  prominent  generally  in  the  affairs  of  his 
township,  represented  it  in  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors two  years. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  William  J.  Benjamin, 
a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born  July  8,  1826.  He  was 
distinguished  as  a  thorough  business  man  and  -a 
good  financier.  He  commenced  life  on  his  own 


account  at  an  early  age,  becoming  a  stock  dealer 
when  eighteen  years  old,  buying  and  shipping  to 
Wheeling  and  other  Eastern  markets.  When  twenty- 
two  years  of  age  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Elizabeth  Myers,  of  Licking  County,  Ohio,  the 
wedding-  taking  place  Feb.  2,  1848.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  seven  children,  five  sons  and  two 
daughters.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  and  his 
brother  George  W.  were  born  in  Ohio,  and  the 
others  in  McLean  County,  111.  A  few  years  after  his 
marriage  William  J.  Benjamin,  accompanied  by  his 
wife  and  family  and  a  colony  of  neighbors,  started 
overland  for  McLean  County,  111.  He  possessed  a 
sum  of  money,  and  after  arriving  at  his  destination 
selected  the  land  upon  which  he  wished  to  locate 
and  went  to  Danville  to  enter  and  pay  for  the 
same.  Upon  arriving  there  he  found  that  his  money 
was  "wild-cat"  and  was  not  receivable  for  land. 
He  turned  homeward,  much  disappointed  of  course, 
but  succeeded  in  exchanging  his  "paper"  for  a  pair  of 
small  ponies.  A  year  later  he  had  obtained  sufficient 
"legal  tender"  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land 
near  Bloom ington,  which  he  disposed  of  afterward 
at  a  good  profit,  and  has  been  dealing  in  real  estate 
considerably  since  that  time.  A  few  years  ago  he 
began  the  importation  and  breeding  of  Norman 
horses.  In  1883  he  removed  from  Champaign  to 
Iroquois  County,  where  he  now  resides  and  is  the 
proprietor  of  a'fine  stock  farm. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Christopher  Ben- 
jamin, was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  in  1803.  He 
emigrated  to  Ohio  at  an  early  period  in  the  history 
of  that  State  and  located  in  Licking  County,  where 
he  lived  until  1852,  and  then  came  to  Peoria 
County,  111.,  making  the  trip  overland  by  team. 
Here  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  and  spent  his 
time  in  farming  pursuits  until  retiring  from  active 
labor.  His  death  took  place  in  1880.  He  was 
seventy-seven  years  of  age.  His  wife,  formerly 
Miss  Mary  Ingraham,  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
they  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  namely,  Will- 
iam J.,  Joab,  Elizabeth  A.,  Marion,  Wilson  S., 
Abraham,  Marion  and  Melvina.  The  two  latter  died 
when  about  twenty  and  twenty -five  years  of  age 
respectively. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Rev.  John  Myers,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


643 


born  in  1800,  and  died  in  Illinois  in  186'J.  His 
wife,  formerly  Miss  Jane  Gosnell,  was  also  a  native 
of  the  Keystone  State,  and  their  marriage  took  place 
in  1822.  Grandmother  Myers  survived  her  hus- 
band until  the  following  year,  and  the  remains  of 
both  were  laid  to  rest  in  Bloomington  Cemetery. 
They  also  were  settlers  of  Licking  County,  Ohio, 
whence  they  emigrated  to  McLean  County,  this 
State,  in  1854. 


I 


W.  WILSON,  a  successful  farmer 
and  stock-grower,  is  located  on  section  30, 
Sidney  Township.  He  was  born  in  the 
North  of  Ireland,  County  Tyrone,  Feb.  14,  1834, 
and  is  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Jane  (Ray)  Wilson. 
His  father,  being  dissatisfied  with  the  unfavorable 
conditions  existing  in  his  native  country  for  secur- 
ing a  competency,  emigrated  to  America  in  1848. 
After  remaining  a  few  months  in  New  York  City 
he  came~directly  to  Champaign  County,  111.,  locat- 
ing in  Old  Homer,  where  he  lived  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  Feb.  27,  1871.  With  the  courage 
and  enterprise  which  characterize  the  Irish  race  he 
struggled  successfully  with  the  difficulties  of  pio- 
neer life,  preparing  the  way  for  the  future  prosper- 
ity of  his  children.  His  wife  is  still  living,  and  re- 
sides in  the  village  of  Philo.  There  were  nine  chil- 
dren in  their  family,  viz.,  George,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch:  James,  Margaret,  Andrew,  Thomas, 
Caroline  E.,  Thomas,  Jane  and  John.  Of  these  the 
last  three  are  deceased. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  1862,  Mr.  George 
Wilson  was  married  to  Miss  Amanda  Leasure, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Rebecca  (Wood)  Leasure. 
She  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  23, 
1 841 ,  and  had  but  one  brother,  James  P.  Leasure. 
Her  parents  came  from  Ohio  to  Champaign  County 
in  1851.  Her  mother  died  Nov.  1,  1867,  and  her 
father  Oct.  19,  1880. 

Mr.  Wilson  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
fifteen  children,  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are 
as  follows:  James  A.,  born  Nov.  1,  1863,  died  Jan. 
4,  1864;  Henry  L.,  born  Sept.  29,  1864,  died  Sept. 
4,  1865;  Freddie  C.,  born  Dec.  14,  1865,  died  the 


same  day;  Charles  M.  was  born  Jan.  2'J.  1867;  Re- 
becca J.,  Aug.  21,  1868;  Thomas,  born  March  3, 
1870,  died  the  same  day;  Martin  G.  was  born  Jan. 
17,  1871;  Celia  A.,  Nov.  21,  1872;  William  and 
Mary  (twins),  bom  Aug.  6,  1874,  died  August  18, 
of  the  same  year  ;  Maggie  13.  was  born  Aug.  24,  1  875  ; 
Royal  P.,  March  15,  1879;  Oral  B.,  Feb.  18,  1880: 
Charlotte,  born  July  5,  1881,  died  Nov.  4,  1882, 
and  Elma  I.  was  born  May  28,  1882. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  a  man  whose  uprightness  of  char- 
acter and  business  energy  have  won  the  regard  of 
all  who  know  him.  He  owns  120  acres  of  well  im- 
proved land,  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  public 
affairs.  With  his  wife  and  four  of  his  children  he 
is  an  influential  member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
In  politics  he  belongs  to  the  Democratic  party. 


»HOMAS  WRIGHT,  proprietor  of  the  Enter- 
prise Foundry  and  Machine  Shops  at  Urbana, 
is  a  native  of  Staffordshire,  England,  and 
was  born  Aug.  8,  1828.  He  is  the  son  of  William 
and  Mary  (Pool)  Wright,  natives  of  the  same 
country,  where  the  former  was  engaged  in  the  boot 
and  shoe  business  until  his  death.  He  carried  on 
quite  an  extensive  manufactory  and  gave  emploj'- 
ment  to  a  number  of  men.  The  mother  died  in 
England  in  1850.  Her  father,  Thomas  Pool,  also 
a  native  of  England,  was  of  Welsh  ancestry  and 
engaged  in  the  iron  works  in  Dudley  Port,  Staf- 
fordshire. 

Of  the  thirteen  children  of  William  and  Mary 
Wright,  Thomas,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  eldest  but 
one.  He  attended  school  during  his  childhood 
days  and  at  an  early  period  in  his  life  commenced 
working  in  a  foundry  and  became*  very  skillful. 
He  is  also  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence 
and  although  leaving  school  at  an  early  age,  has 
gained  by  his  own  efforts  a  large  amount  of  useful 
knowledge  and  ranks  among  the  well-informed  citi- 
zens of  his  community.  He  left  his  native  coun- 
try April  24,  1854,  and  started  for  America,  taking 
passage  on  the  steamer  Black  Hawk,  which  was 
wrecked  in  mid-ocean,  the  cargo  and  passengers 
being  picked  up  by  the  ship  Dirigo,  a  Scotch  mer- 
chantman. During  this  time  our  subject  assisted  at 


i 

f 


-  ,   644 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tin1  pumps  and  for  four  days  had  not  a  dry  thread 
of  clothing  on  him.  He  survived,  however,  with- 
out serious  injury,  and  after  lauding  on  American 
shores  engaged  first  in  a  foundry  in  New  York  and 
Brooklyn.  He  then  went  south  to  Charleston,  S.  C., 
on  the  steamship  James  Adjer,  afterward  to  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  and  during  the  winter  following  worked  at  his 
trade.  He  then  returned  North,  and  going  into 
New  Albany,  Ind.,  was  similarly  occupied  for  two 
years,  after  which  he  returned  to  Atlanta,  where  he 
remained  during  the  war,  having  charge  of  Win- 
ship's  Foundry,  which  he  operated  for  the  Govern- 
ment. During  the  bombardment  of  the  city  shells 
came  through  the  walls  above  him  and  he  assisted 
in  putting  out  the  fires. 

Becoming  tired  of  shot  and  shell  and  the  general 
confusion  of  war,  our  subject  was  taken  back  to 
Indianapolis  by  the  Government,  and  until  1865 
was  engaged  there  in  the  foundry  and  machine 
shops.  In  the  meantime,  as  he  had  property  in 
Atlanta,  he  returned  to  the  South  at  the  expense  of 
Uncle  Sam,  only  to  find,  however,  that  his  residence 
had  been  destroyed  by  the  rebels.  He  remained 
South  until  a  position  was  offered  him  by  A.  Snede- 
ker,  of  Urbana,  and  he  then  returned  North  and  to 
this  conn  ty,  taking  charge  of  the  foundry  and 
machine  shops  of  this  establishment  until  1871, 
being  foreman  four  years.  Afterward,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  University  Machine  Shops,  he  estab- 
lished a  foundry  which  he  operated  eight  years, 
He  then  built  the  Champaign  Foundry,  where  he 
remained  three  years,  afterward  purchasing  the 
machine  shops  and  foundry  of  Mr.  Suedeker,  in 
Urbana,  of  which  he  has  since  been  the  proprietor, 
and  operated  it  in  connection  with  his  sons. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  1850,  to  Miss  Harriet 
While,  a  native  of  England,  and  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Mary  A.  While.  Of  this  union  there  have 
been  born  ten  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living: 
Anna,  Mrs.  George  Bryant,  is  the  mother  of  four 
children,  and  a  resident  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  as  also  is 
Annie  G.,  Mrs.  Saddler,  and  Emma,  Mrs.  Tarflinger; 
Henry  F.  married  Miss  Jolly,  of  Champaign ;  Charles 
married  Miss  Sophia  Smith.  Those  at  home  are 
John  P.,  Joseph  E.  and  Arthur  D. 

Mr.  Wright  is  independent  in  politics,  and  socially 
a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Both  he  and  his  ex- 


cellent wife  are  connected  with  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  W.  as  a  business  man  and 
citizen  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his 
county  and  community,  and  is  contributing  his 
quota  toward  building  up  their  industries. 


fOHN  COOK,  who  represents  the  agricultural 
implement  trade  at  Tolono,  is  a  native  of 
Bedford  County,  PA,.,  and  was  born  March 
8,  1826.  He  is  the  son  of  Ezekiel  Cook,  a 
native  of  Maryland  and  of  Scotch  descent.  The 
mother,  formerly  Miss  Elizabeth  Leader,  was  a 
native  of  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  and  the  daughter 
of  a  German  farmer,  who  carried  on  his  occupation 
in  the  Keystone  State  for  many  years.  Ezekiel 
Cook  died  in  Bedford  County,  aged  eighty-four 
years  and  eleven  months.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject also  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  being  eighty-four 
years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  The  children  of 
Ezekiel  and  Elizabeth  Cook,  eleven  in  number,  were 
all  born  in  Pennsylvania.  Of  these,  three  died  in 
childhood.  The  balance  lived  to  become  men  and 
women  and  were  as  follows:  Sarah,  Mrs.  Ritchey; 
Catherine,  Mrs.  W.  F.  Woy;  Eliza  and  Henry, 
deceased;  Lucinda,  Mrs.  Ritchey;  Rebecca,  Mrs. 
Samuel  Maxwell;  Ezekiel,  and  John,  of  our  sketch. 
Our  subject  remained  with  his  parents  on  the 
farm,  receiving  a  limited  education,  his  longest 
term  in  one  year  being  forty-eight  days.  He  did 
not  attend  school  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  free  schools  were  first  established  in 
that  section,  but  had  received  the  rudiments  of  his 
education  at  home.  His  father  in  addition  to  the 
labors  of  the  farm,  carried  on  a  blacksmith-shop, 
and  our  subject,  as  soon  as  large  enough,  commenced 
to  operate  the  bellows,  and  gradually  gained  a  good 
knowledge  of  the  trade.  He  was  a  bright  boy,  and 
after  learning  to  read,  pursued  his  studies  as  op- 
portunity afforded  and  became  master,  not  only  of 
the  common  branches,  but  the  higher  mathematics. 
When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  was  well  fitted 
for  teaching,  at  which  he  employed  himself  during 
the  four  winters  following,  working  on  the  farm 
and  in  the  shop  during  the  summer  seasons. 

In  1851   the  marriage  of  John  Cook  and  Miss 


-CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


645    .  . 


Barbara  Lee  took  place  in  Bedford  County.  The 
father  of  our  subject  presented  him  with  a  farm  of 
125  acres,  which  he  cultivated,  and  also  worked  at 
his  trade.  After  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil 
War  he,  in  18G4,  enlisted  in  the  99th  Pennsylvania 
Infantry  and  served  until  the  close,  being  present 
at  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army.  After  he  had 
received  his  honorable  discharge  he  returned  to  his 
farm  in  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  and  soon  afterward, 
in  the  fall  of  1865,  visited  the  Prairie  State  and 
Missouri.  The  year  following  lie  removed  his 
family  to  this  State  and  locating  in  Tolono,  engaged 
first  in  the  lumber  trade.  A  few  years  later  he 
added  agricultural  implements  and  now  successfully 
carries  on  the  two  branches,  and  has  become  one  of 
the  solid  men  in  the  community.  He  sold  his  land 
in  Pennsylvania  after  coming  to  this  State,  and 
invested  in  good  property  in  Tolono. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cook  became  the  parents  of  six 
children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows  :  Mary 
became  the  wife  of  Benson  Jordan,  who  is  engaged 
in  farming  in  Tolouo  Township;  Ann,  the  wife  of 
Z.  T.  Young,  is  a  resident  of  Carroll  County,  Iowa; 
Francis  resides  in  Woonsocket,  Dak.  ;  William  F., 
who  engaged  as  a  merchant  in  Champaign  City, 
died  in  1885,  aged  twenty-five  years;  Emma  Jane 
is  the  wife  of  H.  M.  Gilmore,  of  Delavan,  111.  ; 
Andrew  Curtin  lives  in  Champaign  City.  Our  sub- 
ject politically  usually  supports  the  candidates  of 
the  Republican  party.  Religiously  he  is  a  believer 
in  the  doctrines  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
socially  belongs  to  the  G.  A.  R. 


„..,  LLEN  W.  COTTON,  of  Homer  Township, 
Oil    first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  west  of  the 


Mississippi,  in  Platte  County,  Mo.,  on  the 
llth  of  August,  1840.  His  parents,  Isaac 
N.  and  Jane  (King)  Cotton,  were  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky. The  former  was  born  June  15,  1805,  and 
when  a  young  man  emigrated  overland  to  the 
Pacific  coast  during  the  early  settlement  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  was  killed  there  by  Spaniards  four  years 
later,  in  1852.  He  had  followed  farming  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  become 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  his  native 


State.  He  was  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him  as  a 
good  man  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  being  a  de- 
vout member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
in  which  he  was  Class-Leader  for  many  years,  and 
adorning  his  profession  by  a  goodly  life.  He  left 
a  large  property  in  California,  but  owing  to  various 
complications  his  family  were  not  permitted  to 
enjoy  it,  the  estate  having  never  been  settled. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in  In- 
diana, whence  they  removed  to  Missouri,  remain- 
ing for  a  period  of  several  years.  The  birth  of 
the  mother  took  place  Oct.  10,  1805.  She  united 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  an  early 
age  and  is  now  eighty-two  years  old.  She  makes 
her  home  among  her  children.  These,  eight  in 
number,  are  recorded  as  follows:  Rebecca  A.  was 
born  Sept.  30,  1830;  Elisha,  Sept.  1,  1832;  Robert, 
May  20,  1834;  Louisa  J.,  May  1,  1836;  Sanford, 
now  deceased,  March  13, 1838;  Isaac  N.,born  Nov. 
5,  1843,  died  in  1874;  Elisha  died  Dec.  25,  1835; 
William  R.,  born  April' 10,  1842,  died  Aug.  30, 
1843;  Allen  W.  is  bur  subject. 

Mr.  Cotton,  of  our  sketch,  was  but  a  child  when 
his  father  left  Missouri  for  California.  He  after- 
ward remained  with  his  mother  at  the  homestead  in 
Indiana  until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  in  1862, 
became  a  resident  of  this  State.  The  Civil  War 
being  then  in  progress  he  soon  afterward  enlisted 
as  a  Union  soldier  in  Co.  1),  125th  111.  Vol.  Inf., 
under  the  command  of  Col.  Harmon,  of  Danville. 
His  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland, and  he  participated  with  his  comrades  in 
all  the  engagements  of  that  division,  including  the 
fight  at  Peach-tree  Creek,  where  his  gun  was  shot 
out  of  his  hands,  and  at  Jouesboro,  where  he  was 
wounded  'in  the  head  and  his  name  placed  in  the 
list  as  "  killed."  The  life,  however,  had  not  left 
him  and  he  was  picked  up  and  conveyed  to  the 
hospital  where,  after  suffering  three  months,  he  at 
last  recovered  sufficiently  to  return  to  his  regiment. 
The  boys  were  then  stationed  at  Savannah,  Ga., 
and  he  remained  with  them  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1865.  He  now  draws  from  the  Government 
a  pension  of  14  per  month. 

After  retiring  from  the  army  Mr.  Cotton  re- 
turned to  this  State,  and  in  1872  purchased  a  part 


I 


046 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  his  present  farm  on  section  8.  He  now  has  188 
acres  of  finely  cultivated  and  fertile  land,  where  lie 
has  carried  on  funning  successfully  for  fifteen  years, 
and  of  late  has  been  giving  much  attention  to  the 
breeding  of  fine  stock,  including  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs.  The  family  residence,  a  handsome  frame 
structure,  commodious  and  convenient,  is  finely  lo- 
cated, with  trees  and  shrubbery  surrounding,  and 
the  barn  and  out-buildings  in  all  respects  are  am- 
ply fitted  for  the  requirements  of  the  first-class 
agriculturist.  Here  Mr.  Cotton,  with  his  wife  and 
a  fine  family  of  children,  is  enjoying  all  the  com- 
forts of  life  and  many  of  its  luxuries.  The  eldest 
daughter,  Ida  A.,  born  Jan.  12,  1867,  became  the 
wife  of  Lincoln  White,  and  is  a  resident  of  Sidney 
Township;  Otie  C.  was  born  Oct.  6,  1868;  Israel 
A.,  Oct.  17,  1871;  John  F..  Sept.  17,  1874,  and 
Estella  M.,  Aug.  4,  1878.  These  are  at  home  with 
their  parents.  Mr.  Cotton  endorses  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party,  but  gives  no  further 
attention  to  politics,  other  than  to  exercise  the 
right  of  an  American  citizen  in  casting  his  ballot 
at  the  time  of  important  elections. 


G.  MILLER,  dealer  in  harness,  saddlery, 
buggies,  trunks,  valises  and  other  leather 
goods,  in  Champaign,  is  located  at  No. 
31  Main  street,  where  he  is  carding  on  a 
profitable  and  steadily  increasing  trade.  Our  sub- 
ject is  one  of  the  substantial  and  reliable  German 
citizens  of  this  section,  and  was  born  in  the  Father- 
land, Aug.  15,  1841.  His  parents  were  George  and 
Margaret  (Coeller)  Miller,  also  natives  of  Germany, 
where  the  mother  died  in  1847.  George  Miller 
three  3'ears  later  left  his  native  land,  and  with  his 
family  of  six  children  sailed  for  the  United  States. 
Of  these,  five  are  now  living:  Margaret,  Mrs. 
Hauser;  George;  Emma,  Mrs.  Gores;  J.  G.,  our 
subject,  and  Mary,  Mrs.  Coch.  After  reaching 
American  shores  the  father  of  our  subject  proceeded 
to  Fremont,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  as  a  cabinet 
manufacturer,  and  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days,  his  death  occurring  in  1884.  He  was  a 
warm  supporter  of  Republican  principles,  and  both 
narents  belonged  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 


After  coining  to  this  country  young  Miller  was 
placed  on  a  farm,  where  he  remained  until  sixteen 
years  of  age.  He  then  went  to  Fremont,  and 
served  three  years  and  three  months  at  the  saddlery 
trade,  and  after  that  continued  as  a  journeyman 
j  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war.  He  then 
I  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier  in  Co.  G,  8th  Ohio  Inf., 
in  which  he  was  promoted  Sergeant,  and  thereafter 
engaged  in  sixty  battles  and  skirmishes.  He  was 
in  the  fight  at  Romney,  Va.,  Winchester,  Chick- 
amauga,  Antietam,  Leesburg,  Fredericksburg, 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg,  besides  many 
other  important  battles  of  the  war.  At  Gettysburg 
he  was  shot  in  the  neck,  and  at  Antietam  received 
a  slight  wound  in  the  head.  He  captured  two  rebel 
flags,  that  of  the  34th  North  Carolina  and  the  38th 
Virginia,  during  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  for 
these  acts  and  other  services  rendered,  received  a 
gold  medal  from  Congress.  After  receiving  his 
honorable  discharge  from  the  army,  Mr.  Miller  re- 
tired to  Tennessee,  and  was  in  the  employment  of 
the  Government  for  six  months.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  time  he  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Ohio, 
and  resumed  his  former  occupation  as  a  saddler 
until  1867. 

In  the  year  last  named  Mr.  Miller  started  for  the 
West,  and  selecting  Champaign  City  for  his  place 
of  abode,  worked  as  a  "jour"  saddler  until  1871, 
when  he  opened  up*  business  for  himself  on  Walnut 
street,  from  which  he  removed  to  his  present  loca- 
tion in  1885.  He  has  conducted  his  business  care- 
fully and  economically,  meeting  with  success  from 
the  start.  He  now  gives  employment  to  six  men 
in  the  city,  and  has  other  traveling  salesmen  out- 
side. He  is  the  patentee  of  three  separate  attach- 
ments for  harness,  and  besides  his  saddlery  trade 
is  doing  an  extensive  business  in  buggies  and  car- 
riages, perhaps  the  largest  of  any  man  in  the 
county. 

Mr.  Miller  was  married,  in  Fremont,  Ohio,  in  1865, 
to  Miss  Mary  Walter,  of  that  city,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Frank  Walter,  who  was  born 
in  France,  emigrated  to  this  country  early  in  life, 
and  engaged  as  a  manufacturer  of  carriages.  Mr. 
and  Mrs  Miller  have  nine  children — Mary,  John 
F.,  Charles  E.,  Clara  I.,  Rudolph,  Laura,  George, 
William  and  Maude.  The  pleasant  family  residence 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


647 


is  located  on  North  Neal  street.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M. 
are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Our  subject 
is  Republican  in  politics,  and  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  G.  A.  R. 


ENRY  HAWBAKER,  pleasantly  located  on 
section  31,  in  Newcomb  Township,  became 
a  resident  of  this  count}'  in  1871.  He  is  the 
owner  of  200  acres  in  this  county,  160  in 
Piatt  County  and  320  in  Nebraska.  The  extent  of 
his  possessions  indicates  his  qualities  as  a  business 
man,  and  as  an  agriculturist  the  fine  homestead 
which  he  occupies  is  a  silent  but  forcible  witness  of 
his  thrift  and  skill.  A  view  of  the  residence  and 
farm  buildings  appears  in  connection  with  this 
sketch. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County,  Pa., 
and  was  born  Aug.  4,  1845.  He  is  the  son  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  (Eyler)  Hawbaker,  the  father  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania  and  the  mother  of  Maryland. 
After  marriage  they  located  in  Franklin  County, 
Pa.,  where  they  became  the  parents  of  ten  children, 
and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Our  subject 
was  the  ninth  child,  and  remained  under  the  par- 
ental roof  during  his  childhood  and  youth,  receiv- 
ing careful  home  training  and  a  common-school 
education.  He  was  married  in  his  native  connt37, 
Oct.  19,  1875,  to  Miss  Catherine  Jacobs,  who  was 
born  in  that  county  Nov.  25,  1847.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Susan  (Shank)  Jacobs,  also 
natives  of  the  Keystone  State,  and  became  the 
mother  of  four  children  —  Eliphalet  H.,  Elam  J., 
Julia  and  Anna  M.  After  coming  into  Illinois  our 
subject  first  located  in  Fulton  County,  where  he 
worked  out  by  the  month  for  six  years.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  he  commenced  life  in  a  modest 
manner,  and  saved  what  he  could  of  his  earn- 
ings. His  present  position  financially,  and  his 
standing  in  the  community,  are  due  solely  to  the 
exercise  of  his  industry  and  good  judgment.  He 
has  served  as  School  Director  and  Road  Commis- 
sioner in  Newcomb  Township,  and  is  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  Mansfield  Lodge  No.  773,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  Mansfield  Brothers'  Lodge  No.  589, 
I.  O.  O.  F.  Of  the  latter  he  is  Past  Grand.  Politi- 


cally he  is  a  warm  supporter  of  Republican  princi- 
ples. 

During  the  progress  of  the  late  war  Mr.  Hawbaker, 
in  1862,  enlisted  in  the  158th  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry, where  he  served  nine  months,  and  being 
detailed  as  a  scout  about  the  time  of  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  was  thrown  from  a  horse  and  severely 
injured.  He  narrowly  escaped  capture  by  the 
rebels  at  the  same  time. 

The  first  three  months  of  his  farm  labor  in  Illi- 
nois our  subject  received  $15  per  month,  and  for 
five  years  thereafter  he  was  employed  by  one  man. 
For  the  first  year  he  received  $350,  which  was 
reduced  the  last  year  to  $300.  His  first  purchase 
in  Blue  Ridge  Township,  Piatt  County,  was  eighty 
acres  at  $15  per  acre,  and  for  the  next  eighty  acres 
he  paid  $32  per  acre.  He  gave  ground  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  Dunkard  Church,  and  also  assisted  in 
the  purchase  of  land  for  a  cemetery,  the  land  being 
a  part  of  ope  of  his  farms.  He  also  donated  $40 
toward  the  purchase  of  the  cemetery  by  reducing 
the  price  that  much. 


ffi  C.  KIRKPATRICK,  retired  farmer,  is  a 
highly  respected  resident  of  Champaign 
City,  his  home  being  at  the  intersection  of 
East  White  and  Third  streets.  Mr.  Kirk- 
patrick  has  been  a  resident  of  this  county  for  a 
period  of  over  thirty-five  years,  and  is  a  represent- 
ative of  its  solid  and  substantial  element.  He 
was  born  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  5,  1825, 
and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Jane  (Porter)  Kirk- 
patrick,  who  were  natives  of  the  same  State,  where 
the  father  engaged  extensively  as  a  farmer,  stock- 
broker and  drover. 

The  family  removed  to  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind., 
in  1843,  where  James  Kirkpatrick  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  and  continued  the  business  in  which 
he  had  been  formerly  engaged.  He  departed  this 
life  in  St.  Joseph,  Champaign  County,  in  January, 
1 872.  The  mother  had  died  in  1 848.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Benjamin  Kirkpatrick,  was  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  one  of  the  early  pio- 
neers of  Ohio,  to  which  State  he  removed,  and  lo- 
cating upon  a  tract  of  timber  land,  established  a 


648 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


home  in  the  wilderness,  and  reared  a  family  of  six 
children,  among  whom  was  James,  the  father  of 
our  subject.  The  children  of  the  latter,  ten  in 
number,  were  Samuel,  Margaret  A.,  John  C.,  James 
W.,  Maria  J.,  Austin  W.,  and  four  others  deceased. 
James  Kirkpatrick,  politically,  was  a  Henry  Clay 
Whig,  and  a  Major  in  the  State  Militia.  Both  par- 
ents were  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  reared  on  a 
farm,  and  his  primary  studies  conducted  in  the  pio- 
neer schools,  the  nearest  of  which  was  two  miles 
from  his  father's  farm,  and  located  in  the  timber. 
Our  subject  remained  at  home  until  twenty-four 
years  old.  He  took  up  his  abode  in  Urbana  Town- 
ship, where  he  engaged  in  breaking  prairie  and 
farming,  and  in  1 850  purchased  a  tract  of  land  two 
miles  north  of  the  city  of  Champaign.  This  con- 
sisted of  200  acres,  of  which  he  took  possession  in 
1855,  but  which  he  only  occupied  for  two  years. 
He  then  took  up  his  residence  in  Champaign  City, 
in  the  meantime,  however,  adding  to  his  landed 
possessions.  He  soon  afterward  purchased  320 
acres  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  1,000  acres,  which  includes  270  acres  in  Stanton 
Township.  He  finally  removed  to  his  farm  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  which  he  occupied  for  a  period 
of  twenty  years.  All  his  farms  are  well  stocked 
with  fine  cattle  and  horses,  and  supplied  with  good 
buildings.  He  has  been  remarkably  successful  in 
his  farming  operations,  and  has  been  an  important 
factor  in  building  up  the  agricultural  interests  of 
this  section  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Kirkpatrick  was  married,  in  1849,  to  Miss 
Mary  C.  Busey,  whose  father,  Col.  M.  \V.  Busey, 
is  widely  and  favorably  known  as  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Champaign  County.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  nine  children,  eight  now  living: 
Marion  F.  married  Cenia  Somers,  and  they  have 
two  children — Gertrude  and  Charles  A. ;  he  is 
Postmaster'and  Station  Agent  at  Mayview.  Al- 
bert J.,  of  Stanton  Township,  married  Miss  Alice 
Barricklow,  and  they  have  two  children — Mertie 
and  Earl;  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Billing,  is  a  resident  of 
St.  Joseph  Township;  Hattie,  Mrs.  Barricklow,  of 
Urbana,  has  two  children — Clinton  and  Ross;  Sam- 
uel married  Miss  Ella  Day,  and  they  have  one  child 
— Glenn;  Charles,  a  physician  of  Peufield,  married 


Miss  Gertrude  Wilson,  and  they  have  two  children 
— John  and  Ruby;  Jessie  and  Fannie  are  at  home. 

Mrs.  Kirkpatrick  has  been  greatly  interested  in 
temperance  work,  and  was  President  of  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.  in  1875  and  1876,  which  position  she  re- 
signed upon  moving  to  Champaign.  She  is  still, 
however,  Vice  President  of  the  society,  and  an  effi- 
cient worker  in  the  church,  having  charge  of  the 
fund  which  keeps  the  parsonage  in  repair,  and  pro- 
vides other  necessaries  important  to  the  success 
and  maintenance  of  the  society  and  its  buildings. 

Mr.  Kirkpatrick,  with  his  wife  -and  eight  chil- 
dren, is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Politically,  he  is  decidedly  Republican  in 
his  views,  and  in  all  respects  is  one  of  the  reliable 
and  representative  citizens,  who  have  assisted  in 
building  up  the  county  and  gaining  for  it  its  pres- 
ent position  as  one  of  the  wealthiest  sections  of  the 
Prairie  State. 


;ILLIAM  H.  JAQUES,  the  pioneer  hardware 
merchant  of  Champaign  County,  estab- 
lished his  business  at  Tolono  in  1866.  He 
is  essentially  a  self-made  man,  who  commenced  life 
in  a  modest  manner,  having  nothing  to  depend  upon 
but  his  own  resources.  His  natural  habits  of  in- 
dustry and  energy  contributed  to  insure  his  success, 
and  after  obtaining  his  first  start  in  life  by  the 
work  of  his  own  hands,  he  steadily  advanced  until 
he  now  holds  an  enviable  position  as  a  business 
man  and  a  citizen,  and  enjoys  the  respect  of  a 
large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances.  He  has 
contributed  his  full  quota  to  the  business  and  in- 
dustrial interests  of  this  section,  and  has  watched 
with  pleasure  the  growth  of  his  adopted  township 
and  county. 

Mr.  Jaques  was  born  in  Munson,  Geauga  Co., 
Ohio,  Feb.  8,  1820.  He  is  the  sou  of  Henry  Jaq- 
ues, who  was  of  French  parentage  and  born  in  the 
city  of  New  York.  The  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject emigrated  from  France  in  his  youth  and  located 
in  Connecticut,  where  he  served,  an  apprenticeship 
of  seven  years  at  the  shoemaker's  trade.  He  was 
married  in  the  city  of  Hartford  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Porter,  the  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Tabitha  Por- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


649   4 


ter,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  sons  and 
four  daughters,  all  of  whom  lived  to  a  good  old 
age. 

Soon  after  marriage  the  father  of  our  subject 
removed  to  New  York  and  located  in  the  central 
part  of  the  State,  where  he  occupied  himself  at  his 
trade  until  1819.  Then,  removing  with  his  family 
to  the  wilds  of  Geauga  County,  Ohio,  he  erected  a 
log  cabin  and  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  that 
part  of  the  Buckeye  State.  There  he  cleared  a  farm 
from  the  dense  forests,  through  which  the  wild 
turkey,  elk  and  deer  roamed  in  large  numbers  and 
were  often  killed  a  few  feet  from  the  doorsteps, 
lie  lived  to  establish  a  comfortable  home  in  that 
county,  and  there  died  in  the  winter  of  1829.  The 
wife  and  mother  survived  him  over  fifty  years  and 
departed  this  life  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
five.  Their  youngest  son  was  accidentally  killed 
when  eleven  years  of  age.  Another,  Robert  J.,  be- 
came a  sailor  on  Lake  Erie  and  lost  his  life  by  the 
wrecking  of  his  vessel.  Francis  E.  learned  the 
printer's  trade  and  was  for  some  time  in  the  employ 
of  Horace  Greeley  on  the  New  York  Tribune.  He 
afterward  became  editor  of  a  paper  in  Connecticut, 
whence  he  removed  to  Ohio,  and  died  in  1852. 
The  four  living  are,  Mary  A.,  Mrs.  Reefer  of  Bea- 
ver Dam,  Wis. ;  Ebenezer  P.,  of  Geauga  County, 
Ohio;  William  H.  of  our  sketch,  and  George  W.,  a 
resident  of  Burton,  Ohio. 

Our  subject  was  but  nine  years  of  age  when  his 
father  died.  The  family  was  large  and  possessed 
but  limited  means,  and  he  went  to  live  with  an 
uncle  in  Ashtnbula  County,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  was  then  appeu- 
ticed  to  learn  the  tinner's  trade  at  Painesville,  Ohio, 
and  served  until  reaching  his  majority.  Afterward 
he  worked  as  a  journeyman  at  various  points  in  the 
Buckeye  State,  and  in  1845  removed  from  that 
locality  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  where  he  engaged  to  go 
to  Joliet,  111.,  and  followed  his  occupation  there  un- 
til 1850.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  started  to 
cross  the  plains,  and  after  arriving  in  California, 
followed  his  trade  in  connection  with  mining.  Two 
years  later  he  returned  to  his  native  State,  via  the 
Isthmus  and  New  York  City.  From  there  became 
to  Illinois,  and  locating  in  Urbana,  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  tinware  and  purchased  a  stock  of 


stores,  which  were  shipped  to-  him  from  Albany, 
via  the  Erie  Canal  and  Lake  Erie  and  the  Wabash 
Canal  to  Covington,  Ind.,  whence  they  were  con- 
veyed by  teams  to  their  destination.  He  was  the 
first  man  to  manufacture  tinware  or  sell  stoves  in 
Champaign  County  and  exhibited  the  product  of 
his  manufacture'  at  the  first  fair  held  within  its 
limits. 

Mr.  Jaques  continued  business  at  Urbana  about 
five  years,  then  sold  out  and  finally  returned  to 
Ohio.  In  the  meantime  the  outbreak  of  the  Re- 
bellion had  called  for  volunteers  to  assist  in  preserv- 
ing the  Union,  and  in  1862  he  enlisted  in  Co.  K, 
103d  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,'  in  which  he  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  With  the  exception  of  a  month 
confined  in  a  hospital  with  typhoid  fever,  be  never 
missed  the  roll  call,  and  participated  with  his  com- 
rades in  the  battle  at  Buzzard's  Roost,  the  sieges  of 
Knoxville  and  Atlanta,  and  various  minor  engage- 
ments and  skirmishes.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he 
returned  to  Ohio,  and  after  regaining  his  health  and 
strength  started  for  the  West.  In  November, 
1866,  he  established  his  present  business  at  Tolono, 
opening  up  the  first  house  of  the  kind  in  the  town. 
From  a  modest  beginning  he  has  built  up  an  ex- 
tensive patronage,  and  carries  a  well-selected  stock 
of  goods  which  will  bear  comparison  with  anything 
of  the  kind  in  Champaign  County.  In  1870  he 
took  his  son  John  H.  into  partnership,  and  they 
now  operate  under  the  firm  style  of  Jaques  &  Son. 

Mr.  Jaques  was  first  married  at  Joliet,  III.,  in  the 
spring  of  1846,  to  Miss  Eliza  P.  Dunham,  a  native 
of  New  York  State.  She  only  remained  the  com- 
panion of  her  husband  for  six  short  years,  depart- 
ing this  life  in  May,  1852,  and  leaving  one  son, 
John  II.,  already  spoken  of.  The  second  wife  of 
our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married  at  Water- 
town,  N.  Y.,  in  1854,  was  Miss  Sarah  A.  Whipple, 
who  died  three  years  later,  on  the  1st  of  May,  1857. 
Of  this  union  there  was  born  one  son,  Willie  W., 
who  died  when  six  years  of  age.  Qur  subject, 
politically,  is  a  stanch  Republican,  "dyed  in  the 
wool,"  and  became  a  member  of  the  party  upon  its 
organization,  in  1856;  formerly  he  had  been  a 
Whig.  Socially,  he  belongs  to  Lodge  No.  391,  A. 
F.  <fe  A.  M.,  at  Tolono.  As  a  business  man  and  n 
citizen  his  word  is  considered  as  good  as  his  bond. 


fioO 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


He  is  quiet  and  unobtrusive  in  manner,  charitable 
to  the  faults  of  his  fellows,  and  his  success  in  life 
has  only  been  the  reward  that  he  deserves.  He  has 
accumulated  a  competency  for  his  declining  years, 
and  enjoys  the  confidence  and  affection  of  hosts  of 
friends. 


SAAC  S.  PETERS,  an  important  factor  in  the 
business  community  of  St.  Joseph,  has  for  sev- 
eral years  been  busily  engaged  as  a  dealer  in 
grain  and  coal,  in  which  he  has  built  up  a  good 
trade,  and  by  his  straightforward  method  of  doing 
business  has  established  himself  in  the  confidence 
of  his  fellow-townsmen. 

Mr.  Peters,  who  is  a  native  of  this  county,  may 
be  properly  styled  a  young  man  still,  his  birth  hav- 
ing taken  place  July  18,  1853.  He  first  drew 
breath  on  the  farm  of  his  father,  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  and  is  the  eldest  son  and  second  child 
of  Robert  and  Mary  E.  Peters,  who  were  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Champaign  County.  He  was 
reared  upon  the  old  homestead,  and  completed  his 
education  in  the  town  of  old  St.  Joseph.  He  con- 
tinued with  his  parents  until  twenty-eight  years  of 
age,  with  the  exception  of  two  years,  during  which 
time  he  went  West  through  the  States  and  Terri- 
tories, traveling  about  for  some  months,  and  return- 
ing home  well  satisfied  with  what  he  had  seen  and 
learned. 

In  March,  1882,  determining  to  settle  down  in  a 
home  of  his  own,  he  took  the  first  important  step 
by  his  marriage  with  Miss  Molly,  daughter  of  Cy- 
rus and  Tabitha  McCullom.  who  were  among  the 
oldest  residents  of  the  county.  After  marriage  the 
young  couple  commenced  housekeeping  in  a  mod- 
est little  home  of  their  own,  and  in  due  time  were 
blest  by  the  advent  of  two  children,  both  daugh- 
ters, whom  they  named  Cloa  D.  and  Florence 
Mae.  In  1885,  in  company  with  his  present  part- 
ner, they  purchased  the  business  of  J.  W.  Sommers, 
and  since  that  time  they  have  carried  on  an  ex- 
tensive and  lucrative  trade.  Their  elevator  has  a 
capacity  of  12,000  bushels,  and  is  conveniently  lo- 
cated on  the  I.,  B.  &  W.  R.  R. 

Mr.  Peters,  several  years  ago,  most  wisely  in- 
1  vested  his  spare  capital  in  ninety-five  acres  of  laud, 


beautifully  located  just  outside  the  town,  and 
runs  it  in  connection  with  his  business.  He  gives 
some  attention  to  stock-raising,  including  horses, 
cattle  and  hogs,  in  which  he  has  been  uni- 
formly successful.  The  latter-named  animals,  es- 
pecially, have  received  his  close  attention,  and  it 
is  conceded  by  all  that  in  this  department  he  is 
the  champion  of  his  township,  his  sales  sometimes 
aggregating  a  little  short  of  $1,000  per  annum.  He 
is  well  versed  in  agriculture,  and  delights  in  every- 
thing appertaining  to  the  farm  and  country  life. 
Politically  he  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Republican 
principles,  but  has  steadily  declined  to  be  an  aspir- 
ant for  office,  although  frequently  contributing 
generously  his  time  and  means  to  secure  the  elec- 
tion of  his'  friends.  Religiously  he  is  liberal  in  his 
views,  possessing  the  broad  and  catholic  spirit 
which  is  willing  that  each  man  should  be  governed 
by  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience,  upon  the 
condition  always  that  he  has  a  proper  amount  of 
responsibility  and  manhood. 


WILLIAM  E.  DAWLEY,  a  native  of  Coven- 
try, R.  I.,  came  to  the  Prairie  State  in 
1856,  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and 
with  the  exception  of  the  time  spent  in  the  army, 
has  since  been  a  resident  of  Champaign  County. 
He  was  born  on  the  5th  of  May,  1840,  and  is  the 
son  of  William  F.  and  L}'dia  F.  (Greene)  Dawley, 
natives  of  New  England.  After  marriage  they  set- 
tled in  Rhode  Island,  where  they  lived  until  the 
winter  of  1856,  and  thence  removed  to  Illinois,  be- 
coming residents  of  this  county  and  Scott  Town- 
ship, where  the  father  died  in  August  following. 
The  mother  is  still  living,  and  resides  in  Seward 
County,  Neb.  Their  seven  children  consisted  of 
four  sous  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth. 

Young  Dawley  attended  school  in  his  native 
town  during  his  childhood  and  youth,  and  after 
coming  to  Illinois  continued  to  live  with  his  par- 
ents until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  In  July, 
1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  71st  Illinois  Infantry, 
serving,  however,  but  a  short  time  on  account  of 
ill-health.  He  continued  fanning  as  an  occupation, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


651 


and  was  married  in  this  county,  April  19,  1866,  to 
Miss  Rebecca  J.  Littler,  a  native  of  Clarke  County* 
Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  F' 
(Ridgeway)  Littler.  Mrs.  D.  was  born  Aug.  2, 
1834.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there  were 
born  four  children — Mary  J.,  Alicia  T,  and  Alice 
L.  (twins),  and  William  VV.  The  latter  died  in 
infancy. 

Mr.  Dawley  has  held  the  offices  of  Constable, 
Township  Clerk,  Assessor  and  Collector  of  Scott 
Township,  and  politically  uniformly  casts  his  vote 
witli  the  Republican  party.  Socially  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Champaign  Post  No.  140,  G.  A.  R.,  also  of 
, Mahomet  Lodge  No.  220,  F.  &  A.  M. 


ROF.  THOMAS  J.  BURRILL,  A.  M.,  Ph. 

D.,  Professor  of  Botany  and  Horticulture, 
and  Vice  President  of  the  Illinois  State 
University,  is  well  known  throughout  this 
county  as  a  fine  representative  of  its  educational 
element.  He  is  a  native  of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  born 
April  25,  1839,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(Francis)  Burrill.  John  Burrill  was  born  near  Car- 
lisle, England,  Feb. '9,  1809,  and  the  mother  of  our 
subject  was  a  native  of  the  North  of  Ireland. 
Thomas  Burrill,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a  weaver  and  dresser  of  cloth  in  his  native 
England,  where  he  was  born  in  1776,  and  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  company  with  his  son  John 
and  two  daughters  in  1817.  He  located  at  Paw- 
tucket,  R.  L,  where  he  followed  his  former  occu- 
pation a  few  years  and  died  in  1840.  His  son 
John,  the  father  of  our  subject,  engaged  exclusively 
in  the  manufacture  of  cotton  goods,  first  in  Rhode 
Island  and  afterward  in  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  until 
1848.  In  1846,  however,  he  took  a  trip  to  Illinois 
and  became  infatuated  with  the  wide  prairies  and 
the  fine  climate.  He  purchased  200  acres  of  laud 
on  Rock  Run  in  Stephenson  County,  and  returned 
East  for  his  family,  settling  on  his  land  in  Stephen- 
son  County  in  1848.  This  he  had  purchased  from 
the  Government  at  &1.25  per  acre,  and  put  up  the 
first  frame  dwelling  in  the  neighborhood.  lie  was 
industriously  employed  for  several  years  in  the 


improvement  and  cultivation  of  his  land,  and  in 
due  time  had  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  that  section. 
He  continued  to  live  there  until  1867,  then  sold 
out  and  removed  to  Lincoln,  where  he  lived  in 
retirement  two  years.  Afterward  he  purchased  a 
farm  seven  miles  northeast  of  Urbana,  which  in- 
cluded 160  acres,  and  the  house  and  lot  within  the 
city  which  he  now  occupies.  In  former  years  he 
identified  himself  with  the  Democratic  party,  but 
upon  the  organization  of  the  Republican  he  cast  his 
ballot  for  John  C.  Fremont,  and  ever  since  his 
influence  has  been  in  support  of  their  principles. 
Both  he  and  his  excellent  wife  are  members  in  good 
standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  They 
became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  six  of  whom  are 
now  living  and  recorded  as  follows:  Edward  is  a 
hardware  merchant  of  Shelby,  Neb. ;  Thomas  J.  is 
a  resident  of  Urbana ;  Robert  F.  is  a  builder  and 
contractor  in  Thomasboro;  Rev.  Sanford  W.  is  a 
minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in 
Adams,  Oregon;  Dr.  Charles  W.  is  practicing  medi- 
cine in  Kansas  City;  Mrs.  L.  J.  Sims  is  residing  in 
Lincoln,  111. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  a  boy  of  nine 
years  when  his  parents  came  to  the  Prairie  State. 
He  first  attended  a  school  taught  by  a  farmer  in  his 
own  house,  and  remained  a  member  of  his  father's 
household  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  after  which 
he  completed  the  course  of  study  in  the  Rockford 
High  Schools.  His  first  experience  as  a  teacher  was 
among  the  Dimkards  in  Stephensou  County.  One 
day  he  was  waited  upon  by  one  of  the  Trustees,  a 
Dunkard,  who  said  to  him,  "You  had  better  not 
talk  or  teach  the  children  that  the  earth  is  round." 
Not  wishing  to  enter  into  any  controversy  with  his 
Dunkavd  patrons  he  discreetly  avoided  the  topic 
under  consideration. 

In  1862,  Prof.  Burrill,  wishing  to  perfect  him- 
self still  further  in  his  studies,  entered  the  Normal 
University  at  Bloomingtou  and  took  a  three  years' 
course,  graduating  in  1865.  Soon  afterward  he 
was  chosen  Principal  of  the  Urbaua  public  schools, 
which  position  he  occupied  for  three  years  follow- 
ing. During  this  time,  in  1867,  he  accompanied 
Major  Powell  as  Botanist  on  his  scientific  explora- 
tion to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  furnished  a  report 
which  was  published  by  the  Government  with  the 


652 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


reports  of  others  in  that  party.  He  afterward,  in 
18C8,  became  Assistant  Professor  of  Natural  His- 
tory in  the  Illinois  Industrial  University,  under 
Prof.  J.  W.  Powell.  The  latter,  however,  never 
materialized,  and  our  subject  had  the  entire  charge 
of  the  supposed  duties  of  the  two.  In  1870  he  was 
elected  to  the  Chair  of  Botany  and  Horticulture, 
and  nine  years  later  was  chosen  Vice  President  of 
the  University.  In  1879  he  visited  Honduras  and 
Central  America  on  a  botanical  trip.  His  chief 
specialty  is  Cryptogamic  Botany,  and  it  is  related 
of  him  that  he  would  rather  discover  a  new  fungoid 
than  a  gold  mine,  while  he  is  known  to  have  an 
intimate  acquaintance  with  all  the  bacteria  in  the 
country  of  any  standing  whatever.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Microscopic  Association  and 
ranks  among  the  first  scientists  of  this  State  and 
nation. 

Prof.  Burrill  was  married,  in  1868,  to  Miss  Sarah 
H.,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Alexander,  and  a  native 
of  Seneca  Falls.  N.  Y.  Mrs.  Burrill  is  a  lady  of  fine 
literar}'  attainments  and  the  earnest  sympathizer  of 
her  husband  in  his  tastes  and  labors.  They  occupy 
a  handsome  residence  adjoining  the  University 
grounds,  which  the  Professor  erected  in  1872.  He 
has  expended  much  time  and  money  in  beautifying 
his  home,  which  has  become  one  of  the  most  attract- 
ive spots  in  the  city.  He  is  a  warm  adherent  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  with  his  excellent  and  accom- 
plished wife,  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


CLIFFORD  KICKER,  Professor  of  Archi- 
lecture  in  the  University  of  Illinois,  and 
Dean  of  the  College  of  Engineering,  at  Ur- 
bana,  is  a  fine  example  of  the  value  o'f  technical 
training,  natural  talents  and  a  studious  mind.  He 
was  born  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Acton,  Me., 
July  24,  1843,  and  is  the  son  of  Hon.  Ebenezer  and 
Mary  (Stacy)  Ricker,  natives  of  the  same  State, 
and  of  English  descent.  The  first  representatives 
of  the  family  in  this  country  came  across  the  water 
in  1660,  and  settled  at  Dover,  N.  H. 

The  father  of  our  subject  while  in  his  native  State 
engaged  in  fanning  and  milling.    He  finally  moved 


to  Spottsylvania  County,  Va.,  in  1866,  and  after- 
ward engaged  in  fanning.  He  was  a  well-rend  and 
intelligent  man,  and  represented  his  native  county 
in  the  State  Legislature,  in  1855.  He  was  Demo- 
cratic in  politics,  and  was  Major  General  in  the 
State  Militia  until  1861.  The  parental  household 
included  six  children,  namely,  N.  Clifford,  of  our 
sketch;  Almeda,  Mrs.  C'hilds;  Marcus  M. ;  Silas  W. ; 
Mary  S.,  Mrs.  Murphy,  and  Ella  V.,  a  teacher 
in  the  State  Normal  School,  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  all 
but  the  first  now  residing  in  Virginia. 

Young  Ricker  until  nineteen  years  of  age  at- 
tended school  and  assisted  his  father  in  winter  in 
the  mill.  From  nineteen  to  twenty-one  he  worked 
at  home,  spending  his  leisure  time  in  private  study, 
preparing  for  college.  He  then  left  home  and 
engaged  with  a  piano  manufacturer,  where  he 
was  employed  two  and  one-half  years.  In  1867 
he  emigrated  to  Illinois,  locating  at  La  Harpe, 
Hancock  County.  In  1868  he  purchased  an  inter- 
est in  a  wagon-shop,  which  he  sold  the  following 
year.  In  the  meantime  he  had  made  good  use 
of  his  leisure  moments,  his  love  of  learning  induc- 
ing him  to  pursue  his  studies  as  he  had  opportunity. 
In  January,  1870,  he  entered  the  State  Univer- 
sity, where  he  took  a  three  years'  course,  and  after 
graduating  studied  six  months  in  Berlin.  While 
pursuing  his  studies  in  the  University  he  acted  as 
foreman  of  the  architectural  shops,  was  afterward 
employed  as  draughtsman  in  a  Chicago  office;  sub- 
sequently he  acted  as  instructor  in  the  University, 
during  the  last  year  of  his  course  of  study. 
After  his  return  from  Europe  he  was  Instructor  in 
Architecture,  from  1873  to  1875,  and  in  1875  was 
elected  Professor  of  Architecture,  three  years  later 
becoming  Dean  of  the  College  of  Engineering.  The 
department  over  which  our- subject  presides  has  an 
interesting  museum,  including  a  valuable  collection 
of  models,  some  made  by  the  students  themselves, 
and  others  purchased  abroad;  also  drawings,  sam- 
ples of  wood  and  other  materials,  and  a  multitude 
of  other  interesting  things.  The  Professor  takes  a 
genuine  delight  and  pride  in  his  work  as  an  in- 
structor, and  no  one  in  this  country  probably  oc- 
cupies a  higher  position  in  the  profession.  He 
published  a  work  on  Trussed  Roofs  in  1885,  and 
has  written  considerably  for  architectural  journals. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


655 


The  marriage  [of. Prof.  Ricker  and  Miss  Mary  C. 
Stcele  took  place  in  1875.  She  is  a  native  of  Gales- 
burg,. this  .State,  and. is  also  a  graduate  of  the>ame 
University.  Of  this  union  there  has  been  born 
one  child,  Ethel.  The  Professor  and  his  wife  are 
both  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and 
socially  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 


UGUSTUS  G.  RUHL,  a  retired  farmer  of 
Scott  Township,  is  now  a  resident  of  Bond- 
ville,  where  he  is  passing  his  later  days  in 
the  enjoyment  of  the  competency  which  he 
secured  by  years  of  industrious  and  honest  toil. 
He  is  of  German  birth  and  parentage,  and  the  son 
of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Cook)  Ruhl,  also  natives  of 
the  Fatherland,  who  emigrated  to  America  in 
about  1833.  They  first  settled  in  Maryland,  and 
afterward  removed  to  Union  County,  Ohio,  where 
John  Ruhl  departed  this  life,  at  peace  with  all  men, 
in  the  year  1880. 

The  parental  household  included  nine  children, 
of  whom  Augustus  G.  was  next  to  the  eldest.  His 
birth  took  place  on  the  3d  of  September,  1830,  and 
he  was  only  about  three  years  old  when  his  parents 
set  sail  for  the  United  States.  His  early  education 
was  quite  limited,  but  he  possessed  much  natural 
intelligence,  and  made  the  most  of  his  opportuni- 
ties. He  gained  a  good  insight  into  business  mat- 
ters while  still  a  youth,  and  possessed  those  qualities 
which  made  him  many  friends.  When  twenty-one 
years  of  age  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  engaged 
in  farming  and  teaming  alternately  until  1853.  He 
was  then  married  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Union 
County,  Ohio,  which  he  occupied  three  years,  and 
then  removed  to  Winnebago  County,  this  State. 
In  the  fall  of  1856  he  came  into  this  county  and 
took  up  his  abode  in  Hensley  Township,  where  he 
lived  four  years.  In  1860  he  became  a  resident  of 
Scott  Township,  where  he  has  since  remained.  Be- 
sides his  improved  farm  of  160  acres,  he  owns 
property  in  the  village  of  Bondville,  to  which  he 
retired  from  the  farm  in  188;"). 

Mr.  Ruhl   was  married,  in  Union  County,  Ohio, 


March  15,  1853,  to  Miss  Barbara  Vanderau,  a  na- 
tive of  his  own  country,  and  born  Dec.  4,  1828. 
They  became  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  as  fol- 
lows: William  A.,  Mary  C.,  Sarah  E.,  Emily  F. 
(deceased),  Carrie  F.,  Charles  8.,  John  H.,  Mattie 
A.,  Lulu  A.,  Lizzie  C.  (now  deceased)  and  Maude 
F.  The  eldest  son,  William,  married  Miss  Mary 
Carpenter,  of  Cloverdale,  Kan.,  and  resides  in  that 
State;  Mary  C.  met  with  a  great  affliction  when 
about  eleven  years  of  age  by  the  loss  of  her  sight, 
which  was  the  result  of  spinal  meningitis;  Sarah, 
Mrs.  David  Coffman,  resides  on  a  farm  in  Condit 
Township;  Carrie  is  the  wife  of  A.  N.  Taylor,  of 
Bondville;  Charles  married  Miss  Laura  McBride, 
and  is  farming  in  Scott  Township;  John  married 
Miss  Lizzie  Miller,  and  resides  in  Mahomet  Town- 
ship; Mattie  is  the  wife  of  Charles  W.  Pfiester,  of 
Mahomet  Township.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Chnrch,  to  the 
support  of  which  they  contribute  liberally  and 
cheerfully.  Mr.  Ruhl  casts  his  influence  in  support 
of  the  Republican  party. 


ty. 


AMES  WATSON.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
owns  and  occupies  440  acres  of  land  in  Lnd- 
low  Township,  which  constitutes  one  of  the 
finest  farms  in  this  part  of  Champaign  Coun- 
His  career  has  been  one  eminently  worthy  of 
record  as  illustrating  in  a  forcible  manner  the 
results  of  steady  perseverance  and  unremitting 
industry.  He  commenced  life  in  a  modest  manner 
with  only  such  means  as  he  had  himself  accumu- 
lated, and  upon  first  coming  to  Ludlow  Township, 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  land.  It  is 
probable  that  he  himself  did  not  anticipate  the  en- 
tire results  of  his  native  energy  of  character,  or 
that  he  would  become  one  of  the  most  extensive 
farmers  in  a  community  occupying  one  of  the  rich- 
est sections  of  the  Prairie  State.  He  is  now  the 
proprietor  of  440  acres,  all  improved  and  enclosed 
with  neat  and  substantial  fencing,  a  good  set  of 
farm  buildings,  and  a  fine  grove  which  forms  a  most 
attractive  feature  of  the  property.  He  has  planted 
mile  upon  mile  of  hedge  and  his  broad  pasture 


r 


656 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


\ 


r 


hoids  :uid  cornfields  are  :i  constant  delight  to  the 
eye  from  spring  until  late  in  the  autumn. 

Mr.  Watson  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
and  was  born  near  the  city  of  Chillicothe,  Sept.  1 0, 
1837.  His  native  town,  as  may  be  supposed,  was 
then  little  more  than  a  hamlet.  His  father,  Will- 
iam N.  Watson,  a  native  of  Connty  Tyrone,  Ire- 
land, grew  to  manhood  and  was  married  in  his 
native  county,  and  in  1832  emigrated  to  America, 
settling  near  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  Shortly  afterward, 
however,  he  removed  to  Gallia  County,  Ohio,  and 
thence  to  Chillicothe.  He  purchased  land  four 
miles  from  the  city,  settling  upon  it  in  1 838,  and 
clearing  the  timber,  made  it  his  home  for  twelve 
years.  He  subsequently  disposed  of  this  property 
and  two  miles  further  from  the  city  purchased  a 
farm  which  he  still  occupies,  and  although  arrived 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-seven  3'ears,  is  in 
the  enjoyment  of  good  health  and  preserves  his  old 
habits  of  industry.  He  married  Miss  Ellen  Patrick, 
a  native  of  his  own  county  in  Ireland,  who  accom- 
panied him  to  the  United  States  and  remained  his 
faithful  companion  until  the  close  of  her  life,  in 
1885.  Their  nine  children  grew  to  become  men 
and  women,  and  were  named,  Sainuel,  William, 
Joseph,  John,  Nelson,  James,  Jane,  Robert  and 
Ellen. 

The  first  school  which  Mr.  Watson  attended  was 
conducted  in  a  log  house,  wherein  the  benches  were 
made  of  slabs  set  upon  wooden  legs  and  placed 
around  the  sides  of  the  building  for  writing-desks. 
Light  was  admitted  after  the  primitive  fashion  of 
those  days,  through  a  square  place  cut  in  the  logs. 
When  not  in  school  James  assisted  his  father  in 
clearing  the  farm  and  tilling  the  soil,  and  remained 
a  member  of  the  parental  household  until  twenty  - 
two  years  old.  In  1861  he  came  to  this  county,  in 
what  is  now  Harwood  Township,  and  farmed  on 
rented  land  until  1868.  During  that  year  he  pur- 
chased his  present  homestead.  It  had  been  partially 
improved,  and  its  present  condition  has  been 
brought  about  through  his  own  enterprise  and  good 
judgment. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  1865,  to  Miss  Mary 
E.  Huffman,  a  native  of  Harrison  County,  Ky.,  and 
the  daughter  of  William  II.  and  Rachel  Minerva 
(King)  Huffman,  of  Harrison  County,  Ky.  Of 


this  union  there  have  been  born  two  sons,  William 
A.  and  John  C.,  botli  residing  at  home  with  their 
parents.  Mr.  Watson  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and 
keeps  himself  well  posted  upon  all  matters  of  gen- 
eral interest.  Mrs.  W.  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church. 


ICHAEL  RASSLER.  a  highly  respected 
and  thrifty  farmer  of  Harwood  Township, 
spent  his  youth  and  early  manhood  among 
the  mountainous  districts  of  the  little  King- 
dom of  Saxony,  forming  a  part  of  the  Northern 
portion  of  the  German  Empire.  There  he  first 
drew  breath  on  the  18th  of  September,  1836,  and 
was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  ten  children  be- 
longing to  Michael  and  Eva  (Gabler)  Rassler,  na- 
tives of  the  same  section  of  country.  The  mother 
of  our  subject  died  when  he  was  but  eighteen 
months  old,  and  he  was  reared  by  his  stepmother, 
Anna  (Galcrt)  Rassler,  who  performed  toward  him 
the  part  of  a  kind  and  careful  guardian.  He  re- 
mained a  member  of  the  household  until  about 
twenty-six  years  of  age,  and  after  serving  a  thor- 
ough apprenticeship  as  a  brick  and  stone  mason, 
worked  as  a  journeyman  three  years,  and  then  began 
preparations  for  establishing  a  home  of  his  own. 

Mr.  Rassler  completed  said  arrangement  by  his 
marriage  with  Miss  Henrietta,  youngest  child  of 
Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Staude,  whose  family  included 
eight  children.  Her  parents  spent  their  entire  lives 
in  their  native  Germany,  her  father  dying  before 
Mrs.  Rassler  and  her  husband  came  to  the  United 
States.  The  death  of  the  mother  occurred  some 
years  afterward,  under  the  following  circumstances: 
While  walking  along  the  road  to  visit  a  daughter 
not  far  from  her  home,  she  was  stricken  with  paraly- 
sis and  sank  down  to  rise  no  more,  her  breath 
having  departed  when  she  was  found. 

Our  subject  after  his  marriage  continued  work- 
ing seven  years  at  his  trade,  but  seeing  little  pros- 
pect of  improving  his  condition  financially,  re- 
solved to  emigrate  to  a  land  which  promised 
advancement  to  all  those  inclined  to  energy  and 
industry.  Accordingly,  getting  together  his  family 

•» 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


^Tf 

657    j, 


and  household  goods,  he  set  sail  from  the  port  of 
Bremen,  Oct.  23,  1869,  on  the  '•  Donan."  After  a 
pleasant  voyage  of  thirteen  days  they  landed  at 
Castle  Garden,  in  New  York,  and  two  days  later 
started  for  the  Prairie  State.  They  passed  the  first 
four  years  in  Marshall  County,  and  thence  removed 
into  Peoria  County.  Mr.  Kassler  after  coming  West 
abandoned  his  trade  and  took  up  farming,  in  which 
he  became  moderately  successful.  After  three  years 
spent  in  Peoria  County  he  found  himself  possessed 
of  sufficient  means  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of 
unimproved  land  in  Harwood  Township,  this 
county,  where  he  at  once  put  up  a  small  house  into 
which  he  removed  his  family,  and  then  turned  his 
attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  In  the  spring 
of  1879  a  great  cloud  came  over  their  happiness  in 
the  death  of  the  affectionate  wife  and  mother,  who 
passed  from  earth  on  the  23d  of  April.  Mrs.  Rass- 
ler  was  a  lady  of  high  moral  character,  greatly 
beloved  by  her  family  and  friends,  who  cherish  her 
name  in  tender  remembrance  as  one  who  left  behind 
her  a  record  of  kindly  deeds  and  womanly  virtues. 
She  had  for  many  years  been  an  active  and  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  seemed 
ever  looking  about  her  for  the  performance  of  a 
kindly  act  to  some  creature.  She  had  been  a  great 
sufferer  for  many  years  from  a  tumor,  but  bore  her 
affliction  with  patient  resignation,  and  presented  a 
sweetness  of  character  and  amiability  which  en- 
deared her  to  all  around  her.  The  place  made  va- 
cant by  her  death  could  never  be  filled,  and  the 
father  and  children  have  since  remained  devoted  to 
each  other.  They  were  named  Herman,  Henrietta 
Alvina,  and  Franz,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  young- 
est died  with  his  mother  who  passed  away  soon  after 
his  birth.  Mr.  Rassler  is  also  connected  with  the 
Lutheran  Church,  and  bears  the  reputation  of  a 
high-minded  Christian  gentleman,  living  his  life 
worthily  and  unobtrusively,  preferring  to  give  his 
strict  attention  to  his  farming  affairs,  and  abstain- 
ing from  politics  with  the  exception  of  casting  his 
vote  in  support  of  ~  Republicanism  at  the  time  of 
general  elections.  He  has  some  fine  stock  on  his 
farm,  including  several  head  of  horses  from  the 
noted  draft  animal  "  Romeo,"  which  was  burned  to 
death  in  the  fire  in  Gilford  last  fall.  His  cattle  are 
of  the  Durham  blood,  and  his  hogs  are  the  Poland- 


China.  lie  displays  excellent  judgment  in  the 
management  of  his  farm  affairs,  and  no  man  is  more 
highly  respected  in  the  community  than  Michael 
Rassler. 


-*- 


J~  AMES  S.  KILBURY,  a  prominent  and 
wealthy  farmer  of  Somer  Township,  is  one 
of  the  most  wide-awake  and  enterprising 
men  of  that  section,  possessing  more  than 
ordinary  ability,  the  evidences  of  which  may  be 
seen  on  all  sides  around  the  homestead  which  he 
has  built  and  beautified,  and  is  adding  each  season 
to  its  attractions  and  its  value.  His  land  is  finely 
located  on  section  7,  and  embraces  130  acres  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.  In  Ogden  Township 
he  has  260  acres,  which,  together  with  the  hand- 
some and  substantial  farm  buildings,  forms  one  of 
the  prettiest  spots  in  the  landscape  of  the  township. 
Mr.  Kilbury  possesses  uncommon  natural  ingenuity, 
having  become  a  self-trained  carpenter  and  joiner, 
which  is  as  much  a  source  of  pleasure  as  profit  to 
him,  and  by  which  he  adds  much  to  the  beauty 
and  convenience  of  his  premises,  and  saves  annu- 
ally probably  hundreds  of  dollars.  Even  if  not 
wishing  to  perform  the  labor  himself  with  the  saw 
and  plane,  he  is  entirely  capable  of  superintending 
the  work  of  another,  and  whatever  he  undertakes 
in  this  line  either  himself  or  "  by  proxy,"  is  sure 
to  be  turned  off  in  the  best  style  of  the  art. 

Mr.  Kilbury  is  a  native  of  Madison  County, 
Ohio,  born  May  7,  1839,  and  is  the  son  of  Asa  and 
Ruth  (Clark)  Kilbury,  natives  of  the  Green  Mount- 
ain State  and  Ohio  respectively.  Asa  Kilbury 
was  born  June  24,  1806,  and  departed  this  life  in 
Union  County,  Ohio,  Jan.  5,  1884.  He  was  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising,  a  man  highly  respected  wherever 
known,  and  prominently  connected  with  the  New- 
Light  Church.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
born  Feb.  27,  1815,  and  died  in  1885.  The  fun- 
eral sermons  of  both  parents  were  preached  by  the 
same  minister.  The  children  of  the  parental 
household  are  recorded  as  follows:  Rachel,  the 
eldest  daughter,  died  in  isrio;  Emily  and  Amanda 
died  in  childhood,  the  latter  when  about  three 


658 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


years  old;  Robert  is  now  a  resilient  of  Plain  City, 
Madison  Go.,  Ohio;  Ernstus  is  deceased  ;  Mortimer 
is  residing  in  St.  Joseph,  this  county;  Dunbar  C. 
lives  in  Delaware  County,  Ohio;  Solomon  H.  oc- 
cupies the  old  homestead  in  t'nion  County,  that 
State.  The  living-  members  of  the  parental  family 
are  all  connected  with  'the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

Mr.  Kilbury  spent  his  youth  and  the  early  years 
of  his  manhood  in  his  native  State,  and  was  there 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Hannah  E.  Beard,  a 
native  of  Union  County-,  Ohio,  anfl  born  in  1842. 
The  young  people,  deciding  to  make  their  home  in 
the  West,  came  to  this  State  soon  afterward,  locat- 
ing in  Ogden  Township,  this  county.  His  lands 
are  now  supplied  with  all  necessary  farm  buildings, 
good  fences,  machinery  and  stock.  He  has  been 
very  successful  in  the  breeding  of  Poland-China 
swine,  raising  and  selling  large  numbers  each  year, 
and  obtaining  more  than  the  average  market  price. 

Notwithstanding  the  many  and  urgent  cares  de- 
volving upon  him  in  looking  after  his  property, 
and  doing  the  work  which  no  one  can  do  so  well 
as  himself,  he  has  still  found  time  to  interest  him- 
self in  local  affairs,  officiating  as  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  School  Treasurer,  and  occupying  other  town- 
ship offices.  His  political  sympathies  are  decidedly 
with  the  Republican  party,  and  he  exerts  much  in- 
fluence in  his  county,  being  sent  in  1866,  as  a  dele- 
gate to  the  County  Convention,  and  to  the  State 
Convention  at  Springfield.  In  a  word,  he  may  be 
considered  as  one  of  the  -'  wheel  horses "  of  the 
party  in  Somer  Township.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kilbury  have  been  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  since  uniting  their  hands  and 
fortunes,  and  our  subject  has  held  the  office  of 
Steward,  besides  being  otherwise  prominent  in 
church  affairs.  The  only  child  living  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kilbury  is  a  daughter,  Harriet  R.,  born  Jan. 
5,  1878,  and  now  an  interesting  girl  of  about  ten 
years.  The  first  born  died  in  1873. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Kilbury  were  William  and 
Harriet  Beard.  The  father  died  July  16,  1850, 
and  his  wife  Harriet,  July  27,  1887,  at  the  home 
of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Kilbury.  Her  paternal  great- 
grandfather. Col.  James  Curry,  was  a  Revolution- 
ary soldier  of  prominence,  and  a  Colonel  in  the 


War  of  1812;  he  died  Jan.  10,  1.S26.  Many  trib- 
utes of  respect  were  paid  the  illustrious  dead  at 
the  time.  Mrs.  Kilbtiry's  brothers  and  sisters  arc 
recorded  as  follows:  Nancy,  born  Feb.  14,  1839, 
is  now  living  in  Ogden  Township;  Forester,  born 
in  March,  1844,  lives  in  Union  County,  Ohio;  Gil- 
bert, born  Dec.  18,  1846,  lives  in  Ogden  Township, 
and  Margaret  J.,  born  Feb.  2,  1848,  lives  in  Union 
County,  Ohio. 


J~~j  OHN  T.  MALLORY.  The  subject  of  this 
I  biography  owns  and  occupies  a  fine  farm  of 
|  300  acres  on  section  7,  in  Scott  Township. 
1  Forty  acres  of  this  is  in  timber  and  the  bal- 
ance under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  He  has  a 
tasteful  and  substantial  set  of  farm  buildings,  and 
the  place  in  all  respects  corresponds  with  the 
property  of  the  enterprising  and  prosperous  men 
about  him  on  all  sides;  men  who  have  assisted  in 
the  development  and  building  up  of  this  section 
and  who  made  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  in  the 
Prairie  State. 

Our  subject  came  to  this  county  in  1847,  and 
since  that  time  has  been  one  of  the  most  valued 
residents.  He  was  born  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va., 
Sept.  16,  1811,  and  is  the  son  of  George  and  Eliza- 
beth (Hendricks)  Mallory,  also  natives  of  the  Old 
Dominion.  The  parents  first  settled  at  Harper's 
Ferry  and  thence  removed  to  Pickaway  County, 
Ohio,  whence,  in  1837,  they  emigrated  to  this  State, 
and  located  in  what  was  then  Macon,  but  is  now 
Piatt  County,  and  where  the  father  died,  about 
1845.  The  mother  afterward  removed  to  Ne- 
braska, where  her  death  took  place  about  1863.  The 
household  circle  included  eleven  children,  three 
boys  and  eight  girls. 

Our  subject  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 
county  until  1839,  when  he  visited  this  county  and 
located  a  tract  of  300  acres,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Harper's  Ferry  and  remained  until  1848.  He  was 
there  employed  in  the  armory,  which  he  had  en- 
tered when  a  boy  ten  years  of  age. 

John  T.  Mallory  was  married  in  1834,  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  in  the  fall  of  1847  started  with  his  wife 
and  three  children  overland  for  this  State.  Their 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


C59 


outfit  consisted  of  a  wagon  and  two  horses,  and 
after  a  journey  of  thirty-one  days  they  reached 
Piatt  County,  where  they  located  and  lived  for  the 
following  eight  and  one-half  years.  Mr.  Mallory 
then  removed  to  Scott  Township,  of  which  he  has 
been  a  resident  since  that  time. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  at 
Charleston,  Va.,  the  maiden  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Margaret 
(Spielman)  Taylor,  natives  of  Virginia.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Taylor  located  at  Harper's  Ferry  after  their 
marriage,  and  there  Mr.  T.  held  the  position  of 
Inspector  of  the  Armory.  His  family  consisted  of 
two  sons  and  four  daughters,  and  both  heads  of 
the  family  died  at  Harper's  Ferry,  the  former 
about  1817,  and  the  latter  about  1820. 

Mrs.  Mallory  was  the  fourth  child  of  her  parents, 
and  was  born  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  May  12,  1810. 
The  offspring  of  her  union  with  our  subject  is  re- 
corded as  follows:  Emma  F.  became  the  wife  of 
David  Slider,  and  died  at  her  father's  house  in  Scott 
Township,  in  February,  1877;  George  married  Miss 
Mary  Candy,,  and  is  farming  in  Scott  Township, 
and  Anna  M.  died  when  about  eleven  years  old. 
Mr.  Mallory  officiated  as  Postmaster  at  North  Bend, 
Piatt  County,  for  about  two  years.  He  has  held 
the  office  of  Supervisor  two  terms,  and  been 
otherwise  identified  with  the  local  affairs  of  this 
section.  Politically  he  is  a  member  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  He  is  probably  the  oldest  Odd  Fellow 
in  the  county,  and  in  early  manhood  became  a 
member  of  the  first  lodge  established  in  his  native 
State. 


RS.  MARY  J.    NICEWANDER.     One   of 

the  most  attractive  homesteads  in  Rantoul 
|1S  Township  is  located  on  section  30,  and  oc- 
cupied by  the  lady  whose  name  stands  at 
the  "head  of  this  sketch.  JShe  possesses  great  energy 
of  character,  and  fine  business  capacity,- and  the 
present  condition  of  the  homestead  is  due  in  a  large 
measure  to  her  good  judgment  and  forethought. 
Since  becoming  a  widow  she  has  managed  the  farm 
in  an  admirable  manner,  served,  as  administrator 
of  her  husband's  estate,  and  purchased  the  interest 
of  the  elder  children  in  the  property.  She  has  had 


the  land  thoroughly  drained,  erected  a  windmill, 
caused  the  thorough  renovation  and  repair  of  the 
farm  buildings,  had  them  all  tastefully  painted,  and 
may  be  pardoned  if  she  views  with  just  pride  the 
result  of  her  labors. 

Mrs.  N.  was  born  six  miles  east  of  Columbus  in 
Franklin  County,  Ohio,  Jan.  22,  1842.  Her  father, 
John  Kerr,  was  born  and  reared  on  a  farm  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  removed  from  his  native  State  to 
Ohio  when  a  young  man.  He  located  in  Franklin 
County,  where  he  married,  and  purchased  a  farm 
upon  which  was  a  saw  and  grist  mill.  He  carried 
on  farming  and  operated  the  mills  until  1850;  he 
then  sold  out  and,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and 
seven  children,  started  overland  to  Illinois.  Their 
outfit  consisted  of  eight  horses  aiid  two  large 
covered  wagons,  and  they  fared  after  the  manner  of 
the  emigrants  of  those  days,  cooking  and  camping 
by  the  wayside,  and  sleeping  in  their  wagons  at 
night.  Mr.  Kerr  first  rented  a  farm  in  De  Witt 
County,  together  with  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  each 
of  which  he  carried  on  two  years,  and  then  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  timber  land  five  miles  from  Clin- 
ton. He  cleared  a  farm  and  in  the  meantime  fur- 
nished timber  for  the  first  railroad  ever  built  in 
De  Witt  County.  A  few  years  later  he  sold  this 
property  also,  lived  afterward  for  a  time  in  the 
city  of  De  Witt,  and  then  purchased  a  farm  east 
of  the  town,  where  he  resided  until  1865.  Then, 
crossing  the  Father  of  Waters,  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Jasper  County,  Mo.,  this  being  his  last  removal 
until  he  was  conveyed  to  his  final  resting-place.  His 
wife  was  formerly  Miss  Susan  Sims,  a  lady  of  Scot- 
tish birth  and  parentage,  who  died  in  De  Witt 
County,  111.,  May  12,  1851. 

Mrs.  Nicewander  was  but  eight  years  old  when 
she  came  to  Illinois  witli  her  parents,  and  only  nine 
when  her  mother  died.  Soon  afterward  she  became 
.a  member  of  the  family  of  Mr.  Williams  in  De  Witt 
County,  where  she  lived  two  and  one-half  years, 
and  then  returning  to  her  father  kept  house  for  him 
until  he  was  married  again.  She  then  learned 
millinery  and  dressmaking  at  Clinton,  at  which  she 
was  occupied  until  seventeen  years  of  age.  After- 
ward she  came  to  Champaign  County,  and  in  18G2 
was  married  to  Jacob  Nicewander.  Mr.  N.  was 
born  in  Tippecanoe  County.  Ind.,  June  8,  1843, 


I 


t 


660 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  was  the  son  of  David  and  Millie  (Stringley) 
Nicewander.  He  was  reared  by  his  paternal  grand- 
parents (see  sketch  of  D.  Nicewander).  After 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  N.  lived  west  of  Champaign 
two  and  one-half  years,  and  subsequently  rented 
land  two  years  in  Kantoul  Township.  They  after- 
ward purchased  forty  acres  upon  which  Mr.  N. 
labored  until  his  death,  which  occurred  May  7, 
1882.  He  had  in  the  meantime  purchased  eighty 
acres  additional,  so  that  the  farm  now  embraces 
x  120  acres,  free  of  incumbrance,  finely  improved  and 
provided  with  comfortable  buildings.  The  four 
children  of  this  family  are  Henry  W. ;  Alice  B.,  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Watson,  who  is  farming  in  Ludlow 
Township;  Oscar  and  Nannie  D.  The  two  latter 
are  at  home  with  their  mother. 


WILLIAM  H.  TOWNSEND  is  one  of  the 

most  highly  respected  residents  of  Ran- 
toul  Township.  His  vocation  is  that  of  a 
farmer,  and  his  homestead  is  pleasantly  located  on 
section  18.  For  a  period  of  sixteen  years  Mr. 
Townsend  has  walked  in  and  out  among  the  peo- 
ple, who  have  learned  to  look  upon  him  as  a  man 
fully  worthy  of  their  confidence,  and  one  who  has 
contributed  materially  to  the  business  and  agricult- 
ural interests  of  his  section. 

William  H.  Townsend  was  born  in  Putnam 
County,  N.  Y.,  March  28,  1822,  and  is  the  son  of 
James  and  Polly  (Baldwin)  Townsend,  also  natives 
of  the  Empire  State.  Charles  Townsend,  our  sub- 
ject's grandfather,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary War,  and  was  with  Gen.  Washington  at 
Valley  Forge.  For  his  bravery  and  fidelity  he 
was  tendered  a  Captain's  commission  and  placed  in 
command  of  a  company.  After  the  independence 
of  the  Colonies  had  been  established  he  located  in 
Putnam  County,  N.  Y.,  and  spent  the  last  years  of 
his  life  engaged  in  the  peaceful  occupation  of  a 
farmer.  On  account  of  his  military  services  his 
widow  drew  a  pension  during  the  last  years  of  her 
life.  Their  children  were  reared  on  a  farm,  and 
the  son  James,  father  of  Mr.  Townsend  of  this  no- 
tice, after  reaching  manhood  became  a  resident  of 
Warren  County,  this  State,  spending  his  last  days 


in  the  little  town  of  Cold  Brook,  and  his  wife  also 
died  in  Warren  County. 

Of  his  parents'  nine  children  William  H.,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  fourth  child  and  second  son.  He 
spent  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  the  manner  com- 
mon to  most  farmers'  boys,  attending  school  during 
the  winter  seasons  and  working  on  the  farm  sum- 
mers. After  reaching  his  majority  he  learned  the 
trade  of  a  stonemason,  and  for  a  period  of  twelve 
years  afterward  was  occupied  chiefly  in  building 
stone  fences.  Later  he  resumed  farming,  renting 
land  in  Warren  County  until  1869.  In  the  spring 
of  that  year  he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased 
the  place  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  A  few 
acres  of  the  sod  were  broken,  and  upon  the  place 
was  a  building  sixteen  feet  square,  which  he  at  first 
utilized  as  a  dwelling  for  himself  and  family. 
Afterward  he  erected  a  good  set  of  frame  build- 
ings, planted  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and  otherwise 
embellished  the  home,  which  he  has  now  occupied 
for  over  eighteen  years.  The  home  place  com- 
prises 120  acres,  and  our  subject  is  devoting  a 
goodly  part  of  his  time  to  the  breeding  of  Short- 
horns, in  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  his  land. 

Mr.  Townsend  was  married  in  his  native  county 
in  the  Empire  State,  Dec.  22,  1848,  to  Miss  Mary 
S.  Warren,  also  a  native  of  that  county,  and  born 
Oct.  22,  1828.  She  is  the  daughter  of  John  N. 
and  Rachel  (Davenport)  Warren,  natives  of  New 
York  State.  Her  grandfather,  John  Warren,  Sr., 
was  of  English  birth  and  parentage,  and  emigrated 
to  this  country  during  the  progress  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  and  when  a  young  man  seventeen 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and 
settled  in  Putnam  County,  N.  Y.,  and  was  among 
the  earliest  pioneers  of  that  section.  He  followed 
his  trade  until  after  his  marriage,  but  subsequently 
engaged  in  farming.  His  son,  John  N.  Warren, 
also  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  also 
followed  until  his  death  in  Putnam  County 'in 
1840.  His  wife  subsequently  came  to  this  State, 
and  departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Earlville,  La 
Salle  County,  in  April,  1869,  aged  seventy-four 
years. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  three  children : 
Warren ;  Melissa,  the  wife  of  Alexander  Penn,  a 
farmer  of  Rantoul  Township,  and  Cora,  at  home 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


G61 


I 


with  her  parents.  Mr.  Townsend  is  independent  in 
politics  and  liberal  in  matters  of  religion.  He  is 
rated  as  a  reliable  citizen  in  all  respects  and  keeps 
well  posted  upon  the  events  of  the  day,  viewing 
with  pleasure  and  satisfaction  the  march  of  prog- 
ress, and  especially  the  building  up  of  his  own 
county  and  community. 


LVAREZE  B.  COGGSHALL.  Among  the 
attractive  features  on  the  farm  of  this  gen- 
ii tleman  are  the  fine  draft  horses  with  which 
his  stables  are  tenanted  and  in  the  breed- 
ing of  which  he  has  secured  an  enviable  reputation 
in  Stanton  Township  and  vicinity.  He  is  in  posses- 
sion of  eighty  acres  of  choice  land  on  section  28,  to 
which  he  removed  in  1882,  from  Indiana,  where  he 
was  born  Jan.  13,  1848.  He  is  the  son  of  Joab 
and  Judiah  (Merine)  Coggshall,  the  former  a  native 
of  North  Carolina  and  the  latter  of  South  Carolina. 
Joab  Coggshall  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years.  He  was  a  miller  by  occupation,  a 
worthy  and  industrious  man,  enjoying  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  The  mother 
is  still  living  in  Indiana,  making  her  home  with  her 
children.  By  a  previous  marriage  Joab  Coggshall 
became  the  father  of  three  children,  viz:  Louis, 
now  living  in  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.;  Edward,  and  Rebecca, 
the  wife  of  Jesse  Kate,  of  Wayne  County,  Ind.  Of 
the  second  marriage  there  were  born  four  sons  and 
seven  daughters.  Mahala  lives  with  her  mother  in 
Indiana;  Irene  C.  became  the  wife  of  Paul  Frazer, 
now  deceased ; Sarah  AnnC.  married  Milton  Craner; 
Abel  B.  married  Olive  Mendenhall,  and  lives  in 
Vermilion  County,  this  State;  Martha  J.  is  the 
wife  of  George  Bunisworth,  of  Whitney  County, 
Ind. ;  Catherine  is  the  wife  of  Franklin  Williams,  of 
Portland,  Ind. ;  Lafayette  married  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Ballinger,  of  Wayne  County,  Ind.;  Melvin  married 
Miss  Sallie  Jessop,  and  they  live  in  Wayne  County; 
Eveline  became  the  wife  of  Edwin  Conkle,  of  Den- 
ver, Col.;  Adaline,  Mrs.  Nathan  Baldwin,  lives 
with  her  husband  in  Wayne  County,  Ind. 

Our  subject  remained  with  his  parents  until  six- 
teen years  of  age  and  then  ran  away  from  home  to 
enlist  in  the  army,  joining  Co.  D,  57th  Ind.  Vol. 


Inf.,  in  which  he  served  twenty-two  months,  his 
regiment  becoming  a  part  of  the  4th  Army  Corps, 
which  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land. He  participated  in  the  encounter  with  the 
enemy  at  Buzzard's  Roost,  Ga.,  and  afterward 
joined  the  command  of  Gen.  Sherman,  meeting  the 
enemv  at  Resaca,  Ga.,  at  Kennesaw  Mountain,  and 
at  the  siege  of  Atlanta.  During  the  latter  he  was 
taken  ill  and  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Chattanooga. 
After  five  weeks  he  ran  away  and,  joining  his  regi- 
ment, had  the  satisfaction  of  assisting  in  the  final 
capture  of  Atlanta.  He  marched  out  of  that  place 
with  the  troops  of  Gen.  Thomas,  and  afterward 
going  into  Tennessee,  was  in  the  engagements  at 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  and  from  there  followed 
the  rebel  General,  Hood,  into  Alabama.  After  a 
short  sojourn  in  East  Tennessee,  during  which  time 
had  occurred  the  surrender  of  the  Confederate 
army,  they  repaired  to  Nashville  and  were  paid  off. 

Young  Coggshall  now  proceeded  across  the  Mis- 
sissippi into  Texas,  and  after  wandering  around 
along  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  was  finally  mustered  out, 
and  in  due  time  returned  home  to  be  received  witli 
open  arms,  notwithstanding  his  disobedience  in  en- 
tering the  army  against  the  wishes  of  the  family. 
In  the  meantime  he  had  been  promoted  Corporal 
and  made  a  good  record  generally  as  a  soldier. 

Mr.  Coggshall  after  his  return  from  the  army 
spent  one  month  in  his  native  county  with  his  old 
friends  and  associates,  and  then  coining  into  Ver- 
milion County,  this  State,  was  employed  on  a  farm 
until  1870.  Some  of  the  time  he  rented  land  and 
cultivated  the  soil  on  his  own  account.  In  182G 
he  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  the  Poor  Farm 
at  Danville,  where  he  remained  a  year,  and  in  the 
meantime  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Humrich- 
house,  the  wedding  taking  place  Aug.  24,  1870. 
Mrs.  C.  is  the  daughter  of  George  and  Lydia 
(Grace)  Humrichhouse,  the  forme"r  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  of  Indiana.  After 
marriage  they  located  in  Vermilion  County,  where 
most  of  their  eight  children  were  born.  These 
consisted  of  four  boys  and  four  girls:  John  W. 
married  Miss  Rachel  Brokaw,  and  James  W.  mar- 
ried Miss  Priscilla  Grace;  both  are  farming  in  this 
county ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  was  the 
third  child  and  eldest  daughter;  Amanda  is  the  wife 


i 


GC-2 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  Charles  Hopkins,  of  Edgar  County;  George  R. 
married  Miss  Edna  Arnold;  Sarah  is  living  with 
her  parents;  Margaret  A.  is  the  wife  of  Samuel 
Acklin  ;  Jasper,  the  youngest,  is  at  home.  Mr.  Hum- 
richhouse  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  both  par- 
ents were  members  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife,  after  leaving  Danville, 
came  to  Stanton  Township  and  located  on  a  rented 
farm,  where  they  remained  two  years,  when  the 
father  of  Mr.  C.  sent  for  him  to  come  home  and 
take  charge  of  the  old  place  in  Wayne  County, 
Ind.  While  there  he  secured  his  present  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  of  which  he  took  possession  in  1882. 
His  household  now  includes  three  boys  and  one 
girl,  namely,  James  M.,  Edwin  D.,  McPherson  and 
Zuella.  Grace  died  when  thirteen  months  old. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  are  members  of  the  Friends' 
Church.  The  former  belongs  to  St.  Joseph  Post 
No.  220,  G.  A.  R.,  and  is  also  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  has  been 
Road  Commissioner  three  years  and  is  now  serving 
his  fourth.  In  casting  his  vote  he  aims  to  uphold 
the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party. 


R.  JOSEPH  T.  MILLER,  who  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  as  a  skillful  physician 
and  surgeon,  has  been  a  resident  of  Ur- 
bana since  April  15,  1853.  He  is  a  native 
of  the  Buckeye  State,  born  in  Butler  County,  in 
1832,  and  the  son  of  Israel  and  Mary  A.  (Mahan) 
Miller.  Israel  was  a  native  of  Fayette  County,  Pa., 
his  wife  of  Warren  County,  Ohio,  whence  they 
removed  to  where  they  were  married.  Israel  Mil- 
ler left  his  native  State  with  his  parents  in  1815. 
He  was  the  son  of  Nicholas  and  Margaret  (Hos- 
tetler)  Miller,  who  were  natives  of  Switzerland  and 
emigrated  to  America  iu  1790,  settling  in  Fayette 
County,  Pa.,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farming, 
which  occupation  he  followed  all  his  life.  After 
the  removal  to  Ohio  he  operated  in  connection  with 
his  sons,  and  lived,  honored  and  respected  by  all, 
to  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years.  The 
mother  died  when  seventy-six  years  old.  Of  their 
nine  children  only  one  is  now  living,  a  daughter. 


Eliza,  Mrs.  GrilHs,  who  is  seventy-eight  years  old, 
and  is  still  living  in  Butler  County,  Ohio. 

Israel  Miller  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  lived  at 
home  until  twenty-seven  years  old.  His  birth  took 
place  in  1804,  and  he  was  married  in  1831.  After 
this  latter  event  he  located  upon  a  tract  of  land 
comprising  320  acres,  which  he  occupied  for  seven 
years,  then  sold  out  and  purchased  640  acres  in 
Fountain  Countj-,  Ind.  There  he  became  widely 
known  as  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  successful 
farmers  of  that  region,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death,  in  1880,  when  seventy-six  years  old.  The 
mother,  who  was  born  in  1810,  still  resides  in  Indi- 
ana on  the  old  homestead.  Their  eight  children  are 
all  living.  Dr.  Joseph,  of  our  sketch,  is  the  eldest; 
Margaret,  Mrs.  Haas,  is  a  resident  of  Fountain 
County,  Ind. ;  Philoma,  Mrs.  Beadle,  of  Montgom- 
ery, Ind. ;  Eliza,  Mrs.  Tanner,  of  Vermilion  County, 
111.;  Lewis,  William  H.  and  James  P.,  of  Fountain 
County,  Ind.,  and  Emeline,  Mrs.  McClure,  lives  in 
Clinton  County,  Ind. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  remained  on  his  father's 
farm  until  eighteen  years  old,  in  the  meantime  pur- 
suing his  studies  in  the  common  schools.  He  then 
took  a  course  at  Wabash  College  and  afterward 
^commenced  teaching,  which  he  pursued  most  of  the 
time  for  three  years  following.  In  the  meantime 
he  occupied  his  leisure  moments  in  reading  medi- 
cine, and  in  the  winter  of  1852-53  entered  Rush 
Medical  College,  Chicago,  where  he  took  a  thorough 
course,  and  after  graduating  commenced  practice 
at  Urbana,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  fully 
established  himself  as  one  of  the  skillful  practition- 
ers of  this  county.  He  was  Mayor  of  Urbana  for 
two  years  and  Postmaster  during  the  Grant  admin- 
istration, seven  years.  He  has  been  warmly  inter- 
ested in  the  growth  and  progress  of  this  section  of 
country,  and  has  been  identified  with  many  of  its 
leading  enterprises. 

Dr.  Miller  was  married,  April  2,  18G2,  to  Miss 
Lotta  V.  Radebaugh,  of  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  and 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Eliza  (Walters)  Radebaugh, 
also  natives  of  the  Keystone  State.  They  came  to 
Illinois  in  1861  and  settled  at  Urbana.  Mr.  R.  was 
formerly  in  the  mercantile  business.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  have  been  born  two  children:  William 
H.,  who  is  now  in  the  jewelry  business  at  E 


^a^:^%tv5£ife-^ife 
RESIDENCE     OF      SAMUEL     MS     KEE  ,  5EC.32.HEN5LEY  TP. 


-•<  •'••  •••  ••  --'..•..•"••  •'  •••••avjt-j'^'Vv-F'-.-.-  '••:••  -•>". 


RESIDENCE  OF   ALBERT    R.  PRATT, SEC. 9,  CHAMPAIGN    TP. 


RESIDENCE    OF    JAMES     M  .  MOORE  ,5E  C .  22  ,  B  ROWN   T  P. 


LIBRARY 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


G63 


and  Horace  W.,  a  student  in  the  Medical  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania. 

Dr.  Miller  is  a  man  of  large  liberality,  and  the 
oldest  practitioner  in  the  county.  In  social  life  he 
is  courteous  and  entertaining,  and  is  the  friend  of 
all  the  young,  with  whose  pleasures  he  sympathizes 
always,  and  the  old,  who  have  learned  to  respect 
him  for  his  excellent  traits  of  character.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a  non-partisan,  casting  his  vote  for  the 
men  whom  he  considers  the  best  qualified  for  office. 
During  the  war  he  received  a  commission  from 
Gov.  Yates  as  Surgeon  for  the  60th  Illinois  Infant- 
ry, and  was  with  his  regiment  for  nine  months  and 
until  overwork  and  exposure  began  to  undermine 
his  health.  After  returning  from  the  army  he  was 
appointed  by  the  President,  Surgeon  of  the  Board 
of  Enrollment,  Seventh  District  of  Illinois,  which 
position  he  held  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Dur- 
ing that  period  he  traveled  quite  extensively  through 
the  States  of  Tennessee,  Mississippi  and  Alabama. 
He  has  also  been  and  now  is  Examining  Physician 
and  Surgeon  for  several  State  insurance  companies. 

'I1      *  ^t^^"^2^^-  t  %ff*^  •      *J* 

RS.  VALERIA  LILLY,  of  Champaign,  and 
widow  of  the  Rev.  R.  H.  Lilly,  is  the 
daughter'of  John  and  Susan  (McCulloch) 
Gordon,  who  were  natives  of  Vermont. 
Her  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  after 
his  marriage  located  on  a  tract  of  land  in  Genesee 
County,  N.  Y.,  whence  he  removed  to  Illinois  in 
1849.  He  first  located  in  Coles  County,  where  he 
remained  until  1870,  then  removed  to  Missouri  and 
was  a  resident  of  Phelps  County,  where  he  carried 
on  farming  until  his  death,  which  took  place  Oct.  6, 
1873.  His  wife  afterward  returned  to  Illinois  and 
lived  with  her  daughter  Valeria  in  Champaign  until 
her  decease,  which  occurred  Feb.  23,  1883.  Of  the 
parental  household,  which  included  seven  children, 
four  only  are  now  living:  Mrs.  T.  R.  Leal,  of  Ur- 
bana; Mrs.  Lilly,  of  this  history;  Mrs.  Sue  Barnett, 
of  Aspen,  Col.,  and  John,  of  Lutesville,  Mo. 

Mrs.  Lilly  was  born  in  the  city  of  Oswego,  N.  Y., 
April  29,  1834.  She  received  careful  home  training 
and  a  good  education  and  before  her  marriage  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  Charleston,  this  State.  Her 


union  with  Rev.  R.  H.  Lilly  took  place  on  the  10th 
of  August,  1857.  Mr.  L.  was  the  son  of  Amiger 
and  Catherine  (McCutchen)  Lilly,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, the  father  born  in  1763,  and  the  mother 
in  1775. 

Rev.  R.  H.  Lilly  was  the  third  child  of  his  parents 
and  his  birth  took  place  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky., 
May  11,  1804.  Mr.  Lilly  was  educated  at  Paris  in 
his  native  county  and  pin-sued  his  theological  stud- 
ies at  Princeton  College,  N.  J.  He  was  ordained 
as  a  Presbyterian  minister  at  an  early  age,  his  first 
charge  being  in  Livingston  and  Caldwell  Counties 
Ky".  He  was  strongly  opposed  to  the  institution 
of  slavery  and  upon  that  account  left  his  native 
State  in  1844,  and  coming  to  Illinois,  located  in 
Urbana,  where  he  officiated  as  a  missionary  of  the 
Palestine  Presbytery  until  June,  1851.  In  Decem- 
ber of  that  year  he  was  appointed  the  supply  of 
Urbana  and  also  Monticello  Church  in  Piatt  County. 
He  came  to  Champaign  in  1857,  which  remained  his 
home  until  his  death,  on  the  14th  of  January,  1874. 
Rev.  Lilly  was  a  gentleman  of  fine  capacities,  both 
in  a  business  sense  and  intellectually.  He  became 
a  large  land-owner  in  this  State  and  disbursed  with 
a  generous  hand  of  his  means  to  benevolent  and 
Christian  purposes.  This,  united  with  his  uniform 
kindness  of  heart  and  courteous  treatment  of  all 
with  whom  he  was  connected,  served  to  make 
him  universally  beloved  and  respected  wherever 
known.  The  good  influence  -which  he  exerted  over 
all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact  will  live  long 
after  the  friends  whom  he  knew  in  his  lifetime 
have  passed  away. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lilly  became  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  three  now  deceased  :  Charles  H.  married 
Miss  Julia  Putnam,  and  is  now  a  merchant  of 
Thomasboro,  111.;  they  have  one  child,  a  son, 
Henry  W. ;  James  E.,  Fanny,  Susie  R.  and  John  C. 
are  living  at  Champaign  with  their  mother;  Mary 
C.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Wiley  Buckles,  of  this 
county,  died  when  twenty  years  of  age,  in  1878, 
leaving  one  child,  a  daughter,  Lillie;  Clara  died 
when  eleven  years  old,  and  William  G.  at  the  age 
of  two  and  one-half  years.  Mrs.  Lilly  occupies  a 
beautiful  home  in  Champaign  and  is  surrounded  by 
scores  of  affectionate  friends,  who,  during  her  long 
residence  here,  have  learned  to  value  her  at  her  true 


-s 


664 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


worth.  She  is  a  lady  of  rare  intelligence,  an  orna- 
ment to  society,  and  numbers  her  friends  and  asso- 
ciates among  the  best  people  of  the  city. 


INUS  G.  HUBBAUD  is  a  farmer  and  grower 
of  small  fruits,  residing  in  Urbana  Town- 
ship.  Mr.  Hubbard  is  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  was  born  Jan.  24,  1844,  near  the  village  of 
Wilmington,  Windham  County.  Chester  Hubbard, 
his  great-grandfather,  was  born  in  1770  in  the  same 
State,  and  our  subject's  father,  whose  name  was 
George  Crocker  Hubbard,  was  also  born  in  Ver- 
mont, in  1815.  The  family  had  been  Green  Mount- 
ain farmers  for  many  years,  and  George  Hubbard 
owned  a  fine  farm  of  400  acres  in  that  State.  He 
married  Miss  Salome  Green,  the  daughter  of  Clark 
and  Submit  (Hastings)  Green,  who  was  born  in 
Amherst,  Mass.,  in  1  81  5.  and  there  reared  to  woman- 
hood. After  his  marriage  George  C.  Hubbard  set- 
tled on  the  farm  where  he  still  lives,  near  Wilming- 
ton, Vt.  There  they  reared  a  fine  family  of  six 
children,  four  of  whom  were  boys  and  two  girls. 
Their  names  were  as  follows:  Lizzie  J.,  Linus  G., 
Clara  Bird,  Porter  G.,  Fred  B.  and  Chester  C. 

Linus  G.  Hubbard,  the  eldest  son,  but  second  in 
order  of  birth,  passed  his  youth  among  the  Green 
Mountains  of  his  native  State,  acquiring  such  edu- 
tion  as  he  could  from  the  limited  advantages  of  the 
district  school.  He  was  a  patriotic,  high-spirited 
boy.  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  in  the  year  1862, 
enlisted  in  Co.  F,  16th  Vt.  Vol.  Inf.,  as  private, 
and  served  his  country  gallantly  until  Aug.  13, 
1863.  He  was  detailed  on  garrison  duty  at  Wash- 
ington, and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burg. After  being  mustered  out  of  the  service  at 
Brattleboro,  Vt.,  and  honorably  discharged,  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  and  engaged  in  farming. 

At  about  the  age  of  twenty-three,  Linus  Hub- 
bard came  west  to  Wisconsin,  spending  eighteen 
months  in  that  State.  In  1869  he  came  to  Cham- 
paign County  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Tolono  Township.  He  remained  there  three 
years,  cultivating  and  improving  his  land,  and 
in  the  meantime  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Helen  Stanard.  She  was  the  daughter  of 


David  and  Hannah  (Haskins)  Stanard,  and  was 
born  in  Bureau  County,  111.  Her  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  the  State  of  New  York  and  her  mother 
of  Vermont.  After  our  subject's  marriage  they 
lived  on  the  farm  in  Tolono  Township  for  two  years, 
and  then  moved  to  their  present  home  in  Urbana 
Township.  Their  farm  contains  eighty  acres  of 
valuable,  well-improved  land,  located  on  section 
29.  For  the  last  eight  years  Mr.  Hubbard  has  been 
very  successful  in  raising  small  fruits,  and  runs  a 
truck  wagon  to  Urbana  where  he  disposes  of  his 
products.  There  were  no  improvements  on  his  land 
when  he  purchased  it;  now  he  has  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence with  good  farm  buildings. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hubbard  have  a  family  of  six  chil- 
dren :  George  D.,  Charles  L.,  Clara  May,  Fred  C., 
Nellie  M.  and  Minnie  S.  Mr.  Hubbard  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  G.  A.  R.  Himself  and  wife,  with  four 
of  their  children,  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  in  which  the}*  take  an  active  interest. 


eHRISTOPHER  BURNETT,  a  well-known 
farmer  and  resident  of  Urbana  Township,  is 
a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  where  he 
was  born  June  17,  1840.  His  parents,  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth  (Kirby)  Burnett,  came  to  America  when 
Christopher  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age.  Arriv- 
ing at  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  they  first  proceeded 
to  Belmont  County,  Ohio,  where  they  remained  for 
about  four  months.  Thinking  to  improve  their 
circumstances  by  pushing  further  westward,  they 
next  came  to  Illinois,  and  settled  in  Vermilion 
County,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farming.  In 
1855  they  changed  their  residence  to  Champaign 
County  and  settled  in  the  village  of  Urbana,  which 
at  that  time  was  little  more  than  a  hamlet.  Mr.  B. 
followed  his  trade,  that  of  a  brick  and  stone  mason, 
in  the  little  village  as  long  as  his  health  would  per- 
mit, but  soon  succumbed  to  the  disease  from  which 
he  had  for  some  time  suffered,  and  died  in  1864. 
His  wife,  who  survived  him  until  1877,  was  the 
mother  of  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to 
maturity,  and  eight  yet  survive. 

Christopher  Burnett  received  a  good  education 
in  the  common  schools  in  England,  and  resided  with 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


665 


his  parents  until  their  death.  He  then  began  his 
career  as  a  farmer,  having  had  some  experience 
therein  when  a  boy,  and  operated  on  rented  land, 
until  he  had  saved  sufficient  capital  to  purchase  a 
farm.  After  buying  and  selling  twice,  he,  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother  William,  purchased  a  quarter 
of  section  21,  in  Urbana  Township,  to  which  after 
a  time  they  added  eighty  acres  more.  He  now  has 
a  shapely  and  substantial  residence,  with  good  barns 
and  other  out-buildings,  and  has  been  very  success- 
ful in  raising  the  cereals.  On  the  25th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1879,  Mr.  Burnett  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
H.  Jordan,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Mary  (Albright) 
Jordan.  Her  parents  were  formerly  from  Ohio, 
but  are  now  residents  of  Farmer  City,  De  Witt 
County,  111.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  two 
children,  a  son  and  daughter  —  William  and  Mary  E. 
Mr.  Burnett  is  one  of  the  School  Directors  of 
District  No.  1  1  ,  and  is  interested  in  the  general  wel- 
fare of  his  county,  as  becomes  a  worthy  and  useful 
citizen.  Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Republican.  Mrs. 
Burnett  is  a  lovely  Christian  lady  and  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church. 


C.  BEACH,  Mayor  of  Champaign,  has  been 
a  resident  of  the  Prairie  State  for  the  past 
twenty-five  years.  He  was  born  in  Tomp- 
kins  County,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  22,  1835,  and  is 
the  son  of  Rev.  Edwards  A.  and  Rhoda  (Churchill) 
Beach,  natives  respectively  of  Vermont  and  New 
York.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  David 
Beach,  was  a  millwright  and  mill  builder  by  trade. 
He  removed  from  the  Bay  State  to  Guernsey  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  about  1813,  and  thence  went  to  Licking 
County,  where  he  died  in  March,  1851.  The  par- 
ental household  included  four  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  one 
daughter,  Mrs.  Spooner,  of  Cumberland,  Guernsey 
Co.,  Ohio,  are  deceased. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  reared  to  manhood 
on  his  uncle's  farm,  near  New  Lebanon,  N.  Y.  He 
was  of  a  thoughtful  and  studious  disposition,  and 
determined  to  secure  a  better  education  than  had  as 
yet  been  afforded  him.  In  this  he  succeeded  after 


persistent  effort.  He  entered  Amherst  College, 
Mass.,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1826,  and 
also  took  a  course  at  Willliams  College,  Mass. 
Afterward  he  attended  Auburn  Theological  Sem- 
inary, and  made  such  proficiency  that  he  was 
graduated,  in  1829,  in  less  than  a  year  after  becom- 
ing a  student  there.  He  paid  the  expenses  of  his 
education  by  teaching  and  giving  lessons  in  vocal 
music.  Soon  after  completing  his  studies  he  entered 
upon  his  ministerial  labors  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church  at  Stephentown,  N.  Y.,  and  continued  in 
the  Empire  State  until  1840.  After  removing  to 
Ohio  he  was  in  ill-health  for  three  years  following 
and  had  no  regular  charge.  In  1843  he  removed 
with  his  family  from  Guernsey  to  Licking  County, 
where  he  entered  the  ministry  again  and  continued 
uninterruptedly  for  a  period  of  seventeen  years.  In 
1878  he  removed  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  this 
county,  which  remained  his  home  until  his  death, 
in  May,  1881,  after  he  had  arrived  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-five  years.  The  mother  died  Aug. 
11,  1887,  aged  eighty-one  years.  Six  of  the  seven 
children  who  comprised  the  parental  household  still 
survive :  David  E.  is  Professor  in  Marietta  Col- 
lege, Ohio;  Beman  C. ;  Chandler  B.,  connected  with 
a  book  publishing  house  in  Chicago,  and  Marianne. 
This  sister  went  as  a  missionary  to  Turkey,  in  about 
1865,  remaining  there  five  years,  then,  on  account 
of  failing  health  returned  to  the  United  States,  and 
is  now  a  resident  of  Chicago;  Dwight  P.,  a  resident 
of  New  York  City,  is  manager  of  the  N.  D.  Thomp- 
son Book  Publishing  Company,  of  St.  Louis;  Alice, 
Mrs.  Bourquin,  js  a  resident  of  New  Albany,  Ind. 
The  subject  of  this  history  remained  at  home 
until  twenty  years  of  age.  Then,  his  time  being 
given  him,  and  wishing  to  still  further  perfect  him- 
self in  his  studies,  he  attended  Central  College  and 
Denison  University  two  years.  Afterward  he  took 
a  trip  into  Iowa,  where  he  spent  one  year  engaged 
in  teaching,  then  returned  to  Ohio  and  followed  the 
same  occupation  for  several  years.  In  1859  he 
again  turned  his  steps  westward,  and  came  to  this 
county.  He  had  been  married  that  same  year  to 
Miss  Hettie  Condit,  who  was  a  native  of  Licking 
County,  Ohio,  and  after  coining  into  this  county  he 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits  for  six  years  follow- 
ing. In  February,  1866,  Mr.  Beach  abandoned  farm 


CC6 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


occupations,  and  removing  with  his  family  to  the 
city  of  Champaign,  began  dealing  in  grain,  coal 
and  machinery,  which  he  has  followed  successfully 
since  that  time.  He  has  been  prominent  in  local  affairs 
since  coming  here,  and  served  as  Alderman  of  the 
Fifth  Ward  for  six  years.  In  1$80  he  was  elected 
Mayor,  served  one  term  and  was  re-elected  in 
1885.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  with  his 
estimable  wife  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
Congregational  Church,  of  which  he  was  Superin- 
tendent in  the  Sunday-school  for  about  twelve 
years. 

The  family  of  our  subject  and  wife  included 
eight  children,  namely,  Bayard  E.,  a  resident  of 
Dakota;  Clara,  Mrs.  Magoon,  of  Champaign;  James 
C.,  Chandler  C.,  Jessie  L.,  Mabel  H.,  Josephine  II. 
and  Paul  M.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.,  with  their  children 
at  home,  occupy  a  handsome  residence  on  West 
Church  street,  and  are  surrounded  by  hosts  of 
friends.  As  a  citizen  and  business  man,  our  sub- 
ject represents  the  best  element  of  his  community, 
and  in  his  official  capacity  displays  the  wisdom  and 
forethought  essential  to  a  man  intrusted  with  large 
interests,  and  the  welfare  of  a  rapidly  growing  city. 


/,..,    P.  CUNNINGHAM,  dealer  in  drugs,  books 
Ol    and  stationery,  is  located  at  No.  25  Main 


street,  Champaign,  where  he  is  carrying  on 
a  profitable  business  and  maintains  a  good 
position  in  social  and  financial  circles.  He  is  a 
native  of  Lancaster,  Erie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  born  Aug.  11, 
1833,  and  the  son  of  Hiram  W.  and  Eunice  (Brown) 
Cunningham,  natives  respectively  of  Unadilla,  Ot- 
sego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  Bennington,  Vt.  The  family 
came  to  Huron  County,  Ohio,  in  1833.  Hiram 
Cunningham  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  but  after 
moving  to  Ohio,  engaged  in  farming.  The  family 
included  ten  children,  of  whom  five  are  now  living, 
namely,  J.  C.  Sheldon,  a  half  brother;  J.  O.,  ex- 
Judge  of  Champaign  County;  Albert  P.  of  our 
sketch;  Olive,  Mrs.  Fisher,  of  Emporia,  Kan.,  and 
Edwin  W.,  a  resident  of  the  same  place.  The  par- 
ents were  devoted  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  of  which  the  father  was  a  Class- 
Leader  for  a  period  of  forty  years.  He  departed 


this  life  at  his  home  in  Clarksfield,  Ohio,  July  11, 
1866.  The  mother,  surviving  less  than  three 
years,  died  March  9,  1869.  Mr.  C.  was  Postmaster 
at  East  Clarksfield,  Huron  Co.,  Ohio,  for  many 
years. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  remained  on  his 
father's  farm  until  twenty  years  of  age,  in  the 
meantime  receiving  a  common-school  education 
and  completing  his  studies  in  Oberlin  College.  He 
possessed  considerable  literary  talent  and  was  a 
frequent  contributor  to  various  daily  and  weekly 
papers  as  well  as  being  the  author  of  interesting 
articles  in  the  druggists'  magazines.  He  was  the 
first  editor  of  the  Champaiyn,  County  Herald,  and 
from  the  first  has  been  acknowledged  as  an  inter- 
esting writer  upon  various  subjects.  He  came  West 
in  1853,  and  for  three  months  occupied  himself  as 
clerk  in  a  dry-goods  store.  That  same  year  he 
came  to  Urbana,  and  not  long  afterward  was  given 
the  position  of  Assistant  Cashier  in  the  Grand 
Prairie  Bank,  which  position  he  occupied  until 
1862.  The  late  war  being  then  in  progress,  he 
enlisted  in  Co.  G,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  as  a  private, 
being  afterward  promoted  Second  Lieutenant.  After 
two  years  of  service  he  was  obliged  to  resign  on 
account  of  ill-health.  He  was  present  at  some  of 
the  most  important  engagements  of  the  war,  among 
them  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  and  partic- 
ipated in  various  skirmishes,  besides  enduring  the 
hardships  and  severity  of  long  and  forced  marches. 
After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge,  he  re- 
turned to  Urbana,  engaging  in  the  drug  trade,  and 
followed  the  same  until  1880.  He  then  sold  out 
and  embarked  in  the  same  business  in  Champaign. 
He  now  gives  employment  to  four  clerks  and  an 
assistant,  and  may  be  properly  considered  one  of 
the  prosperous  business  men  of  a  thriving  city. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Ophelia 
J.  Seger,  of  Clarksfield,  Ohio,  took  place  in  1855. 
Mrs.  C.  is  the  daughter  of  A.  W.  Seger,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  and  engaged  in  the  stove  and  foundry 
business.  Their  family  included  six  children,  of 
whom  the  wife  of  our  subject  was  the  eldest.  Of 
this  union  there  have  been  born  four  children — 
Elmer  and  George,  now  employed  in  their  father's 
store,  Clara  and  Ralph  at  home.  George  is  a  stu- 
dent in  the  Illinois  University. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


667 


Mr.  Cunningham  is  a  warm  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  served  three  years  as  Mayor  of 
Urbana,  represented  his  Ward  as  Alderman  for 
several  years  and  was  also  upon  the  School  Hoard, 
lie  became  a  member  of  the  Illinois  Pharmaceutical 
Association  in  1881,  was  Treasurer  one  year  and 
elected  President  in  1885.  Both  he  and  his  amiable 
wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  Socially  our  subject  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  is  a  Knight  Templar,  and  a 
member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  The  family  residence  is 
pleasantly  located  on  Church  and  State  streets,  and 
is  surrounded  by  the  evidences  of  cultivated  tastes 
and  ample  means. 


AMUEL  KOOGLER,  one  of  the  large  land- 
owners of  Scott  Township,  and  a  successful 
agriculturist,  vas  reared  to  the  vocation 
which  he  has  followed  thus  far  in  life.  His 
fine  farm  in  Scott  Township  comprises  900  acres 
of  improved  laud,  located  on  sections  7,  8,  17  and 
18.  He  keeps  about  150  head  of  cattle  on  his 
place,  and  his  crops  consist  largely  of  hay  and 
grain.  He  has  erected  a  fine  residence,  and  made 
o.ther  valuable  improvements  since  taking  possession 
of  his  land,  so  that  it  is  now  one  of  the  most  attractive 
spots  in  the  landscape  of  Champaign  County.  His 
possessions  are  mainly  the  result  of  his  own  indus- 
try, and  he  has  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to 
the  development  and  prosperity  of  this  section  of 
the  country. 

Our  subject  is  the  youngest  of  six  children  born 
to  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Bates)  Koogler,  natives 
respectively  of  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania.  After  mar- 
riage the  parents  settled  in  Greene  County,  Ohio, 
where  they  carried  on  farming  and  remained  the 
balance  of  their  lives. 

Samuel  Koogler  was  born  Feb.  14,  1825.  His 
parents  died  in  1832,  when  he  was  but  seven  years 
of  age,  and  he  was  brought  up  by  the  husband  of 
an  elder  sister.  He  remained  a  resident  of  his 
native  county  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  then 
going  to  the  town  of  Greenville.  Ohio,  engaged 
there  in  the  grocery  and  drug  business  for  about 
eight  years.  He  then  sold  out,  and  in  September, 


1852,  came  to  this  State  and  located  first  in  Le 
Roy,  McLean  County.  He  spent  one  winter  there, 
and  the  following  spring  rented  a  farm  in  Scott 
Township,  this  county,  which  he  occupied  four 
years,  paying  a  cash  rent  of  $600  per  year.  He 
was  prospered  in  his  farming  and  business  opera- 
tions, and  in  the  meantime  purchased  a  quarter 
section  of  railroad  land,  upon  which  he  settled  in 
1856,  and  which  constitutes  a  part  of  his  present 
homestead.  To  this  he  added  as  time  passed  on 
and  his -means  permitted,  until  now  he  has  one  of 
the  finest  farms  in  this  locality,  embracing  a  large 
body  of  tillable  land. 

Mr.  Koogler  was  first  married,  at  Greenville, 
Ohio,  to  Miss  Lucy  Vantilburg,  a  native  of  that 
State.  Of  their  four  children  the  record  is  as  fol- 
lows: Helen  B.  became  the  wife  of  Edgar  Phun- 
mer.  and  resides  in  Hey  worth,  McLean  County; 
Lizzie  married  Frank  Jones,  and  resides  in  London, 
Ohio;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Edward  Conkling,  is  a 
resident  of  Seymour,  in  this  count}';  William  died 
in  infancy.  Mrs.  Lucy  Koogler  departed  this  life 
at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Scott  Township,  in 
1865.  In  1866  Mr.  Koogler  formed  a  second  mat- 
rimonial alliance,  in  this  county,  Miss  Sallie  An- 
dams,  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  about  1834,  being 
the  other  contracting  party.  They  became  the  par- 
ents of  one  child — Lucy,  who  died  when  about  four 
years  old — and  the  mother  departed  this  life  in 
Scott  Township,  about  1867.  Mr.  K.  was  again 
married,  in  McLean  County,  to  Miss  Jennie  Plum- 
mer,  of  Ohio,  and  they  have  one  child,  a  son, 
Frank  S.  Mr.  K.  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  and  in  politics  a  decided  Republican.  He 
has  been  Road  Commissioner,  Supervisor  of  Scott 
Township,  and  otherwise  identified  with  local 
affairs.  Socially  he  belongs  to  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity. 


;ILLIAM  G.  CLARK  came  to  Illinois  in 
1840,  when  a  young  man,  hying  his  first 
plans  for  the  establishment  of  a  future 
home.  He  had  no  possessions  but  his  strong  hands 
and  willing  heart,  and  at  that  time  the  face  of  the 
country  in  this  section  was  widely  different  from 
the  appearance  which  it  presents  to-day.  Acres 


r 


668 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


upon  acres  of  what  have  since  proved  the  best  farm- 
ing lands  of  the  Prairie  State,  were  then  practi- 
cally unopened  to  the  settler.  Young  Clark  en- 
gaged first  at  whatever  his  hands  could  find  to  do, 
working  by  the  day  or  month,  and  a  year  later  re- 
turned to  his  native  State  of  Ohio,  where  there 
was  a  maiden  waiting  to  join  her  fortunes  with  his. 
Soon  after  the  wedding  ceremony  he  started  west- 
ward with  his  bride,  and  it  is  probable  that  had 
he  known  all  which  was  to  follow,  stout  as  his 
heart  was,  it  would  have  shrunk  from  the  under- 
taking. He  maintains  now  that  he  has  seen  the 
"  white  elephant"  in  all  its  phases.  Upon  the  re- 
turn trip  to  the  Prairie  State,  having  lost  one  horse, 
he  was  compelled  to  assist  the  other  animal  himself, 
which  he  did  by  carrying  one  end  of  the  neck 
yoke,  and  in  this  way  traveled  over  a  distance  of 
a  great  many  miles,  his  wife  sometimes  by  his  side, 
sometimes  in  the  wagon.  After  arriving  at  their 
journey's  end,  they  located  upon  a  small  tract  of 
land  in  Homer  Township,  and  set  up  housekeeping 
in  the  most  primitive  style.  Not  living  in  a  fash- 
ionable community  their  necessities  were  compara- 
tively few,  and  perhaps  they  did  not  so  much  real- 
ize the  discomfort  then,  while  passing  through  it, 
as  they  have  since,  when  comparing  it  with  their 
later  life,  and  its  attendant  comforts. 

Mr.  Clark,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born  among  the 
hills  of  Clarke  Count}1,  on  the  12th  of  August, 
1819.  His  parents,  William  and  Catherine  (Zeig- 
ler)  Clark,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  removed  to 
the  Buckeye  State  soon  after  their  marriage,  dur- 
ing its  early  settlement.  The  father  of  our  subject 
was  born  Aug.  25,  1771,  worked  as  a  farmer,  brick- 
mason  and  shoemaker,  and  rounded  up  a  busy  life 
at  the  age  of  nearly  seventy-nine  years,  in  the 
county  where  he  had  first  located,  his  death  occur- 
ring in  1850.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  identify 
himself  with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  of  whose  prin- 
ciples he  was  a  great  admirer,  and  in  politics  was  a 
Whig.  The  wife  and  mother  was  born  Sept.  4, 
1785,  and  departed  this  life  on  the  old  homestead 
in  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  in  1871,  when  about 
eighty-six  years  old.  She  was  a  worthy  and  ex- 
cellent lady,  and  a  devoted  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  The  marriage  of  «,he  parents  took  place 
on  the  28th  of  December,  1807.  Their  nine  chil- 


dren were  born  as  follows:  Samuel,  Oct.  2,  1808; 
Elizabeth,  Sept.  3,  1810;  George  Z.,  Sept.  2,  1812; 
Lydia,  Nov.  19,  1814;  Michael,  April  30,  1817; 
Mary,  Dec.  10,  1821;  John  F.,  May  4,  1825;  Ju- 
lia A.,  July  19,  1828;  the  birth  of  our  subject  has 
already  been  noted. 

The  boyhood  days  of  William  G.  Clark  were 
spent  under  the  parental  roof,  where  he  was  vari- 
ously employed,  assisting  in  cultivating  the  soil 
and  working  at  intervals  with  his  father  at  his  two 
trades.  He  received  but  a  limited  education,  and 
early  in  life  began  to  lay  his  plans  for  the  future. 
The  lady  whom  he  married  after  his  first  visit  to 
Illinois,  was  Miss  Julia  A.  Robinson,  who  was  born 
iu  Virginia  on  the  4th  of  November,  1822.  She 
became  the  wife  of  our  subject  in  Clarke  County, 
Ohio,  July  8,  1841.  The  family  removed  from  the 
Old  Dominion  to  the  Buckeye  State  when  she  was 
a  young  girl  nine  years  of  age.  Her  parents,  Leon- 
ard and  Mary  A.  (Foley)  Robinson,  were  also  na- 
tives of  Virginia,  and  the  father  was  engaged  in 
farming  pursuits  all  his  life.  The  parental  family 
included  four  children,  namely,  Sarah  A.,  John  F., 
James  H.  and  Thomas  J.  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Robinson 
departed  this  life  in  1830,  and  Mr.  Robinson  was 
married  to  Miss  Mahala  Burkly,  of  which  union 
there  was  born  one  child,  a  daughter,  Rovilla. 
After  the  decease  of  this  lady,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Eliza  Athey,  who  became  the  mother  of  a  son, 
Charles  D.,  and  also  yielded  up  her  life  a  short 
time  afterward.  The  fourth  wife  of  Mr.  Robinson 
was  Miss  Mahala  Jones,  who  became  the  mother  of 
three  children — Mary,  Elizabeth  and  Eliza. 

A  fine  family  grew  up  in  the  household  of  our 
subject  and  his  wife,  the  record  of  his  eleven  chil- 
dren being  as  follows:  Frances,  the  eldest  child 
and  daughter,  after  reaching  years  of  womanhood, 
became  the  wife  of  John  M.  Swearingen,  her  wed- 
ding occurring  on  the  27th  of  March,  1  862 ;  after 
becoming  the  mother  of  five  children,  she  departed 
this  life  at  her  home  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  May 
13,  1875.  Walter  married  Miss  Mary  Price,  and 
is  residing  in  Kansas;  Fulton  died  when  one  year 
old,  and  Helen  L.  when  twenty-three  years  of  age, 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1872;  Fidelia  only  lived  to 
be  a  few  months  old ;  Cornelia  became  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Sanders,  and  lives  in  Ogden  Township; 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


669 


Harvey  married  Miss  Eliza  Price,  and  is.  farming 
ill  Kansas;  Thornton  married  Miss  Mary  Correy, 
and  they  are  residents  of  Piatt  County,  III. ;  Louisa, 
the  wife  of  C.  Coble,  resides  with  her  husband  in 
Kansas;  Isabelle  married  John  Gibson,  of  Ogden 
Township;  George  married  Miss  Louie  Whetstone, 
and  is  farming  in  Ogden  Township. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  considering  his 
present  position,  socially  and  financially,  that  the 
life  of  Mr.  Clark  discloses  an  exceptionally  worthy 
and  busy  career.  He  labored  industriously  to  re- 
deem his  laud  from  its  primitive  condition,  and 
the  results  have  exceeded  even  his  expectations. 
Besides  having  a  fine  property  remaining,  he  has 
given  each  of  his  children  $1,600  worth  of  land. 
His  farm  has  proved  exceedingly  fertile,  and  some 
years  he  has  gathered  thousands  of  bushels  of  corn. 
He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  local  mat- 
ters, contributing  his  means  and  influence  to  the 
support  of  worthy  enterprises,  always  voted  the 
straight  Republican  ticket,  and  religiously  conforms 
to  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  Church.  His  son, 
Thornton,  is  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  is  a  young  man  of  great  promise.  Wal- 
ter has  started  out  similarly,  being  a  supply  of  the 
same  church,  in  which  he  has  officiated  at  intervals 
for  fifteen  years.  Both  sons  possess  considerable 
musical  talents,  being  fine  performers  on  the  violin. 

Rev.  Thornton  Clark  was  bbrn  April  12,  1856, 
and  from  his  earliest  childhood  evinced  more  than 
ordinary  aptitude,  taking  up  his  studies  readily 
and  completing  them  when  eighteen  years  old.  He 
then  crossed  the  Mississippi  into  Kansas,  and  for 
several  years,  in  partnership  with  his  brother  Har- 
vey, engaged  in  the  stock  business  and  dealt  in 
lands.  He  was  married.  Jan.  6,  1876,  to  Miss  Mol- 
lie  Correy,  in  Mayview,  this  county,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  two  sons — Vincent  A.  and 
Clinton.  The  first  born  died  June  14,  1879. 

Mr.  Clark  returned  to  Champaign  County  the 
1st  of  October,  1880,  and  began  farming  one  and 
one-half  miles  east  of  St.  Joseph,  where  he  remained 
two  years,  and  thence  removed  to  Mayview.  He 
continued  farming  there  for  about  three  years,  and 
under  the  ministrations  of  Rev.  Allen  McLeary,  of 
Urbana.  was  awakened  and  converted,  and  soon 
afterward  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


Church.  He  became  an  earnest  Sunday-school 
worker,  deeply  interested  in  the  cause  of  religion, 
and  was  licensed  to  preach  June  6,  1885.  He  be- 
came one  of  the  most  valued  laborers  in  the  vine- 
yard of  the  Master  in  that  section,  and  for  a  year 
filled  the  pulpit  at  intervals.  In  September,  1886, 
he  joined  the  Illinois  -Conference  at  Urbana.  Dur- 
ing his  first  appointment,  at  Mansfield,  he  con- 
ducted a  sweeping  revival,  and  his  subsequent 
course  has  been  one  of  gradual  advancement,  until 
he  is  now  numbered  among  the  most  valued  mem- 
bers of  the  ministry  in  Central  Illinois,  although 
not  yet  thirty-two  years  of  age. 


HARMISON.  The  subject  of  the 
following  sketch  has  been  a  resident  of  the 
Prairie  State  for  over  thirty-five  years.  Ar- 
riving in  this  State  from  Ohio,  the  place  of  his 
nativity,  he  settled  first  in  Dan  vers,  McLean  County, 
where  he  built  a  hotel  and  officiated  as  "mine  host" 
for  one  year.  He  next  bought  a  farm  near 
Bloomington,  which  he  sold,  and  then  purchased  a 
half  section  of  land  near  Saybrook,'and  made  that 
his  home  until  coming  to  this  county.  Mr.  Harmi- 
son  became  a  resident  of  this  county  in  1873,  locat- 
ing in  Urbana.  There  he  purchased  ten  lots,  upon 
which  he  put  up  seven  houses,  and  from  the  income 
thus  received  has  lived  comfortably  since  that  time. 
His  present  residence  is  on  the  corner  of  Lincoln 
and  Clark  streets. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Muskingum  County, 
Ohio,  born  in  1818,  and  the  son  of  Matthew  and 
Fannie  (Whitelock)  Harmison,  both  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia. They  went  into  Ohio  in  1827,  and  located 
upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Muskingum  County,  which 
they  occupied  however  but  a  short  time,  and  be- 
coming homesick  returned  to  their  native  State, 
where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Of 
their  seven  children,  James  of  our  sketch  is  the  only 
one  living.  He  remained  at  home  in  Ohio  until  nine 
years  old,  at  which  time  the  death  of  his  mother 
occurred.  Young  Harmison  was  then  bound  out 
to  a  farmer,  Mr.  H.  Harris,  with  whom  he  lived  un- 
til twenty-one,  receiving  only  his  board  and  cloth- 
ing, and  worked  so  hard  for  his  master  in  a  coal 


070 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


bank  that  he  became  a  cripple.  After  a  day's  work 
in  the  mine  he  was  obliged  to  walk  half  a  mile  and 
feed  twenty-five  to  thirty  head  of  cattle,  fifty  sheep, 
and  six  to  eight  head  of  horses.  He  would  often 
return  to  the  honse  with  his  shoes  and  stockings 
frozen  on  his  feet,  and  his  other  clothing  consisted 
only  of  a  pair  of  linsey  pants,  a  vest  and  a  shirt. 
After  serving  out  his  time  he  engaged  in  peddling 
for  a  year  and  then  hired  out  on  a  farm  one  year 
for  $15  per  month  and  board. 

Mr.  Harmison  was  married  hi  1841,  to  Miss  So- 
phia Will,  of  Licking  County,  Ohio,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  and  Margaret  (Gable)  Will,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  They  removed  from  their  native 
State  at  an  early  day,  and  locating  upon  a  farm 
within  four  miles  of  Zanesville,  there  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives.  They  had  a  family  of  eight 
children,  seven  now  living,  namely,  Lewis,  Samuel, 
George,  Alfred,  Abraham,  William,  and  Sophia, 
Mrs.  Harmison. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  three  children : 
Samuel  married  Miss  Rebecca  Krist,  and  they  have 
ten  children — Nettie,  Hattie,  William,  Eugene, 
James,  May,  Frank,  John,  Elmer  and  Grace;  they 
are  living  in  Kansas.  George  married  Miss  Ellen 
Dunlap,  and  they  have  five  children — Parkhurst. 
Charles,  Lincoln,  May,  and  an  infant  unnamed; 
they  are  living  in  Dakota.  Rosetta  became  the  wife 
of  Alfred  Coverdale,  and  they  have  three  children 
— Allie  B.,  Grace  and  James — and  live  in  Mt.  Car- 
mel,  111. 

Our  subject  has  always  voted  the  Republican 
ticket,  and  with  his  wife  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church  since  1843.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  held  the  office  of  Supervisor  while 
a  resident  of  McLean  County. 


ENRY  PIPER.  The  State  of  Illinois  has 
been  for  more  than  two  decades  the  cyno- 
sure of  many  eyes  as  one  of  the  most 
desirable  localities  in  the  West  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  permanent  home;  and  its  fame  is 
not  confined  to  American  shores,  as  the  tide  of  im- 
migration from  the  Old  World  has  fully  indicated 
during  the  period  spoken  of.  These  ideas  in- 


fluenced the  father  of  our  subject  when,  in  1842,  he 
set  sail  with  his  family  from  his  native  land.  They 
first  located  in  Canada,  where  the  father  died  a  few 
years  later,  and  his  son  Henry  then  commenced  the 
stern  struggle  of  life. 

The  birth  of  Henry  Piper  took  place  near  Win- 
chester, England,  on  the  6th  of  February,  1836. 
He  is  the  son  of  James  and  Keziah  (Crops) 
Piper,  and  his  two  grandmothers  were  both  named 
Mary.  By  some  unexplained  circumstance  the 
names  of  the  grandfathers  were  omitted  from  the 
record  our  subject  possesses.  It  is  unquestioned, 
however,  that  they  were  natives  of  England  and 
performed  their  mission  in  life  worthily  in  the 
modest  station  to  which  Providence  had  assigned 
them. 

When  Henry  Piper  was  eleven  years  of  age  he 
was  deprived  by  death  of  a  father's  care  and  turned 
out  into  the  world  to  do  for  himself,  his  mother 
possessing  limited  means  and  not  being  able  to  pro- 
vide for  him.  He  engaged  to  learn  the  tailor's 
trade,  but  his  constitution  rebelled  against  the  con- 
finement of  the  shop,  and  after  three  years  he 
abandoned  it  for  good.  He  then  engaged  to  work 
on  a  farm  for  his  board,  and  after  two  years  re- 
joiced in  the  possession  of  restored  health,  with  a 
clear  mind  and  good  muscles.  His  next  employ- 
ment was  in  a  sawmill,  where  he  remained  until 
twenty  years  of  age.  and  then  resolved  to  make  a 
decided  change.  Coming  West  his  first  halt  was 
in  Pesotum  Township,  this  county,  where  he  en- 
gaged as  a  farm  laborer,  and  made  it  his  residence 
for  two  years.  Afterward  he  went  over  into  Doug- 
las Count}',  where  he  commenced  farming  on 
shares,  and  was  so  successful  that  two  years  after- 
ward he  was  enabled  to  become  the  proud  possessor 
of  eighty  acres  of  improved  land.  The  war  was 
then  in  progress,  but  not  having  become  a  natural- 
ized citizen  he  took  no  part  in  the  great  conflict, 
but  remained  continuously  on  his  farm  until  the 
spring  of  1881.  Then,  being  seized  with  a  desire 
to  cross  the  Mississippi,  he  rented  his  farm,  and 
with  his  family  journeyed  into  Washington  Terri- 
tory, locating  near  Walla  Walla,  with  the  intention 
of  remaining  there.  The  attractions  there,  how- 
ever, were  not  such  as  he  expected,  so  a  year  later 
he  retraced  his  steps,  and  regaining  possession  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


G73 


his  farm  settled  himself  contentedly  with  his  fam- 
ily, and  since  that  time  has  been  engaged  in 
general  agriculture  and  stock-raising,  making  a 
specialty  of  Poland-China  hogs,  and  of  late  effect- 
ing arrangements  for  the  breeding  of  Norman 
horses. 

The  lady  who  shared  the  vicissitudes  of  twenty- 
four  years  with  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss  Re- 
becca, fifth  child  of  James  and  Rachel  Young.  Her 
father  was  a  Kentuckian  by  birth  and  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  the  mother  a  native  of  Indiana. 
Mr.  Young  in  earlier  days  was  quite  prominent  as 
a  county  official,  being  a  well-read  man,  and  pos- 
sessed of  a  clear  and  accurate  judgment.  The  par- 
ents of  Mrs.  Piper  are  now  deceased. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  began  the  journey  of 
life  together  on  their  Douglas  County  farm,  where 
they  remained  for  three  years.  Mr.  Piper  then 
sold  out,  and  coming  into  llarwood  Township,  this 
county,  purchased  200  acres  on  section  34.  It  was 
not  inhabitable  at  the  time,  but  the  following 
spring  Mr.  Piper  put  up  a  house,  into  which  as  soon 
possible  he  removed  his  family,  and  began  to  till 
the  soil  around  it.  In  looking  upon  his  present 
condition  and  surroundings  it  is  hardly  necessary 
to  say  that  he  has  been  prospered  in  a  marked  de- 
gree. His  tastes  have  been  in  accordance  with  his 
means,  and  although  the  homestead  is,  perhaps,  not 
as  pretentious  as  that  of  some  of  his  neighbors,  yet 
the  air  of  comfort  which  surrounds  it  is  pleasant  to 
contemplate.  The  farm  stock  is  well  fed  and 
sheltered,  and  the  family  of  our  subject  arc  sur- 
rounded by  everything  necessary  for  their  comfort 
and  happiness. 

The  four  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Piper 
are  all  living.  The  eldest  son,  John  C.,  in  Febru- 
ary, 1887,  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Steward,  of 
llarwood  Township,  and  is  farming  on  a  section 
adjoining  the  property  of  his  father;  the  other  chil- 
dren— William  H.,  Jennie  and  Carrie  Elizabeth 
— are  at  home  with  their  father.  The  affection- 
ate wife  and  mother,  on  the  19th  of  February,  1886 
passed  away  forever  from  earthly  care  and  suffer- 
ing, having  been  a  victim  of  that  dread  disease,  con- 
sumption. The  two  daughters  now  preside  over 
the  household.  Mrs.  Piper  was  a  lady  greatly  be- 
loved by  her  family  and  friends,  distinguished  for 


excellent  judgment  and  kindness  of  heart,  and  in 
early  life  became  a  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church.  Later  she  connected  herself 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  she 
was  a  valued  member  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

Mr.  Piper  politically  is  an  active  supporter  of 
the  Republican  party.  He  has  no  desire  for  of- 
fice but  contents  himself  by  casting  his  vote  and 
exerting  his  influence  in  support  of  the  principles 
which  he  believes  a  safe  guide  to  the  prosperity 
and  happiness  of  the  people. 


ORTIMER  KILBURY,  a  well-known  and 
highly  esteemed  resident  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  traces  his  earliest  recollections 
back  to  the  Buckeye  State,  where  he  first 
opened  his  eyes  near  Pleasant  Valley,  in  Madison 
County,  on  the  1st  of  June,  1852.  He  is  the  son 
of  Asa  and  Ruth  II.  (Clark)  Kilbury,  the  former  a 
native  of  Vermont  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Asa 
Kilbury  removed  from  the  Green  Mountain  to  the 
Buckeye  State  with  his  parents  when  a  boy,  first 
locating  at  Cleveland.  Later  he  learned  the  black- 
smith trade  but  afterward  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising,  which  he  carried  on  in  Madison 
County  for  a  number  of  years,  operating  exten- 
sively, becoming  very  successful  and  accumulating 
a  fine  property,  including  a  farm  of  GOO  acres  near 
Pleasant  Valley  in  Madison  and  Union  Counties. 
Finally,  however,  de'termined  to  see  something  of 
the  more  western  'country,  he  came  to  this  county 
and  purchased  1,100  acres  lying  partly  in  Ogden 
and  partly  in  Somer  Township.  Here  he  established 
the  business  afterward  carried  on  by  his  sous,  J.  S. 
and  Mortimer,  who  came  here  in  1873. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  passed  his  early  years 
in  Union  and  Madison  Counties,  Ohio,  after  the 
manner  of  most  farmers'  sons,  attending  first  the 
district  schools  of  his  native  township,  and  later, 
the  High  School  in  Pleasant  Valley.  After  coming 
to  this  county  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account, 
making  his  home  with  his  brother  until  his  mar- 
riage, which  took  place  Sept.  22,  1877.  The  lady 
chosen  to  be  the  sharer  of  his  home  and  fortunes 
was  Miss  Mary  L.,  second  daughter  of  R.  A.  and  Per- 


f 


•*• 


674 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


melia  (Auhands)  Friedrich,  of  Vermilion  County, 
111.  After  their  union  the  young  people  located  on 
the  land  in  Ogden  Township,  where  the}'  lived  until 
1884,  and  then  our  subject,  retiring  from  active 
labor,  took  up  his  abode  in  St.  Joseph.  He,  how- 
ever, was  not  content  to  be  idle,  but  invested  a 
portion  of  his  capital  in  lumber  and  farm  imple- 
ments, in  the  trade  of  which  he  continued  two  years, 
then  becoming  homesick  for  country  life  again, 
took  up  his  abode  on  some  land  belonging  to  him 
just  outside  the  city  limits,  which  will  probably  be 
his  permanent  home.  Here  he  carries  on,  in  an 
easy  manner,  general  farming  and  stock-raising,  in 
the  latter  branch  of  which  he  is  making  prepara- 
tions to  engage  quite  extensively,  and  which  will 
include  the  breeding  of  horses.  Here  he  has  100 
acres  on  section  11,  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  besides 
the  'farm  in  Ogdeu  Township,  which  contains  258 
acres.  The  Somer  Township  farm  embraces  130 
acres,  and  the  whole  lauded  property  of  our  sub- 
ject includes  about  500  in  all. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mortimer  Kilbury 
consisted  of  two  sons  only — Asa  and  Frederick, 
bright  and  promising  boys  who  are  developing  into 
a  manhood  of  which  the  parents  will  doubtless 
have  reason  to  be  proud.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  at  St.  Joseph,  Mr.  K.  being  a 
Trustee  and  a  man  whose  counsels  are  often  sought 
both  by  his  fellow-members  in  the  church  and  by 
his  townsmen  generally.  He.  is  a  stanch  supporter 
of  the  Republican  party,  and  a  mail  in  whom  his 
friends  have  placed  a  confidence  which  has  never 
been  betrayed. 

Asa  Kilbury,  the  father  of  our  subject,  departed 
this  life  at  the  homestead  in  Union  County,  Ohio, 
on  the  5th  of  January.  1884,  and  the  mother  fol- 
lowed Sept.  20,  1885.  The  parental  household 
included  nine  children,  of  whom  five  are  living, 
two  in  Champaign  Count}'  and  the  balance  in  Madi- 
son, Delaware  and  Union  Counties,  Ohio. 

Mrs.  Mary  L.  Kilbury  was  born  in  Oakwood 
Township,  Vermilion  Co.,  111.,  Feb.  11,  1857.  Her 
father,  R.  A.  Friedrich,  a  native  of  Prussia,  was 
born  in  the  little  village  of  Dankerode,  on  the 
Hart/.  Mountains,  Aug.  15,  1830,  and  was  the  son 
of  Lophus  Friedrich.  The  latter  was  born  in  the 


town  of  Stolberg,  Prussia,  March  0,  1790,  and  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States,  dying  in  Prince  Will- 
iam County,  Va.,  March  30,1851.  His  wife  was 
the  daughter  of  a  dry-goods  merchant  by  the  name 
of  Lippert,  who  carried  on  business  in  the  city  of 
Leipsic.  She  was  born  April  8,  1800,  and  died  in 
Dankerode,  Nov.  2,  1848.  Mrs.  Permelia  (Au- 
hands) Friedrich  was  born  in  Montgomery  County, 
Ind.,  Nov.  0,  1835,  and  removed  with  her  father, 
Andrew  Auhands,  to  Vermilion  County,  111.,  when 
about  six  years  of  age,  her  mother,  Mrs.  Margaret 
Auhands,  having  died  about  two  years  before.  Mr- 
Freidrich  emigrated  to  America  in  the  fall  of  1848 
and  is  still  living,  a  gentleman  of  kindly  Christian 
character,  and  enjoying  the  respect  of  many  friends 
and  acquaintances. 


KWTS  L.  HICKS,  an  extensive  and  promi- 
nent farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Rantoul 
Township,  is  the  owner  of  1,900  acres  of 
land  in  this  county,  and  represents  the  bulk  of  the 
grain  interests  of  this  section,  being  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Tomlinson  &  Hicks,  operating  a  grain 
elevator  in  the  northeast  part  of  town,  connected 
with  the  milling  interests  of  Rantoul,  and  handling 
probably  400,000  bushels  of  grain  annually.  In 
view  of  these  facts  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  state 
that  the  name  of  this  gentleman  is  familiar  to  many 
of  the  business  men  of  Champaign  County,  and 
that  he  has  contributed  his  full  quota  toward  the 
advancement  of  its  agricultural  interests.  He  pos- 
sesses excellent  judgment,  more  than  ordinary  ex- 
ecutive ability,  and  is  of  the  persistent  quality  of 
character  which  seldom  gives  up  a  project  when  he 
has  once  determined  upon  its  accomplishment. 

Mr.  Hicks  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  near 
Perryville,  Vermillion  County,  Oct.  29,  1825.  His 
father,  George  Hicks,  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
engaged  in  agriculture  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
and  trained  his  son  carefully  to  habits  of  industry, 
noting  witli  pleasure  the  evidences  of  the  inherit- 
ance of  his  own  rare  business  qualities  and  assist- 
ing to  develop  these  by  every  means  in  his  power. 

George  Hicks  left  his  native  State  earl}'  in  life,  and 
taking  up  his  abode  in  Eastern  New  York  engaged 


t, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


675 


there  in  fanning  until  his  marriage.  Soon  afterward, 
with  his  young  wife,  he  journeyed  to  Indiana, 
which  at  that  time  was  a  vast  wilderness,  with  In- 
dians much  more  plentiful  than  white  men.  They 
located  in  the  midst  of  the  timber  tract,  from  which 
the  father  of  our  subject  opened  up"  a  good  farm 
and  where  lie  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
His  family  included  four  sous  and  four  daughters, 
of  whom  six  are  yet  living. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  in  common  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  passed  his  early  years  on  the 
farm  in  Indiana,  and  was  carefully  instructed  dur- 
ing his  childhood  by  a  private  teacher.  Later  he 
entered  Asbury  University  at  Greencastle,  Ind., 
and  after  completing  his  studies,  entered  a  store  in 
Perryville,  where  he  held  the  position  of  an  efficient 
clerk  for  several  years,  and  enjoyed  in  a  marked 
degree  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  employers. 

In  1853  Mr.  Hicks,  desiring  to  see  something  of 
the  country  further  west,  came  to  this  county  and 
prepared  to  establish  himself  as  a  permanent  resi- 
dent. He  purchased  a  tract  of  land  north  of  the 
present  site  of  Rantoul.  where  he  opened  up  a  farm, 
brought  it  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and  traded 
some  in  live-stock.  His  first  purchase  consisted  of 
020  acres  which  he  secured  direct  from  the  Govern- 
ment. This  he  occupied  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war,  and  in  1866  took  up  his  residence  in  Rantoul, 
where  he  became  engaged  extensively  in  dealing  in 
lumber,  coal  and  grain,  subsequently  adding  agri- 
cultural implements.  In  the  latter  department  he 
was  the  pioneer  in  this  county  and  is  still  connected 
with  the  business.  His  first  partner  was  Peter 
Myers,  with  whom  he  operated  two  years;  the  latter 
then  withdrawing,  his  place  was  supplied  by  the 
admittance  of  Sheldon  Tomlinson  to  the  firm. 
With  this  latter  gentleman  Mr.  II.  has  operated  for 
the  past  eighteen  years,  and  in  point  of  business 
ability,  integrity  and  good  judgment  the  partners 
are  well  matched.  Mr.  Hicks,  besides  his  interest 
in  the  elevator,  grain  and  coal  business,  superintends 
the  operation  of  six  farms  comprising  his  own  land, 
which,  through  the  good  judgment  exercised  in  till- 
ing the  soil,  have  become  among  the  most  valuable 
of  any  in  the  county.  They  are  well  stocked  with 
line  grades  of  cattle  and  horses,  and  the  people  who 
cultivate  them  form  a  colony  by  themselves.  In 


addition  to  his  fine  cattle  and  horses  Mr.  Hicks  has 
made  a  specialty  of  Poland-China  hogs,  fattening 
large  numbers  annually  and  shipping  by  the  carload 
to  Eastern  markets.  The  elevator  operated  by  the 
firm  is  the  largest  in  the  town  of  Rantoul,  substan- 
tially constructed  with  a  first-class  engine  and  dump, 
and  furnished  with  all  modern  improvements  for 
handling  grain. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  and  Miss  Emily 
Burton  took  place  in  Rantoul,  111.,  in  1870.  The 
two  living  children  are  daughters— Estella  and 
Bertha  A.  Their  only  son,  Louis  L.,  died  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1887,  when  seventeen  years  of  age.  This 
bereavement  was  a  sad  blow  to  Mr.  Hicks,  in 
which  he  had  the  sympathies  of  all  who  knew  them. 
Mrs.  Hicks  dieil  in  1878,  since  which  time  Mr.  H.'s 
daughters  have  been  presiding  over  the  household. 

NO  man  in  Rantoul  Township  has  done  more  to 
advance  its  farming  interests  than  Mr.  Hicks,  and 
the  history  of  his  life,  his  industry,  his  perseverance 
and  his  successes  should  be  handed  down  to  future 
generations  as  a  career  which  they  should  emulate, 
and  for  the  encouragement  of  those  who  are  am- 
bitious to  be  something  and  to  accomplish  some- 
thing in  the  world.  The  fact  that  he  began  with  a 
small  amount  of  capital  is  by  no  means  to  his  dis- 
credit, for  those  who  make  a  good  use  of  capital, 
and  like  the  character  in  the  Scriptures,  increase  it 
tenfold,  are  comparatively  rare.  The  contrary  is 
usually  the  rule,  and  vast  fortunes  have  been  sunk 
through  incompetence  and  prodigality.  Due  credit 
should  therefore  be  given  to  the  man  whose  judg- 
ment and  manner  of  living  have  enabled  him  to 
make  a  success  of  his  life  whether  it  began  with 
little  or  large  means.  In  politics  Mr.  Hicks  is  a 
Republican. 


H.  LLOYDE,  of  the  firm  of  D.  H.  Lloyde 
&  Son,  dealers  in  school  books,  music,  wall 
paper,  stationery,  pianos,  organs,  sewing- 
machines,  etc.,  is  located  at  No.  9  Main 
street;  where  he  established  business  in  1874.  He 
is  a  clear-headed  and  thorough-going  citizen,  and 
by  his  energy  and  industry  has  contributed  his  full 
share  in  building  up  the  business  interests  of  the 
city. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Springfield,  Mass,  and 


t 


676 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


was  born  June  11,  183f>.  He  is  the  sou  of  Copt. 
David  and  Eliza  (Seavcr)  Lloyde,  natives  respect- 
ively of  Springfield  and  Somerset,  Mass.  David 
Lloyde,  Jr.,  when  a  young  man  engaged  in  farming 
.  pursuits,  but  later  developed  as  a  contractor  and 
builder.  He  removed  to  Illinois  with  his  family  in 
1838,  settling  in  Clarion  Township,  Bureau  Coun- 
ty, and  continuing  there  until  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  Rebellion.  He  then  organized  Co.  K,  93d  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  of  which  he  was  commissioned  Captain 
and  became  an  efficient  officer,  always  being  found 
at  his  post.  During  the  battle  at  Yicksburg, 
on  the  16th  of  May,  1862,  he  was  shot  through  the 
heart,  dying  instantly  on  the  battle-field.  He  left 
a  wife  and  five  children  to  mourn  an  irreparable 
loss.  The  children  were:  D.  II.,  of  our  sketch; 
Jennie,  Mrs.  Lee,  of  Attica,  Kan. ;  James,  a  mer- 
chant and  station  agent  at  Milo,  on  the  Missouri  & 
Pacific  Railroad ;  Lucy,  Mrs.  Herrick,  of  Princeton, 
111.,  and  George  O.,  a  builder  and  contractor  of 
Bloomington. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  prominent  man 
in  bis  community,  occupying  the  offices  of  Super- 
visor and  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  was  well  educated,  and  taught  school 
in  the  village  of  Lamoille,  after  coining  into  this 
State,  and  took  great  interest  in  the  establishment 
of  schools,  of  which  he  located  several  in  Bureau 
County.  He  kept  the  first  hotel  at  Lamoille,  at 
which  the  stages  of  those  days  put  up,  and  he 
assisted  in  building  the  court  house,  jail,  and  other 
prominent  structures  in  and  around  Princeton.  He 
gave  employment  to  a  large  force  of  mechanics, 
and  as  a  builder  and  contractor  was  not  excelled  by 
any  man  in  that  section.  The  aged  mother  still 
survives,  being  seventy-seven  years  old,  and  re- 
mains on  the  old  homestead  in  Clarion  Township. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  was  three  years 
old  when  his  father  came  to  Illinois,  and  early  in 
life  learned  the  use  of  tools,  having  inherited  in  a 
marked  degree  the  genius  of  his  father  in  this 
respect.  He  commenced  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  and  afterward  attended  Judson  College 
in  La  Salle  County,  and  Berean  College  of  Jack- 
sonville. He  remained  an  inmate  of  the  household 
circle  until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  then 
engaged  as  a  builder  and  contractor.  In  the 


meantime  he,  like  his  father,  had  also  been  greatly 
interested  in  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of 
Sunday-schools,  and  has  traveled  from  place  to 
place,  holding  musical  and  Sunday-school  conven- 
tions in  different  States.  While  in  Bureau  County 
he  officiated  as  School  Director,  and  was  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways.  After  coming  to  Champaign 
he  was  employed  as  a  teacher  of  vocal  music  in  the 
University,  and  in  1875  established  his  present 
business,  which  he  has  conducted  since  that  time. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  a  strong  temperance 
advocate,  and  with  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Baptist 
Church,  of  which  he  was  Chorister,  Deacon  and 
Trustee  for  a  period  of  nine  years. 

The  marriage  of  D.  H.  Lloyde  and  Miss  Ellen 
P.  Angier  was  celebrated  in  Lamoille,  Feb.  25, 
1857.  Mrs.  L.  is  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  Aaron  and  Eliza  (Luther)  Angier, 
the  former  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  Church.  They 
came  to  Illinois  in  about  1855,  settling  in  Lamoille, 
Bureau  County,  where  the  father  died  that  same 
year.  Mrs.  Angier  survived  her  husband  eight 
years,  dying  in  1863. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  have  a  family  of  three  sons: 
Frank  II.,  a  graduate  of  the  University,  in  the  class 
of  1878,  was  married  in  1879, 'to  Miss  Fanny  Core, 
and  is  the  partner  of  his  father  in  business;  Clarence 
is  a  graduate  of  engineering  in  the  Mechanical  De- 
partment of  Illinois  University,  with  the  degree  of 
B.  S.,  and  is  now  engaged  with  the  United  States 
Electric  Lighting  Company  of  Chicago;  Clifford 
L.  is  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  High  School  on 
the  West  Side.  The  family  residence,  a  handsome 
and  substantial  structure,  is  located  on  West  Clark 
street. 


ENRY  J.  LEIDENDEKER.  The  subject  of 
the  following  history,  who  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  Hensley  Township, 
as  one  of  its  representative  men  and  valued 
citizens  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  substantial 
German  element  which  has  assisted  so  materially 
in  developing  the  resources  of  the  great  West,  and 
bringing  it  to  its  present  proud  position  in  the 
Union.  Our  subject  was  born  near  Hereford  in 
the  Province  of  Westphalia,  Prussia,  Dec,  27, 1840. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


677 


His  father,  Albert  Leidundeker,  a  native  of  the 
same  Province,  was  there  reared  to  farming  pur- 
suits, and  upon  arriving  at  years  of  manhood  was 
married  to  Miss  Gretchen  Snueke,  a  native  of  his 
own  town.  While  a  single  man  he  served  in  the 
army  under  Napoleon  and  later  under  King  Will- 
iam. He  was  with  the  former  during  the  disastrous 
campaign  of  Moscow  and  suffered  all  the  hard- 
ships of  the  retreating  army.  During  the  forced 
march,  becoming  exhausted  he  lay  down  in  the 
snow,  caring  little  whether  he  recovered  or  not, 
lie  was  soon  discovered  by  some  of  his  comrades, 
and  they  compelled  him  to  proceed,  thus  saving  his 
life.  After  his  marriage  he  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  also  as  an  auctioneer  and  collector. 

In  1856  Albert  Leidendeker  partially  effected 
his  arrangements  for  emigrating  to  America,  but 
was  taken  ill  and  died  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  His 
wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  remained  in  her 
native  country  and  died  there  in  1883.  -The  six 
children  of  the  household  were:  Mary,  Eliza;  Henry 
J.,  of  our  sketch;  Louisa,  Katie  and  Ame.  Eliza 
came  to  America,  married  F.  A.  Lange,  and  died  in 
Hensley  Township,  this  county,  in  1876.  This  sis- 
ter and  our  subject  were  the  only  members  of  the 
family  who  came  to  the  United  States. 

Henry  Leidendeker  received  a  good  education 
in  his  native  land,  and  when  not  in  school  assisted 
his  father  on  the  farm.  He  was  not,  however,  sat- 
isfied with  his  condition  or  his  prospects  in  the 
Fatherland,  and  on  the  llth  of  April,  1857,  set  sail 
from  Bremen  for  America,  landing  in  New  York 
City  on  the  16th  of  June.  He  left  the  Empire 
State  in  a  short  time,  however,  and  proceeding  to 
Ohio  engaged  there  on  a  farm  until  the  spring  of 
1858.  In  March  of  that  year  he  started  for  the 
farther  West,  and  coming  into  this  county  com- 
menced, although  but  a  boy  of  seventeen,  to  lay 
his  plans  for  the  future.  He  was  a  stranger  in  a 
strange  land,  but  there  is  almost  'always  work  for 
willing  hands  to  do,  and  he  soon  found  employ- 
ment at  |14  per  month.  This  he  considered  a 
great  improvement  upon  Ohio  prices,  as  labor  in  the 
Buckeye  State  at  that  time  only  commanded  about 
half  the  price.  Henry  saved  his  earnings  and  the 
following  year  found  himself  with  means  to  pur- 
chase an  outfit  and  engage  in  farming  on  his  own 


account.  He  rented  land  for  four  years  following, 
and  then  purchased  eighty  acres  on  section  22,  in 
Hensley  Township.  Upon  this,  however,  there 
were  no  buildings,  so  he  continued  to  cultivate 
rented  land,  and  in  1865  sold  out  and  purchased  the 
homestead  he  now  occupies.  But  a  few  acres  of 
this  were  broken  and  there  were  no  buildings.  Un- 
der his  care  and  industry,  however,  the  originally 
wild  land  has  been  transformed  into  a  fine  mod- 
ern homestead,  where  our  subject  and  his  family 
enjoy  all  the  comforts  of  life.  Here  he  lias  erected 
a  fine  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  planted  fruit  and 
shade  trees,  besides  making  other  valuable  improve- 
ments. To  his  first  purchase  he  also  added  until 
he  has  now  320  acres  in  one  body,  and  ICO  acres  in 
Sargent  Township,  Mower  Co.,  Minn. 

Mr.  Leidendeker  was  married  on  the  9th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1872,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Epperson,  a  native 
of  Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  and  the  daughter  of  Rich- 
ard and  Ellen  Epperson,  natives  of  Virginia.  This 
lady  died  on  the  6th  of  February,  1881,  after 
having  become  the  mother  of  two  children — Albert 
R.  and  Mary  G.  The  second  marriage  of  our  sub- 
ject occurred  Feb.  10,  1886,  Miss  Amelia  Harris, 
who  was  born  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  and  the 
daughter  of  Lazerus  and  Julia  Harris,  also  natives 
of  that  State,  becoming  his  wife.  Of  this  marriage 
there  has  been  born  one  child,  Frank  E.  Mr.  L. 
is  Republican  in  politics,  and  with  his  wife  is  a 
member  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church.  He  enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  his  fellow-townsmen  in  a  marked  degree,  and 
has  held  various  offices  of  trust  in  his  township.  He 
served  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors 
four  terms,  and  in  all  respects  is  a  man  whose  opin- 
ion is  consulted  upon  important  matters,  and  whose 
judgment  it  is  safe  to  follow. 


ERLEY  A.  RUSK  is  the  son  of  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  Morgan  County,  Ohio, 
who  afterward  became  a  resident  of  this 
State.  He  is  pleasantly  located  on  section 
12,  Rantoul  Township,  where  he  lias  eighty  acres  of 
improved  land  and  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings. 
Mr.  Rusk  was  born  on  the  1 1th  of  March,  1837,  at 


678 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1 


the  parental  homestead  in  Ohio,  and  came  to  this 
State  in  1868. 

Humphrey  Rusk,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Virginia.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Old 
Dominion,  and  soon  after  his  marriage  started  over- 
land with  teams  for  the  Buckeye  State.  A  part  of 
his  road  lay  through  the  wilderness  and  often  he  was 
obliged  to  cut  his  way  through  with  his  ax.  After 
reaching  Morgan  County  he  purchased  a  tract  of 
timber  land  and  erected  a  log  house,  in  which  the 
family  took  up  their  abode  as  soon  as  it  was  covered 
by  a  roof.  He  cleared  the  greater  part  of  his  pur- 
chase, then  sold  out  and  bought  land  in  another 
township  of  that  county.  After  a  few  years  he  sold 
this  also  but  remained  a  resident  of  the  county  as 
long  as  lie  lived.  While  on  a  visit  to  his  son  in  this 
county  he  was  seized  with  fatal  illness,  and  died  here 
in  the  fall  of  1860.  The  mother  of  our  subject, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Margaret  McDonald,  was 
born  in  Virginia,  and  followed  the  varied  fortunes 
of  her  husband  until  his  death.  She  afterward  came 
to  this  county  and  made  her  home  with  our  subject. 
While  on  a  visit  to  Indiana,  in  May,  1882,  her  life 
suddenly  terminated  at  the  home  of  her  daughter, 
Eliza  Jane  Baldridge. 

Perley  A.  Rusk  was  next  to  the  youngest  of  ten 
children  comprising  the  parental  household.  He 
pursued  his  early  studies  in  the  district  schools 
with  commendable  interest,  and  when  eighteen 
years  of  age  entered  the  Ohio  University  at  Athens 
and  applied  himself  to  study  for  two  years  after- 
ward. He  then  engaged  as  a  teacher  during  the 
winter  seasons  and  in  the  summer  was  employed  in 
farm  pursuits.  He  remained  a  resident  of  his  na- 
tive State  until  1859.  In  March  of  that  year  he 
came  to  this  State,  locating  in  De  Witt  County,  and 
farmed  and  taught  school  alternately  for  ten  years 
following  and  until  becoming  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign County.  In  the  fall  of  1868  he  visited  the 
county  and  bought  ICO  acres  of  unimproved  land  in 
Compromise  Township,  of  which  he  took  possession 
the  following  year.  He  worked  diligently  for  nine 
years  following,  cultivating  the  soil  and  erecting 
an  inexpensive  residence  and  barn,  and  in  the 
meantime  he  also  taught  school  eight  or  nine  terms. 
In  1878  he  rented  a  tract  of  land,  upon  which  he 
operated  two  years  with  fair  success,  and  then  pur- 


chased the  place  where  he  now  resides.  This  em- 
braces eighty  acres  well,  drained  and  fenced,  and 
productive  of  the  rich  crops  of  the  Prairie  Stale. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  formerly  Miss  Martha 
Buchanan,  to  whom  he  was  married  Sept.  10,  1857, 
in  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  was  born  in  Harrison 
County,  that  State,  and  is  the  daughter  of  William 
Buchanan.  Her  parents  are  now  deceased.  The 
children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  ten  in  num- 
ber, are  William  II.,  Carrie,  David,  Volney,  Frank, 
Albert,  John,  Mattie,  Minnie  and  Ella.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  R.  were  Presbyterians,  joining  in  1852,  but 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1 886, 
by  letter.  Our  subject  politically  is  a  Prohibitionist. 


J^AMES  N.  SMITH,  a  prominent  farmer  of 
Urbana  Township,  is  the  oldest  son  of  Jacob 
and  Margaret  Smith,  and  was  born  in  Cham- 
paign County,  Nov.  20,  1«36.  He  received 
a  common-school  education,  and  at  the  same  time 
a  thorough  and  practical  training  in  all  the  details 
of  farming.  His  father  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Champaign  County,  and  at  that  time  farm  hands 
were  scarce  and  very  difficult  to  obtain,  conse- 
quently the  boys  were  required  to  work  early  and 
late.  In  those  days  school  facilities  were  of  sec- 
ondary importance  and  the  advantages  for  book- 
learning  were  at  best  very  limited.  But  the  disci- 
pline of  hard  work  and  systematic  application  to 
business  is  an  excellent  educator,  and  made  of  our 
subject  a  self-reliant  man. 

James  N.  Smith  remained  with  his  parents  on  the 
farm  until  the  age  of  manhood,  when  he  married 
Miss  Lizzie,  daughter  of  Caleb  Williams,  and  be- 
gan fanning  for  himself  until  the  war  broke  out.  In 
1862  he  enlisted  in  Co.  B,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and 
took  part  in  the  seige  of  Vicksburg,  the  battles  of 
Jackson,  Miss.,  Ft.  Blakely  and  many  other  engage- 
ments. On  one  occasion  he  received  a  severe  shock 
from  the  explosion  of  a  shell,  which  rendered  him 
unconscious  for  several  hours.  In  July,  1865,  he 
was  honorably  discharged  from  the  service.  On 
his  return  from  the  army  he  settled  on  his  present 
farm,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  township.  It 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


679 


contains  240  acres  with  a  fine,  handsome  residence 
and  substantial  farm  buildings.  Mr.  Smith  is  an 
enterprising,  energetic  man,  and  is  quite  extensively 
engaged  in  stock-raising,  giving  his  attention  spec- 
ially to  the  best  breeds  of  cattle  and  hogs. 

The  four  children  of  the  household  are  Ellis,  Eva, 
Bertie  and  Mervin.  Jacob  Smith,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Shelby  County,  Ky.,  in  March, 
1805,  and  was  the  eldest  of  ten  children,  the  off- 
spring of  Nicholas  and  Elizabeth  (Potter)  Smith, 
natives  of  Germany.  He  was  married  in  1833  to 
Miss  Margaret  J.,  daughter  of  James  and  Hester 
(Fulton)  Beattie.  Her  paternal  grandfather  was  a 
native  of  Scotland  and  emigrated  to  America  be- 
fore the  Revolutionary  War.  The  parents  of  Mrs. 
Smith  died  in  Boone  County,  Mo.  Of  their  family 
of  ten  children,  but  four  lived  to  maturity.  After 
Jacob  Smith  came  to  Champaign  County,  he  set- 
tled on  the  land  which  is  now  included  in  the 
homestead,  and  where  his  widow  resides.  His  death 
occurred  in  1854.  The  Fulton  branch  of  Mrs. 
Smith's  family  was  of  English  origin  and  settled  in 
Washington  County,  Va.,  where  she  was  born  in 
1814.  She  is  now  in  the  seventy-third  year  of  her 
age,  is  quite  active  in  mind  and  body,  and  is  held 
in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  her. 


ILLIAM  T.  MILLER,  the  proprietor  of  a 
good  farm  on  section  9,  Scott  Township, 
and  a  gentleman  who  thorough]}'  under- 
stands the  vocation  in  which  he  is  engaged,  came 
to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1866.  His  real 
estate  consisted  of  293  acres  of  valuable  land,  fur- 
nished with  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings,  and 
stocked  with  graded  animals.  Everything  about 
the  premises  is  kept  in  good  order,  and  the  home- 
stead on  every  hand  gives  evidence  of  the  super- 
vision of  an  intelligent  and  progressive  farmer. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
and  was  born  near  Chillicothe,  Dec.  25,  1844.  He 
is  the  son  of  William  R.  and  Elizabeth  (Streevy) 
Miller,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Ohio.  After  marriage  the  parents  located 
in  the  latter  State,  in  the  vicinity  of  Chillicothe, 
where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  The 


family  consisted  of  two  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject was  the  youngest. 

Young  Miller  attended  the  district  schools  in  his 
childhood  and  remained  under  the  home  roof  until 
fifteen  years  old.  He  then  went  to  work  on  a  farm 
and  remained  a  resident  of  his  native  county  until 
coming  to  Illinois.  During  the  progress  of  the  late 
war,  he  became  a  member  of  the  18th  Ohio  In- 
fantry, serving  from  Feb.  22,  1864,  until  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Union  army  was  assured.  After  receiv- 
ing his  honorable  discharge,  he  returned  to  Ross 
County,  Ohio,  and  from  there,  in  the  spring  of 
1866,  proceeded  to  the  Prairie  State,  and  this  coun- 
ty, of  which  he  has  since  been  a  resident. 

Mr.  Miller  was  married  in  Piatt  County,  111., 
Sept.  27,  1870,  to  Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Thomas  A.  and  Elizabeth  (Robinson)  Branch.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Miller  was  born  in  Virginia,  and  her 
mother  in  Tennessee.  After  marriage,  Thomas 
Branch  and  family  located  in  Virginia,  where  they 
lived  about  two  years,  and  then  removed  to  Sanga- 
mon  County,  111.,  subsequently  to  Piatt  County, 
and  later  to  Champaign  County.  Their  last  days 
were  spent  at  Seymour,  and  their  remains  are  buried 
at  Monticello,  Piatt  County,  111.  Of  their  twelve 
children,  Mrs.  Miller  was  next  to  the  youngest.  She 
was  born  in  Piatt  County,  this  State,  April  28, 1 848. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller,  five  in  num- 
ber, were  Minnie  F.,  Frank  W.,  Fannie,  Chester  B. 
and  Goldie  M.  Frank  W.  died  when  three  and 
one-half  years  old.  Mr.  Miller  is  a  stanch  sup- 
porter of  Republican  principles,  has  served  as 
School  Trustee,  and  has  been  otherwise  identified 
with  local  affairs.  Mrs.  Miller,  a  lady  highly  re- 
spected in  her  community,  is  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Christian  Church. 


LEXANDER    WHITE    McCULLOUGH, 

'f/_l\\  of  Urbana  Township,  is  a  pioneer  of  this 
county,  and  one  of  her  most  respected  and 
honored  citizens.  He  was  born  on  the  19th 
of  February,  1810,  in  Franklin  County,  Pa.  The 
family  are  of  Scotch  and  Irish  extraction,  and  Mr. 
McC'ullough's  grandfather,  John  McCullough,  was 
born  in  New  Castle  County,  Del.  When  a  child 


f 


fi80 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


eight  years  of  age,  John  McCullough  was  captured 
1>3T  the  Delaware  Indians.  His  parents  were  at  that 
time  living  near  Upton,  in  Franklin  County,  Pa., 
and  young  McCullough  was  held  a  prisoner  by  the 
Indians  for  eight  years  and  four  months  in  Ohio 
and  Western  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  brave,  high- 
spirited  boy,  and  was  treated  so  kindly  by  his 
dusky  captors,  that  after  his  return  home  he  ran 
away  and  rejoined  them. 

Our  subject's  father,  James  McCullough.  married 
Miss  Margaret  White,  the  daughter  of  Alexander 
White,  and  about  the  year  1 822  they  removed  to 
Delaware  County,  Ohio.  Their  family  consisted  of 
six  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  living  at  the 
present  time. 

Alexander  W.  McCullough  was  married  in  1842, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Syler,  the  daughter  of  Frederick 
and  Sarah  (Robinson)  Syler.  She  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  born  July  9,  1824.  After 
his  marriage  Mr.  McCullough  and  his  wife  con- 
tinued to  live  in  Franklin  County  until  1854, 
when  the}'  removed  to  this  county  and  located  in 
Urbana  Township,  where  they  have  since  perman- 
ently resided.  He  first  invested  in  timbered 
land,  which  he  cleared  and  cultivated,  and  in  the 
meantime  brought  up  and  educated  a  family  of 
eight  children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  James; 
Adeline,  the  wife  of  Nelson  Raney,  residing  in 
Sumner  County,  Kan.;  Anna  E.,  the  wife  of  John 
Bond,  residing  near  Tolono;  Frederick,  a  resident 
of  California;  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Bur- 
wash,  residing  in  Philo  Township;  Benjamin,  a 
resident  of  California;  Albert,  a  resident  of  this 
county,  and  John,  who  lives  on  the  homestead. 

Mr.  McCullough  is  highly  esteemed  by  his  com- 
munity, and  formerly  served  as  School  Director 
for  about  ten  years.  His  family  are  all  members  of 
the  Methodist  Church,  in  which  they  take  an  active 
interest.  In  his  early  life  he  was  a  Jacksonian 
Democrat,  later  he  became  an  old-line  Whig  and 
has  since  become  a  stanch  Republican.  His  son 
James  served  in  the  Civil  War,  and  was  so  severely 
wounded  at  the  storming  of  Ft.  Blakely  that  he 
was  obliged  to  lose  his  left  arm.  Mr.  McCullough 
is  now  seventy-eight  years  of  age,  and  his  wife  is 
sixty -three.  They  have  passed  nearly  half  a  cen- 
tury of  happy  married  life,  during  which  time 


they  have  encountered  and  overcome  many  diffi- 
culties, and  their  declining  days  are  crowned  with 
repose  and  comfort. 


JSAIAH  ESTEP,  a  reliable  business  man  of  Ran- 
toul,  has  there  built  up  a  successful  trade  in 
agricultural  implements,  in  which  he  has  dealt 
since  1870.  He  began  life  in  the  town  of-  Wells- 
ville,  Columbians  Co.,  Ohio,  on  the  24th  of  August, 
1810,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  and  Abigail  (Ander- 
son) Estep,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland,  and 
who,  after  locating  in  Wellsville,  changed  his  occu- 
pation from  that  of  a  ship  carpenter  to  a  farmer. 
Afterward  he  removed  to  Kirkersville,  where  he 
engaged  in  mercantile  business,  and  later  went  to 
Delphi,  Ind.,  and  occupied  himself  in  a  drug-store 
until  his  death,  in  18G8.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject was  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  Anderson,  and 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  origin.  He  was  prominent  as 
a  seceder  and  a  man  of  much  „  force  of  character, 
having  a  good  head  for  business  affairs  and  obtain- 
ing much  influence  in  his  locality.  The  marriage 
of  Henry  and  Abigail  Estep  was  productive  of 
twelve  children,  of  whom  six  are  still  living.  The 
mother  died  at  Danville,  111.,  and  was  buried  in 
Delphi. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  James 
Estep,  served  seven  years  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  at  the  close  of  that  struggle  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  then  young  State  of  t)hio,  locating  in 
the  forest,  on  the  banks  of  Mahoning  Creek.  He 
there  lived  after  the  pioneer  fashion,  reared  his 
family,  and  pursued  the  life  of  a  peaceable  citizen, 
respected  by  his  neighbors  and  beloved  by  his 
family.  Late  in  life  he  left  Columbiana  for  Stark 
County,  where  he  spent  his  last  days.  One  daugh- 
ter of  this  family  is  still  living,  being  now  an  aged 
lac'y  of  eighty  years  and  making  her  home  in 
Leavittsburg,  Ohio.  The  Estep  family  is  of  En- 
glish origin,  possessing  all  the  substantial  traits  of 
their  ancestors,  persistent  in  their  business,  faithful 
in  their  friendship,  and  difficult  to  be  moved  aside 
from  their  opinions  and  the  line  of  strict  morality. 

Isaiah  Estep,  the  eldest  of  his  father's  family, 
passed  his  boyhood  in  his  native  county,  and  was 


RESIDENCE    OF     CYRUS     A  RN  OLD,  5  EC  35  ,  PH1LO    TP  . 


RESIDENCE    OF    W£     S  .  VANCE ,  5EC. 3  ,  BROWN    TP. 


RESIDENCE    OF  A.J.  REED,  SEC.  25.,  PHILO   TP. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


681 


fifteen  years  of  age  when  the  family  removed  to 
Stark  County.  There  he  grew  to  manhood  and 
selected  for  his  wife  Miss  Savilla  Smith.  Her  par- 
ents were  formerly  from  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  and 
became  residents  of  Stark  County.  Ohio,  when  Mrs. 
Estep  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  After  marriage  the 
young  people  located  near  the  town  of  Canton, 
where  Mr.  E.  engaged  in  wagon-making  and  gen- 
eral blacksmithing,  and  it  is  maintained  that  he 
manufactured  some  of  the  best  road  vehicles  in 
that  part  of  the  State.  His  first  removal  was  to 
this  county,  in  the  spring  of  1857,  when  he  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Ludlow  Township,  where  he  engaged 
in  agriculture  until  the  spring  of  1870.  He  then 
established  a  shop  in  Rantoul,  where  he  carried  on 
general  blacksmithing  and  in  due  time  began  to 
handle  farm  implements.  Later  he  abandoned  black- 
smithing  and  gave  his  entire  attention  to  building 
up  his  trade.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  engage  in 
this  business  here  and  controls  a  patronage  extend- 
ing over  a  large  territory.  His  stock  includes  all 
kinds  of  farm  machinery  and  his  establishment  is 
the  leading  one  of  the  kind  in  this  section.  His 
methods  of  doing  business  have  established  him  in 
the  confidence  of  the  people  of  Rantoul  and  vicinity, 
and  he  is  ranked  among  its  representative  citizens 
and  business  men. 

Of  the  ten  children  who  came  to  the  home  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Estep,  nine  are  still  living.  The 
record  is  as  follows :  Edwin  W.,  soon  after  the  out- 
break of  the  Rebellion,  and  under  the  first  call  for 
75,000  troops,  enlisted  in  the  4th  Ohio  Infantry, 
and  was  wounded  at  the  first  battle  of  Chancellors- 
ville,  but  recovered  and  lived  to  come  home  with  his 
comrades;  he  is  now  engaged  with  a  firm  at  Akron, 
Ohio.  Ephrairn  J.  is  farming  near  Puget  Sound, 
Wash.  Ter. ;  William  H.  served  as  cavalry  soldier 
in  the  late  war;  Arthur,  also  in  the  Union  army, 
died  at  Helena,  Ark.,  in  1862;  Charles  is  engaged 
in  blacksmithing  at  Rosedale,  Kan. ;  Ezra,  a  car- 
penter and  pattern-maker,  resides  at  Piano,  111. ; 
Harry  C.  is  acting  as  civil  engineer,  having  gradu- 
ated at  the  State  University;  May,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Daniel  Tuite,  is  now  a  widow  and  resides 
with  her  parents;  Jessie  is  also  at  home;  Ida  M. 
died  Jan.  25,  1 887.  Mr.  Estep  was  School  Trustee 
in  Ludlow  Township  for  ten  years,  and  was  other- 


wise connected  with  its  various  interests,  moral, 
educational  and  industrial.  Formerly  he  was  an 
old-line  Whig,  but  on  the  abandonment  of  that 
party  gave  his  support  to  Republican  principles,  with 
which  party  he  claims  a  charter  membership. 


j^ATRICK  GREEN,  a  worthy  member  of  the 
farming  community  of  Colfax  Township,  is. 
pleasantly  located  on  section  20,  where  lie 
took  possession  of  160  acres  of  land  in 
1869.  His  present  fine  farm  was  then  an  unim- 
proved tract  of  prairie,  which  he  has  transformed 
into  a  fertile  and  valuable  estate.  It  is  all  neatly 
enclosed  with  good  fences,  thoroughly  drained  with 
tile,  and  embellished  with  one  of  the  finest  sets  of 
buildings  in  Champaign  County.  The  possessions 
of  our  subject  have  been  obtained  by  the  toil  of  his 
own  honest  hands,  and  now  that  he  has  secured 
valuable  possessions  he  knows  full  well  how  to  take 
care  of  them. 

Mr.  Green  is  a  native  of  County  Roscommon, 
Ireland,  born  Nov.  7, 1842,  and  is  the  son  of  James 
and  Marcella  (Green)  Green,  natives  of  the  same 
country.  When  our  subject  was  a  little  lad  of 
three  years  old,  the  parents  with  their  two  children, 
set  sail  for  America.  Only  a  part  of  the  little 
family,  however,  was  permitted  to  reach  the  land 
of  promise.  The  father  and  one  child  were  taken 
violently  ill,  and  died  on  the  ship  in  mid-ocean. 
The  bereaved  mother  and  her  son,  our  subject, 
landed  at  Montreal,  Canada,  where  they  remained 
for  two  years  following.  They  then  came  to  the 
States  and  sought  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  settling  in 
the  city  of  La  Salle,  where  the  mother  is  still  living 
and  has  attained  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  She  . 
was  married  the  second  time,  to  William  Maloney. 
Our  subject  resided  with  his  mother  until  reach- 
ing manhood,  employing  his  time  in  honest  labor  at 
whatever  he  could  find  to  do.  In  due  time  he  had 
accumulated  sufficient  of  his  earnings  to  purchase 
a  team,  and  followed  teaming  at  La  Salle  successfully 
for  a  number  of  years,  earning  in  the  meantime  the 
money  with  which  he  purchased  his  present  home. 
Mr.  Green  was  married  on  the  9th  of  January, 
1871,  to  Miss  Maria  Hopkins,  a  native  of  his  own 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


county.  Their  wedding  took  place  in  the  city  of 
La  Snlle,  111.  Mrs.  G.  is  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Bridget  (Feeuey)  Hopkins,  natives  of  Ireland,  and 
now  residents  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  have  become  the  parents  of  six  children  — 
James.  Frank,  May,  Marcella,  George  and  Bessie. 
The  parents  and  their  children  are  regular  attend- 
ants of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  the  family 
enjoys  the  entire  respect  of  the  community  and  the 
society  of  many  friends.  Mr.  Green  is  an  advocate 
of  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party. 


AMUEL  FOX,  of  St.  Joseph,  is  well  and 
favorably  known  in  his  community  as  a 
straightforward  and  thorough-going  busi- 
ness gentleman,  and  one  whose  word  is  a 
sufficient  guarantee  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  prom- 
ises. The  early  home  of  Mr.  Fox  was  near  Salem, 
Columbiana  Co.,  Ohio,  where  his  birth  took  place 
Oct.  21,  1841.  His  parents,  John  and  Nancy 
(Bender)  Fox,  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and 
of  German  ancestry.  The  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, Christopher  Fox,  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812,  in  which  he  yielded  up  his  life  in  battle.  He 
had  married  and  become  the  father  of  a  family,  his 
wife  being  formerly  Miss  Bicker.  Among  their 
sons  was  John,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who  was 
also  born  in  the  Keystone  State,  alid  emigrated  to 
Ohio  when  a  single  man.  He  was  there  married 
and  located  with  his  bride  in  Columbiana  County, 
where  he  lived  for  many  years,  and  thence  re- 
moved to  Stark  County,  locating  on  a  farm,  where 
his  death  took  place  in  the  spring  'of  1866.  The 
wife  and  mother  survived  her  husband  several 
years,  dying  in  Stark  County,  Ohio,  in  1876.  The 
parental  family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  seven 
daughters,  all  of  whom  lived  to  mature  years,  and 
with  one  exception  are  now  living. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  sixth  child  of 
his  parents,  and  grew  to  manhood  in  Stark  County, 
Ohio,  receiving  a  fair  education  in  the  district 
school.  In  laying  his  plans  for  the  future  he 
resolved  to  learn  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  go.ng 
to  Canton,  commenced  at  this  and  followed  it  until 
'  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  Then,  being  twenty 


years  of  age,  he  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier  and 
served  three  years,  being  connected  mostly  with  the 
United  States  Signal  Service.  During  that  time  his 
duties  called  him  into  fourteen  different  States,  and 
gave  him  a  fine  opportunity  of  viewing  the  coun- 
try located  mostly  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's 
line.  After  the  surrender  of  the  confederate  army 
he,  with  his  comrades,  received  his  honorable  dis- 
charge and  was  mustered  out  in  June,  1865. 

Mr.  Fox  upon  retiring  from  the  army,  after  a 
brief  visit  to  the  home  of  his  youth,  proceeded  to 
La  Fayette,  Ind.,  where  he  engaged  with  a  company 
who  were  carrying  on  the  manufacture  of  Buckeye 
Mowers,  and  continued  with  them  until  taking  up 
his  residence  in  this  county.  He  first  worked  in 
Champaign  two  years,  becoming  a  partner  of  J.  W. 
Spalding,  a  wagon  manufacturer.  Upon  coming  to 
St.  Joseph,  in  1874,  he  opened  up  a  blacksmith- 
shop,  and  subsequently  formed  a  partnership  with 
S.  Irons,  in  the  sale  of  agricultural  implements. 
They  continued  together  two  years,  and  Mr. 
Fox  then  disposed  of  a  half  interest  in  the  black- 
smith and  repair  shop  to  Mr.  E.  A.  Birdzell. 

The  marriage  of  Samuel  C.  Fox  and  Miss  Maria 
Bowshier,  of  La  Fayette,  Ind.,  took  place  at  the 
home  of  the  bride's  parents,  in  the  spring  of  1868, 
Eight  years  later  this  lady  died,  leaving  one  son, 
named  Guy.  The  second  wife  of  our  subject,  to 
whom  he  was  married  in  1880,  was  Mrs.  Maria 
Platt,  of  La  Fayette,  Ind.,  daughter  of  Alexander 
Julien,  and  widow  of  Benjamin  C.  Platt. 

Since  coming  to  this  county  Mr.  Fox  has  been 
identified  considerably  in  township  affairs,  serving 
as  President  and  member  of  the  School  Board, 
and  socially  is  Commander  of  Post  No.  220, 
G.  A.  R.  He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln,  and  has  always  been  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party. 


J"~  OHN    CONNOR,    retired    from    the   active 
labors  of  life,  and  enjoying  the  comforts  of 
a  home  and  competency  earned  by  honest 
toil,  is  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  resi- 
dents of  Rnntoul.    He  started  out  for  himself  when 
a  youth  eighteen  years  of  age,  determining  to  seek 
his  fortunes  in  the  Prairie  State.   His  parents  occu- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


683 


pied  a  medium  position  in  life,  lived  comfortably, 
but  were  not  able  to  provide  their  son  with  other 
resources  than  a  fair  education  and  the  upright  and 
straightforward  principles  which  had  in  them  the 
basis  of  their  own  course  of  action.  The3r  had 
trained  him  to  habits  of  industry,  and  he  was  will- 
ing to  earn  an  honest  living  at  whatever  he  could 
find  to  do.  He  first  engaged  as  a  laborer  on  the 
C.,  B.  &  Q.  R.  R.  during  its  grading  and  laying  of 
ties,  and  after  the  rolling  stock  was  set  in  motion 
he  was  promoted  brakeman.  He  was  an  apt  scholar 
and  watched  with  an  attentive  eye  the  workings  of 
the  locomotive  machinery,  and  soon  announced  his 
belief  in  his  ability  to  manage  the  engine.  Time 
proved  that  he  had  not  overrated  his  capacities, 
and  in  his  subsequent  position  as  engineer  he  ac- 
quitted himself  creditably  and  with  satisfaction  to 
all  concerned.  In  1857,  desiring  to  see  his  parents 
and  the  faces  of  his  old  friends,  he  returned  to  his 
native  State  of  New  York,  and  remained  until 
1859.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  started  for  the 
AVest  again,  and  coming  into  this  county,  purchased 
a  tract  of  wild  land  in  Rantoul  Township,  on  sec- 
tion 14.  Farming  in  the  West  proved  far  more 
satisfactory  than  the  same  occupation  in  the  East, 
and  he  accordingly  settled  down  contentedly  upon 
his  purchase,  improving  his  land,  setting  out  trees 
and  erecting  buildings,  and  established  a  good 
homestead,  where  he  remained  for  a  period  of 
nearly  twenty  years. 

In  1886,  having  accumulated  a  handsome  prop- 
erty and  a  competency,  Mr.  Connor  decided  to 
retire  from  active  labor,  and  accordingly  purchas- 
ing the  property  which  he  now  occupies  in  Rantoul, 
removed  to  the  city,  where  he  proposes  spending 
the  remaining  years  of  his  life.  This  latter  prop- 
erty occupies  four  lots,  with  a  spacious  lawn  and 
yard,  ornamented  with  choice  shrubs  and  shade 
trees.  The  dwelling  is  a  handsome  and  commodious 
structure  with  a  carriage  barn  and  other  necessary 
buildings  in  the  rear,  and  everything  arranged  for 
the  comfort  and  pleasure  of  the  family. 

The  birth  of  Mr.  Connor  took  place  in  Troy, 
Reusselaer  Co.,  N.  Y.,  April  9,  1837.  His  father, 
Martin  Connor,  a  native  of  County  Limerick,  Ire- 
land, grew  to  manhood  on  his  native  Isle  and  was 
there  married.  Soon  afterward  he  emigrated  to  the 


United  States,  settling  first  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  whence 
he  removed  within  a  year  to  Stephenson  and  after- 
ward to  New  Lebanon  Springs.  Near  this  latter 
place  he  purchased  a  farm  which  Jie  operated  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  then  leaving  it  in  the  hands 
of  a  tenant,  purchased  a  home  in  New  Lebanon 
Springs,  to  which  he  repaired,  and  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  retired  from  active  labor.  His  decease 
occurred  in  June,  1880.  The  mother,  formerly 
Miss  Bridget  Costello,  was  a  native  of  the  same 
county  as  her  husband,  and  by  her  marriage  with 
Martin  Connor  became  the  mother  of  six  chil- 
dren, namely,  Mary,  John,  Michael,  Thomas,  James 
and  Martin.  She  departed  this  life  at  the  home 
farm  at  New  Lebanon  Springs  in  about  1851. 

While  a  resident  of  his  native  county,  John  Con- 
nor, in  his  boyhood,  made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss 
Mary  Murphy,  which,  as  years  passed  on,  ripened 
into  a  mutual  affection  which  was  not  forgotten 
after  he  left  his  old  home  for  the  West,  conse- 
quently, in  1858,  he  returned  to  his  native  county 
and  there  married  the  maiden  of  his  choice.  Mrs. 
C.  is  the  daughter  of  Patrick  and  Bridget  (Lynch) 
Murphy,  natives  of  County  Limerick,  Ireland.  They 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  about  1837  or  1838, 
and  reared  a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daughters  in 
Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y.,  where  the  wife  of  our 
subject  was  born.  The  seven  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  Connor  are  Charles;  Carrie,  the  wife  of 
Morgan  O'Brien  of  Tolono;  Willie,  Hattie,  Frank, 
Walter  and  Earle  at  home.  The  family  are  all 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  in  politics 
Mr.  Connor  is  a  Democrat. 


AMES  BARTLEY,  who  bears  the  honor 
and  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  oldest 
settlers  of  St.  Joseph  Township  now  living, 
is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  his  birth 
taking  place  in  Pickaway  County,  on  the  2d  of 
June,  1817.  His  ancestors  originated  in  Germany, 
where  his  maternal  grandfather,  George  AVest,  was 
born,  and  married  a  lady  of  his  own  country.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  Jacob  Hartley,  was  born  in 
Arirginia,  where  his  parents  had  settled  after  their 
marriage,  locating  near  Fredericksburg,  in  Albe- 


f 


t 


684 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


niarlc  County.  The  father  was  a  shoemaker  by 
trade,  which  occupation  he  followed  during  life. 
He  went  to  Ohio  while  a  young  man  unmarried, 
and  there  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Sarah 
West,  who  became  his  wife  in  about  1816.  The 
young  people  located  in  Pickaway  County,  occu- 
pying a  farm  until  the  fall  of  1830,  thence  remov- 
ing to  Vermilion  County,  this  State.  They  stopped 
there,  however,  only  about  eighteen  months,  then 
came  to  Champaign  County  about  the  time  of  its 
annexation  to  Vermilion,  and  wheji  Danville,  the 
new  trad  ing- post,  was  first  established. 

Upon  coming  to  this  county  Jacob  Bartley  en- 
tered 160  acres  of  timber  land  on  section  23,  St. 
Joseph  Township,  and  afterward  entered  eighty 
acres  of  prairie  land.  His  first  business  was  to  put 
up  a  small  log  cabin,  into  which  they  moved  be- 
fore it  had  a  chimney,  a  fireplace  or  a  floor.  The 
family  thus  passed  one  summer  very  comfortably, 
but  before  winter  approached  were  obliged  to 
make  different  arrangements.  Jacob  Hartley  en- 
tered upon  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  his 
land,  and  employed  his  spare  time  at  shoemaking. 
He  was  thus  employed  until  resting  from  his  earthly 
labors  in  the  spring  of  1 836.  There  were  left  with- 
out support  the  mother  and  ten  children,  the  record 
of  the  latter  being  as  follows:  George,  the  eldest, 
is  deceased ;  Mary  became  the  wife  of  Michael  Lep- 
ner,  and  is  deceased;  Joseph  died  in  California, 
where  he  had  gone  during  the  gold  excitement  of 
1849;  John  is  living  near  Lafayette,  Ind.;  Eliza- 
beth married  William  Stewart,  of  this  county; 
James,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  next  in  order  of 
birth;  Jacob  died  near  Urbana;  William  removed 
to  Kansas,  where  his  death  took  pladfe  about  1875; 
Sarah  is  the  wife  of  D.  B.  Slayton,  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  and  Henry,  the  youngest,  died  on  the 
old  homestead. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  James  Bartley  were 
spent  on  his  father's  farm,  where  he  remained  after 
the  death  of  the  latter  until  he  reached  his  majority, 
He  then  commenced  life  on  his  own  account,  and 
for  four  years  following  worked  by  the  month  as  a 
farm  laborer.  The  young  men  of  those  days 
usually  early  in  life  established  themselves  in  a  lit- 
tle place  which  they  could  call  their  own  home, 
and  our  subject  being  no  exception,  was  married 


in  1841,  and  then  felt  that  he  had  commenced  life 
in  earnest.  The  sharer  of  his  home  and  fortunes 
was  formerly  Mrs.  Mary  M.  (Swearingen)  Given, 
and  soon  afterward  they  settled  on  the  old  farm, 
which  had  been  opened  up  from  the  uncultivated 
prairie  by  the  father  of  our  subject,  and  which  his 
son  leased  until  the  estate  was  finally  settled. 
When  the  apportionment  was  effected  James  bought 
out  the  interest  of  the  other  heirs,  and  has  contin- 
ued to  reside  there  until  the  present.  It  now  em- 
braces 145  acres  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation, 
and  Mr.  B.  has  of  late  years  turned  his  attention 
principally  to  the  raising  of  stock. 

In  due  time  there  came  into  the  household  of 
our  subject  and  his  wife  six  children,  the  family 
finally  including  three  sons  and  three  daughters. 
Of  these  William  II.  died  when  an  interesting 
youth  of  eighteen  years ;  Mary  became  the  wife  of 
George  W.  Doyle,  a  practicing  physician  of  Pike 
County ;  John  married  Miss  Amanda  Hanlej' ;  Sa- 
rah is  the  wife  of  O.  A.  Seaton.  of  Jewel  City, 
Kan. ;  James  M.,  a  machinist,  is  a  resident  of  Indi- 
anapolis, Ind.;  Amanda  is  the  wife  of  S.  H. 
Thompson,  of  Kansas. 

Mr.  Bartley  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
President  Harrison,  and  since  the  abandonment  of 
the  Whig  party  has  cordially  endorsed  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Republicans.  He  is  passing  down  the 
hill  of  life  surrounded  by  the  friends  whom  he 
has  known  for  so  many  years,  and  whose  respect 
and  esteem  he  has  enjoyed  to  a  marked  degree,  for 
he  has  lived  honestly  and  uprightly,  and  in  all  re- 
spects fulfilled  the  obligations  a  of  good  citizen. 


FOWLER.  Among  the  attractive 
prairie  homes  of  Compromise  Township, 
none  is  more  pleasant  to  look  upon  than 
that  of  our  subject,  which  is  finely  located 
on  section  17,  and  presents  a  series  of  cultivated 
fields  and  pasture  lands,  not  excelled  by  any  in 
this  part  of  Champaign  County.  In  the  midst  of 
these,  and  on  a  gentle  rise  of  ground,  stands  the 
substantial  family  residence  with  its  shapely  and 
well-kept  out-buildings,  with  here  and  there  gn nips 
of  shade  trees  and  other  adornments,  which  consti- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


085 


tute  altogether  the  home  of  refinement  and  pros- 
perity. Mr.  Fowler,  a  native  of  the  wealthy  and 
populous  State  of  Ohio,  was  born  Sept.  6,  1831,  on 
his  father's  farm  among  the  hills  of  Marion  County. 
His  parents,  Willy  and  Cynthia  (Perkins)  Fow- 
ler, began  life  together  as  husband  and  wife  in 
Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  a  few  years  after  its 
first  settlement  began. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  a  native  of  Lincoln- 
shire, England,  was  born  in  1798,  remaining  in  his 
native  shire  until  reaching  manhood.  Then,  ac- 
companied by  two  brothers,  Robert  and  Richard, 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and  soon  after  landing, 
located  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio.  After  his 
marriage  he  continued  to  reside  in  that  county  a 
few  years,  then  removed  to  Sandusky  and  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  was  thus  occupied  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  his  life,  resting  from  his 
earthly  labors  in  1855.  The  mother  is  still  living, 
and  is  now  in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  her  age,  hav- 
ing been  born  in  1801.  Of  their  thirteen  children, 
seven  lived  to  attain  their  majority.  These  were, 
Alvira,  now  the  wife  of  Ira  Faurot;  Willy;. Rich- 
ard, now  deceased;  John;  Asenath,  the  wife  of 
Italian!  tShutts;  Princess,  Mrs.  Franklin  Ellis,  and 
Cynthia,  the  wife  of  Charles  Dam'ide. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  reared  on  the 
farm,  and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He 
was  married  in  Hardin  County,  Ohio,  Sept.  4, 1853, 
to  Miss  Amelia  Cross.  She  was  born  in  Parkmau, 
Ohio,  Oct.  27,  1835,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Abram 
and  Priscilla  (VanScoy)  Cross,  now  deceased. 
After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Fowler  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  in  Marion  County,  consisting  of  220  acres, 
and  which  he  occupied  and  cultivated  until  Febru- 
ary, 1865.  Selling  out,  he  came  to  this  State,  and 
located  in  Vermilion  County,  near  the  line  of 
Champaign.  Some  years  later  he  removed  to  a 
farm  near  Homer,  known  as  the  Ray  farm,  com- 
prising 640  acres  of  laud,  and  which  he  rented  until 
his  removal  to  near  Danville.  From  there  he  came 
to  this  county,  and  locating  near  Penfield,  for  three 
years  operated  3,000  acres  known  as  the  Corbley 
land. 

In  1881  Mr.  Fowler  took  possession  of  his  pres- 
ent property.  This  comprises  240  acres  which 
would  sell  readily  at  foO  per  acre,  and  is  chielly 


devoted  to  the  raising  of  grain  and  stock.  Mr. 
Fowler  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  although  not  repairing  to  the  field  dur- 
ing the  late  Rebellion,  aided  by  his  means  and  in- 
fluence in  upholding  the  Union  sentiments.  He 
has  never  been  an  office-seeker,  preferring  to  give 
his  time  and  attention  to  his  private  interests, 
although  while  in  his  native  State  he  served  as 
Assessor.  Mrs.  Fowler  is  a  lady  highly  respected 
in  the  community,  and  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  record  of  the 
nine  children  who  were  given  to  this  household  is 
as  follows :  Ella,  Mrs.  Craig,  is  a  resident  of  Ver- 
milion County,  111.;  Arthur,  when  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  was  accidentally  drowned  while  bath- 
ing in  the  river  near  Red  Oak,  Iowa;  Finley  is 
Superintendent  of  the  large  farm  of  "  Long  "  John 
Wentworth,  near  Summit,  in  Cook  County;  Clara 
Belle  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen  months  ;  Vannella, 
John  W.,  Grace,  Bertha  and  Daisy  are  at  home 
with  their  parents. 


OIIN  SNIDER,  a  highly  respected  farmer  of 
Scott  Township,  and  a  gentleman  perfectly 
,  familiar  with  the  vocation  in  which  he  is  en- 
(KgJJ/J  gaged,  owns  160  acres  on  section  24.  All 
his  land  is  in  a  tillable  condition,  and  a  dwelling 
with  other  necessary  farm  buildings  has  been  con- 
structed with  an  eye  to  comfort  and  convenience. 
Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Jane  (Bodiue) 
Snider,  natives  respectively  of  Orange  and  Ulster 
Counties,  N.  Y.  Prior  to  their  marriage,  they  re- 
moved to  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  where  they  be- 
came man  and  wife,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  The  father  died  in  December,  1872,  and  the 
mother  in  December,  1876.  The  parental  house- 
hold included  seven  children,  four  sons  and  three 
daughters,  all  of  whom  lived  to  become  men  and 

o 

women. 

The  subject  of  this  biography,  who  was  the  fifth 
child  of  his  parente,  was  born  in  Hamilton  County, 
Ohio,  March  20,  1834.  He  received  a  common- 
school  education,  and  remained  under  the  home 
roof  until  twenty-four  years  of  age.  He  was  then  i 


•i 


I 


686 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


married,  and  continued  a  resident  of  Hamilton 
County  a  year  afterward.  In  1859  he  came  to  this 
.State,  and  purchasing  eighty  acres  of  land  in  La 
Salle  County,  made  that  his  home  until  1872.  He 
then  sold  out,  and  purchased  160  acres  in  Scott 
Township,  this  county,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  has  been  uniformly  successful  in  his  farming 
operations,  and  is  counted  among  the  thrifty  and 
enterprising  citizens  of  this  section. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Snider  took  place  in  Ham- 
ilton County,  Ohio,  on  the  25th  of  March,  1868. 
The  lady  of  his  choice  was  Miss  Catherine  L.  Sut- 
ton,  the  eldest  child  of  Reader  E.  and  Mary 
(Thompson)  Sutton.  They  were  natives  respect- 
ively of  Hamilton  and  Warren  Counties,  Ohio,  and 
after  their  marriage  remained  residents  of  the  lat- 
ter county  for  some  time,  removing  afterward  to 
Hamilton  County,  where  the  mother  died  May  9, 
1883.  Mr.  Sutton  is  a  carpenter  by  trade,  but  has 
also  been  engaged  considerably  in  farming.  They 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  three  sons  and 
four  daughters. 

Mrs.  Snider  was  born  in  Deerfield,  Warren  Co., 
Ohio,  March  5,  1837.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
became  the  parents  of  five  children — Daniel,  Olive, 
Arthur  L.,  Lellus,  who  died  in  Scott  Township, 
Jan.  22,  1883,  and  Eveline.  Mr.  Snider  politically, 
affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  has  held 
the  office  of  School  Director  in  his  township  for 
twelve  consecutive  years. 


W.  IIARWOOD,  insurance .  and 
loan  agent,  at  Champaign,  a  gentleman  in 
the  prime  of  life  and  possessed  of  flue  busi- 
ness capacities,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  State 
since  1866,  when  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in 
Newcomb  Township.  After  farming  for  a  period 
of  five  years,  he  removed  to  the  city  and,  in  part- 
nership with  Mr.  J.  A.  Shafer,  engaged  in  the  sale 
of  agricultural  implements,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Shafer  &  Harwood.  This  partnership  continued 
until  August,  1873,  when  our  subject  sold  out  his 
interest  in  the  business  and  for  three  years  after- 
ward was  employed  as  clerk  for  George  F.  Beards- 
ley.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  joined  Mr. 


B.  in  the  real-estate  and  loan  business,  which  they 
operated  jointly  for  seven  years,  then  divided  up 
the  profits,  our  subject  taking  the  insurance  and 
part  of  the  loans,  and  Mr.  B.  part  of  the  loans  and 
the  real-estate  department.  Although  their  business 
is  separate,  they  still  occupy  the  same  office  in  the 
Metropolitan  Block,  and  keep  up  their  friendly  rela- 
tions as  of  old. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  in  North 
Brookfield,  Worcester  Co.,  Mass.,  Sept.  18,  1841, 
and  is  the  son  of  George  and  Angeline  (Allen) 
Harwood,  natives  of  the  same  county  as  their  son. 
The  father  of  our  subject  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  upon  the  farm  where  his  father.  George  W., 
and  his  grandfather,  Peter  Harwood,  had  lived. 
The  latter  was  a  Major  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  George  W.,  mar- 
ried, and  reared  a  family  of  nine  children,  all 
excepting  two  living  to  mature  years.  Of  these  the 
father  of  our  subject  was  the  fourth  child.  He 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  during  his 
early  life  engaged  in  stock-raising.  About  that 
time  Ue  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Andrews,  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  which  office  he  has  since  held.  He  has 
also  been  Assessor  of  his  native  town  two  terms 
and  is  one  of  the  Directors  of  the  Savings  Bank 
there.  Politically  he  is  a  warm  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party.  His  family  included  four  chil- 
dren, the  mother  of  whom  died  in  1867.  The  eld- 
est was  Anna  M.,  Mrs.  F.  R.  Doane,  of  Nortli 
Brookfield,  who  died  in  1867,  and  left  a  family  of 
three  children — George  R.,  Eden  F.  and  Albion 
H. ;  George  W.  of  our  sketch  was  the  second  child ; 
Ethan  A.  is  farming  on  the  old  homestead,  is  mar- 
ried and  has  one  child,  Anna  M. ;  Frances  A.  mar- 
ried H.  E.  Cummings,  a  merchant  of  Nortli  Brook- 
field. 

The  subject  of  this  notice  was  reared  on  his 
father's  farm  and  pursued  his  primary  studies  in  the 
district  schools,  traveling  a  distance  of  one  and 
one-half  miles  daily  for  the  purpose,  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  old.  After  this  he  became  a  student 
in  the  High  School  of  the  village,  where  he  re- 
mained two  years,  and  for  a  like  period  following 
was  employed  in  a  boot  and  shoe  factory.  There- 
after he  worked  on  a  farm  until  in  August,  1862. 
The  Civil  War  being  then  in  progress,  he  enlisted 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


687 


in  Co.  E,  3Gth  Mass.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  remained  in  the 
service  until  peace  was  declared.  He  entered  as  a  pri- 
vate, was  first  promoted  Second  Sergeant,  and  after- 
ward First  Lieutenant.  He  was  present  at  the  battles 
of  Fredericksburg,  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  and  Knox- 
villc,  Tenn.,  and  in  the  engagements  at  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court  House,  Campbell  Station,  Cold  Har- 
bor, Jackson,  Miss.,  and  Pegrein  Farm,  taking  part 
in  seventeen  regular  battles  besides  many  skirmishes. 
He  received  a  flesh  wound  in  the  right  leg  at  Jack- 
son, Miss.,  and  was  wounded  in  the  neck  at  Camp- 
bell Station,  Tenn.  His  regiment  was  present  at 
many  of  the  important  battles  of  the  war,  where 
our  subject  stood  bravely  by  his  comrades,  sharing 
their  duties  and  privations. 

After  retiring  from  the  army,  Mr.  Harwood 
resumed  his  employment  one  year  in  the  boot  and 
shoe  factory.  In  1866  he  came  to  Illinois  and  after 
his  location  at  Newcomb,  and  while  carrying  on 
farming,  served  as  Town  Clerk  and  Supervisor,  and 
was  interested  generally  in  public  affairs.  His  subse- 
quent course  we  have  already  indicated. 

Mr.  Harwood  was  married,  Nov.  27,  1866,  to 
Miss  Mary  N.,  daughter  of  Abel  and  Mary  L).  Har- 
wood, of  North  Brookfteld,  Mass.  Mrs.  H.  was 
born  in  Kentucky,  and  removed  with  her  parents 
to  this  State  when  a  young  girl.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  occupy  a  pleasant  residence  at  the  corner 
of  Linn  street  and  University  avenue,  where  they 
are  surrounded  by  all  the  evidences  of  refinement 
and  cultivated  tastes.  Mr.  H.  is  Republican  in 
politics  and  belongs  to  the  G.  A.  B.  He  also,  with 
his  excellent  lady,  is  prominently  connected  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  lie  has  been  an 
Elder  several  years.  He  is  a  wide-awake,  _  clear- 
headed business  man,  and  is  rated  accordingly 
among  the  friends  and  associates  of  over  twenty 
years. 


\f  OHN  H.  WYNE,  who  resides  on  section  20, 
Harwood  Township,  is  the  eldest  child  of 
William  and  Margaret  (Kutledge)  Wyne, 
and  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  Ind.,  Feb. 
24,  1842.  His  father  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  and 
the  son  of  Edward  Wy  ne,  and  the  family  are  proba- 
bly of  German  extraction.  Our  subject's  mother 


was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Betsy  Rutledge,  natives  of  North 
Carolina.  William  Wyne  followed  the  occupation 
of  farming  throughout  his  entire  life.  In  his  child- 
hood he  was  taken  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky,  and 
when> grown  to  manhood  moved  to  Indiana,  and  be- 
came one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  State.  He 
is  of  a  reserved  and  retiring  disposition,  taking  no 
active  part  in  politics,  and  giving  his  attention 
more  exclusively  to  his  own  family  affairs. 

John  H.  Wyne,  our  subject,  remained  at  home 
until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  acquiring  such 
education  as  could  be  obtained  at  the  district  school. 
He  then  removed  to  the  village  of  Volga,  Ind., 
where  he  successfully  engaged  in  the  business  of 
harness-making,  and  continued  at  his  trade  as  a 
journeyman  for  nine  years.  On  the  2d  of  Febru- 
ary, 1871,  Mr.  Wyne  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  J.  Thompson,  the  youngest  child  of 
Price  and  Hannah  (Johnston)  Thompson.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Ohio,  but  his  parents  were  natives 
of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  the  father  being  a  far- 
mer. Price  Thompson  died  Feb.  5,  1855,  and  his 
widow  was  again  married,  to  George  W.  Bowman, 
of  Ohio.  In  October,  1873,  Mr.  Bowman  died. 
She  then  came  to  live  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Wyne,  where  she  spent  the  last  fourteen  years  ol 
her  life.  She~  was  a  consistent  Christian  lady,  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  much  beloved  by 
her  family,  and  held  in  very  high  esteem  through 
the  entire  community. 

In  the  March  following  their  marriage,  John  H. 
Wyne  and  wife  left  Indiana  for  this  county,  where 
he  first  rented  land,  and  for  five  years  successfully 
conducted  a  farm.  When,  by  economy  and  indus- 
tiy,  he  had  acquired  sufficient  capital,  he  purchased 
forty  acres  of  partly  improved  land  located  on 
section  20,  Harwood  Township,  where  he  now  re- 
sides. He  gives  his  attention  especially  to  raising 
grain. 

While  the  Civil  War  was  in  progress  in  1863  Mr. 
Wyue  enlisted  in  the  82d  Indiana  Infantry,  but  011 
account  of  ill-health  remained  only  three  months 
in  the  service.  Shortly  after  his  discharge  and 
return  he  was  drafted  for  the  service,  but  again 
rejected  on  account  of  disability.  In  polities  Mr. 
I  W.  is  not  restricted  by  party  spirit,  but  always  casts  i 


- 


I 


f 

• 

i  ,  688 


- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


bis  vote  for  the  men  whom  he  considers  best  fitted 
for  the  position.  While  he  has  inherited  something 
of  his  father's  reserved  disposition  he  is  to  some 
extent  interested  in  public  affairs,  and  has  frequently 
been  elected  Road  Commissioner  in  the  district. 
Himself  and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church.  They  have  but  one  child — Miles 
Earl. 


HEOPHILUS  P.  BARNES,  one  of  the  self- 
made  men  of  Champaign  County,  who  came 
to  the  West  in  his  young  manhood,  and  as- 
sisted in  the  development  of  Central  Illinois,  is 
now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  fine  homestead  and  a 
competency,  and  for  the  last  twenty-two  years  has 
been  located  on  section  10,  Compromise  Township. 
His  possessions  are  the  result  of  his  own  persever- 
ing industry,  as  he  laid  the  first  foundations  and 
has  been  the  main  builder.  His  boyhood  days 
were  passed  a  thousand  miles  eastward,  near  Phil- 
lipsburg,  Warren  Co.,  N.  J.,  where  he  was  born 
Aug.  7,  1816.  His  parents  were  Gresham  and 
Mary  (Miller)  Barnes,  who  taught  him  his  first  les- 
sons of  industry,  while  at  the  same  time  he  studied 
his  books  in  the  subscription  schools  during  the 
winter  season,  and  assisted  his  mother  around  the 
homestead  in  the  summer.  His  father,  being  a 
carpenter,  was  mostly  absent  from  home,  and  the 
family  possessed  modest  means,  having  little  be- 
yond what  they  labored  for. 

When  fourteen  years  of  age  our  subject  went  out 
to  work  on  a  farm,  and  was  thus  occupied  during 
the  summer  season  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  in 
the  meantime  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  winter. 
He  had  inherited  much  of  the  mechanical  skill  of 
his  father,  and  at  the  age  mentioned  began  work  as 
a  carpenter,  for  which,  although  never  having  served 
a  regular  apprenticeship,  he  received  wages  at 
first.  Following  the  fashion  of  most  of  the  young 
men  of  those  days,  he  married  young,  before  he 
was  twenty  years  old,  but  continued  with  his  par- 
ents until  the  fall  of  1837.  Then,  accompanied  by 
his  young  wife  and  child,  he  left  his  native  State, 
and  started  by  teams  for  Marion  County,  Ohio, 
which  was  the  home  of  his  father-in-law,  Paul  Cy- 
phers. The  journey  occupied  over  three  weeks, 


and  they  traveled  after  the  manner  of  those  days, 
carrying  their  provisions  with  them,  cooking  by 
the  wayside  and  sleeping  in  their  wagons  at  night. 
Soon  afterward  he  rented  a  house,  and  worked  at 
his  trade  one  year,  then  rented  a  tract  of  land  and 
followed  farming  in  the  Buckeye  State  until  the 
fall  of  1853. 

During  the  latter  year,  our  subject,  hearing  of 
the  glowing  reports  which  came  from  the  rapidly 
growing  State  of  Illinois,  was  induced  to  set  out 
once  more  on  a  long  and  tedious  journey,  and  with 
his  family  he  traveled  all  the  way  by  team  from 
Ohio  to  Spring  Grove  Township,  Warren  County, 
this  State.  He  rented  land  there  which  he  operated 
upon  for  a  year,  and  then  purchased  160  acres  of 
uncultivated  prairie,  improved  eighty  acres,  built 
a  house,  and  remained  there  eleven  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1805  he  sold  out  at  a  good  price,  and 
purchased  240  acres  in  Compromise  Township,  this 
count}',  where  he  was  joined  by  his  family  the  fol- 
lowing 3rear,  and  which  has  been  his  home  since 
that  time.  He  has  proved  himself  entirely  worthy 
of  a  prominent  place  among  the  intelligent  and  en- 
terprising farmers  of  this  section.  His  land  is  in 
a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and  prolific  of  the 
choicest  crops  of  the  Prairie  State.  The  farm 
buildings  are  convenient  and  well  constructed,  and 
the  whole  presents  a  picture  which  is  delightful  to 
the  eye  of  the  passer-by.  She  who  began  with  him 
in  his  first  effort  for  the  establishment  of  a  home, 
passed  from  the  scenes  of  earth  on  the  16th  of 
March,  1883,  after  having  been  his  faithful  and 
sympathizing  companion  for  over  a  quarter  of  a 
century. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss 
Nancy  Cyphers,  and  their  marriage  took  place  in 
the  spring  of  1835,  in  Warren  County,  N.  J.  Mrs. 
Barnes  was  the  daughter  of  Paul  and  Hannah 
(Campbell)  Cyphers,  and  was  born  in  Warren 
County,  N.  J.,  in  1813.  Of  her  union  with  our 
subject  there  were  born  eleven  children:  Christian 
P.,  the  eldest,  is  living  on  a  part  of  the  homestead; 
Paul  C.  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  enlisted  in 
the  1st  Illinois  Infantry,  and  served  six  mouth's, 
after  which  he  returned  home  and  died  at  his 
father's  house  in  1867;  Gresham  served  sixteen 
months  in  the  13th  Illinois  Cavalry;  John  M. 


•• 

ifk.v        •  •"-•-.. 

,^^^'>."'»-">"'i^/,-'^.jiv,>^"--i<^>.:j;i,i.->-A"f-,.',*t;-^Vi-^^i.,,:i_,-. 


RESIDENCE  OF  JOHN  LEONARD  ,  SEC.  23., CONDIT  TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE  or  J.  R.  M£.  CLELLAND  ,  occ.16.,  BROWN  TOWNSHIP 


RESIDENCE  OF  HENRY  HAW  BAKER,  SEC.3I..N  EWCOMB  TOWNSHIP. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
X         '."•/  w~  ILLINOIS 


t. 

t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


691 


served  one  year;  S.  C.  and  William  IX,  with  Han- 
nah A.,  live  on  the  homestead  with  their  father; 
Reuben  died  when  young;  Mary  is  the  wife  of 
Hiram  Lennox,  of  Harwood  Township:  Frank  P. 
died  when  twenty -one  years  of  age,  and  James, 
the  youngest,  is  also  on  the  homestead. 

Gresham  Barnes,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  at  Phillipsburg,  Warren  Co.,  N.  J.  His  father 
died  when  he  was  seven  years  old,  and  he  then 
went  to  live  with  his  grandfather,  remaining  until 
the  death  of  the  latter.  Afterward  he  was  taken 
to  the  home  of  his  uncle,  and  engaged  in  farming 
pursuits  until  nineteen  years  old.  Subsequently 
lit  took  up  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  after  serving 
a  thorough  apprenticeship,  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Miller,  and  continued  to  reside  in  his  native 
county,  working  at  his  trade,  until  the  fall  of  1838. 
He  then  started  overland  for  Marion  County,  Ohio, 
accompanied  by  his  family,  including  his  invalid 
wife  who  had  not  walked  for  a  period  of  thirteen 
years.  After  reaching  Ohio,  he  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land,  and  followed  agriculture  in  that  State 
until  1853,  when  he  repeated  his  former  experi- 
ment and  started  overland  for  the  western  part  of 
this  State.  After  arriving  in  Warren  County,  he 
worked  at  his  trade  four  years,  and  then  removed 
by  team  to  Kansas.  Four  months  of  life  in  that 
State  satisfied  him,  and  he  then  retraced  his  steps, 
and  located  once  more  in  Warren  County,  111., 
where  his  death  took  place  in  October,  1857.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  had  passed  from  earth^Rnd 
the  scenes  of  her  sufferings  while  the  family  was  in 
Ohio,  her  death  taking  place  in  July,  1839.  Her 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Mt. 
Gilead,  and  her  children  will  reverence  her  mem- 
ory as  long  as  life  endures.  The  parental  family 
included  four  children :  Sallie  A.  is  now  living  with 
her  brother,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  the  latter 
was  the  second  child ;  Elizabeth  died  in  Ohio  in 
1840,  and  Reuben  served  as  a  Union  soldier  during 
the  late  war. 

The  patern&l  grandparents  of  our  subject, 
Gresham  and  Margaret  (Phillips)  Barnes,  were  both 
natives  of  Warren  County,  N.  J.,  where  they  were 
reared,  married,  and  spent  their  entire  lives.  Their 
five  children  were  Elizabeth,  Gresham,  Stephen, 
Mary  and  Elsie.  The  great-grandparents  of  our 


subject  on  his  father's  side  were  Gresham  and 
Elsie  (Mackey)  Barnes,  natives  of  Virginia  and 
New  Jersey  respectively.  The  former  was  a  weaver 
by  occupation,  and  left  the  Old  Dominion  at  an 
early  day,  settling  at  Phillipsburg,  NI  J.,,  where  he 
and  his  wife  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 
The  family  was  widely  and  favorably  known 
throughout  that  section,  assisting  greatly  in  shap- 
ing its  society  and  its  politics,  and  furnishing  by 
their  thrift  and  integrity,  an  admirable  example  of 
true  worth.  In  politics,  our  subject  has  always 
been  a  stanch  Democrat. 


ARTIN  BROWNFIELD,  who  is  pleasantly 
located  on  a  good  farm  in  Somer  Township, 
is  a  native  of  this  county,  and  born  Dec. 
21,  1849.  His  father,  Robert  Brownfldd. 
was  a  native  of  Harrison  County,  Ky.,  born  April 
29,  1818.  The  latter  removed  with  his  father's 
family  from  his  native  State  to  Illinois  in  1832, 
making  the  journey  overland  in  wagons,  cooking 
and  camping  by  the  wayside.  He  was  then  a  lad 
about  fifteen  years  old.  He  grew  to  manhood  in 
Champaign  County  and  here  married  Miss  Nancy 
Clements.  They  became  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, six  of  whom  are  now  living,  five  daughters 
and  one  son:  Mary  Ann  became  the  wife  of  J.  D. 
Corray,  and  is  a  resident  of  Perry,  Dallas  Co.,  Iowa  ; 
Eliza  first  married  Isam  Biggs  who,  during  the  late 
war,  enlisted  in  the  76th  Illinois  Infantry  and  was 
discharged  in  July,  1864,  on  account  of  sickness. 
He  died  about  two  months  before  his  regiment  was 
mustered  out,  and  was  buried  by  his  comrades  with 
military  honors  in  Somer  Cemetery.  Mrs.  Biggs 
was  then  married  to  Richard  McCormick,  and  they 
reside  on  a  farm  in  Stanton  Township,  this  county. 
Mr.  McCormick  also  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Union  army.  He  enlisted  in  the  25th  Illinois 
Infantry  as  a  private,  and  was  promoted  First 
Lieutenant  for  bravery  on  the  field  of  battle.  At 
the  expiration  of  his  three  years'  service,  he  veter- 
anized and  remained  in  the  ranks  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  Aruiilda  first  became  the  wife  of  James 
McGill,  and  after  his  death  married  Amos  Dale; 
she  is  now  living  on  section  26,  Somer  Township. 


t. 

' 


,  ,    692 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Lucretia  Jane  became  the  wife  of  Marion  Taylor, 
and  is  living  with  her  husband  on  the  old  home- 
stead; Viola,  Mrs.  Epperson,  is  a  resident  of  Ur- 
hana  Township;  Martin  is  our  subject. 

The  mother  of  these  children  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  born  Sept.  22,  1821.  Her  parents  emi- 
grated to  Indiana  at  an  early  day  and  from  there 
to  Somer  Township,  this  county,  where  she  was 
married  and  still'resides  with  her  daughter.  Lucre- 
tia,  on  the  old  homestead.  She  is  now  sixty-six 
years  of  age  and  a  lady  highly  respected  by  all  who 
know  her.  Robert  Brownfield  departed  this  life 
July  15,  1878.  He  had  received  but  limited  edu- 
cational ail  vantages  in  his  youth,  but  was  a  man  of 
sound  judgment,  more  tha.i  ordinary  intelligence, 
and  was  popular  in  his  community.  He  was  ap- 
pointed administrator  of  several  estates  and  the 
guardian  of  minor  heirs.  He  was  the  owner  of  a 
fine  farm  of  250  acres,  which  he  left  to.  his  widow 
during  her  lifetime,  and  which  is  afterward  to  be 
divided  up  in  equal  shares  among  his  children.  He 
also  was  a  member  of  Mt.  Zion  Christian  Church, 
to  the  support  of  which  he  contributed  liberally 
and  cheerfully,  and  was  noted  for  his  hospitality 
and  as  being  the  friend  of  the  needy  and  distressed. 
No  one  went  away  hungry  from  his  door,  and  many 
a  stranger  remembers  the  kindly  words  with  which 
he  greeted  them  while  passing  through  the  prairie 
country. 

Martin  Brownfleld  was  born  and  grew  to  man- 
hood on  the  land  which  his  grandfather  entered 
when  first  arriving  in  this  State.  This  was  located 
ou  sections  34  and  35,  in  Somer  Township,  and  had 
never  been  turned  by  the  plowshare  when  James 
Brownfield  took  possession  of  it.  The  family  lived 
in  their  wagon  during  the  erection  of  their  log 
cabin,  which  was  roofed  with  shaved  clapboards 
and  floored  with  puncheon.  The  window  panes  were 
brought  from  Kentucky.  The  first  crop  was  raised 
on  land  cleared  from  the  wilderness.  Upon  the 
homestead  thus  established  the  grandfather  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  about  1835. 

Martin  Brownfield  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  he  reached  years  of  manhood,  and  was  then 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy  Jane  Taylor, 
Aug.  U',  1871.  The  young  people  lived  on  the 
old  homestead  the  first  year,  and  then  removed  to 


I  section  25,  which  was  entered  by  Robert  Brown- 
field,  the  father  of  our  subject,  and  which  has  con- 
tinued the  residence  of  Martin  Brownfield  to  this 
date.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  became  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  namely,  Nancy  Rozella;  Mar}'  Cornelia, 
who  died  in  her  fifth  year;  Robert  William,  Charles 
Edward;  Viola  Cordelia,  who  died  when  fourteen 
days  old;  Sarah  Rebecca,  Orelia  Lucretia,  Marion 
Martin  and  Paul  Riley. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  consists  of  eighty 
acres  of  good  land,  upon  which  is  a  substantial  and 
convenient  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  ample  con- 
veniences for' the  storing  of  grain  and  the  shelter  of 
stock.  Mr.  B.  is  greatly  respected  in  his  community, 

j  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  Deacon  of  Mt.  Zion 
Christian  Church.  He  officiates  as  minister  of  this 
church,  receiving  his  license  from  the  Central  Illi- 
nois Christian  Conference.  He  has  been  School 
Director  in  this  township  two  y ears.  His  eady 
education  was  conducted  in  the  common  schools 
and  he  afterward  attended  the  Seminary  at  Urbana 
for  a  brief  season,  being  obliged  to  abandon  his 
studies  on  account  of  ill-health. 


AHLON  GLASCOCK.  The  farm  of  '500 
acres  which  occupies  the  greater  part  of 
section  24,  ill  St.  Joseph  Township,  in- 
variably attracts  the  attention  of  the  pass- 
ing traveler  on  account  of  the  evident  skill  and 
good  judgment  with  which  it  has  been  managed,  its 
general  appearance  of  thrift  and  prosperity,  and 
the  industry  without  which  it  never  could  have 
been  brought  to  its  present  beautiful  and  desirable 
condition.  The  history  of  the  proprietor,  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch,  is  substan- 
tially as  follows. 

Mr.  Glascock  was  born  in  Virginia,  near  the  line 
of  Fauquier  and  Loudoun  Counties,  on  the  28th  of 
December,  1815.  He  remembers  his  grandfather 
as  George  Glascock,  who  by  his  first  wife  became 
the  father  of  one  child,  who  lived  to  manhood.  His 
second  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  Rector,  who  became 
the  mother  of  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  The 
Glascock  family  was  originally  from  Scotland, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


693 


Among  the  sons  of  George  Glascock  was  Moses, 
who  became  the  father  of  our  subject.  He  was 
born  in  Virginia  in  1770,  and  early  in  life  married 
Miss  Rebecca  Bishop.  They  removed  from  the  Old 
Dominion  to  Ohio  in  1828,  settling  in  Ross  County, 
where  he  remained  as  a  moderate  farmer  until  his 
death,  in  1829.  The  mother  survived  her  husband 
for  more  than  forty  years,  her  death  taking  place 
in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  in  1870,  when  about  eighty- 
five  years  of  age,  she  having  been  born  in  1785. 

The  parental  family  consisted  of  ten  children, 
six  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  eight  are  still 
living,  namely,  Solomon,  Betsy,  Ann;  Catherine, 
the  wife  (if  William  Van  Bleck;  Mahlon,  of  our 
sketch,  John  R.,  Hamilton  J.  and  James  II. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  reared  to  man- 
hood in  Ohio,  and  there,  in  the  spring  of  1845,  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Hester  A.,  daughter 
of  Alex  and  Sarah  (Pointer)  Jester,  of  Delaware. 
He  located  with  his  bride  on  a  farm  in  Ross  County, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1854.  Then, 
desiring  to  locate  in  the  further  West  he  came  to 
this  county  and  took  possession  of  a  part  of  the 
land  which  constitutes  his  present  farm.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say  that  during  a  period  of 
thirty  years  he  has  brouglif  about  a  great  improve- 
ment, taking  advantage  of  all  the  modern  imple- 
ments, machinery,  and  information  of  which  he 
could  avail  himself,  and  with  a  result  in  which  he 
may  be  pardoned  for  feeling  great  pride  and  satis- 
faction. He  has  given  much  attention  to  stock- 
raising,  making  a  specialty  of  Poland-China  hogs, 
and  in  this  department  taking  the  lead  in  St.  Jo- 
seph Township.  He  eliminated  his  fine  farm  from 
the  raw  prairie,  and  has  fully  experienced  the  diffi- 
culties and  hardships  of  life  in  a  new  country. 

Our  subject  was  one  of  the  early  residents  of 
this  county,  and  as  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
ability,  was  soon  called  upon  to  assist  in  its  govern- 
ment. He  helped  to  organize  the  county  into 
townships,  and  was  Supervisor  of  St.  Joseph  dur- 
ing the  war.  He  was  always  liberal-minded  and 
large-hearted,  willing  to  contribute  of  his  time  and 
means  toward  the  advancement  of  the  community 
and  of  those  about  him.  He  met  with  a  severe  af- 
fliction in  the  loss  of  his  wife,  Mrs.  Hester  Glascock, 
who  departed  this  life  in  1858. 


In  the  spring  of  1865  our  subject  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Mrs.  Mary  Rankin,  daughter  of  Am- 
brose and  Mary  (Springer)  Strong,  and  widow  of 
Samuel  S.  Rankin,  of  St.  Joseph  Township,  this  coun- 
ty. The  children  born  of  both  unions  of  our  subject 
are  recorded  as  follows:  Alex  B.,  Aquilla,  Frank, 
Jesse,  Lyda  B.  and  Addie  A.  are  still  living,  most 
of  them  at  home  with  their  parents.  Albert  Will- 
iam and  Hanson  are  deceased.  Mr.  G.  became  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  St. 
Joseph,  in  1854,  while  his  estimable  wife  is  a  mem- 
ber and  regular  attendant  of  the  New-Light  Church. 
Our  subject  early  in  life  belonged  to  the  old  Wrhig 
party,  but  upon  its  abandonment  cordially  en- 
dorsed the  principles  of  the  Republicans,  with 
whom  he  has  since  voted.  He  assisted  in  making 
William  II.  Harrison  President  of  the  United  States, 
and  has  due  affection  for  the  old  times  and  cus- 
toms. 


AMES  J.  BOIS,  the  oldest  Station  Agent  on 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  which  is  a  far 
better  recommendation  than  all  the  encomi- 
ums a  biographical  writer  can  offer,  was 
placed  in  his  present  position  in  the  spring  of  1857, 
and  has  since  that  time  continued  in  the  faithful 
discharge  of  his  duties.  He  is  a  native  of  New 
York,  born  near  Buffalo,  Erie  County,  Sept.  22, 1824, 
and  is  the  son  of  Warren  and  Mary  (Patterson) 
Bois,  natives  of  Berkshire  County,  Mass.  Warren 
Bois  followed  farming  all  his  life;  locating  after  his 
marriage  in  his  native  county,  and  going  from  there 
to  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  he  pursued  the  quiet  and 
unostentatious  life  of  an  honest  citizen,  and  rested 
from  his  labors  in  1837.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject was  the  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Betsey 
(Gibbs)  Patterson.  The  children  of  Warren  and 
Mary  (Patterson)  Bois,  seven  in  number,  included 
three  sons  and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
mature  years,  but  only  four  are  now  living,  thfe 
three  sisters  and  our  subject. 

Our  subject's  paternal  grand  father,  Joel  Bois,  was 
a  native  of  the  Bay  State,  born  in  Worcester.  He 
married  Miss  Betsey  Blair  of  the  same  State,  and 
the3'  reared  a  family  of  seven  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, who,  with  one  exception,  lived  to  mature  years. 


I 


t 


694 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Joel  Hois  served  in  the  Revolutionary  W:ir,  and 
conducted  himself  with  notable  bravery. 

James  J.  Hois,  who  was  the  youngest  son  of  his 
parents'  children,  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in 
his  native  county,  being  fairly  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  assisting  in  the  labors  of  the  farm. 
His  father  died  when  he  was  but  thirteen  years  old 
and  the  mother  nineteen  years  later.  James  began 
life  on  his  own  account  as  operator  of  a  threshing- 
machine,  and  later  peddled  maps,  books  and  pict- 
ures during  the  summers.  In  the  spring  of  1857  he 
drifted  westward  and  coming  to  this  county  was  at 
once  placed  in  charge  of  the  Illinois  Central  station 
at  Kantoul,  where,  for  a  period  of  thirty  years  he 
has  distinguished  himself  as  a  trusted  agent  and 
employe,  in  the  meantime  securing  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  the  people  around  him. 

While  a  resident  of  Aurora,  N.  Y.,  Mr.  Hois  took 
to  his  heart  and  home  Miss  Lucy  Stockwell,  who 
was  a  native  of  Highgate,  Vt.,  and  the  daughter  of 
Benjah  and  Lucy  (Joslin)  Stockwell.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  were  born  two  daughters :  Mary  is  the 
wife  of  F.  E.  Pinkertou,  of  Kantoul,  and  Lucy  S.  is 
at  home  with  her  parents.  Mrs.  Bois  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  socially  Mr. 
Bois  was  one  of  the  earliest  Masons  of  Ludlow ;  he 
is  also  connected  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 


ENRY  C.  BEAR,  of  the  well-known  and 
responsible  firm  of  Bear  ite  Obenchain,  grain 
dealers  at  Penfield,  is  a  native  of  Cumber- 
land County,  Pa.,  born  in  the  town  of 
Mount  Rock,  Dec.  7,  1838.  His  father,  David 
Bear,  was  a  native  of  the  same  town,  born  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1809,on  his  father's  farm,  where  he  remained 
until  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  was  then 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Maria  Yoter,  a  native 
of  Maryland,  born  in  1811.  The  young  people  set- 
tled down  and  remained  residents  of  their  native 
county  until  1853,  when  they  set  their  faces 
toward  the  West.  Coming  into  this  State,  David 
Bear  purchased  about  thirty  acres  of  land  near  Oak- 
ley, in  Macon  County,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacturer  of  brick  until  retiring  from  active 
business  pursuits,  in  1857.  His  death  occurred 


nine  years  later,  in  1806.  The  wife  and  mother 
had  preceded  him  to  the  other  life  in  1803.  Of 
their  nine  children,  our  subject,  Henry  C.,  was 
the  oldest  born ;  Benjamin  F.  died  when  eighteen 
years  old ;  William  W.,  during  the  late  war,  en- 
listed in  Co.  A,  116th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  now  fills  a 
soldier's'grave  at  Young's  Point,  iji  Louisiana,  where 
his  death  occurred  in  1803;  Mary  became  the  wife 
of  W..  McArty,  who  is  occupied  in  farming  near 
Cisco,  111.;  Anna  E.  married  Joseph  Miller,  and  is 
now  deceased.  The  other  children  died  in  child- 
Lood. 

The  education  of  Henry  Bear  was  conducted  in 
the  common  schools,  and  he  was  fifteen  years  of 
age  when  the  family  came  to  this  State.  He  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  and  followed  farm- 
ing until  August,  1862.  During  the  progress  of 
the  late  war,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  A,  116th  111.  Vol. 
Inf..  and  was  mustered  into  service  at  Camp  Macon. 
Thence  he  went  with  his  regiment  to  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  and  first  met  the  enemy  at  Chickasaw  Bayou, 
and  was  in  all  the  engagements  which  followed 
until  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  His  company  at  the 
outset  of  that  encounter  lost  half  its  members,  and 
during  which  our  subject  received  a  gunshot 
wound  in  the  chest  and  still  carries  the  ball.  This 
disabled  him  from  further  service.  He  was  con- 
fined in  the  hospital  until  the  1st  of  June,  1863, 
and  then  received  his  honorable  discharge  at  Keo- 
kuk,  Iowa.  As  soon  as  able  he  resumed  fanning 
in  Macon  County,  111.,  which  he  followed  until 
1865,  and  then  purchased  eighty  acres  of  unim- 
proved land  in  Compromise  Township,  where  he 
operated  until  the  fall  of  1885.  He  had  been  fairly 
successful,  and  desirous  of  changing  his  occupation 
removed  to  the  village  of  Penfield  and  engaged  in 
the  grain  trade,  in  which  he  has  met  with  moderate 
success. 

Mr.  Bear,  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  was 
married,  Nov.  17,  1858,  to  Miss  Lucetta  J.  Likins. 
of  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  where  she  was  born  Dec.  31,- 
1842.  Mrs.  B.  is  the  daughter  of  John  S.  and  Sarah 
A.  (Cole)  Likins.  The  father  is  deceased,  and  the 
mother  is  a  resident  of  Macon  County,  111.  Of 
the  union  of  our  subject  and  wife  there  have  been 
born  four  children;  Minerva  May,  who  died  when 
eleven  months  old,  in  1801;  Eugenia,  the  wife  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I).  P.  Cox,  of  Compromise  Township;  Mary  M., 
at  home  with  her  parents,  and  Dora,  who  died 
when  four  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Bear  from  the  time  he  became  a  voter  until 
1878,  was  identified  with  the  Republican  party. 
Afterward  his  sympathies  were  extended  to  the 
Greenbackers,  and  he  is  now  a  stanch  Prohibition- 
ist, greatly  interested  in  the  success  of  the  tem- 
perance movement.  He  is  a  man  of  broad  anfl 
liberal  views,  is  no  intermeddler  with  the  private 
affairs  of  his  neighbors,  and  believes  in  extracting 
from  life  all  the  enjoyment  consistent  with  honest}' 
and  honor.  He  represented  Compromise  Township 
on  the  Hoard  of  Supervisors  for  a  period  of  five 
years,  and  is  now  Justice  of  the  Peace. 


THO  E.  CULBERTSON.  One  of  the  most 
genial  and  kindly  matured  men  it  has  been 
the  fortune  of  the  biographer  to  meet,  is  a 
resident  of  Tolono,  and  State  Agent  and  Adjuster 
for  the  TKtna  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Hartford, 
with  which  he  has  been  connected  for  a  period  of 
over  twenty  years.  He  is  a  native  of  Flemings- 
burg,  Ky.,  and  was  born  Nov.  18,  1816.  His  father, 
James  Culbertson,  was  born  in  Dublin,  [reland, 
and  emigrated  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
man,  settling  in  Mason  County,  Ky.  He  departed 
this  life  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  in  1836,  aged  about 
sixty  years.  He  was  married  early  in  life  to  Miss 
Sarah  Weaver,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  three  children,  who  are  all 
living,  namely,  William  G.,  a  farmer  of  Edgar 
County,  this  State;  Otho  E.,  of  our  sketch,  and 
Amanda  N.,  the-  wife  of  John  U.  Grace,  of  Ver- 
milion County.  After  the  death  of  her  first  hus- 
band Mrs.  Culbertson  was  married  to  William  Kaney, 
with  whom  she  located  in  Edgar  County,  111.,  and 
became  the  mother  of  three  children,  only  one  of 
whom  is  now  living,  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Theodore 
Matkin,  a  resident  of  Vermilion  County,  where 
the  mother  died  in  1852.  She  was  a  lady  greatly 
beloved  and  respected,  and  left  behind  her  a  record 
of  womanly  virtues  and  kindly  deeds. 

Our  subject,  when  a  small  boy,  went  to  Rose- 
ville,  Parke  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  became   employed 


as  clerk  in  a  store  and  remained  until  1843.  In  that 
year  he  came  over  into  Illinois,  and  thereafter 
lived  in  various  places  in  the  State  for  a  couple  of 
years.  In  1846,  the  Mexican  War  being  in  prog- 
ress, he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  4th  Illinois 
Infantry,  under  Col.  Baker,  Brig.  Gen.  Shields  and 
Maj.  Gen.  Taylor.  Not  long  afterward  he  was  dis- 
charged for  disability.  In  1847.  setting  out  on 
horseback,  he  traveled  over  the  States  of  Missouri, 
Iowa  and  Illinois. 

Mr.  Culbertson  now  began  to  feel  that  he  had 
wandered  over  the  country  long  enough,  and  deter- 
mined to  establish  home  and  domestic  ties.  He  had 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  most  lovable  young- 
lady,  Miss  Jane  Cox,  and  made  her  his  wife  on  the 
28th  of  March,  1848.  He  located  with  his  bride 
in  Georgetown,  this  State,  and  became  interested 
in  the  plow  and  wagon  manufactory  at  that  point. 
Subsequently  he  began  dealing  in  hardware  in 
Indianola,  whence,  in  1858,  he  removed  to  Tolono. 
Here  for  a  few  months  he  was  engaged  as  a  con- 
tractor and  builder,  and  secured  the  contract 
for  furnishing  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  with 
timber,  ties,  etc.  He  also  supplied  other  roads 
in  Illinois  and  Missouri  with  building  material.  In 
consequence  of  the  labor  involved  in  looking  after 
his  various  interests,  his  health  began  to  fail,  and 
he  was  obliged  to  suspend  operations  for  a  brief 
time. 

In  18(56  our  subject  entered  the  employ  of  the 
TEtna  Insurance  Company  as  special  agent,  and 
developed  from  the  first  rare  qualifications  for  this 
department  of  business.  He  rose  rapidly  in  the 
esteem  and  confidence  of  the  company,  who,  ap- 
preciating his  intelligence  and  fidelity,  soon  en- 
trusted him  with  more  important  interests,  and  he 
in  due  time  became  Adjuster  of  Claims  in  the 
Northwest,  having  under  his  supervision  especially 
their  transaction  in  Illinois.  During  the  long  period 
with  which  he  lias  been  connected  with  the  old 
TEtna,  he  has  not  taken  a  vacation  and  has  not  lost 
a  day's  salary.  A  singular  feature  about  the  con- 
tract was,  that  the  question  of  salary  was  never 
mentioned,  Mr.  C.  trusting  to  the  company  to  be- 
stow upon  him  full  value  for  his  services,  and  the 
latter  proved  worthy  of  the  trust,  and  have  bestowed 
upon  him  liberal  wages  from  the  first.  During  the 


696 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


first  day  in  which  lie  entered  their  employ  he  n:i- 
erippled  by  a  railroad  train,  and  laid  up  for  some 
time,  but  as  soon  as  able  got  about  on  crutches  and 
attended  to  business  as  well  as  he  could.  His  salary 
in  the  meantime  went  on,  and  the  company,  in 
addition,  paid  his  expenses.  With  this  record  little 
further  need  be  said  in  regard  to  his  standing  with 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  popular  insurance  com- 
panies of  the  United  States. 

The  household  circle  of  our  subject  and  his  wife 
was  completed  by  the  birth  of  four  children  :  Sarah 
N.  became  the  wife  of  F.  E.  C.  Hartman,  and  they 
reside  at  Peoria;  Candace  A.  is  at  home  with  her 
parents;  Jennie  married  Mr.  W.  E.  Hamty,  of 
Tolono;  J.  W.,  the  youngest,  is  attending  school  in 
Valparaiso,  Ind.  The  family  residence  is  pleasantly 
located,  and  its  inmates  are  surrounded  by  all  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  They 
are  highly  respected  in  the  community,  and  num- 
ber among  their  friends  and  associates  the  most 
cultured  people  of  Tolono.  Mr.  Culbertson,  al- 
though over  seventy  years  old,  does  not  look  over 
fifty  or  fifty -five.  He  has  an  open  countenance,  a 
bright,  intelligent  eye,  and  is  a  man  with  whom  it 
is  a  pleasure  to^  converse.  He  is  well  informed  upon 
matters  in  general,  and  takes  an  intelligent  interest 
in  the  progress  of  the  world,  both  morally  and 
intellectually. 


B.  RADEBAUGH,  Postmaster  of  Urbana, 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  city  since  1861. 
He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  bora  in 
Bedford  County,  Jan.  11,  1838,  and  is  the 
son  of  Peter  and  Eliza  (Waters)  Radebaugh,  natives 
of  the  same  State  and  county  as  their  son.  His 
father,  who  followed  mercantile  pursuits  for  a 
period  of  thirty-five  years,  in  the  town  of  Bedford, 
removed  from  that  town  to  Fayette  County  in 
18.")(i.  There  he  prosecuted  his  former  business 
until  1861,  and  then  with  his  family  and  household 
goods  came  to  the  Prairie  State,  settling  at  Urbana. 
Here  he  also  established  a  dry-goods  trade,  which 
he  conducted  for  two  years,  and  then  selling  out 
purchased  136  acres  of  land  in  Homer  Township, 


to  which  he  removed  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days,  his  decease  occurring  in  1882.  The 
mother  is  still  living  at  Urbana.  Of  the  thirteen 
children  who  comprised  the  parental  household,  ten 
are  now  living,  and  the  record  is  as  follows: 
Mary  A.,  Mrs.  Reimund,  is  a  resident  of  Nebraska; 
Lottie  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Miller,  of  Urbana; 
William  lives  in  Maryland;  S.  B.,  our  subject,  is 
the  next  in  order  of  birth :  Eliza,  Mrs.  Manspeaker, 
lives  in  Nebraska;  Reuben  W.,  in  Iowa;  Nora,  Mrs. 
Whitney,  in  Troy,  111.;  Harry  C.,  in  Mason  City; 
Carrie,  Mrs.  Custer,  in  Homer,  111.,  and  Millard  F., 
in  Mansfield.  Both  parents  early  in  life  became 
members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  Republican  in  politics,  a  strong 
Union  man,  and  during  the  late  war  recruited  and 
nearly  raised  the  entire  51st  Illinois  Regiment.  He 
was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  took 
an  active  interest  in  public  matters,  being  especially 
interested  in  the  establishment  of  church  and 
schools. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  during  his  early  life 
received  a  good  education,  and  spent  much  of  his 
time  in  his  father's  store,  gaining  an  insight  into 
business  matters  in  general.  When  twenty-four 
years  of  age  he  began  reading  law  with  Judge  Som- 
ers,  of  Urbana,  in  whose  office  he  remained  from 
1862  until  the  latter  part  of  1865.  In  the  fall  of 
that  year  he  was  admitted  to  practice,  and  has  fol- 
lowed his  profession  since  that  time.  He  was  ap- 
pointed Postmaster  by  President  Cleveland,  in 
August,  1885,  and  is  conducting  the  affairs  of  the 
office  with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  all 
concerned.  Mr.  Radebaugh  has  taken  a  prominent 
part  in  the  councils  of  his  townsmen  for  many 
years,  and  served  as  City  Attorney  four  terms.  He 
is  wide-awake,  energetic  -and  industrious,  clear- 
headed, and  possessed  of  remarkably  good  judg- 
ment. 

Mr.  S.  B.  Radebaugh  and  Miss  Olive  L.  Gere 
were  married  in  Urbana,  in  1868.  Mrs.  R.  was 
born  in  the  latter-named  place,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Biddelcome)  Gere,  na- 
tives respectively  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania. 
Of  this  marriage  there  have  been  born  seven  chil- 
dren—Otis B.,  Grace  E.,  Olive  I.,  Clarence  G., 
Earl  (deceased),  Addie  M.  and  Fred  M.  Our  sub- 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


097 


ject  is  Democratic  in  politics,  aurl  socially  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  The  pleasant  and 
attractive  family  residence  is  situated  at  the  corner 
of  Broad  and  High  streets,  and  bears  within  and 
without  all  the  evidences  of  cultivated  tastes  and 
ample  means. 


ELISHA  J.  HILL.  This  gentleman,  whose 
early  ancestors  originated  from  among  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland,  and  whose  maternal 
grandparents,  Nathaniel  and  Flora  (Bloss)  Taylor, 
were  born  there,  first  opened  his  eyes  to  light  in 
Susquehanna  County,  Pa.,  May  16,  1827.  The 
paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  Joseph 
and  Naoma  (Bingham)  Hill,  the  former  an  English- 
man by  birth  and  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  six  sons. 
Naoma's  twin  sister,  Ruth,  married  Joseph  Lummis, 
a  prominent  officer  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  who 
commanded  a  vessel  on  Lake  Ontario,  which  vessel 
was  called  the  "Growler,"  and  was  captured  with 
its  crew  after  a  fearful  struggle,  and  Mr.  Lummis 
was  taken  prisoner,  but  not  until  after  losing  a  foot 
and  having  three  bullets  put  into  his  body.  He 
was  taken  to  Montreal  and  held  as  one  of  seven 
officers  who  were  to  be  executed.  Admiral  Perry, 
learning  the  designs  of  the  British,  sent  them 
woi'd  that  he  would  retaliate  by  executing  two  Brit- 
ish officers  for  every  American  they  put  to  death. 
This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  they  were  paroled 
and  subsequently  exchanged. 

The  parents  of  onr  subject  were  David  and  Sarah 
(Taylor)  Hill,  the  former  of  whom  when  three 
years  of  age  became  a  resident  of  Goshen,  Vt., 
where  he  carried  on  farming  for  a  few  years  and 
thence  removed  to  Pennsylvania,  remaining  there 
until  1856.  In  that  year  he  came  to  the  VVest\and 
took  up  his  abode  with  his  son,  our  subject,  who 
had  located  here  the  year  previously. 

Elisha  J.  Hill  upon  coming  to  Illinois  took  up  a 
tract  of  160  acres  of  wild  land  in  Douglas  County, 
which  he  occupied  for  ten  years,  and  then  sold  out 
and  purchased  eighty  acres  on  section  30,  in  Har- 
wood  Township.  This  was  partially  improved  when 
he  took  possession  of  it,  and  he  has  since  been  indus- 
triously engaged  in  adding  to  its  beauty  and  value. 


The  family  residence  is  a  tasteful  structure,  sit- 
uated in  the  midst  of  well-kept  grounds,  and  the 
adjacent  buildings  are  in  keeping  with  the  good 
taste  of  the  proprietor.  In  addition  to  the  careful 
cultivation  of  the  soil  he  raises  Poland-China  hogs, 
Short-horn  cattle  and  fine  horses,  mostly  roadsters. 
His  land  is  chiefly  devoted  to  grain  and  pasturage. 
Our  subject  before  starting  for  the  West  celebrated 
his  marriage  with  Miss  Hettie  Wiser,  the  ceremony 
occurring  on  the  24th  of  July,  1855.  Mrs.  Hill  is 
the  seventh  child  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Rinchart) 
Wiser,  who  were  among  the  most  respected  residents 
of  the  agricultural  districts  of  Western  Penn- 
sylvania. Of- this  union  were  four  children,  of  whom 
one  son,  David  Henry,  is  now  deceased ;  Charles 
W.  married  Miss  Julia  Griswold,  and  is  engaged  as 
a  butcher  at  Rantoul;  they  have  one  daughter — 
Fay ;  Lois  E.  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Bear,  who  is 
running  a  large  cattle  ranch  near  Delta,  Col. ;  Jen- 
nie E.  remains  at  home  with  her  parents.  Although 
having  no  political  aspirations,  Mr.  Hill  has  fre- 
quently served  his  township  -in  various  capaci- 
ties, being  alwa3rs  willing  to  contribute  his  time 
and  influence  to  the  best  good  of  the  people  around 
him.  In  casting  his  vote  he  usually  supports  the 
Democratic  candidate. 


„..,  DONIJAH  J.  BOWERS.  The  subject  of 
LJI  the  following  history  is  in  many  respects  a 
remarkable  man,  more  than  ordinarily  in- 
telligent, liberal-minded,  public-spirited, 
and  in  fact,  a  model  member  of  society  and  of  his 
farming  community,  with  which  latter  pursuit  he 
has  been  in  harmony  since  old  enough  to  have  a 
mind  of  his  own.  He  owns  a  fine  estate  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  in  the  cultivation  and  embellish- 
ment of  which  he  has  been  engaged  since  the  spring 
of  1873,  and  has  built  up  a  homestead  which  in  all 
respects  comprises  one  of  the  most  attractive 
features  in  the  landscape  of  this  county.  His 
biography,  necessarily  brief  in  a  work  of  this  kind, 
is  substantially  as  follows: 

Mr.  Bowers  was  born  on  the  farm  of  his  grand- 


t 


\  •  r>98 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


father,  near  Clark's  Hill,  Tippecanoe  Co.,  Ind., 
Feb.  it,  1837.  He  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  good 
old  Virginia  stock,  his  grandfather,  Abraham  Bow- 
ers, having  been  born  in  that  State  near  Peters- 
burg, Hardy  County,  about  the  year  1790,  and  to 
which  section  of  country  his  father  had  removed 
while  the  Indian  War  was  in  progress,  and  while 
the  settlers  were  experiencing  all  the  hardships  and 
privations  of  life  in  a  new  country  and  surrounded 
by  an  implacable  foe. 

One  of  the  uncles  of  Abraham  Bowers  was 
captured  by  the  Indians,  carried  to  Ohio  and  held 
five  years,  when  he  made  his  escape,  crossed  the 
Ohio  River  by  swimming,  and  suddenly  appeared 
one  day  before  his  friends  at  his  childhood's  home, 
very  much  to  their  astonishment  and  greatly  to 
their  delight.  Abraham  Bowers  after  reaching 
manhood  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Bryant,  a  native 
of  his  own  State.  They  crossed  the  Alleghany 
Mountains  and  after  passing  the  line  into  the 
Buckeye  State,  the  young  pioneer  and  his  wife 
located  in  Ross  County,  and  in  due  time  became 
the  parents  of  ten  children.  Thence,  in  1829,  they 
removed  to  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  where  they 
spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Among  their  sons 
was  Abner,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who  was  born 
in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  in  June,  1812,  and  removed 
with  his  parents  to  Indiana,  assisting  in  the  labors 
on  the  farm,  and  remaining  under  the  home  roof 
until  his  marriage.  The  lady  destined  to  become 
the  sharer  of  his  home  and  fortunes  was  Miss  Char- 
lotta  Hoffman.  She  was  born  in  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind..  and  was  the  daughter  of  Jonas  and 
Sophia  Hoffman,  her  mother  being  of  French, 
extraction  and  her  father  a  native  of  Virginia. 

After  the  marriage  of  Abner  Bowers  he  became 
a  resident  of  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  and  subse- 
quently Montgomery  County,  that  State.  His  good 
wife  died  in  1842,  leaving  four  children,  two  sons 
and  two  daughters,  namely,  Christena,  Esther, 
Abraham,  and  A.  J.  of  our  sketch.  After  the  death 
.  of  the  mother  the  father  was  again  married,  to  a 
lady  of  Tippecanoe  County,  Miss  Elizabeth  Baer. 
Of  this  union  there  were  born  five  children,  named 
respectively  William  N..  Jesse,  Silas,  Austin  and 
Charlotte. 

The  subject  of  this  history   spent  his   boyhood 


and  youth  in  Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  receiving 
a  fair  education  in  the  common  schools.  He  com- 
pleted his  studies  in  the  High  School  in  Boone,and 
afterward  employed  himself  several  winters  as  a 
teacher.  He  was  married  when  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  to  Miss  Ruth  Raper,  a  native  of  Montgomery 
County,  and  daughter  of  Henry  and  Elina  (Bufkin) 
Raper.  The  wedding  took  place  in  the  winter  of 
1859,  and  the  young  people  remained  residents  of 
Montgomery  County  until'  1873.  The  first  labors 
of  Mr.  B.  upon  starting  out  in  life  for  himself  con- 
sisted in  battling  with  the  heavy  timber  of  a  tract 
of  land  which  he  had  leased,  where  he  slowly  and 
laboriously  succeeded  in  laying  the  foundations  for 
his  future  prosperity.  Then,  thinking  that  he 
would  like  to  locate  in  Central  Illinois,  he  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  on  section  2,  St.  Joseph 
Township,  the  homestead  being  familiarly  known  as 
the  Benjamin  Argo  place,  upon  which  that  pioneer 
settled  in  1835.  It  comprises  200  acres  of  some  of 
the  finest  farming  land  in  this  section,  and  through 
the  manipulation  of  its  present  proprietor  has  pro- 
duced wonders  in  the  quality  and  quantity  of  its 
crops.  The  residence  is  a  neat  and  substantial 
building,  put  up  in  1881,  and  occupies  a  rise  of 
ground  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding 
country.  In  the  rear  is  a  good  orchard  and  out- 
buildings, and  all  other  appliances  of  a  first-class 
country  estate.  The  farm  operations  have  been 
conducted  with  ability  and  good  judgment,  and  the 
soil  has  yielded  to  the  hand  of  the  proprietor  an- 
nually a  handsome  income. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bowers,  of  whom 
one  is  deceased,  are  recorded  as  follows:  Ella  G. 
became  the  wife  of  Frank  Yomans,  and  lives  in  St. 
Joseph  Township;  Charlotta  is  the  wife  of  Fran- 
cis M.  Hoss;  Prince  A.  is  deceased;  Frank  C., 
Abraham,  Martha,  Mary,  Adonijah  R..  Abner, 
Lucretia  and  Garfield  are  at  home.  Mr.  Bowers  lias 
always  exerted  himself  to  promote  the  welfare  of 
the  people  around  him,  serving  as  School  Trustee, 
and  being  generally  interested  in  the  enterprises 
set  on  foot  for  the  benefit  of  the  people.  Both  he 
and  his  estimable  wife  are  members  of  the  German 
Baptist  Church,  in  which  Mr.  B.  has  officiated  as  a 
minister  since  1882.  He  is  Republican  in  polities, 
and  is  in  all  respects  a  fine  illustration  of  the  self- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-ir 

699  4  ' 


made  man.  who  began  in  life  at  the  foot  of  the 
ladder,  and  through  his  own  unaided  efforts  has 
attained  to  a  good  position  socially  and  financially. 


GUIS  VAUTRIN.  The  biography  of  this 
representative  citizen  of  Harwood  Town- 
ship  is  in  the  main  as  follows  :  He  was  born 
in  the  old  French  Province  of  Lorraine  previous  to 
the  Franco-Prussian  War,  on  the  25th.  of  October, 
1841,  and  was  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  four 
children,  the  offspring  of  Francis  and  Elizabeth 
(Pombrie)  Vautrin,  natives  of  the  same  Province. 
The  former  was  one  of  the  soldiers  of  the  first 
Napoleon,  engaging  with  the  great  commander  in 
his  last  disastrous  campaign. 

The  father  of  our  subject  occupied  the  post  of 
Sergeant  Major  in  the  Imperial  Guard,  being  chief 
of  the  band  of  musicians,  and  followed  the  fortunes 
of  Bonaparte  for  a  period  of  sixteen  years.  He 
was  in  many  of  the  hardest  fought  battles,  namely, 
that  of  Pesth  and  on  the  bloody  field  of  Toulon, 
where  Bonaparte  gave  the  first  decided  proofs  of 
his  military  genius.  This  city  was  also  made 
further  memorable  as  the  port  from  which  Napoleon 
embarked  previous  to  his  memorable  campaign  in 
Egypt.  Francis  Vautrin  left  the  service  only  when 
his  leader  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of 
Waterloo,  where  Napoleon  was  completely  over- 
thrown. He  then,  with  the  balance  of  his  com- 
rade.!, returned  home.  He  was  at  this  time  thirty 
years  of  age,  having  entered  the  service  when  four- 
teen years  old.  After  the  surrender  of  Napoleon 
the  Prussians  and  Russians  invaded  the  Province  of 
Lorraine  many  times,  destroying  everything  that  lay 
before  them  and  desolating  the  country.  With 
others  the  father  of  our  subject  was  obliged  to  sub- 
mit to  the  grossest  outrages,  but  such  was  his  affec- 
tion for  the  region  of  his  birth  that  he  remained 
there  through  it  all  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  in  1875. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  in  1857,  bidding  adieu 
to  the  friends  and  associations  of  his  childhood, 
embarked  on  a  sailing-vessel  at  Havre  bound  for 
America,  and  after  a  voyage  of  forty-two  days, 
landed  in  New  York  City.  A  few  days  later  he  set 


out  for  the  West.  After  a  brief  time  spent  in 
Chicago  he  went  to  Peoria,  and  from  there  to  a 
point  near  Fremont,  in  Tazewell  County,  where  he 
rented  a  tract  of  land  and  commenced  farming.  He 
met  with  fair  success  in  his  struggle  with  an  alien 
soil,  and  continued  thus  employed  until  the  out- 
break of  the  late  Civil  War.  He  had  sufficiently 
acquainted  himself  with  American  institutions  to 
determine  at  once  upon  which  side  his  sympathies 
lay,  and  accordingly,  after  the  call  for  three- 
months'  men,  enlisted  in  the  ranks.  His  services, 
however,  were  not  required  in  the  field,  and  after 
his  honorable  discharge  he  returned  to  his  farm. 
The  conflict,  however,  did  not  end  here,  and  the 
following  year  our  subject  re-enlisted  in  Co.  A, 
108th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  under  command  of  Col.  John 
Warren.  The  latter  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Turner, 
of  Pekin,  and  under  command  of  the  latter  our 
subject,  with  his  comrades,  in  October  left  Peoria 
for  Covington,  Ky.,  where  they  were  re-organized 
and  equipped  for  duty. 

From  Covington  the  108th  proceeded  down  the 
river  to  Memphis,  where  they  joined  the  army  of 
Gen.  Sherman,  took  part  in  the  first  battle  of  Vicks- 
burg,  and  were  among  the  last  to  leave  the  field, 
having  guarded  the  rear  of  the  retreating  army. 
Thence  they  drifted  down  the  Yazoo  River  to  its 
confluence  with  the  Mississippi,  and  proceeding 
northward  stormed  and  captured  Arkansas  Post. 
Here  Mr.  Vautrin  witnessed  the  killing  and  wound- 
ing of  many  of  his  comrades  but  himself  escaped, 
although  by  a  hairsbreadth.  Afterward  the  regi- 
ment withdrew  to  Young's  Point,  La.,  opposite 
Vicksburg,  where  they  went  into  winter  quarters 
and  employed  themselves  working  on  the  canal 
which  was  to  be  used  to  convey  the  fleet  down  the 
river.  In  the  spring  of  1863  the  regiment  was 
detailed  to  the  command  of  Gen.  Grant,  and  par- 
ticipated with  him  through  his  campaign  against 
Vicksburg,  remaining  with  him  until  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Ft.  Gibson.  Our  subject  and  a  number  of 
his  comrades  were  then  sent  to  Memphis  with  a  lot 
of  prisoners  secured  there,  after  which  they  were 
returned  to  Young's  Point  and  detailed  to  guard 
that  vicinity,  which  was  one  of  the  strongholds  of 
the  enemy.  During  this  campaign  sixteen  of  the 
gunboats  ran  the  blockade  at  Vicksburg.  During 


N      700 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  run,  which  the  rebels  had  anticipated,  the  bank 
of  the  river  for  miles  was  a  line  of  living  flame, 
proceeding  from  barrels  of  lighted  tar  and  oil,  and 
the  cannonading  shook  the  ground  for  miles  on 
every  side.  With  one  exception  all  the  vessels 
passed  through  in  safety.  This  was  disabled  and 
sunk,  though  nearly  all  the  crew  were  saved. 

After  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  the  108th  Illi- 
nois, or  what  was  left  of  it,  was  again  sent  up  to 
Memphis.  Mr.  Vautrin  at  that  point  was  seized 
with  typhoid  fever,  from  which  he  did  not  recover 
until  after  his  regiment  had  left.  Upon  becoming 
convalescent  he  was  sent  up  to  St.  Louis,  placed  in 
the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  and  did  detective  duty 
in  the  North  from  that  time  until  his  discharge.  He 
was  occupied  a  large  portion  of  the  time  in  hunt- 
ing "bounty-jumpers"  in  Michigan  and  Canada. 
They  captured  400  of  these,  whom  they  delivered 
in  Washington  City  to  be  disposed  of  by  the  gen- 
eral Government.  Upon  one  trip  the  train  was 
wrecked,  and  the  car  containing  the  "jumpers" 
thrown  over  an  embankment  and  lodged  on  a  rail 
fence.  The  hot  stove  set  the  car  on  fire,  and  its 
inmates  barely  escaped  by  dashing  through  the 
windows  and  crawling  out  from  underneath.  They 
were  picked  up,  placed  in  another  coach  and  taken 
to  their  destination.  This  is  but  one  of  the  many 
thrilling  scenes  through  which  our  subject  passed 
while  making  war  upon  the  enemies  of  his  country, 
but  with  the  exception  of  impaired  health  he  es- 
caped unharmed  and  was  permitted  to  return  to 
the  scenes  of  a  more  peaceful  time. 

After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  from  the 
military  service  Mr.  Vautrin  traced  his  steps  to  the 
city  of  Detroit,  where  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  Louisa  Condo,  in  the  fall  of  1865. 
The  young  people  located  first  on  a  farm  in  Taze- 
well  County,  this  State,  which  Mr.  V.  had  purchased, 
and  which  embraced  forty  acres  of  land.  After  a 
residence  there  of  six  years  he  sold  out  and  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  wild  land  within  seven  miles 
of  Paxton,  which  he  occupied  seven  years,  then 
sold  this  also  and  purchased  eight}'  acres  in  Har- 
wood  Township,  this  county,  where  he  now  resides. 
Upon  this  he  has  effected  great  improvements,  bring- 
ing the  land  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  putting  up 
substantial  buildings,  and  enhancing  its  beauty  and 


value  as  time  and  opportunity  afforded.  He  has 
been  closely  occupied  with  his  own  concerns  and  in 
the  fulfilling  of  his  obligations  as  a  trusted  citizen. 
He  meddles  with  politfcs  no  further  than  to  cast 
his  vote  in  support  of  Republican  principles.  He 
has  been  a  School  Director  in  his  district  for  the 
past  six  years,  and,  with  his  estimable  wife,  is  a  mem- 
ber in  good  standing  of  the  Christian  Church,  with 
which  they  became  connected  over  twenty  years 
ago. 

The  seven  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vautrin 
were  named  respective!}'.  Eunice,  Elizabeth,  Flor- 
ence, Frank,  Rosa,  Louie  and  Myrtle.  Of  these 
the  eldest  and  youngest,  Eunice  and  Myrtle,  are 
the  only  ones  living,  and  are  residing  at  home. 
They  have  been  well  educated  and  carefully  trained, 
and  form  the  comfort  and  support  of  their  parents. 


SHOMAS  W.  A.  WILSON,  proprietor  of  one 
of  the  finest  farms  in  Central  Illinois,  is 
located  in  Somer  Township,  on  section  12, 
and  has  been  in  possession  of  his  present  homestead 
since  1865.  Our. subject  comes  from  excellent  and 
substantial  stock,  and  was  born  in  Richland  Town- 
ship, Fairfield  Co.,  Ohio,  Dec.  16,'l821.  His  father, 
Isaac  Wilson,  a  native  of  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  was 
born  in  December,  1791,  and  his  grandfather,  Will- 
iam Wilson,  supposed  to  have  been  a  native  of  the 
same  State,  farmed  there  until  1798.  Thence  he 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  that  part  of  the  North- 
west Territory  now  included  in  the  State  of  Ohio. 
This  was  befor.e  even  the  day  of  wagon  roads,  and  the 
removal  was  made  with  pack  horses.  From  Wheel- 
ing, W.  Va.,  to  what  is  now  Fairfield  County,  Ohio, 
they  followed  a  trail  marked  by  blazed  trees.  The 
land  then  was  not  even  surveyed,  and  William  Wil- 
son made  a  "  squatter's "  claim  and  built  a  log 
cabin,  into  which  he  removed  with  his  family.  A 
few  years  later,  when  the  land  was  put  upon  the 
market  he  entered  1  60  acres,  cleared  a  farm  from 
the  wilderness,  and  remained  there  until  his  death. 
His  son  Isaac,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  lad 
of  six  years  old  when  his  parents  removed  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Ohio.  After  they  had  selected 
their  location  the}'  found  themselves  sixty  miles 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


701 


from  the  nearest  mill  on  the  Kinnikinnick.  During 
the  first  winter  they  lived  mostly  on  wild  game  and 
corn  bread.  The  father  manufactured  a  rude  well- 
sweep,  and  the  mortar  in  which  they  converted 
their  corn  into  meal  consisted  of  a  log  hollowed  out 
for  the  purpose.  An  iron  wedge  was  inserted  in 
the  end  of  a  pole,  and  the  latter  attached  to  the  end 
of  the  sweep,  which  in  turn  was  worked  from  the 
ground  by  means  of  a  rope.  This  constituted  a 
primitive  labor-saving  machine,  and  was  effectual 
in  reducing  the  corn  to  meal  and  hominy.  It  was 
also  considered  a  great  improvement  upon  travel- 
ing through  the  wilderness  sixty  miles  to  mill,  with 
the  danger  of  being  scalped  by  the  Indians  or 
devoured  by  wild  beasts. 

Amid  these  wild  scenes  the  father  of  our  subject 
grew  to  manhood,  receiving,  as  it  may  be  supposed, 
extremely  limited  educational  opportunities.  He 
was  nearly  grown  to  manhood  before  there  were 
people  enough  to  establish  a  school.  He  was  pos- 
sessed, however,  of  natural  abilities  above  the  com- 
mon order,  and  became  successful  as  a  farmer  and 
business  man.  After  his  marriage  his  father  pre- 
sented him  with  110  acres  of  timber  land,  which  he 
cleared  and  sold  at  a  good  profit,  bought  again,  and 
became  quite  an  extensive  dealer  in  real  estate, 
owning  at  the  time  of  his  death  1)00  acres  in  Fair- 
field  County.  He  departed  this  lif§  Dec.  2,  1864. 
His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  formerly 
Miss  Jane  Pateu.  She  was  born  in  York  County, 
Pa.,  in  1794,  and  died  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio, 
in  1867. 

The  parental  household  included  seven  children, 
four  of  whom  grew  to  mature  years,  namely: 
Thomas  W.  A.,  of  our  sketch;  Harvey,  who  died 
in  Missouri ;  John,  who  occupies  the  old  homestead 
in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  and  Priscilla,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  A.  B.  Gillett,  and  died  in  Fairfield 
Courty  in  about  1862.  The  mother  was  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  She  looked 
well  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  was  beloved 
and  respected  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and 
acquaintances. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  during  his  childhood 
and  youth  attended  both  the  public  and  subscription 
schools  during  the  winter,  and  assisted  in  the  im- 
provement and  cultivation  of  the  farm  during  the 


summer  season,  remaining  at  home  until  after  his 
marriage.  This  event  occurred  June  9,  1845,  the 
maiden  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Rachel  Wimp,  a 
native  of  his  own  county,  and  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Caroline  Wimp,  the  father  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  the  mother  of  Ohio.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  eight  children,  of  whom  the  record 
is  as  follows :  Flora  became  the  wife  of  John  Don- 
ovan, and  lives  in  Aurora,  this  State ;  Henry  C.  is 
a  resident  of  Stanton  Township,  this  county; 
Marian  C.  married  David  Friesner,  of  Chicago; 
Thomas  lives  in  Elgin,  111.,  and  Isaac  in  Stanton 
Township,  this  county;  Kate,  who  married  L.  Os- 
good,  died  at  the  home  of  her  parents,  Oct.  30, 
1877,  aged  nineteen  years;  Ella,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Nelson,  lives  on  the  homestead  with  her  father; 
Frank  is  a  resident  of  Aurora.  The  wife  and 
mother  departed  this  life  on  the  8th  of  May,  1885, 
deeply  lamented  by  her  family  and  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

The  homestead  of  Mr.  Wilson  in  all  its  appoint- 
ments indicates  the  supervision  of  the  intelligent 
and  progressive  modern  farmer.  It  is  provided 
with  a  substantial  set  of  farm  buildings,  including- 
a  fine  residence  and  good  barns,  and  the  stock  and 
machinery  are  of  first-class  description  and  well 
cared  for.  The  hand  of  industry  and  taste  is 
apparent  on  every  side,  and  the  attention  of  the 
passing  traveler  is  invariably  attracted  to  this  as 
one  of  the  finest  country  estates  ever  built  upon  the 
uncultivated  prairie. 


eHARLES  H.  CONNOR,  of  the  firm  of  Con- 
nor, Patton  <fe  Co.,  proprietors  of  the  Ran- 
toul  Tile  Works,  established  business  with 
his  partners  in  March,  1882.  The  works  were  first 
located  in  the  southeastern  part  of  town,  and  have 
the  latest  and  most  improved  machinery  adapted  to 
this  industry.  This  includes  a  thirty-horse-power 
engine,  and  the  stack  pipe  is  sixty-five  feet  in 
height.  Three  good  kilns  assist  in  turning  out  the 
best  quality  of  tile  in  this  part  of  the  county,  and 
the  capacity  is  25,000  weekly.  The  dry-house  per- 
form, i  its  operations  thoroughly  with  the  aid  of 
4,400  feet  of  steam  pipe,  and  the  annual  product  of 


f 


,  >    702 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  establishment  is  about  1,000,000  per  year. 
Transportation  is  effected  by  means  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad,  and  the  company  receive  orders 
from  all  parts  of  this,  and  adjacent  States. 

Mr.  Connor  was  born  in  Columbia  County,  N. 
Y.,  Feb.  10,  1859.  His  father,  John  Connor,  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  -State,  followed  farming  the  greater 
part  of  his  life,  first  in  New  York,  and  then  in  this 
State.  He  first  purchased  a  farm  in  Knox  County, 
111.,  after  coming  to  the  West,  whence  he  removed 
to  this  county  and  established  himself  on  a  farm 
two  and  one-half  miles  east  of  Rantoul.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Mary  Murphy,  was  a  native  of  the  same  State 
as  her  husband  and  son.  The  family  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1867. 

Mr.  Connor  early  in  life  formed  an  intimate  ac- 
quaintance with  the  labors  of  the  farm,  and  com- 
pleted his  education  in  the  schools  of  Rantoul 
Township.  He  remained  under  the  home  roof  until 
reaching  his  majority,  and  then  starting  out  for  him- 
self secured  a  part  ownership  in  a  steam  thresher,  of 
which  he  made  a  fine  success.  After  operating 
this  four  years  he  sold  his  machine  to  good  advan- 
tage and  embarked  in  his  present  business,  of 
which,  with  the  aid  of  his  efficient  partners,  he  has 
made  a  fine  success,  and  by  his  sterling  integrity 
and  courteous  treatment  of  those  with  whom  he 
deals,  has  laid  the  foundation  of  a  handsome  in- 
come and  a  later  competency. 


HOMAS  FREEMAN,  residing  on  section 
19,  Ogden  Township,  became  a  resident  of 
this  locality  during  the  pioneer  days.  His 
residence  is  a  fine  brick  structure,  built  in  1877,  at 
a  cost  of  $2,600.  Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
and  was  born  in  Belmont  County,  April  11,  1826. 
His  father,  James  Freeman,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, was  born  in  1801,  and  departed  this  life  Nov. 
4,  1867.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  who  in  her 
girlhood  was  Miss  Rebecca  Ogden,  was  born  on  St. 
Valentine's  Day,  1804. 

The  marriage  of  the  parents  took  place   on   the 
5th  of  May,   1825,  and   of  this  union   there  were 
'  '  born  ten  children,  eight  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 


The  mother  departed  this  life  Oct.  5,  1854.  Both 
parents  were  exemplary  in  their  lives,  and  worthy 
members  of  the  Christian  Church.  The  family  re- 
moved from  Ohio  to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1830, 
locating  first  in  Vermilion  County.  Two  years 
later  they  changed  their  place  of  atode  to  a  point 
on  the  Salt  Fork  of  the  Vermilion  River,  in  this 
county,  where  the  father  of  our  subject  purchased 
1.100  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  continued  to 
live  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

James  Freeman  commenced  life  without  a  cent 
in  his  pocket,  and  at  its  close  had  accumulated  a 
large  competency.  He  was  a  man  of  much  force 
of  character,  and  one  whose  judgment  was  held  in 
high  regard.  He  occupied  the  minor  offices  of  his 
township,  and  was  Captain  in  a  company  of  the 
State  Militia  for  several  years.  The  first  children 
of  the  household  were  Thomas,  of  our  sketch,  and 
Mary  (twins).  The  latter  became  the  wife  of 
David  Mead,  and  died  Oct.  25,  1876.  The  remain- 
ing children  were  Edmund,  Lydia  A.,  Angeline, 
Yates,  Eleazer,  Andrew,  Rebecca  who  died  when 
three  months  old,  and  Martha  when  four  years  old. 

Thomas  Freeman,  on  the  16th  of  August,  1849, 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy  Redman, 
who  was  born  in  Monroe  County,  Ohio,  in  the  same 
year  as  himself,  and  on  the  16th  of  the  month  follow- 
ing that  of  his  own  birth.  Her  parents  were  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Wright)  Redman,  natives  of  Virginia, 
the  former  born  in  1792,  and  the  latter  Dec.  18, 
1799.  The}'  passed  to  their  long  home  years  ago. 
The  children  of  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Freeman  were 
born  as  follows:  Reuben,  Feb.  10,  1820;  Mary, 
Sept.  11,  1821 ;  Sarah,  Nov.  15,  1822;  Hettie,  Dec. 
28,  1824;  Nancy,  March  16,  1826;  Rachel  and 
Ruth  (twins),  Nov.  27,  1828;  John,  Feb.  10,  1831; 
Martha,  March  4,  1833;  Elias,  April  21,  1835;  Isaac, 
now  deceased,  July  22,  1837;  Rebecca.  July  4, 
1840,  and  Clarinda,  Jan.  4,  1844. 

The  children  of  Thomas  Freeman  and  his  wife 
are  recorded  as  follows:  Mary  M.  was  born  July 
16,  1850;  Edmund  R.,  March  15,  1852;  John  T., 
July  25,  1854;  James  J.,  May  27,  1858;  William 
H.,  May  22,  1861,  Martha,  Aug.  25,  1862.  Mr.  F. 
has  held  the  office  of  .School  Director,  and  is  at 
present  Township  Trustee.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. He  and  his  excellent  wife  are  members 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


703 


of  the  Christian  Church.  Their  children  have  been 
carefully  trained  and  well  educated,  and  are  follow- 
ing in  the  footsteps  of  their  honored  parents,  be- 
ing useful  in  the  community,  and  filling  their 
various  stations  in  life  with  credit  and  honor.  Their 
names  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


EVERARD  FOULKK,  the  descendant  of  a 
long  line  of  honorable  ancestry,  is  a  retired 
farmer,  residing  on  section  34,  Sidney 
Township.  He  is  the  son  of  Edward  and  Ann  D. 
(Haven)  Foulke,  and  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
July  21,  1800.  The  family  is  of  Welsh  extraction, 
though  all  of  its  members  since  1698  have  been  born 
in  America.  His  father,  the  youngest  of  nine  chil- 
dren, was  born  on  the  8th  of  September,  1755,  and 
died  on  the  5th  of  the  same  month  in  the  year 
1827.  The  following  are  the  names  of  his  brothers 
and  sisters:  Abigail,  born  May  18,  1799,  and  died 
Jan.  1,  1852;  Elenor,  born  July  18,  1781,  died  on 
the  28th  of  April,  1815;  Caleb,  born  on  the  29th  of 
August.  1783,  died  on  the  22d  of  February,  1852; 
Samuel,  born  on  the  28th  of  March,  1786,  died  on 
the  2d  of  February,  1872;  Thomas  D.,  born  on  the 
13th  of  April,  1789,  died  on  the  17th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1831 ;  Susanna,  born  on  the  18th  of  September, 
1791,  died  on  the  17th  of  April,  1883;  Ann,  born 
on  the  13th  of  May,  1794,  died  on  the  16th  of 
September,  1820,  and  Margaret,  born  on  the  25th 
of  December,  1796,  died  on  the  25th  of  March,  1 878. 
His  mother,  Ann  D.  (Haven) Foulke,  was  born  on 
the  17th  of  June,  1757,  and  died  on  the  13th  of 
March,  1827. 

Our  subject's  grandparents  were  Thomas  and 
Jane  (Roberts)  Foulke,  the  former  born  on  the  1st 
of  March,  1724,  and  the  latter  on  the  3d  of  No- 
vember, 1732.  Their  children  were  Everard,  born 
on  the  8th  of  September,  1755;  Edward,  born  on 
the  17th  of  December,  1756:  Samuel,  born  on  the 
3d  of  January,  1761;  Abigail,  born  on  the  6th  of 
December,  1763;  Susanna,  born  on  the  5th  of  No- 
vember, 1766,  and  Samuel,  born  on  the  19th  of 
November,  1769.  There  were  two  children  called 
Samuel,  the  elder  one  bearing  the  name  having 
died,  His  great-grandfather,  Hugh  Foulke,  was 


born  on  the  6th  of  July,  1685,  and  died  on  the  21st 
of  May,  1760.  His  wife,  Ann  Williams,  was  born 
on  the  8th  of  November,  1693,  and  died  on  the 
10th  of  September,  1773.  The  following  are  the 
names  and  dates  of  birth  of  their  children :  Mary, 
born  Sept.  25,  1714;  Martha,  Sept.  24,  1716;  Sam- 
uel, Dec.  5,  1718;  Ellen,  Jan.  19.  1720;  John,  Dec. 
21,  1722;  Thomas,  Jan.  15,  1724;  Theophilus,  Dec. 
21,  1726;  William,  Dec.  10,  1728;  Edward,  Oct. 
19, '1730;  Ann,  Jan.  1,  1732,  and  Jane,  Jan.  3,  1734. 

We  will  now  return  to  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
Mr.  Everard  Foulke,  whose  lineage  has  been  traced 
through  several  generations.  Mr.  Foulke  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Fannie  Watson,  on 
the  llth  of  May,  1825.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Euphemia  (Ingham)  Watson.  Her  father 
was  born  on  the  25th  of  August,  1774,  and  her 
mother  in  1773.  Their  marriage  took  place  on 
the  20th  of  June,  1795.  The  names  of  their  chil- 
dren and  the  dates  of  their  birth  are  as  follows: 
Fannie,  born  May  24,  1796;  Jonathan  1.,  Nov.  10, 
1797;  Joseph,  Dec.  17,  1799 ;  Isaiah,  Aug.  29.1801; 
Hannah,  April  26,  1 803;  John  H.,  Dec.  30,  1804; 
Euphemia,  Sept.  28,  1806 ;  Anthony  H.,  April  28, 
1808,  and  Samuel  I.,  April  22,  1816.  The  mother 
of  these  children  died  on  the  6th  of  May,  1816. 
On  the  31st  of  December,  1817,  Mr.  Watson 
formed  a  second  matrimonial  alliance,  with  Martha 
Duncan.  By  this  marriage  he  had  two  children; 
Richard,  born  Feb.  3,  1823,  and  Martha  I.,  born 
Feb.  15,  1825.  The  mother  of  these  children  is 
dead. 

Our  subject  and  wife  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  six  children:  Watson,  born  Sept.  10,  1826, 
is  living  in  Kansas;  W.  D.,  born  June  5,  1828,  is 
living  in  Rossville,  Vermilion  Co.,  111. ;  Jonathan  I., 
born  March  20,  1830,  died  Oct.  9,  1858;  Thomas 
D.,  born  July  27,  1833,  is  an  invalid;  Euphemia 
A..,  born  Sept.  11,  1834,  died  July  7,  1835;  Lester 
E.,  born  Oct.  16,  1837,  is  living  on  his  father's 
farm.  His  two  sons,  Watson  and  Thomas,  did 
honorable  service  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

Although  Mr.  Foulke's  early  educational  advant- 
ages were  limited  he  nevertheless  succeeded  in  ac- 
quiring a  good  English  education.  From  boyhood, 
both  from  inclination  and  circumstances,  his  life 
has  been  associated  with  farming.  He  resided  in 


l    • 

r 


704 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Pennsylvania  until  the  spring  of  1845,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  and  remained  there 
until  1857,  with  his  wife  and  two  children.  He 
then  came  to  Sidney  Township,  where  he  has  since 
continued  to  reside.  He  is  the  owner  of  160  acres 
of  well-improved  land,  known  as  the  Arthur 
Springs  farm.  Although  he  is  in  his  eighty-sev- 
enth year,  he  possesses  all  the  faculties,  both  men- 
tal and  physical,  of  a  man  of  sixty.  He  has  in  his 
possession  some  interesting  family  relics;  among 
them  is  a  brass  clock  which  belonged  to  his  father, 
and  has  been  iu  the  family  for  more  than  100 
year;  it  is  in  running  order  and  keeps  good  time; 
aii  old  docket  of  his  father's,  when  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  dated  17!)5,  and  an  ancient  chair,  made  by 
Hugh  Foulke,  his  great-grandfather.  He  is  a  Qua- 
ker in  religious  belief,  and  his  political  sympathies 
are  with  the  Republican  party. 


BARTLET  L.  ELLROD.  deceased,  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  Champaign  County,  and 
fJD)  ||j  a  resident  of  Urbana  Township.  His  par- 
ents, John  and  Sarah  (Collyer)  Ellrod,  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Ohio,  and  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  Bartlet  Ellrod  was  a  native  of  the 
State  of  Ohio,  and  came  to  Illinois  when  a  young 
man,  settling  on  the  Sangamon  River.  After  hav- 
ing purchased  and  improved  a  farm,  he  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Busey,  who  died  two  years  after 
their  marriage.  Dissatisfied  with  his  now  desolate 
home,  he  sold  his  farm  and  removed  to  Urbana 
Township,  where  he  married  Miss  Matilda  Brook- 
shier,  the  daughter  of  Joel  and  Sarah  Brookshier. 
Her  family  were  of  English  descent,  and  were  na- 
tives of  Randolph  County,  N.  C.,  and  when  she 
was  about  two  years  of  age  they  moved  from 
North  Carolina  to  Montgomery  County,  Ind.  They 
had  a  family  of  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  grew 
to  maturity,  and  all  married  with  the  exception  of 
one,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three. 

After  his  second  marriage,  Mr.  Ellrod  purchased 
and  made  his  home  on  the  farm  where  his  widow 
now  resides.  It  is  located  on  section  1,  Urbana 
Township,  and  contains  200  acres  of  choice,  well- 


improved  land.  Bartlet  Ellrod  was  an  enterpris- 
ing farmer,  and  at  the  same  time  was  very  success- 
ful in  stock-raising.  While  not  actively  interested 
in  public  affairs,  he  was  a  man  of  good  business 
qualifications,  and  in  every  respect  was  highly  es- 
teemed in  the  community.  He  died  at  his  home, 
March  18,  1856,  leaving  his  widow  and  two  chil- 
dren, a  son  and  daughter,  to  mourn  their  loss.  The 
children  are  Isaac  and  Elizabeth,  and  the  latter  is 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Kerr,  a  resident  of  this  county. 
Mrs.  Ellrod  and  her  son  conduct  the  farm.  They 
are  now  engaged  in  raising  horses,  fine  cattle  and  a 
high  grade  of  hogs. 


eHARLES  S.  HUNT,  a  young  and  enterpris- 
ing farmer  of  Harwood  Township,  was  born 
in  Union  County,  Ind.,  May  9,  1854,  and 
was  the  youngest  child  of  Aaron  and  Jane  (Brown) 
Hunt.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  near 
Cincinnati,  and  was  the  son  of  Charles  and  Mary 
Hunt. 

Aaron  Hunt  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Montgomery  County,  Ind.  His  wife  was  a  native 
of  Union  County,  Ind.,  and  was  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  Brown,  who  were  also  among 
the  earliest  pioneers  of  that  State.  In  1860 
Aaron  Hunt  came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Cham- 
paign County,  where  he  remained  for  about  twenty 
years.  Having  suffered  an  irreparable  loss  iu  the 
death  of  his  beloved  wife,  and  feeling  unsettled  in 
his  home,  he  changed  his  residence  to  Dakota.  He 
now  makes  his  home  in  the  family  of  his  married 
daughter. 

Charles  S.  Hunt  left  home  to  seek  his  own  fort- 
une in  the  world  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  with  only 
the  meager  educational  advantages  of  the  district 
school  to  aid  his  clear  head,  brave  heart  and  strong 
hands  in  fighting  the  battle  of  life.  He  first  worked 
on  a  farm  for  two  years,  gaining  something  in  ex- 
perience, if  but  little  in  capital.  His  next  venture 
was  to  engage  in  farming  for  himself  on  rented 
land,  which  he  continued  to  do  for  about  five 
years.  His  prospects  having  materially  improved, 
his  next  venture  was  matrimonial.  Feb.  5,  1877, 
he  married  Miss  Annie  Stewart,  the  second  child 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


705 


of   Charles  and  Mary  (Shank)  Stewart,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  respectively. 

Mr.  Hunt  first  settled  near  the  home  of  his  wife's 
mother,  where  he  engaged  in  fanning  for  one  sea- 
son. He  then  conducted  a  farm  eighteen  months, 
for  Mr.  Breiner,  and  when  his  engagement  with 
that  gentleman  terminated,  he  moved  to  section 
30,  Harwood  Township,  where  he  has  remained  for 
the  past  seven  years.  He  is  an  active,  energetic 
man,  and  is  quite  extensively  engaged  in  raising 
the  finest  breeds  of  stock — Short-horn  cattle,  Nor- 
man horses,  Poland-China  hogs  and  Southdown 
sheep,  lie  always  votes  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  has  been  elected  Collector  two  years  succes- 
sively on  that  ticket. 


B.  MORRIS  is  an  extensive  grain- 
dealer  at  Myra  Station,  and  one  of  the 
young  and  rising  men  of  the  State.  He  is 
second  son  of  James  H.  and  Mary  A. 
Morris,  and  was  born  near  Rushville,  the  county 
seat  of  Rush  County,  Ind.,  Nov.  2,  1859. 

Robert  Morris  received  a  good  practical  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  and  afterward  attended 
Bryant  <fe  Stratton's  Commercial  College  in  Chi- 
cago, when,  having  acquired  some  knowledge  of 
.business,  he  was  employed  as  book-keeper  by  the 
firm  of  Burley  &  Tyrrell,  of  that  city.  He  next 
went  to  Elgin  and  engaged  in  book-keeping  there, 
making  that  his  residence  for  some  time.  In  the 
fall  of  1884  Mr.  Morris  began  dealing  in  grain  at 
Myra  Station  on  the  Wabash  Road,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  shipping  of  all  kinds  of  grain,  and  is 
now  extensively  carrying  on  that  business.  He 
annually  ships  about  150,000  bushels  of  grain,  and 
besides  this  business  he  is  also  engaged  in  agricult- 
ural pursuits.  His  fine  and  productive  farm,  known 
as  "  Sycamore  Home,"  is  located  on  section  15, 
Urbana  Township,  and  a  view  of  the  same  is  given 
elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Mr.  Morris  is  an  active,  energetic  business  man, 
alive  to  all  the  interests  of  the  county  and  the 
State.  He  is  School  Director  in  District  No.  4 ;  is 
a  member  of  the  order  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 


and  is  Secretary  of  the  Champaign  County  Grain- 
Dealers'  Association,  which  is  a  branch  of  the  State 
Grain -Dealers'  Association. 


ILLIAM  D.  EARL,  a  highly  respected 
farmer  of  Scott  Township,  and  comfort- 
ably located  on  section  16,  is  a  native  of 
Ross  County,  Ohio,  and  was  born  Dec.  11,  1847. 
His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Augus- 
tus) Earl,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland  and  the 
latter  of  Ohio.  After  marriage  they  located  in 
Ross  County,  the  latter  State,  where  Thomas  Earl 
the  remainder  of  his  life  followed  farming  pursuits, 
and  where  both  parents  closed  their  eyes  upon  the 
scenes  of  earth.  Their  family  of  eleven  children 
consisted  of  four  girls  and  seven  boys,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  tenth  in  order  of  birth. 

William  D.  Earl  was  bred  to  farming  pursuits, 
and  was  fairly  educated  in  the  common  schools. 
He  remained  in  his  native  county  until  the  winter 
of  1870,  being  then  a  young  man  twenty-two  years 
old.  He  .then  started  for  the  prairies  of  Illinois, 
and  coming  into  this  county  located  in  Scott  Town- 
ship, where  he  was  variously  employed  until  the 
spring  of  1875.  He  then  purchased  160  acres  of 
land,  where  he  established  his  present  comfortable 
and  valuable  homestead.  The  soil  has  been  finely 
developed  and  cultivated,  and  yields  in  abundance 
the  rich  products  of  the  Prairie  State.  He  has  been 
successful  as  a  business  man  and  a  farmer,  and  uni- 
formly pursued  the  course  in  life  which  has  won 
for  him  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
citizens. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  Scott 
Township  on  the  29th  of  December,  1870,  the 
maiden  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Margaret  K., 
daughter  of  Zachariah  and  Sally  A.  (McCoy)  Hen- 
ness.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Earl  were  natives  of 
Ross  County,  Ohio,  where  they  were  reared  and 
married,  and  lived  for  some  time  afterward.  In 
1868  they  came  to  this  county,  taking  up  their 
abode  in  Scott  Township,  where  they  now  reside. 
Of  their  nine  children,  three  daughters  and  six 
sons,  Mrs.  Earl  was  the  fourth.  Her  birth  took 


• 


.  •» 

r 


j t  , 706 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


place  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  10,  1847.  The 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Earl  has  been  blest  by 
the  birth  of  three  children — David,  Howard  and 
Louisa. 

Our  subject,  politically,  is  a  warm  supporter  of 
Republican  principles,  and  has  been  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  his  township,  always  interested  hi  its 
welfare  and  prosperity.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
.School  Director,  and  in  every  station  to  which  he 
has  been  called  has  fulfilled  his  duties  in  a  faithful 
and  creditable  manner. 


J~l  OHN  B.  WEEKS,  one  of  the  honored  pio- 
I  neers  of  Champaign  County,  for  the  past 
'  four  years  has  been  foreman  of  the.Hannlton 
1  lumber-yard  in  Champaign,  and  by  his  prac- 
tical business  talent  has  made  himself  almost 
indispensable  to  the  company  which  he  partially 
represents.  Mr.  Weeks  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  Sept.  6,  1839.  His  parents,  Reuben  C.  and 
Rebecca  (Thomas)  Weeks,  were  natives  respectively 
of  New  York  and  Massachusetts.  The  former  was 
a  resident  of  Netv  York  City  for  a  period  of  forty 
years,  where  he  engaged  in  the  real-estate  and  stock 
business.  In  1856  he  emigrated  to  Illinois,  and 
carried  on  farming  in  Grundy  County  for  two 
years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  visited  Cham- 
paign and  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  Scott 
Township,  this  county,  upon  which  he  farmed  two 
years,  then  removed  to  the  city  of  Champaign,  and 
retired  from  active  labor.  He  lived  there  until 
1885,  then  removed  to  Chicago,  where  his  death 
took  place  June  7,  1886.  The  mother  had  died  in 
Champaign  three  years  before.  Reuben  Weeks  had 
been  reared  in  the  Society  of  Friends,  but  later  in 
life  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
of  which  his  wife  was  also  a  member.  Five  of 
their  six  children  are  now  living:  George  D.,  a 
resident  of  McCune,  Kan.;  Mary  S.,  Mrs.  A.  Ben- 
nett, of  Chicago ;  John  B.,  of  our  sketch ;  William 
E.,  of  New  York  City,  and  Millie,  Mrs.  Obenshain, 
of  Chicago. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  remained    under 
the  home  roof  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  since 


which  time  his  residence  has  been  mostly  in  Cham- 
paign. Twenty  years  of  this  time  he  was  engaged 
in  the  rtraying  business,  employing  two  men  and 
three  teams.  Afterward  he  became  manager  of  the 
business  of  Messrs.  Trevett  &  Green  for  two  years. 
After  dissolving  his  connnection  with  this  firm  he 
became  foreman  of  the  Hamilton  lumber-yards, 
which  position  he  has  since  retained. 

During  the  late  war.  Mr.  Weeks,  in  1862,  en- 
listed in  Co.  G.,  72d  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  serving  a  term 
of  three  years  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union.  He  was 
at  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  and  engaged 
in  many  skirmishes,  and  for  twelve  months  had 
charge  of  the  Government  stables  at  Ft.  Wood, 
New  York  Harbor.  He  was  married,  in  1860,  to 
Miss  Josephine  Hasbrouck,  who  was  a  native  of 
New  York  State,  and  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Jacob 
Hasbrouck,  a  practicing  physician  of  Seneca,  N.  Y. 
Of  this  union  there  were  born  three  children  — 
Frank  R.,  Eva  A.  and  John  H.  The  pleasant 
family  residence  is  located  on  Vine  street,  and  our 
subject,  with  his  family,  enjoys  the  society  of  hosts 
of  friends. 

Mr.  Weeks  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  belongs 
to  the  Kuights  Templar  and  the  G.  A.  R.  He  is 
Alderman  of  the  Fourth  Ward,  which  office  he  has 
occupied  in  all  four  years.  Our  subject  and  his 
wife  are  worthy  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  of  which  Mr.  W.  was  formerly  Trustee 
and  Assistant  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school  ; 
he  is  now  Recording  Steward  and  Superintendent 
of  the  latter. 


P.  FANCHER,  a  shining  example 
of  integrity,  energy  and  perseverance,  who 
conquered  the  disadvantages  of  his  early 
circumstances,  is  a  farmer  and  stock-grower,  lo- 
cated on  section  36,  Sidney  Township.  He  is  the 
son  of  Hiram  and  Martha  (Dixon)  Faucher,  and 
was  born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  Jan.  18,  1846. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  Indiana, 
but  removed  from  that  State  to  Illinois  in  1867, 
where  he  carried  on  the  vocation  of  farming  dur- 
ing his  life  and  died  here  in  186!).  His  wife  is 
still  living,  and  spends  the  latter  days  of  her  life  at 


•  •  -  V-  "    •"•  •*••  f-'f  ••••.  'x- '-••;" -^ •<;--'••  ~.;'  S;.«S*« 
'i^i^^U^^^t^^tf^^^^^a^>i^*^^^K& 


RESIDENCE     OF    Wl*  5  W  A  YZ  I  E  ,  5  EC  .  8  ,  E  AST    BEND    TP. 


RESIDENCE     OF     J  .  M  .  CRAl  G  ,  5  EC  .  23  ,    CHA  IY|  PA  I6N  TP. 


RESIDENCE    OF      J.H.HEDRICK,5EC.l,  NEWCOMB    TP. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
TY  OF  ILLINOIS 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


709 


the  home  of  her  son  William.  There  were  but 
three  children  in  the  parental  family  :  William  P. ; 
Sarah,  the  wife  of  W.  L.  Smith,  living  in  Sidney 
Township,  and  Nancy  J..  the  wife  of  Granville 
Thompson,  living  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
State  of  Kansas. 

The  boyhood  of  William  P.  Fancher  was  passed  on 
a  farm  and  he  acquired  such  education  as  he  could 
gather  from  the  meager  advantages  afforded  him 
during  the  early  days  in  the  old  log  school-house 
in  the  neighborhood,  in  the  intervals  of  leisure 
afforded  him  by  his  duties.  He  was  a  faithful  and 
affectionate  son,  assisting  his  parents  in  bearing  the 
burdens  and  overcoming  the  difficulties  of  pioneer 
life,  until  about  thirty-three  years  of  age.  when  he 
left  home,  and  went  to  Kansas,  where  for  about 
eight  years  and  six  months  he  was  successfully 
engaged  in  farming  and  raising  cattle.  His  wife  is 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Celia  (Gibson)  Cash,  and 
her  parents  are  living  in  Sidney  Township. 

Mr.  Fancher  is  the  owner  of  eight}'  acres  of  valu- 
able land,  which,  through  his  careful  supervision 
and  cultivation  has  reached  a  high  degree  of  im- 
provement. His  residence  is  comfortable  and  com- 
modious, and  all  the  farm  buildings  are  in  excellent 
order.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 


R.  JAMES  CORE,  a  pioneer  physician  of 
Homer,  prominent  in  his  profession  as  a 
reliable  practitioner,  and  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative men  of  Champaign  County,  was 
born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Dec.  19,  1820.  He  is 
the  son  of  Henry  and  Effie  (McDonald)  Core,  na- 
tives respectively  of  Maryland  and  Ross  County, 
Ohio.  Henry  Core  was  born  June  20,  1792,  and 
died  at  Homer,  111.,  in  April,  1862.  The  mother 
of  our  subject  was  born  Jan.  15,  1801,  and  became 
the  wife  of  Henry  Core  Nov.  11,  1817.  She  pre- 
ceded him  to  the  silent  land,  passing  away  on  the 
30th  of  August,  1859.  She  came  from  an  excel- 
lent Scotch  family,  her  father  having  been  John 
McDonald,  who  was  born  Jan.  28,  1775,  and  died 
in  Ohio  in  1841.  The  maternal  great-grandparents 
of  Dr.  Core  came  directly  from  the  Highlands  of 


Scotland,  and  settled  in  RooS'County,  Ohio,  where 
the  death  of  the  great-grandfather  occurred  in 
1823,  when  he  was  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 
The  father  of  the  latter,  the  great-great-grandfather 
of  our  subject,  also  died  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  in 
the  one-hundredth  year  of  his  age,  having  been 
born  in  1723,  and  passing  away  in  1822.  His  wife 
was  formerly  Miss  Elizabeth  Douglas,  of  the  house 
of  the  Campbells  of  Scotland. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  reared  a  family  of 
three  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely,  James. 
John,  Catherine,  Elizabeth,  Ann  M.  and  Charles  L. 
Charles  L.  died  in  18(!4,  and  Catherine  in  1855. 
James,  of  our  sketch,  the  eldest  son  and  child,  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  his  native  county,  and  when  twenty-two  years 
of  age  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  under 
the  instruction  of  Dr.  E.  Martin,  a  prominent  phy- 
sician'of  the  Buckeye  State.  Entering  the  Medi- 
cal College  at  Cincinnati,  he  graduated  and  con- 
tinued the  practice  'of  his  profession  in  Homer, 
until  lie  decided  to  seek  a  permanent  location  in 
the  West.  In  1853  he  came  to  this  county,  and  in 
this  and  Vermilion  Counties  built  up  an  extensive 
and  lucrative  practice.  He  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  local  affairs,  both  social  and  polit- 
ical, and  in  the  fall  of  1878  was  elected  to  repre- 
sent his  county  in  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
State.  He  served  two  years  in  the  Legislature, 
and  since  then  has  occupied  many  of  the  local 
offices  with  ability  and  success.  He  has  also  ex- 
tended his  field  of  labor,  and  officiated  as  a  minis- 
ter of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  intervals 
during  the  last  eighteen  years.  Added  to  this,  his 
operations  as  an  agriculturist  have  been  quite  ex- 
tensive, and  it  would  seem  that  the  measure  of  a 
busy  life  had  been  thoroughly  filled.  Besides  val-  - 
liable,  town  property  he  has  300  acres  of  choice 
farming  land,  the  cultivation  of  which  he  superin- 
tends, and  from  which  he  realizes  annually  a  com- 
fortable income. 

Dr.  Core  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Re- 
publican party  in  this  county,  being  a  delegate 
from  his  township  to  the  first  convention  of  the 
kind  held  in  this  section.  In  the  various  positions 
to  which  he  has  been  called,  his  talents  have  re- 
ceived a  ready  recognition,  and  notwithstanding 


i 


710 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


he  has  lived  more  than  threescore  years,  he  pos- 
sesses more  energy  than  many  men  one-half  his  age. 

In  early  manhood  Dr.  Core  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Isabelle  Gosslee,  their  union  taking 
place  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  31,  1854. 
This  lady  was  born  Jan.  25,  1825,  and  became  the 
mother  of  four  children.  After  a  brief  illness  she 
died  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Homer,  111., 
Dec.  19,  1863,  deeply  lamented  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances.  She  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  twenty- 
four  years,  and  adorned  her  Christian  profession  in 
her  daily  life.  Her  sou,  Charles  F.,  was  born  in 
1856,  and  is  living  in  Homer,  111.;  Effle  O.  was 
born  March  1,  1862,  and  became  the  wife  of  C.  H. 
Wallace,  of  Homer,  and  two  children  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

The  second  wife  of  Dr.  Core  was  formerly  Miss 
Matilda  Riley,  a  native  of  Hartford  County,  Conn., 
born  Oct.  16,  1836.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Jona- 
than and  Pamelia  (Weldon)  Riley.  Her  father 
was  born  in  March,  1795,  and  died  Sept.  26,  1856. 
Her  mother,  who  was  of  English  ancestry,  was  born 
Sept.  9,  1803,  and  passed  away  01.  the  9th  of  July, 
1850.  Their  children  were  named,  Ruel,  Ralph, 
Pamelia,  Abbie,  Laura,  Matilda,  Royal,  Elvira, 
Roland  and  Eleanor  M.  Those  deceased  are  Ruel, 
Abbie,  Eleanor  and  Ralph.  Of  the  second  mar- 
riage of  our  subject  there  was  born  one  child,  a 
son,  James  R.,  who  died  May  21,  1872,  when  less 
than  one  year  old. 


SAAC  M.  WALLACE,  a  prominent  farmer  and 
1    stock-grower  of  Urbana  Township,  was  born  in 


the  town  of  Greenwich,  Conn.,  Oct.  24,  1843. 
His  parents,  William  and  Elizabeth  (Funston)  Wal- 
lace, were  natives  of  England,  both  of  whom  came 
to  this  country  at  an  early  age.  His  father  was  a 
stone  and  brick  mason  by  trade,  but  had  also  some 
experience  in  farming.  Their  means  were  limited, 
and  they  were  obliged  to  encounter  many  struggles 
with  adverse  circumstances  in  bringing  up  their 
family  of  six  children.  The  father  died  at  the  age 
of  seventy;  the  mother  is  still  living. 

Isaac  M.  Wallace  was  educated  in  Greenwich, 


Conn.  After  attaining  to  the  age  of  manhood,  he 
engaged  in  the  railroad  business  on  the  Hartford  & 
New  Haven  Railroad,  where  he  was  first  engaged  as 
brakeman,  then  became  baggage  master,  and  was 
afterward  made  conductor.  He  occupied  this  po- 
sition for  eight  years,  and  then  came  West,  as  con- 
tractor for  the  I.,  D.  &  S.  R.  R.,  and  afterward  was 
employed  on  the  I.,  B.  &  W.  as  conductor.  He 
held  this  position  until  1885,  when,  desiring  a  more 
quiet  life,  he  retired  from  the  railroad  business  and 
bought  the  property  where  he  now  resides,  located 
on  section  19.  His  farm  contains  160  acres  of 
valuable  land,  and  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  culti- 
vation. 

On  the  19th  of  February,  1887,  Mr.  Wallace  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  E.,  who  is  the 
daughter  of  Frank  and  Sarah  (Baldwin)  Baird. 
Her  family  were  formerly  residents  of  Ohio,  but 
have  for  some  time  made  their  home  in  Champaign 
County.  Mr.  Wallace  has  erected  a  fine  residence, 
large  and  commodious  barns,  and  other  farm  build- 
ings on  his  premises.  There  were  none  of  any  kind 
on  the  place  when  he  purchased  it.  He  has  attained 
his  present  prosperity  by  his  native  energy,  good 
judgment  and  executive  ability. 


LPT.  B.  F.  CRESAP,  of -Scott  Township, 
was  born  and  reared  on  a  farm  in  Pickaway 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  first  opened  his  eyes 
to  the  light  Nov.  17,  1830.  His  parents  were 
Daniel  and  Margaret  (Hume)  Cresap,  the  former  a 
native  of  Maryland  and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  The 
Cresap  family  was  of  English  origin,  and  the 
Humes  came  originally  from  Ireland.  After  their 
marriage  Daniel  Cresap  and  his  wife  located  in 
Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  where  they  carried  on 
farming  until  1855.  He  then  came  to  this  State, 
locating  first  in  Piatt  County,  where  he  remained 
two  years,  and  then  removing  to  Champaign 
County  took  possession  of  a  farm  in  Scott  Town- 
ship, where  the  parents  remained  until  they  ceased 
from  their  earthly  labors.  Their  five  children  were, 
Hamilton,  Benjamin  F.  of  our  sketch,  Mary,  Daniel 
and  John  \V . 

Our  subject  removed   from   bjs  native  State  to 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


711 


J^jAMES  8.  FREEMAN,  a  hero   of  two   wars, 
[    is  one  of  the  well-known  and  respected  citi- 
J    zens  of  Sidney,  where  he  is  living  in  retire- 
'    ment  from  the  active  labors  of-  a  farm   life. 
He  is  the  son  of  William  and  Eliza   (Holier)  Free- 
man,   and    was    born    in    Allegheny  County,    Pa., 


Illinois  with  his  father's  family,  and  has  been  a 
resident  of  Scott  Township,  this  county,  since' 
1857.  Like  his  father  before  him  he  took  up  the 
business  of  farming,  which  he  has  followed  with 
marked  success.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  nearly 
900  acres  of  land,  most  of  which  is  in  a  tillable 
condition.  His  residence  is  a  fine  modern  structure, 
and  the  out-buildings  are  conveniently  arranged  for 
the  use  of  the  modern  «nd  progressive  agriculturist. 
He  fattens  annually  about  100  head  of  cattle,  the 
proceeds  of  which  yield  him  a  fine  income.  Every- 
thing about  the  premises  is  kept  in  first-class  order, 
and  indicates  the  intelligence  and  enterprise  of  the 
proprietor. 

Capt.  Cresap  was  married,  at  Hyde  Park,  111., 
June  16,  1868,  to  Miss  Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  E.  G. 
and  Catherine  M.  (Jones)  Vincent,  who  were  na- 
tives of  Delaware.  The  parental  family  included 
seven  children,  three  only  of  whom  lived  to  mature 
years,  namely,  Sarah  A.,Oleviaand  Mary  F.  Mrs. 
Cresap  was  born  in  Delaware,  July  30,  1847.  The 
household  of  our  subject  includes  five  children — 
Nellie,  Clara,  Josephine,  William  H.  and  Benj.  F. 

During  the  progress  of  the  late  war  our  subject 
entered  the  army,  in  August,  1862,  being  commis- 
sioned First  Lieutenant  of  Co.  C,  107th  111.  Vol. 
Inf.  At  the  battle  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  he  was  j 
promoted  Captain,  with  which  rank  he  served  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  At  the  battle  of  liesaca,  Ga., 
one  of  his  men  was  killed  by  his  side,  and  a  portior 
of  the  unfortunate  man's  skull  penetrated  the  body 
of  Capt.  Cresap,  causing  a  painful  wound.  He  went 
through  the  Atlanta  campaign  with  Gen.  Sherman, 
and  after  the  war  was  over  returned  to  Scott 
Township,  and  resumed  the  peaceful  vocation  of  a 
farmer.  Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and 
religiously  is  connected  with  the  Methodist  Church. 


March  4,  1824.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Mary- 
land, and  his  mother  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1828 
the  parents  moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  Pickaway 
County,  Ohio,  where  the  father  was  engaged  in 
farming  until  1842.  That  year  he  removed  to 
Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  and  there  lived  until  the 
death  of  Mrs.  Freeman,  which  occurred  in  1850. 
He  then  moved  to  Jasper  County,  Ind.,  where  he 
died  in  1872. 

In  1849  our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  A.  E.  Frankinberger,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Sarah  (Phillips)  Frankinberger.  The  union  of  our 
subject  with  Miss  Frankinberger  has  been  blest  by 
the  birth  of  seven  children — Sarah.  William.  Charles 
J.,  Ida  M.,  and  three  who  died  in  infancy.  Charles 
J.  resides  in  Sidney ;  Ida  M.  married  Andrew 
Dempsey,  and  lives  in  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

In  1846  Mr.  Freeman  enlisted  in  the  first  regi- 
ment of  Mounted  Riflemen,  the  U.  S.  A.,  and 
served  honorably  in  the  Mexican  War  until  Jan. 
13,  1848.  On  the  13th  of  September,  1847.  he 
was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chapultepec,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  war  received  an  honorable  dis- 
charge at  the  city  of  Mexico.  In  recognition  of 
his  services  during  that  campaign,  he  now  draws  a 
pension  of  $12  per  month.  After  the  close  of  the 
Mexican  War  he  returned  home,  and  engaged  in 
the  peaceful  occupation  of  farming  until  Sept.  23, 
1861.  The  echoes  of  the  rebel  guns  had  scarcely 
died  away  at  the  dastardly  assault  made  on  Maj. 
Anderson  and  his  little  band  of  heroes  at  Ft. 
Sumter,  when  Mr.  Freeman  received  the  com- 
mission of  First  Lieutenant,  in  the  10th  Illinois 
Volunteer  Cavalry.  He  served  eleven  months  and 
then  being  disabled  for  active  service,  was  obliged 
to  resign  at  Springfield,  Mb.,  in  June,  1863.  Once 
again  he  returned  from  military  pursuits  to  his 
home  in  this  county,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  retire- 
ment. He  owns  fourteen  valuable  town  lots  in 
Sidney,  and  his  own  elegant  residence  is  supplied 
with  all  the  modern  improvements.  He  was  the 
first  Supervisor-elect  and  held  that  position  for 
nine  successive  years.  Since  his  residence  here  he  has 
filled  at  different  times  most  of  the  minor  official 
positions  of  the  town.  He  is  a  member  of  the  G. 
A.  R.,  and  was  the  first  commander  of  Post  317. 


* 


i 


712 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


His  political  sympathies  were  formerly  with  the 
Republicans,  but  he  is  at  present  a  member  of  the 
Greenback  party.  Although  threescore  years  and 
more  of  his  life  have  passed,  Mr.  Freeman  can  look 
back  over  a  spotless  record  and  one  sparkling  with 
deeds  of  heroism  for  his  beloved  country. 


i>ILLIAM  A.  VADEN,  an  attorney,  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law  in  Sidney,  was  born 
in  South  Carolina,  Sept.  26,  1837.  He  is 
the  son  of  John  W.  and  Rebecca  (Richison)  Vaden, 
who  were  both  natives  of  South  Carolina.  He  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  his  mother  by  death  when 
but  eight  years  of  age.  His  father  was  a  civil 
engineer,  and  also  a  slave-owner,  holding  twenty- 
two  slaves  as  his  property  when  the  war  broke  out. 
In  1866  his  son,  William  A.  Vaden,  went  to  Ohio, 
where  lie  lived  four  years.  He  then  moved  again, 
going  to  Kansas,  but  not  being  pleased  with  the 
country,  remained  there  only  a  few  weeks,  when  he 
returned  to  Sidney,  where  he  has  since  resided. 

Our  subject  enlisted  in  the  1st  Regiment,  C.  S.  A., 
Jan.  5,  1861,  and  ^remained  with  that  command 
until  the  battle  of  Antietam,  Sept.  16,  1862,  when 
he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Union  forces  and 
conveyed  to  Harrisburg,  and  thence  to  Ft.  Dela- 
ware. After  having  been  held  a  prisoner  for  two 
weeks,  he  was  exchanged  and  then  joined  the  23d 
Virginia  Cavalry,  with  which  regiment  he  remained 
until  the  fall  of  1864.  He  was  then  at  Cumber- 
land, where  he  crossed  the  lines,  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  and  went  from  there  to  Pittsburgh,  where 
he  enlisted  in  the  4th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  He 
remained  with  that  command  until  July  15,  1865, 
when  he  was  discharged,  having  been  wounded  at 
the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Vaden  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Hughes,  Aug.  6,  1865.  in 
Rushville,  Ya.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
and  Mary  (Holmes)  Hughes,  and  was  born  in 
Rockingham  County,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1843.  Her 
father's  business  was  farming.  Both  her  parents 
were  natives  of  Virginia.  The}' are  now  deceased. 
Our  subject  and  wife  have  reared  a  family  of  three 


interesting  children:  Laura,  born  May  2,  1K66, 
was  educated  for  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools; 
Mary,  born  July  12,  1868,  is  also  engaged  in  the 
vocation  of  teaching;  the  youngest,  Bertha,  was 
born  April  10,  1880. 

Mr.  Vaden  has  honorably  held  several  official 
positions  in  Sidney.  He  was  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  three  terms,  Police  Magistrate,  and  Super- 
visor of  the  town  for  one  term  each.  He  has  twice 
been  elected  on  the  Town  Board  and  served  one 
term  as  its  President.  His  political  inclinations  are 
strongly  Republican. 


AMES  WILSON,  a  brave  Union  soldier  in 
the  Civil  War,  and  at  present  a  respected 
and  honored  citizen  of  Sidney  Township, 
located  on  section  30,  was  born  in  County 
Tyrone,  Ireland,  in  January.  1837.  For  a  biographi- 
cal notice  of  Mr.  Wilson's  parents  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  sketch  of  George  W.  Wilson,  else- 
where in  this  work. 

James  Wilson  left  his  native  country  in  1850,  and 
after  landing  at  New  York  came  directly  to  Cham- 
paign County,  111.  His  time,  thus  far  in  life,  has 
been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits,  in  which  he 
has  met  with  that  success  which  is  the  reward  of 
energetic  effort.  By  his  gallant  service  in  the  Civil 
War  he  proved  himself  an  honorable  and  patriotic 
citizen  of  his  adopted  country.  In  the  softened 
light  of  retrospect  few  perhaps  can  truly  imagine 
or  appreciate  the  sufferings  and  trials  of  war;  the 
weary  marches  and  counter  marches;  the  dangers 
and  treacheries  encountered  on  the  field,  in  the 
camp  and  the  prison;  the  tears  and  anguish  and 
blood  that  mark  its  way. 

In  1861  Mr.  Wilson  enlisted  in  Co.  F,  26th  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  serving  under  Col.  Looinis,  Capt.  John 
H.  Folke.  He  fought  bravely  at  the  battles  of 
New  Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  the  memorable  siege 
of  Vicksburg,  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  Mission  Ridge, 
and  faced  fearlessly  the  frowning  guns  and  leaden 
hail  at  the  siege  of  Atlanta.  He  was  with  Sherman 
on  his  triumphant  inarch  to  the  sea,  and  thence  to 
Richmond  and  Washington,  where  he  witnessed  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


713 


grand  review  of  the  armies  of  Grant  and  Sherman. 
In  1864  he  was  mustered  out  at  Springfield,  111., 
and  wearied  with  strife  and  carnage,  his  sword 

o     " 

changed  to  the  implements  of  husbandry,  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  and  engaged  in  the  peaceful 
occupation  of  farming. 

Our  subject,  Mr.  Wilson,  was  married  to  Miss 
Henrietta  Brown,  who  was  born  in  Vermilion  Coun- 
ty, State  of  Illinois,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Amanda  Brown.  Mr.  Wilson  and  his  wife 
have  a  family  of  four  children :  Bertha,  born 
March  24,  1874,  died  Nov.  18,  1874;  George  P., 
born  Jan.  31,  1875;  Blanche  C.,  born  March  13, 
1877,  and  Henry,  who  died  in  infancy.  Himself 
and  wife  are  members  of  high  standing  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In  politics  Mr.  W. 
is  a  Democrat,  but  his  career  in  the  Civil  War 
indicates  that  his  principles  are  allied  to  those  exist- 
ing in  the  brave  days  of  old,  "  when  none  were  for 
party  but  all  for  the  State." 


'ILLIAM  HARVEY,  one  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers of  Champaign  County,  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  as  one  of  the  most  valua- 
ble residents  of  this  section,  to  whose  development 
and  growth  he  has  materially  contributed  during 
the  period  of  forty-eight  years  in  which  he  has 
lived  here.  He  first  settled  in  the  embryo  village 
of  Urbana,  where  he  engaged  as  a  contractor  and 
builder.  Afterward  he  purchased  a  farm  of  250 
acres,  part  of  which,  in  1870,  he  laid  off  as  an  addi- 
tion to  Urbana,  the  lots  being  readily  taken  up  by 
those  desirous  of  establishing  a  permanent  home  in 
that  locality.  This  was  called  the  Harvey  addi- 
tion, and  now  forms  an  important  part  of  the  city. 
Mr.  Harvey  was  born  in  Berks  County,  Pa.,  Aug. 
23,  1814.  His  parents  were  Job  and  Mary  (Fix) 
Harvey,  who  were  also  natives  of  the  Keystone 
State,  descending  on  the  father's  side  from  English 
ancestry,  and  on  the  mother's  from  the  German. 
Job  Harvey,  in  1818,  when  our  subject  was  a  small 
boy  four  years  of  age,  emigrated  to  Stark  County, 
Ohio,  and  engaged  in  farming.  Thence  in  1839 
he  came  to  Illinois,  settling  near  the  Sangamon 
River  on  the  western  line  of  Champaign  County. 


There  the  mother  died  in  IS(!2  and  the  father  fol- 
lowed four  years  later.  During  the  period  of  his 
residence  in  Pennsylvania  Job  Harvey  served  as  a 
soldier  for  a  short  time  in  the  War  of  1812.  The  par- 
ental household  included  eleven  children,  of  whom 
five  are  now  living,  namely,  Mary,  William,  Sam- 
uel, Moses  and  John  S. 

William  Harvey  was  reared  on  the  farm  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion in  the  pioneer  school.  He  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the, family  household  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  afterward  served  an  apprenticeship  of 
three  years  at  the  cabinet-maker's  trade.  In  the 
meantime  he  pursued  his  studies  as  opportunity 
permitted,  and  taught  school  two  winters  after  learn- 
ing his  trade.  The  present  possessions  of  our  sub- 
ject are  the  result  of  his  own  industry,  economy 
and  good  judgment.  He  had  no  resources  to  be- 
gin with  aside  from  his  resolute  will  and  industri- 
ous hands,  but  he  seldom  speaks  of  the  difficulties 
which  he  encountered  while  forming  a  substantial 
basis  for  the  property  he  now  possesses  and  enjoys. 

In  1869  he  erected  the  substantial  brick  dwelling 
on  his  farm  in  Urbana  Township,  and  the  following 
year  built  the  house  which  he  occupies  in  the  village. 
Both  his  farms  and  village  property  are  well  cared 
for,  the  buildings  kept  in  good  repair,  and  every- 
thing about  them  denoting  the  wisdom  and  fore- 
thought of  their  proprietor.  Mr.  Harvey  has 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Street  Commis- 
sioner, City  Marshal  of  Urbana  and  Deputy  .Sheriff 
of  the  county.  He  has  represented  his  ward  in  the 
City  Council  for  a  period  of  six  years.  He  was  at 
one  time  owner  of  the  carding-mill  at  Urbana,  and 
has  been  interested  in  many  of  the  enterprises  lead- 
ing to  the  advancement  of  its  industrial  interests. 

o  « 

He  is  a  stanch  Democrat  politically,  and  upholds 
the  principles  of  his  party  by  his  vote  and  influence 
as  opportunity  affords. 

The  marriage  of  William  Harvey  and  Miss  Har- 
riett Hntchinson  took  place  in  Stark  County,  Ohio, 
in  1837.  Mrs.  H.  is  the  daughter  of  Alexander 
and  Martha  (Curry)  Hntchinson,  natives  of  Ire- 
laud.  Her  father  came  to  America  early  in  life, 
and  located  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.  Of  the  chil-  • 
dren  of  the  parental  household,  eleven  in  number, 
only  Mrs.  Harvey  survives.  By  her  union  with 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


our  subject  slie  has  become  the  mother  of  the  fol- 
lowing three  children  :  Athalia  became  the  wife  of 
H.  II.  Harris,  and  has  three  children  —  William  R., 
John  II.  and  Charles  H.  Emily,  Mrs.  Johnson,  of 
Urbana,  has  two  children  —  William  and  Teddie; 
Jane,  Mrs.  Hoffman,  has  three  children  —  Robert. 
Myrta  and  Frank. 


1857. 


ANIEL  E.  BIRDZELL,  a  native  of  this 
county,  is  comfortably  located  on  section 
19,  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  of  which  he 
has  been  a  resident  since  the  spring  of 
Here  he  has  128  acres  of  well-cultivated 
land,  supplied  with  good  buildings,  and  has  em- 
ployed his  time  in  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  farm 
life,  contented  with  his  lot  and  enjoying  the  esteem 
of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Our  subject  was  born  on  his  father's  farm  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  Aug.  21,  1857.  His  parents, 
John  P.  and  Catherine  L.  (Hudson)  Birdzell,  were 
natives  of  Indiana.  The  former  was  born  April  18, 
1820,  and  departed  this  life  at  his  home  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  March  15,  1880.  His  wife,  Cath- 
erine, was  the  daughter  of  John  H.  and  Lydia 
Hudson,  and  still  survives,  making  her  home  in 
St.  Joseph.  The  parents  after  their  marriage  located 
near  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  where  John  Birdzell  en- 
gaged in  various  occupations  and  continued  to 
reside  until  1855.  He  then  removed  with  his  family 
to  this  count}',  and  located  upon  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  his  son,  Daniel  E.,  of  our  sketch.  It 
originally  contained  320  acres,  which  the  father  of 
our  subject  brought  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation 
and  which  presented  under  his  excellent  manage- 
ment one  of  the  neatest  and  most  desirable  home- 
steads in  St.  Joseph  Township.  The  parental  family 
included  the  following  children,  viz.,  Joshua  S., 
deceased;  Allen;  Daniel  E.,  of  our  sketch;  David 
E. ;  Laura  A.,  the  wife  of  Joseph  H.  Stayton; 
Lydia  A.,  Mrs.  David  B.  Stayton,  Jr.,  and  Walter 
W.,  now  deceased.  The  mother  is  still  living,  mak- 
ing her  home  among  her  children. 

Mr.  Birdzell  attended  the  district  school  during 
his  boyhood  and  youth,  and  when  twenty-three  years 


of  age  was  married,  in  April,  1880,  to  Miss  Addie 
M.,  daughter  of  William  H.  and  Tryphena  Albaugh. 
Mrs.  B.  is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in  1860. 
Her  parents  were  natives  of  Maryland  and  West 
Virginia,  respectively  ;  the  mother  resides  in  Mober- 
ly,  Mo.,  and  the  father  is  deceased.  After  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Birdzell  took  a  trip  to  Portland, 
Ore.,  and  upon  their  return  located  on  the  old 
homestead,  where  they  still  remain.  In  addition  to 
the  ordinary  labors  of  the  farm  Mr.  Birdzell  has  of 
late  years  been  engaged  quite  extensively  as  a 
dealer  in  fine  horses  and  cattle,  in  which  he  has  dis- 
played excellent  judgment  with  good  results.  The 
household  includes  three  children :  Lucretia  P.,  Paul 
F.  and  Cecil  Blanche.  Our  subject  is  Democratic 
in  politics,  and  his  estimable  lady  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  New-Light  Church  at  Prairie  Hope 
since  1876. 


jjL_AMILTON  JEFFERSON,  who  has  been  a 
Fjj)  resident  of  the  Prairie  State  for  thirty-five 
uyZ?    years,    is     now     living    in     retirement     in 
(^)     Champaign,  and    with  his  family   occupies 

j  one  of  the  most  handsome  and  substantial  resi- 
dences. His  has  been  a  busy  life,  in  which  for 
years  he  was  actively  engaged  Lu  farming,  but 
afterward  went  into  the  livery  business,  and  fol- 

i  lowed  it  successfully  in  Champaign  from  1860  until 
1880.  Since  becoming  a  resident  of  this  county  he 
has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  its  welfare  and  prog- 

.  ress  and  has  contributed  his  full  share  toward 
bringing  it  to  its  present  condition.  He  has  now 
arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-nine  years, 
during  which  time  he  has  built  up  for  himself  a 
record  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen,  and  has 
fully  established  himself  in  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  all  who  know  him. 

Mr.  Jefferson  was  born  in  Frederick  County,  Aid., 
Jan.  23,  1808,  and  is  the  son  of  Leonard  and  Bar- 
bara (Nichols)  Jefferson,  natives  of  the  same  State 
as  their  son,  and  descended  from  excellent  English 
and  German  ancestry.  The  father  of  our  subject, 
who  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  removed  from  Maryland 
with  his  wife  and  son  Hamilton,  to  Ohio,  in  1812. 
They  located  in  Chillicothe,  Ross  County,  but  soon 
afterward  rented  a  hotel  and  farm  about  four  miles 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


\ 


from  the  city,  where  they  remained  eight  years. 
Mr.  Jefferson  then  purchaser!  300  acres  of  land  in 
Fayette  Count}',  which  was  unimproved  and  con- 
sisted mostly  of  timber.  This  he  improved  and 
lived  upon  the  remainder  of  his  days,  his  death  oc- 
curring in  1852.  The  mother  had  died  some  years 
before.  Of  the  six  children  comprising  the  par- 
ental household,  three  are  now  living:  Hamilton  of 
our  sketch;  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Fisher,  of  London, 
Madison  Co.,  Ohio,  and  John,  who  is  engaged  in 
fanning  in  Fayette  County. 

The  primary  studies  of  Hamilton  Jefferson  were 
conducted  in  the  pioneer  log  school-house  among 
the  Buckeye  hills.  This  was  furnished  with  the 
puncheon  floor  of  those  days,  and  light  was  admitted 
through  greased  paper  in  place  of  window-panes. 
The  teacher  used  a  birch  gad  freely,  and  in  other 
respects  the  system  of  education  was  widely  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  the  present  day.  Young  Jef- 
ferson remained  at  home  until  reaching  his  majority, 
then  farmed  on  rented  land  in  his  own  county  for 
five  years.  During  this  time  he  had  saved  suffi- 
cient means  to  purchase  150  acres  of  land  in  Madi- 
son County,  upon  which  he  took  up  his  abode  until 
1851,  in  the  meantime  having  added  200  acres  to 
his  first  possession.  He  was  now  desirous  of  seeing 
something  of  the  great  West,  and  coming  to  Illinois 
purchased  1,050  acres  of  land  in  Vermilion  County 
where  he  farmed  extensively  for  three  years.  At 
the  expiration  of  this  time  he  purchased  five  acres 
in  the  city  of  Champaign,  upon  which  he  removed 
and  which  he  has  since  occupied. 

After  abandoning  the  farm  Mr.  Jefferson  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits  for  two  years,  then  returned 
to  his  former  occupation,  to  which  he  added  the 
buying  and  selling  of  land,  and  also  engaged  in  the 
livery  business.  He  has  assisted  materially  in  the 
building  up  of  Champaign,  which  at  the  time  of  his 
locating  there  consisted  of  only  two  stores  and 
about  a  dozen  houses.  He  assisted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  First  National  Bank  of  the  city,  being 
one  of  the  first  stockholders,  and  there  are  few  en- 
terprises to  which  he  has  not  contributed  by  his 
means  and  influence. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Jefferson  took  place  in  Fay- 
ette County,  Ohio,  in  1829,  the  lady  of  his  choice 
being  Miss  Mary  Allen,  a  native  of  that  county. 


Of  this  union  there  were  born  six  children,  three 
now  living.  Their  eldest  son,  James  Willis,  mar- 
ried Miss  Armilda  Landers,  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren— Sophia,  James.  Thomas  and  George.  Eliza- 
beth J.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Jackson  Thomp- 
son, is  a  resident  of  Champaign,  and  has  three 
children — Martha,  Ellen  and  Clara.  William  I.  mar- 
ried Miss  Lydia  Patten,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren— William,  Mabel  and  Earnest.  Mrs.  Mary 
Jefferson  departed  this  life  in  Denver,  Col.,  in  1880. 
The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1882,  was  Miss  Susan  Staley,  who  was 
born  in  Virginia  and  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Margaret  (Hizy)  Staley,  natives  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, where  Mr.  S.  was  engaged  in  farming,  and 
whence  he  removed,  in  1854,  to  Illinois,  and 
located  in  this  county,  on  land  between  the  cities 
of  Champaign  and  Urbana.  "  Mr.  Staley  was  born 
in  1802,  and  departed  this'life_May  20.M8C.3.  His 
wife  is  still  living  and  a  resident  of  Champaign. 
Their  family  of  eight  children  were,  Susan,  Mrs. 
Jefferson;  Mary,  Mrs.  Nelson;  Louisa,  Mrs.  Gouch; 
Henrietta,  Mrs.  Gay ;  George  A.,  Calvin  C.,  Ella, 
Mrs.  Keither,  and  Peter  B.  Mr.  Jefferson  is  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  has  always  fearlessly  advo- 
cated the  principles  of_his  party.  As  a  citizen  and 
business  man  he  has  been  an  important  factor  in  the 
interests  of  his  section  and  is  valued  accordingly. 


REDBRICK  DEMLO.  Among  the  self- 
made  men  of  this  county  who  were  bom  on 
foreign  soil  and  commenced  life  humbly 
and  with  little  means,  the  subject  of  this  history 
deserves  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He  was  born 
in  the  town  of  Bowersdorf,  Province  of  Pomera- 
nia,  Prussia,  Oct.  2,  1834.  His  parents  were  Jacob 
and  Fredricka  Demlo,  natives  of  the  same  country. 
In  1863  they  emigrated  with  their  family  to  the 
United  States,  and  at  once  sought  the  prairies  of 
Illinois.  Mr.  D.  located  in  Champaign  County 
and  made  it  his  home  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  187.6.  The  mother  is  still  living  in  Cham- 
paign, and  is  now  seventy-nine  years  old.  Their 
seven  children  were  Christ,  John,  Frederick,  Fred- 
ricka, Sophia,  Dora  and  Mary,  all  of  whom  came 


I 


•  .    716, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


i  i  ' 

1 


with    their    parents    to  Champaign.     All  are  now 
married  and  reside  in  this  county. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  third  child  of 
the  family,  and  in  accordance  with  the  laws  and 
customs  of  his  native  country,  was  placed  in  school 
at  an  early  age  and  continued  his  studies  until 
fourteen  years  old.  At  that  age  also  he  was  con- 
firmed in  the  Lutheran  Church.  He  soon  after- 
ward left  home  and  commenced  working  on  a  farm, 
receiving  for  his  services  about  $20  per  year,  and 
a  certain  amount  of  linen  and  woolen  cloth,  which 
his  mother  manufactured  into  wearing  apparel. 

After  arriving  at  years  of  manhood  our  subject 
was  married  in  his  native  town  to  Miss  Fredricka 
Ohemky,  who  was  also  born  there  and  baptized  in 
the  same  church  as  her  husband.  Two  years  later 
they  set  sail  from  Hamburg  for  the  New  World, 
embarking  on  the  1st  of  June  and  landing  in  New 
York  City  in  July,  after  a  voyage  of  six  weeks. 
From  there  they  proceeded  directly  Westward,  lo- 
cating at  once  in  Champaign  County.  They  were 
comparatively  among  strangers,  and  Mr.  D.  was  in 
debt.  He  did  not  lose  any  time,  however,  deplor- 
ing his  difficulties,  but  immediately  began  to  search 
for  employment,  in  which  he  was  successful.  He 
engaged  at  farm  work  for  four  years  following,  by 
the  day  or  month,  saving  in  the  meantime  as  much 
of  his  earnings  as  possible.  At  the  expiration  of 
this  time  he  purchased  a  team  and  engaged  to 
work  on  the  Wsibash  Railroad,  which  was  then  be- 
ing built  from  Decatur  to  Champaign.  After  sev- 
eral months'  labor  without  recompense,  the  con- 
tractors ran  away  and  cheated  him  out  of  his  hard 
earnings. 

During  the  time,  however,  in  which  Mr.  Demlo 
had  been  a  resident  of  this  locality  he  had  by  hon- 
esty and  industry  secured  for  himself  substantial 
friends  who  were  ready  to  do  for  him  all  that  he 
was  disposed  to  ask  of  them.  He  located  upon  a 
tract  of  rented  land,  whicli  he  cultivated  one  year 
successfully,  and  then  purchased  sixty-eight  acres 
in  Tolono  Township.  This  he  occupied  four  years, 
then  sold  out  and  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Scott 
Township,  where  he  lived  until  1881.  In  that  year 
he  sold  this  also,  and  secured  possession  of  the  farm 
which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  Upon  this  he 
has  brought  about  great  improvements  and  has 


more  than  doubled  its  value.  He  has  a  shapely 
and  substantial  set  of  frame  buildings,  and  his 
stock,  machinery  and  other  farm  appurtenances  are 
well  cared  for  and  kept  in  first-class  condition. 
The  premises  in  all  respects  indicate  the  industry 
and  energy  of  the  proprietor. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Demlo  became  the  parents  of  six 
children,  as  follows:  John,  who  lives  at  home;  An- 
nie, the  wife  of  John  Grierr,  of  Champaign;  So- 
phia, William,  Phenie  and  Charles,  at  home.  Our 
subject  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  soon  after  corning  to  this  county  became 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  to  the  sup- 
port of  which  they  have  contributed  liberally  and 
cheerfully,  and  by  the  various  members  of  which 
they  are  held  in  high  esteem.  Our  subject  on 
starting  out  in  life  was  particularly  fortunate  in 
his  choice  of  a  companion,  Mrs.  D.  having  been  the 
true  helpmeet  of  her  husband  in  all  his  undertak- 
ings, and  materially  assisted  him  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  homestead  and  obtaining  the  compe- 
tency which  they  now  enjoy. 

AMUEL  D.  JONES  has  during  the  last  ten 
years  held  the  position  of  Superintendent 
of  the  Champaign  County  Poor  House,  and 
has  proved  himself  exceedingly  efficient  as 
a  county  officer.  Mr.  Jones  is  a  native  of  England, 
and  was  born  in  the  city  of  Liverpool,  July  10, 
1816.  His  parents  were  David  and  Elizabeth  Jones, 
natives  of  Wales. 

David  Jones  was  a  prominent  physician  in  Liver- 
pool. He  was  educated  in  Manchester,  England, 
and  continued  the  practice  of  medicine  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  Wales,  where  he  had  re- 
tired on  a  small  farm.  His  wife  died  in  1848;  she 
was  the  mother  of  three  sons:  John,  who  emigrated 
to  America  and  settled  in  Campbell,  Me. ;  David 
T.,  who  now  occupies  the  old  homestead  in  Wales, 
and  is  the  youngest  of  the  family,  and  an  emi- 
nent physician,  and  Samuel  D. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  Wales,  remaining  with  his  parents  until  he 
had  attained  the  age  of  manhood.  Feb.  22,  1847, 
he  married  Miss  Catherine  Morris,  daughter  of 


t 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
'7y  t?  IU.1NOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


719 


i 


John  M.  and  Alice  Morris.  In  the  month  of  April, 
1850,  he  started  for  America  with  his  family,  and 
after  landing  at  the  city  of  New  York,  May  16, 
first  proceeded  to  Vermont,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed as  quarryman  in  the  State  slate  works, 
which  position  he  retained  four  years.  He  then 
came  AVest  to  Chicago,  but  finding  no  opening 
there  for  business,  he  only  remained  four  months, 
and  then  went  to  Kane  County,  111.  He  remained 
therefor  four  j-ears,  and  in  the  fall  of  1859  came  to 
Champaign  County,  where  he  bought  a  tract  of  160 
acres  of  land  in  East  Bend  Township,  to  which  he 
soon  after  removed  his  family.  After  cultivating 
and  improving  his  farm  for  eight  years  he  sold  it, 
and  purchased  another  in  the  vicinity,  containing 
eighty  acres.  Upon  his  appointment  as  Superin- 
tendent of  the  County  Poor  House  in  1877,  he 
rented  this  farm.  He  has  since  bought  another 
small  farm  in  East  Bend  Township,  containing  forty 
acres. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  have  had  two  children — Car- 
rie, who  is  the  wife  of  W.  Howard,  residing  in  East 
Bend  Township,  and  Lizzie,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
seven,  in  Vermont.  Mr.  Jones  furnishes  all  the 
teams  required  for  the  business  of  the  county 
farm,  and  also  four  cows.  He  receives  a  salary  of 
$600  per  annum.  He  is  faithful  in  the  discharge 
of  the  public  duties  of  his  position,  and  is  a  highly 
esteemed  member  of  the  community.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jones  are  both  members  of  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Urbana. 


AVID  WOLF.  The  birthplace  of  this 
gentleman,  who  is  well  known  as  one  of 
the  most  worthy  citizens  of  Hensley  Town- 
ship, and  whose  portrait  is  presented  in 
connection  with  this  sketch,  was  Fayette  County, 
Ohio,  and  the  date  thereof  Dec.  2,  1822.  He  is  the 
son  of  Charles  Wolf,  who,  with  his  father,  David 
AVolf,  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  The  great-grand- 
father was  born  in  France,  whence  he  emigrated 
when  a  young  man,  and  settling  in  the  Old  Do- 
minion, there  married  and  reared  a  family.  David 
Wolf,  one  of  the  sons,  spent  his  childhood  and 
youth  in  Virginia,  whence  he  afterward  emigrated 
to  Ohio  and  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 


Fayette  County.  He  took  up  a  tract  of  Government 
land  at  a  time  when  Indians  and  wild  animals  were 
plenty  and  very  troublesome.  The  former  finally 
became  so  hostile  that  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject was  obliged  to  leave  that  section.  He  went  over 
into  Kentucky  and  spent  two  years,  then  returned 
to  the  land  which  he  had  located,  which,  however, 
he  was  only  permitted  to  occupy  but  a  few  years, 
as  he  was  cut  down  in  the  prime  of  life  and  ceased 
from  his  earthly  labors.  He  had  in  the  meantime 
been  married  in  Virginia,  and  among  his  children 
was  Charles,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who  was  a 
small  boy  when  the  family  moved  to  Ohio. 

Charles  Wolf  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Buckeye 
State,  remaining  a  resident  there  until  1829.  That 
year  he  came  West  to  Indiana,  and  settled  in  Tippe- 
canoe  County  at  an  early  period  in  its  history.  He 
first  rented  a  farm  two  miles  from  the  embryo  city 
of  Lafayette,  and  afterward  purchased  land  in 
Perry  Township,  Clinton  County.  Indians  at  that 
time  roamed  unrestrained  over  the  country,  one  of 
their  chief  towns  being  located  six  miles  distant. 
His  land  consisted  mostly  of  timber  and  in  the 
midst  of  it  he  built  a  log  cabin.  Shortly  afterward 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  prairie  in  the  same  township 
which  he  improved,  put  up  more  modern  build- 
ings, and  occupied  until  his  death.  In  early  man- 
hood he  had  married  Miss  Sarah  Emrich,  who  was 
born  in  Virginia,  of  German  parentage.  She  died 
in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  in  1820. 

David  Wolf  was  a  lad  of  seven  years  when  his 
parents  removed  from  Ohio  to  Indiana,  and  one 
year  later  his  mother  died.  There  were  no  free 
schools  in  those  days,  and  his  father  was  unable  to 
give  him  any  opportunities  for  education.  Two 
years  after  the  death  of  his  mother,  his  father  was 
married  to  Miss  Phebe  Leach,  who  proved  a  kind 
stepmother  to  the  lonely  boy.  He  remained  under 
the  home  roof  and  assisted  in  clearing  the  farm, 
being  put  to  work  as  soon  as  large  enough  to  lift 
an  ax.  When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  started 
out  for  himself,  receiving  for  his  first  labors  but  $8 
per  month.  Soon  afterward  he  was  employed  to 
take  a  drove  of  cattle  to  Detroit,  the  round  trip 
occupying  six  weeks.  After  returning  home  he 
resumed  his  labors  by  the  month,  and  in  due  time, 
by  the  closest  economy,  saved  money  enough  to 


720 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-1- 


buy  a  horse.  He  secured  a  mate  to  this,  on  time, 
and  then  rented  a  tract  of  land  which  he  cultivated 
until  1S.VI.  He  was,  however,  dissatisfied  with  his 
prospects  and  the  result  of  his  labors,  and  in  the 
fall  of  that  year  started  on  horseback  for  Illinois. 
Coming  to  this  county  he  bargained  for  ninety 
acres  of  land  which  is  now  included  in  his  present 
farm.  He  had  but  $100  in  cash,  and  with  this 
made  a  first  payment  yn  his  land  and  went  in  debt 
for  the  rest. 

In  the  meantime  our  subject  had  been  married, 
and  the  following  year  brought  his  family.  There 
was  no  house  on  his  little  farm  and  he  had  no  money 
with  which  to  build,  but  he  managed  to  put  up  a 
small  structure  of  one  room,  and  then  commenced 
in  earnest  the  cultivation  of  his  land  and  the  im- 
provement of  a  homestead.  In  1857  he  met  with  a 
sore  affliction  in  the  death  of  his  wife,  and  feeling 
lonely  and  discouraged  returned  to  the  home  of  his 
father  in  Indiana.  After  two  years  spent  there  he 
returned  to  his  farm  with  the  resolution  to  clear 
himself  from  debt.  His  efforts  were  soon  crowned 
with  success.  He  relieved  himself  from  embarass- 
rnent,  proceeded  with  the  cultivation  of  his  land, 
and  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  years  put  up  a  good 
set  of  farm  buildings,  including  a  shapely  and  con- 
venient dwelling,  and  commodious  frame  barns  for 
the  shelter  of  stock  and  the  storage  of  grain.  He 
also  added  to  his  first  purchase,  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  237  acres  of  as  good  land  as  the  sun  shines  upon, 
besides  a  fine  assortment  of  high-grade  stock,  in- 
cluding cattle,  horses  and  hogs. 

The  first  wife  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss 
Sarah  J.  Trotter,  who  was  born  in  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Matthew 
Trotter.  The  second  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom 
he  was  married  in  1858,  was  Mrs.  Emeline  Trotter, 
a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  Ezekiel  Mc- 
Farland,  and  widow  of  Matthew  Trotter.  This  lady 
departed  this  life  in  1 867  at  the  home  of  her  hus- 
band in  Champaign  Township.  The  maiden  name 
of  his  present  wife  was  Miss  Maria  Holloway,  and 
they  were  married  in  1867.  Mrs.  Wolf  was  born  in 
Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Isaiah  Holloway,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Farmer 
City,  111.  Of  the  first  marriage  of  our  subject 
there  were  born  two  children — Jasper  N.  and 


Thomas  N. ;  of  the  second  there  was  one  child — 
Charles  G.  The  children  of  his  present  marriage 
are,  Frank,  Louie,  Anna  and  .1.  Alpheus.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  W.  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  our  subject,  politi- 
cally, is  an  uncompromising  Democrat. 


ICHARD  TOWNER.  Emerson  says  all 
history  is  only  biography.  So  we  find  this 
strikingly  exemplified  in  the  community 
with  which  the  gentleman  of  whom  we  now 
write  is  identified.  Its  history  is  only  the  biog- 
raphy of  the  lives  of  a  few  men,  chiefly  among 
whom  is  himself.  He  is  a  farmer  and  stock-grower 
living  on  section  23,  Sidney  Township.  He  was 
born  in  Vigo  County,  Ind.,  Oct.  31,  1822,  and  is 
the  son  of  Elijah  and  Pha-be  (Hicks)  Towner. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  his 
mother  of  Pennsylvania.  In  about  the  year  1819 
the  parents  removed  from  New  York  to  Indiana, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming.  They  passed  the 
remainder  of  their  lives  in  that  State.  The  father's 
death  occurred  about  the  year  1 830,  and  the  moth- 
er's about  1835. 

Richard  Towner  began  to  earn  his  own  living 
at  nine  years  of  age,  and  during  his  life  has  passed 
through  many  vicissitudes.  He  started  out  by  do- 
ing general  farm  work  while  a  boy,  which  he  con- 
tinued until  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  In  1837 
he  was  employed  in  Danville,  111.,  and  in  1838  in 
Champaign  County,  which  has  been  his  home  with 
the  exception  of  four  years  spent  in  McLean  Coun- 
ty. At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  obtained  a  situation 
as  driver  on  a  stage  line  between  Danville  and 
Peoria,  belonging  to  J.  E.  McClun,  since  Judge 
McClun,  of  Bloomington,  111.  During  the  last 
year  of  his  experience  in  stage-driving,  lie  was 
married,  March  27,  1845,  to  Miss  Joanna  Blunt, 
the  daughter  of  Elenry  and  Sarah  Blunt,  of  this 
State.  She  became  the  mother  of  nine  children — 
Helen  A.,  Sarah  F.,  Madora  F.,  Earnest  M.,  Izoria 
P.,  Claudius  M.,  Fannie.  Dolly  and  Dulcena  J. 

In  April,  1866,  Mr.  Towner  had  the  misfortune 
to  lose  his  wife  by  death.  In  November,  1867,  he 
contracted  another  marriage,  with  Mrs.  Sarah  Tay- 


"ffl 


RESIDENCE    OF    DANIEL     NI5EWANDER,  EEC'S  .28&.3S,  HEN5LEY    TP. 


RESIDENCE      OF        J.W.     C  H  A  M  P  ,  HE  C,  15  ,    CON  D  IT    TP. 


RESIDENCE    OF    JOHN     CLAR  K  ,  SEC.  6  ,(  R.H-.W.).  COMPROMISE  TP. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
--Y  o?  ILUNOK 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


•*• 

721 


r 


lor,  the  widow  of  Isaac  Taylor.  She  was  born  in 
Vigo  County.  Ind.,  in  the  year  1841,  and  was  the 
daughter  of  James  and  Matilda  Siner.  By  her 
first  husband,  Mr.  Taylor,  she  had  two  children — 
Matilda  E.  and  James  F.  Of  her  union  with  our 
subject  she  became  the  mother  of  four  children— 
Lilliace  A.,  Ida  A.  and  Ada  O.,  twins,  and  Mary  B. 

During  the  four  years  that  Mr.  Towner  spent  in 
McLean  County,  111.,  he  acquired  enough  capital, 
by  industry  and  economy,  to  purchase  eighty  acres 
of  prairie  on  section  23,  adjoining  the  place  where 
he  now  resides,  and  ten  acres  of  timbered  land  on 
section  21,  Sidney  Township.  He  also  owned  a 
phaeton  and  farm  wagon  worth  about  $150.  In 
1852  he  packed  his  wagon  with  such  household 
goods  as  he  could  conveniently  carry,  and  with 
$250  in  ready  money,  invested  in  an  old  log  cabin 
belonging  to  John  Patterson,  of  Hickory  Grove, 
St.  Joseph  Township.  His  neighbors  kindly  vol- 
unteered their  assistance  in  hauling  it  out  and  set- 
ting it  up.  As  soon  as  he  became  settled  in  this 
primitive  abode,  he  commenced  to  break  and  im- 
prove his  land. 

Mr.  Towner  was  the  first  settler  south  of  Salt 
Fork,  on  the  prairie  in  Vermilion  County,  and 
spent  five  years  in  cultivating  his  land  in  that  place, 
then,  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  B.  H.  Towner, 
he  bought  out  the  stock  of  goods  belonging  to  D. 
J.  and  A.  Rankin,  and  engaged  in  the  business  of 
general  merchandising  in  Old  Homer,  now  Homer 
Township.  Ey  trading  in  Iowa  lands  they  cleared 
over  $1,960.  They  continued  in  business  until  the 
year  1863,  when  our  subject  enlisted,  December 
29,  in  Co.  B,  10th  111.  Vol.  Cav.  He  served  val- 
iantly until  Aug.  9,  1865,  when  on  account  of  dis- 
ability contracted  while  in  the  service,  he  was 
mustered  out  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  St.  Louis.  At 
that  time  the  credit  S3rstem  flourished,  and  through 
the  depression  caused  by  the  war,  he  was  unable 
to  meet  his  liabilities,  and  lost  $20,000,  which  left 
him  in  an  embarrassed  condition  financially,  but  he 
has  since  been  able  to  recuperate  and  make  up  his 
losses. 

Mr.  Towner  owns  eighty  acres  of  excellent  land 
in  a  tine  state  of  cultivation,  which  he  obtained  of 
the  Government  when  it  was  bare,  unimproved 
prairie,  in  the  year  1862.  He  is  now  in  comfort- 


able  circumstances,  and  the  enjoyment  of  a  pleasant 
home  in  which  to  pass  his  declining  years.  Him- 
self and  wife  are  both  members  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 

The  portrait  of  Mr.  Towner,  on  an  accompany- 
ing page,  forms  a  fitting  adjunct  to  this  sketch  of 
his  worthy  and  useful  life. 


II 


J^UDGE  J.  O.  CUNNINGHAM,  who  presided 
I  over  the  County  Court  for  several  years,  is 
one  of  the  best-known  residents  of  Urbana 
'  and  vicinity,  of  which  he  has  been  a  resi- 
dent since  the  pioneer  days.  His  birth  took  place 
in  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  12,  1830.  His  parents, 
Hiram  W.  and  Eunice  (Brown)  Cunningham,  were 
natives  respectively  of  New  York  and  Vermont, 
and  after  their  marriage,  which  took  place  in  1830, 
in  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  removed  in  1833,  to  Huron 
County,  Ohio.  Hiram  W.  Cunningham  was  a  car- 
penter by  trade,  and  while  in  Ohio  carried  on  farm- 
ing. The  parental  family  included  ten  children,  of 
whom  but  four  are  now  living  besides  our  subject. 
The  eldest,  a  half-brother,  J.  C.  Sheldon,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Urbana;  Albert  P.  is  a  druggist  in  Cham- 
paign; Olive,  Mrs.  Fisher,  resides  at  Emporia,  Kan., 
which  place  is  also  the  residence  of  Edwin  W. 

The  Cunningham  family  is  of  lowland  Scottish 
descent,  and  the  first  representatives  who  carne  to 
this  country  settled  in  New  England  and  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  The  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  Layton  Cunningham,  was  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, where  he  married.  Soon  after  he  became 
a  pioneer  in  Western  New  York,  and  there  raised  a 
family  and  spent  hisJast  days.  The  father  of  our 
subject,  with  his  estimable  wife,  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he  offici- 
ated as  Class-Leader  for  a  period  of  forty  years.  He 
was  noted  for  his  active  interest  in  educational  and 
temperance  matters,  and  frequently  held  official 
positions  in  the  county.  His  death  took  place  in 
Clarksfield,  Ohio,  July  11,  1866.  The  mother  sur- 
vived her  husband  nearly  three  years,  dying  March 
9,  1869,  at  the  same  place. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  trained  to   farm 


t 


722 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


pursuits,  and  commenced  his  education  in  a  log 
school-house,  where  lie  attended  during  the  winter 
season  until  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  afterward 
took  a  course  in  Baldwin  Institute  and  Oberlin 
College,  and  occupied  his  vacations  as  a  teacher. 
After  leaving  Ohio  he  resided  and  taught  in  Ver- 
million  County,  Ind.,  one  year,  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  Urbana,  this  county,  in  June,  1853.  Soon 
afterward  he  purchased  the  Urbana  Union,  which 
he  continued  to  publish  until  1858,  and  which  was 
made  notable  by  its  active  support  of  Gen.  Fremont 
for  the  Presidency.  At  the  close  of  this  campaign 
Mr.  Cunningham  sold  out  his  paper  and  resolved  to 
take  up  the  study  of  law.  He  returned  East  to 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  after  attending  the  law  school 
there  and  supplementing  his  studies  by  private 
reading,  was  admitted  to  practice  before  the  close 
of  that  year.  -He  opened  his  first  law  office  in 
Urbana  May  1,  1859,  and  soon  afterward  became 
the  partner  of  Judge  Sim,  with  whom  he  continued 
six  years.  From  1865  to  1869  he  practiced  alone, 
and  in  the  year  last  named  associated  himself  with 
William  B.  Webber,  with  whom  he  remained  in 
partnership  for  seven  years  following.  Since  1876 
he  has  continued  alone. 

Our  subject  was  elected  County  Judge  in  1861, 
and  served  four  years.  He  has  been  an  active 
businessman  and  fairly  successful  in  the  accumula- 
tion of  property.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Illi- 
nois Printing  Company,  of  Danville,  111.,  and  in 
company  with  William  C.  Jones  compiled  a  work 
entitled  "A  Practical  Treatise  upon  the  Jurisdiction 
of,  and  Practice  in  the  County  Courts  of  Illinois," 
in  1883.  He  was  editor  of  the  Union  and  Gazette 
at  Urbana  two  years,  and  assisted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  I.,  B.  &  W.  R.  R.  Co.,  in  which  he  was 
a  Director  several  years,  and  was  one  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  State  University  from  1867  to 
1873. 

Judge  Cunningham  was  married  in  1853  to  Miss 
Mary,  daughter  of  Col.  P.  D.  McConoughey,  of 
Bainbridge.  Ohio.  They  have  a  beautiful  home 
near  the  city  limits  of  Urbana,  comprising  a  farm 
of  eighty  acres,  with  a  handsome  dwelling  and  suit- 
able out-buildings.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  are  connected 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  Judge 
has  long  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 


having  been  Master  of  his  lodge  for  six  years,  and 
has  filled  high  positions  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Illinois.  He  is  also  a  Knight  Templar. 


J'"1  OSEPH  PIERCE,  a  native  of  Bullitt  County, 
Ky.,  is  now  a  highly  respected  resident  of 
Harwood  Township,  in  possession  of  a  good 
farm  embracing  120  acres  of  land  in  a 
thorough  state  of  cultivation.  He  was  in  early  life 
trained  to  habits  of  industry,  and  his  property  has 
been  accumulated  solely  through  his  own  exertions. 
Our  subject  was  born  Jan.  1,  1821,  and  was  the 
third  child  of  John  and  Matilda  (Weeks)  Pierce, 
natives  of  the  Old  Dominion.  His  father  followed 
farming  all  his  life  and  spent  his  days  in  the  State 
which  gave  him  birth.  Joseph  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  then 
going  into  Washington  County,  Ky.,  engaged  as  a 
farm  laborer  for  a  year.  He  then  took  a  contract  to 
make  16,000  rails  at  thirty-seven  and  one-half  cents 
per  hundred.  After  the  completion  of  this,  he  fol- 
lowed teaming  one  winter  and  in  the  spring  began 
laying  his  plans  for  the  establishment  of  a  home  and 
domestic  ties.  On  the  14th  of  December,  J  842,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  M.  Lanham,  who 
was  a  native  of  his  own  State,  and  the  second  child 
of  John  and  Ellen  Lanham,  also  natives  of  the  Blue 
Grass  State.  - 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  soon  after  their  mar- 
riage, located  on  a  farm  in  Marion  County,  Ky., 
which  they  occupied  for  five  years  following.  Mr. 
Pierce  then  determined  upon  a  removal  to  the 
West,  and  coming  into  Greene  County,  111.,  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  150  acres  east  of  Kane.  He  occu- 
pied this  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years,  in  the  mean- 
time redeeming  the  land  from  its  original  condition 
and  building  up  a  good  homestead.  In  1864,  how- 
ever, receiving  a  good  offer  to  sell,  he  disposed  of 
his  property  and  returned  to  his  native  State,  where 
he  purchased  113  acres  of  improved  land  in  Wash- 
ington County.  He  remained  there  five  years,  but 
there  was  a  charm  about  the  prairies  of  Illinois 
which  led  him  westward  once  more.  Coming  to 
this  county  he  purchased  eighty  acres  on  section  16, 
in  Harwood  Township,  to  which  he  soon  afterward 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


723 


added  forty  acres,  making  120,  which  constitutes 
his  present  homestead.  He  also  owns  100  acres  on 
section  20. 

Mr.  Pierce  has  been  fairly  prospered  in  his  labors, 
but  himself  and  his  wife  have  met  with  severe 
affliction  in  the  loss  of  seven  of  the  ten  children 
who  came  to  brighten  their  home  and  which  they 
had  hoped  would  all  remain  with  them  until  their 
labors  on  earth  had  ceased.  Those  whom  they  laid 
away  in  sorrow  and  with  tears  were,  Margaret  M., 
John  Henry,  Cedonia.  William  Edward,  Matilda 
Jane,  Harriett  Ann  and  Franklin.  Of  those  living 
Angeline  became  the  wife  of  William  Deshazier,  a 
prosperous  farmer  of  Harwood  Township,  owning 
a  homestead  near  his  father-in-law,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Jessie ;  Elvina  is  the  wife  of  Charles  An- 
derson, who  occupies  a  portion  of  the  home  farm ; 
they  have  three  children — Ellen  G.,  Margaret  M. 
and  Josephine.  Joseph  is  the  youngest  son  and  is 
at  home  with  his  parents. 

Mr.  Pierce  devotes  his  entire  attention  to  the 
raising  of  grain.  He  is  Democratic  in  politics  but 
takes  no  active  part  otherwise  than  depositing  his 
vote  as  a  dutiful  citizen  on  election  day.  He  has 
frequently  served  his  township  as  Road  Commis- 
sioner and  his  district  as  School  Director,  but  has 
never  aspired  to  political  offices.  He  has  in  all 
respects  built  up  a  record  as  an  honest  man  and  a 
good  citizen,  and  in  return  is  rewarded  with  the 
sincere  respect  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors.  Mrs. 
Pierce  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church  at  Ran- 
toul.  A  lithographic  view  of  the  pleasant  home 
of  Mr.  Pierce  is  shown  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


1USTAV  STUMPF.  This  worthy  farmer,  a 
resident  of  Rantoul  Township,  owns  and 
occupies  170  acres  of  laud  on  section  6,  free 
from  incumbrance  and  equipped  with  tasteful  new 
buildings,  including  a  good  residence.  Here,  with 
a  genial,  intelligent  and  industrious  wife,  and 
bright  and  promising  children  who  j'et  remain  in 
the  home,  he  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  large  share 
of  the  pleasant  things  of  life  to  which  he  is  justly 
entitled  and  has  fairly  earned  by  his  industry 
and  economy.  His  possessions  are  the  result  of  his 


own  labor,  and  he  may  be  pardoned  for  a  feeling  of 
pride  and  satisfaction  in  viewing  his  surroundings, 
and  the  methods  by  which  he  became  proprietor. 

Mr.  Stumpf  has  been  a  resident  of  this  county 
for  a  period  of  seventeen  years.  He  was  born  and 
reared  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  first  open- 
ing his  eyes  to  light  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Baden, 
six  miles  from  the  River  Rhine,  on  the  5th  of  De- 
cember, 1830.  In  accordance  with  the  laws  and 
customs  of  his  native  country,  he  commenced  at- 
tending school  when  six  years  of  age,  and  pursued 
his  studies  until  fourteen.  He  then  commenced  to 
assist  his  father  on  the  farm,  continuing  there  until 
seventeen  years  old,  when  he  entered  the  army. 
After  a  service  of  five  months  he  returned  to  his 
father's  house,  but  being  of  an  ambitious  turn  of 
mind  and  seeing  little  prospect  of  advancement  or 
a  competence  in  his  own  country  he  decided  to  seek 
his  fortunes  in  the  New  World.  He  accordingly 
set  sail  from  Bremen  in  the  month  of  March,  1852, 
and  after  a  voyage  of  thirty-five  days  set  foot  upon 
American  soil.  He  landed  in  New  York  City  with 
about  $10  in  his  pocket,  and  made  it  his  first  busi- 
ness to  secure  employment. 

The  Erie  Railroad  being  in  process  of  construc- 
tion at  the  time  of  Mr.  Stumpf's  coming  to  this 
country,  he  engaged  in  assisting  to  grade  and  lay 
track  for  two  months,  and  thence  going  to  Penn- 
sylvania, worked  on  a  plank  road  for  a  month. 
Afterward  he  was  variously  employed,  on  a  railroad, 
in  a  sawmill,  digging  ore  and  butchering  until  1868. 
In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  started  for  the  West, 
locating  first  in  Livingston  County,  111.,  where  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  wild  prairie  land  at  $12.50  an 
acre.  He  remained  in  possession  of  this  property, 
improving  it  and  increasing  its  value,  until  1870, 
when  he  traded  it  for  his  present  farm.  This,  how- 
ever, would  scarcely  be  called  a  farm  at  the  time 
of  his  purchase,  being  simply  a  tract  of  uncultivated 
land.  Having  given  much  of  his  life  to  the  tilling 
of  the  soil,  he  realized  the  possibilities  lying  under- 
neath the  sod  in  this  section,  and  set  to  work  with 
courage  and  hope  to  build  up  a  permanent  home- 
stead. The  result  of  his  labors  we  have  already 
noted. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Jan.  29,  1855,  was  formerly  Miss 


i 

i 


724 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


Ucgina  Schmidt,  a  native  of  Bavaria,  and  born 
Dec.  13,  1830.  Mrs.  S.  has  proved  the  true  help- 
meet of  her  husband,  who  cheerfully  acknowledges 
that  to  her  assistance  and  wise  counsel  he  has  been 
largely  indebted  for  the  success  of  his  later  years. 
Of  their  children,  who  were  six  in  number,  Louisa 
became  the  wife  of  Tilman  Goodfelt,  arid  lives  with 
her  husband  in  Franklin  County,  Neb. ;  John  is  at 
home  with  his  parents:  Mary  became  the  wife  of 
David  Engleman,  and  died  in  1886,  when  twenty- 
four  years  of  age,  leaving  four  children ;  Rosa, 
Gustav  and  Annie  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 
Since  becoming  a  citizen  of  the  United  States 
Mr.  Stumpf  has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  its 
political  affairs,  and  upon  first  becoming  a  voter 
identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party,  of 
which  he  has  since  been  a  sincere  and  hearty  sup- 
porter. He  has  contributed  no  little  to  the  status 
of  his  township,  in  building  up  a  good  home  and 
carrying  on  his  farming  operations  in  a  most  praise- 
worthy manner.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stumpf  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  Church.  A  lithographic  view 
of  the  handsome  residence,  outbuildings,  etc.,  on 
the  farm  of  Mr.  Stumpf,  is  shown  elsewhere  in  this 
work. 


ETHAN  ALLEN  BIRDZELL  is  a  native  of 
this  county,  born  in  the  city  of  Urbana,  Feb. 
22,1855.  Great  changes  have  taken  place 
in  his  native  town  since  his  boyhood,  and  since  his 
father,  John  Birdzell,  migrated  from  Indiana  to 
this  locality.  The  latter  was  born  near  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  in  1828,  although  his  parents'  permanent 
residence  was  in  Indiana  at  the  tiuie.  Our  sub- 
ject's mother,  who  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss  Cath- 
erine L.  Hudson,  was  a  native  of  the  same  State  as 
her  husband,  and  came  with  him  to  this  county  in 
1854,  stopping  first  in  the  vicinity  of  Urbana  for 
about  three  years,  and  thence  removing  to  a  farm 
on  section  19,  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  which  finally 
included  320  acres  of  some  of  the  choicest  laud  in 
that  locality. 

John  Bird/ell  was  a  man  of  great  industry  and 
energy,  and  the  property  which  he  accumulated 
was  the  result  of  his  own  perseverance.  After  a 
worthy  career,  during  which  he  established  himself 

«•  i 


full}'  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow- 
citizens,  he  departed  this  life  March  10,  1880,  on 
the  homestead  which  he  had  eliminated  from  the 
uncultivated  prairie.  With  the  exception  of  two 
years  spent  in  California,  most  of  his  life  was 
passed  in  St.  Joseph  Township.  The  parental  fam- 
ily includes  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  eldest;  Daniel  C. 
and  David  C.  are  residents  of  Champaign  County; 
Laura  A.  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  H.  Stayton,  a  farmer 
of  St.  Joseph  Township;  Lydia  A.  married  David 
B.  Stayton,  Jr. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  our  subject  were 
passed  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons,  at- 
tending the  district  school,  and  assisting  his  parents 
as  his  services  could  be  made  available  around  the 
homestead.  He  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  his  marriage,  in  1875,  his  chosen  bride  being 
Miss  Mahala  O.,  daughter  of  Reuben  C.  and 
Amanda  Koch,  who  came  to  this  county  in  the 
spring  of  1860.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Birdzell  had 
a  family  of  four  sons  and  five  daughters,  who  are 
recorded  as  follows:  Sarah  C.  became  the  wife  of 
Abram  Hoy;  Mahala  is  the  wife  of  our  subject; 
Augusta  married  Charles  P.  Drullinyer;  Frank  M. 
is  unmarried,  and  a  resident  of  St.  Joseph;  Mary 
R.  died  when  an  interesting  young  girl  of  thirteen 
years;  John  Otis  died  when  eighteen  months  old, 
and  Levi  L.  when  an  infant  of  a^  month,  also 
Charles  W;  Cora  S.  lived  to  be  only  nine  years  of 
age. 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Birdzell  re- 
mained on  the  farm  two  years,  and  then  took  pos- 
session of  the  farm  belonging  to  Mrs.  B.  in  St. 
Joseph  Township.  Mr.  Birdzell  afterward  desir- 
ing to  change  his  occupation,  moved  with  his  fam- 
ily into  the  town  of  St.  Joseph,  in  the  fall  of  1882, 
and  engaged  first  in  the  drug  trade  which  he  after- 
ward abandoned  to  become  a  partner  of  John  W. 
Somers  in  the  grain  business.  In  1  884  he  sold  out, 
and  wishing  to  recuperate  his  health,  visited  Hot 
Springs,  Ark.,  where  he  remained  two  months  with 
excellent  results.  Upon  returning  to  St.  Joseph 
he  became  the  partner  of  Messrs.  Irons  &  Fox. 

The  fine  residence  of  Mr.  Birdzell  is  built  of 
brick,  and  pleasantly  located,  constituting  one  of 
the  attractions  of  the  town.  Four  bright  children 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


725 


complete  the  happiness  of  the  home  circle,  named 
respectively,  Charles  Allen,  Walter  M.,  Luther 
Earl  and  Lorin  G.  One  brother  of  Mr.  Birdzell, 
Joshua  S.,  died  when  a  promising  young  man  twen- 
ty-four years  of  age,  on  the  farm  near  May  view. 
Another,  Waiter  Wesley,  died  at  the  same  place 
when  a  boy  of  nine  years. 


ffiOHN  H.  LOVINGFOSS,  although  not  a  per- 
I  sonal  owner  of  real  estate,  has  for  four  years 
I  successfully  conducted  what  is  known  as  the 
yjjjjj)  Lynn  Grove  Farm,  which  is  one  of  the  finest 
in  Sidney  Township,  and  is  located  on  section  31. 
He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  July  9,  1825,  and  is 
the  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  (McKown)  Lovingfoss, 
the  former  a  native  of  Belgium  and  the  latter  of 
Ireland.  The  parents  removed  from  Pennsylva- 
nia to  Ohio,  where  they  both  died,  the  father  June 
9,  1853,  and  the  mother  May  2,  1865. 

In  1873  John  II.  Lovingfoss  removed  from  Ohio 
to  Champaign  County,  111.,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  His  educational  advantages  were  limited 
to  such  as  could  be  casually  gleaned  in  the  old  log 
school-house  of  the  pioneer  days  of  Pennsylvania, 
but  by  making  intelligent  use  of  such  means  as  were 
within  his  grasp  he  acquired  a  good  common-school 
education.  From  boyhood  to  the  present  time  he 
has  been  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  farming. 

On  Jan.  15,  1852,  Mr.  Loviugfoss  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  J.  McCafferty,  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Margaret  (Hunter)  McCafferty,  who  both  died 
in  Ohio.  Mrs.  Lovingfoss  became  the  mother  of 
four  children,  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are 
as  follows:  Ellen  J.,  born  April  23,  1854;  Albert 
N.,  Oct.  1,  1856;  James  H.,  Dec.  7,  1858,  and 
Charles  H.,  Aug.  23,  1860.  Of  these  but  one  has 
survived,  James  H.  The  mother  of  these  children 
was  removed  by  death,  and  our  subject  subse- 
quently contracted  a  second  marriage,  with  Miss 
Jane  Woodruff.  She  was  born  in  1842,  and  died 
March  23,  1868.  They  had  three  children:  George 
E.,  born  Sept.  4,  1863;  William  II.,  Aug.  19,  1865, 
and  Mary  E.,  Aug.  15,.  1867.  The  youngest  is 
deceased. 

Air.  Lovingfoss,  on  Jan.  7,  1869,  was  married  for 

\  i  _A. 


the  third  time,  Mrs.  Minerva  Black  being  the  other 
contracting  party.  She  was  the  widow  of  John 
Black,  by  whom  she  had  three  children:  James  M., 
born  Jan,  16,  1863;  Anna  C.,  Oct.  1,  1864,  and 
Louisa  C.,  June  3,  1867;  The  father  of  these  chil- 
dren died  in  April,  1867.  Mrs.  Black  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Absalom  Roush,  of  Adams  County,  Ohio. 
By  her  marriage  with  our  subject  three  children 
have  been  born,  viz.:  John  Edgar,  Jan.  16,  1870, 
Elva  E.,  Oct.  12,  1871,  and  Gertie  E.,  May  20, 
1877.  Five  of  our  subject's  children  are  living  at 
home.  He  also  has  a  granddaughter,  Ettie  E.  Ken- 
ned}-, born  Oct.  25,  1872,  who  has  made  her  home 
with  him  since  eleven  mouths  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
L.  are  both  highly  respected  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 


N.  WYNINGER,  editor  and  pro- 
prietor  of  the  St.  Joseph  Eagle,  publishes  a 
bi-weekly  paper,  which  he  established  in  Au- 
gust, 1886,  and  which,  in  connection  with  its  well- 
appointed  job  office,  has  become  one  of  the  indis- 
pensable features  of  the  town.  The  paper  is  a  four- 
column  folio,  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  people 
in  that  section,  reporting  the  principal  events  that 
occur  from  time  to  time,  and  giving  a  faithful 
exposition  of  matters  likely  to  be  of  interest  to  the 
residents  of  the  township.  The  job  department  is 
equipped  with  a  fine  assortment  of  everything 
essential  to  the  "art  preservative,"  and  the  pro- 
prietor by  his  wise  and  discreet  management  has 
fairly  ingratiated  himself  into  the  good-will  of  the 
people. 

The  boyhood  days  of  Mr.  Wyninger  were  spent 
in  Boone  County,  Ind.,  where  his  birth  took  place 
on  the  3d  of  February,  1859.  His  parents,  William 
and  Martha  J.  (Howard)  Wyninger,  were  natives 
of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  respectively.  Our 
subject  received  the  advantages  of  the  common 
schools  and  his  time  when  not  in  school  was  em- 
ployed upon  his  father's  farm.  He  remained  in  Boone 
until  thirteen  years  of  age  and  then  going  into  Car- 
roll County.  Ind.,  engaged  in  various  occupations 
four  years.  Then,  desirous  of  seeing  something  of 
the  Southwest  he  crossed  the  Mississippi  into  Ar- 


f 


726 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


kansasand  Missouri,  and  upon  returning  to  this  side 
of  the  Father  of  Waters  took  up  his  abode  in  St. 
Joseph  and  here  concluded  to  remain.  His  taste 
had  always  inclined  to  the  newspaper  business,  and 
in  1884  he  purchased  the  job  office  of  V.  J.  Gallion, 
which  he  conducted  two  years,  and  then  established 
the  Eayle,  which  he  has  since  continued  in  a  man- 
ner satisfactory  to  all  concerned.  The  paper  is 
Republican  in  politics,  and  a  downright  spicy  little 
sheet,  which  contributes  its  full  quota  toward  keep- 
ing the  town  lively  and  prosperous. 

Mr.  W.  has  been  quite  prominent  in  local  affairs 
since  coming  here,  and  in  1885  was  elected  both 
Town  and  Village  Clerk.  Those  who  know  him 
wish  him  and  the  Eayle  abundant  success,  as  he  is 
an  enterprising  citizen  and  should  be  encouraged. 


A.  GRAY,  an  ambitious  and  enter- 
prising  young  farmer  of  Rantoul  Township. 
manages  his  father's  old  homestead  of  485 
acres,  and  also  280  acres  belonging  to  himself.  He 
possesses  more  than  ordinary  ability  as  a  business 
man,  and  having  had  a  lifelong  experience  in 
agricultural  pursuits  is  eminently  fitted  for  the  task 
which  at  present  devolves  upon  him.  The  home- 
stead on  section  19,  a  view  of  which  is  presented 
in  this  work,  was  established  by  his  honored  father 
in  1861,  and  is  equipped  with  the  finest  description 
of  farm  buildings  and  machinery.  In  addition  to 
the  ordinary  pursuits  of  husbandry  Mr.  Gray  is 
operating  a  dairy,  the  proceeds  of  which  yield 
annually  a  handsome  income. 

The  subject  of  this  history  is  a  scion  of  an  old 
and  excellent  family,  the  later  descendants  of  whom 
became  well  known  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  him- 
self 'was  born  in  Wayne,  Erie  County,  Aug.  13, 
1857.  His  father,  William  A.  Gray,  was  a  native 
of  the  same  town,  his  birth  taking  place  Dec.  15, 
1821.  His  grandfather,  Mathew  A.  Gray,  was  born 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania  or  New  Jersey, 
and  became  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Erie 
County.  He  secured  possession  of  a  tract  of  timber 
land  in  Wayne  Township,  cut  down  the  trees  and 
prepared  the  soil  for  cultivation,  and  for  many 
vcnrs  industriously  occupied  himself  ill  its  improve- 


ment,  establishing  a  comfortable  home,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death.  His  settlement  was  made 
before  the  days  of  railroads  or  canals,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  Pittsburgh  was  the  only  depot  for 
supplies.  Mathew  Gray  became  a  man  of  promi- 
nence in  that  section  of  country,  being  rarely  intel- 
ligent and  possessed  of  decided  views  concerning 
State,  national  and  local  affairs.  He  was  for  a  long 
!  time  Deacon  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  after  the 
establishment  of  a  society  there,  and  his  opinions 
were  held  in  much  respect,  both  religiously  and 
politically.  The  grandmother  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Esther  Smith,  a  lady  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent.  By  her  marriage  with  Mathew  Gray  she 
became  the  mother  of  eleven  children.  Two  of 
these  died  in  infancy,  two  died  in  youth,  and  seven 
lived  to  mature  years,  were  married  and  reared 
families. 

Among  the  sous  who  inherited  in  a  marked  de- 
gree the  excellent  qualities  of  both  parents  was 
William  A.,  the  father  of  our  subject.  He  received 
careful  home  training,  and  was  educated  in  the  pio- 
neer schools,  which  were  conducted  in  a  log  cabin. 
When  not  in  school,  his  education  being  principally 
carried  on  in  the  winter  season,  he  assisted  his  father 
in  clearing  the  land  and  tilling  the  soil.  He 
remained  a  member  of  the  household  until  estab- 
lishing domestic  ties  of  his  own.  At  his  marriage 
his  father  gave  him  100  acres  of  land,  which  he 
operated  intelligently  and  successfully,  and  in  time 
added  to  his  real  estate  by  the  purchase  of  160 
acres  more.  He  prepared  the  greater  part  for  cul- 
tivation by  clearing  it  of  the  forest  trees,  and 
erected  a  good  set  of  frame  buildings.  This  farm 
he  occupied  with  his  family  until  1859,  then  selling 
out,  purchased  a  one-half  interest  in  a  flouriug- 
mill  and  woolen  factory  at  Cynthiana,  Ky.  Two 
years  later  he  traded  that  property  for  eighty  acres 
of  land  in  Kansas  and  a  half  section  in  Rantoul 
Township,  this  county.  His  family  removed  to 
this  locality  in  February,  1862. 

The  purchase  in  Rantoul  Township  consisted  of 
wild  prairie,  and  before  the  arrival  of  his  family 
Mr.  Gray  put  up  a  house  and  made  things  as  com- 
fortable as  possible  for  their  reception.  After 
taking  possession  he  occupied  this  homestead  until 
1874,  then  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  a  tenant, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


729 


returned  East  and  spent  :i  year  in  Kocliester,  N.  Y. 
Afterward  he  went  to  Pennsylvania,  and  becoming 
a  resident  of  Corry,  Erie  County,  lived  there  until 
187'J.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  returned  to 
the  West,  and  locating  upon  the  farm  in  Rantoul 
Township  remained  there  until  his  death,  which 
took  place  Aug.  30,  1880.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, who  became  the  wife  of  William  A.  Gray  July 
3,  1845,  was  formerly  Miss  Sarah  Mead,  and  was 
born  in  Youngsville,  Warren  Co.,  Pa.,  Sept.  4, 
1821.  She  was  the  daughter  of  John  Mead,  a  na- 
tive of  Meadville,  PaL,  whose  father,  John  Mead, 
Sr.,  of  Crawford  County,  that  State,  was  a  promi- 
nent man  in  that  section  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in 
honor  of  whom  (in  connection  with  a  brother)  the 
city  of  Meadville  was  named. 

The  family  at  first  were  driven  from  that  section 
by  the  Indians,  and  took  refuge  in  the  fort  at 
Franklin,  fifty  miles  distant.  In  this  flight  they 
were  assisted  by  a  friendly  tribe.  In  due  time  after 
their  enemies  had  been  removed  from  that  locality 
they  returned,  and  the  grandfather  spent  the  last 
years  of  his  life  at  Meadville.  There  also  the  ma- 
ternal grandfather  of  our  subject  grew  to  manhood, 
and  upon  setting  out  for  himself  in  life  removed  to 
Youngsville.  He  was  first  employed  in  a  sawmill, 
and  worked  industriously  at  whatever  his  hands 
could  find  to  do.  He  was  of  an  enterprising  and 
thrifty  disposition,  and  in  a  few  years,  by  wise 
economy  had  saved  enough  to  purchase  the  saw 
and  grist  mills  which  he  had  first  entered  as  a 
laborer.  After  operating  these  successfully  for  a 
number  of  years,  his  accumulations  still  steadily 
increasing,  he  began  to  purchase  land,  and  finally 
became  the  proprietor  of  a  valuable  tract  of  400 
acres,  to  which  he  gave  his  chief  attention,  and 
established  a  good  home,  where  hp  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days.  When  a  young  man  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Sallie  Huffman,  of  Susquehanna,  Pa.,  who 
cheerfully  shared  in  his  labors  and  rejoiced  in  his 
successes.  She  died  at  the  homestead  in  Youngs- 
ville, having  become  the  mother  of  two  children,  a 
son  and  daughter.  The  latter.  Ida,  who  was  born 
March  8,  1847,  became  the  wife  of  M.  E.  Stamey, 
and  dietl  of  consumption  Jan.  16,  1873,  while  on  a 
visit  to  her  father. 

After  the  death  of  her   husband  the   mother  of 


our  subject  was  married  the  second  time,  Dec.  23, 
1885,  to  Mr.  E.  M.  Bartlett.  Mr.  B.  was  born  in 
Newry,  Oxford  Co.,  Me.,  July  18,  1830,  and  is  the 
son  of  Jonathan  and  Nancy  (Barker)  Bartlett,  na- 
tives of  the  same  town  as  their  son.  The  grand- 
parents of  Mr.  Bartlett  were  of  English  birth  and 
ancestry,  who,  crossing  the  ocean  early  in  life, 
located  in  Oxford  County  during  its  first  settle- 
ment. 

Nelson  A.  Gray,  of  this  sketch,  was  in  the  second 
year  of  his  age  when  his  parents  removed  from'  his 
native  State  to  Kentucky,  and  was  five  years  old 
when  they  became  residents  of  this  county.  His 
early  studies  were  conducted  in  the  district  schools 
of  Rantoul  Township,  and  his  education  completed 
in  the  University  of  Illinois,  where,  after  a  four 
years'  course  he  graduated,  in  June,  1883.  After  -. 
leaving  school  he  returned  to  the  farm,  the  duties 
of  which  have  always  been  very  attractive  to  him, 
and  in  addition  to  the  raising  of  corn  and  wheat 
has  of  late  been  giving  much  attention  to  the  breed- 
ing of  fine  stock. 

Mr.  Gray's  life  career  commenced  amid  unusu- 
ally happy  surroundings,  and  after  providing  a 
good  home  for  the  reception  of  his  bride,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Minnie  Collins,  at  the 
home  of  her  parents  in  Rantoul  Township,  Feb.  11, 
1885.  Mrs.  Gray  is  the  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Mary  (Cerrie)  Collins,  natives  respectively  of  Ohio 
and  Illinois.  Her  birth  took  place  in  Schuyler 
County,  this  State,  Oct.  11,  1864.  Her  maternal 
grandfather,  who  was  a  descendant  of  excellent 
Scottish  ancestry,  and  himself  born  in  the  Land  of 
the  Thistle,  emigrated  to  the  United  States  at  an 
early  day,  and  coining  to  the  West  located  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Schuyler  County.  There  he 
still  resides,  having  now  reached  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-two  years.  He  possesses  in  an  eminent 
degree  the  sturdy  and  reliable  characteristics  of  his 
race,  and  as  a  man  and  citizen  has  exercised  a  de- 
cided influence  in  shaping  the  affairs  of  the  vicinity 
where  he  has  lived  so  long  and  is  so  highly  re- 
spected. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  the  parents  of 
two  bright  children — Sarah  E.,  born  Nov.  22, 
1885,  and  George  A.,  March  15,  1887.  Mr.  G.  is 
favored  with  a  good  constitution,  and  combines 


t 


730 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


strictness  of  moral  principle  with  energy  and  decis- 
ion of  character.  Fie  is  orthodox  in  religious 
views,  being  with  his  amiable  wife,  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
at  Gray's  School-house.  Politically  he  is  a  true 
Republican,  and  upholds  the  principles  of  his  party 
with  an  earnestness  and  fearlessness  which  at  once 
indicate  his  sincere  belief  in  the  principles  which 
he  advocates. 


GEORGE  A.  SMITH.  The  homestead  of  the 
gentleman  whose  name  stands  at  the  head 
of  this  sketch  is  pleasantly  located  on  sec- 
tion 11,  Scott  Township,  and  embraces  240  acres 
of  land,  with  a  handsome  and  substantial  set  of 
frame  buildings,  a  view  of  which  appears  on  an- 
other page,  and  forms  a  most  valuable  adjunct 
to  the  pictorial  department  of  this  ALBUM.  He 
came  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1874,  soon 
afterward  becoming  a  resident  of  Scott  Township, 
and  by  the  exercise  of  energy  and  industry  has  im- 
proved one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  section  of  the 
county.  His  land  has  been  made  tillable  by  the 
aid  of  seven  miles  of  tile,  and  being  a  natural  me-" 
chanio  he  only  paid  out  liiOO  to  hired  help  in  the 
erection  of  his  buildings,  which,  being  mostly  done 
by  his  own  hands,  are  of  first-class  workmanship. 
His  stock  and  farm  machinery  are  of  the  best  de- 
scription, and  everything  about  the  premises  indi- 
cates thrift  and  prosperity. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  native  of  Lake  County,  this  State, 
born  Jan.  6,  1848,  and  is  the  second  child  of  George 
S.  and  Beatrice  (Yule)  Smith,  who  were  natives  of 
Aberdeen,  Scotland.  They  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  before  their  marriage,  and  coming  to  the 
West  located  on  a  farm  in  Lake  County,  111.,  where 
they  still  reside.  The  parental  household  included 
eight  children,  three  sons  and  five  daughters. 
George  A.  lived  at  home  until  he  was  eighteen 
years  old,  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  common 
schools  and  assisting  in  the  labors  of  the  farm.  At 
the  age  mentioned  he  went  to  the  home  of  his 
uncle  in  Kcnosha  County,  Wis.,  where  lie  worked 
one  year,  and  afterward  took  up  the  carpenter's 


trade,  which  he  had  learned  in  his  native  county. 
He  then  returned  home  and  remained  in  his  native 
county  until  the  fall  of  1872.  Thence  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.,  and  from  there  to  Mis- 
souri, where  he  farmed  one  year  on  rented  land. 
IJis  next  journey  was  into  this  county. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  his  native  county,  Jan. 
1 1,  1869,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Goodnow,  who  was  born 
in  Du  Page  County,  111.,  Jan.  26,  1842.  This  lady 
was  the  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Puffer)  Goodnow,  the  former  a  native  of  Boyl- 
ston,  Mass.,  and  the  latter  of  Millbury,  in  the  same 
State.  After  marriage  they  came  to  this  State  and 
located  at  Downer's  Grove,  \)u  Page  County, 
whence  they  afterward  removed  to  Lake  County, 
where  Mr.  G.  died  Nov.  10,  1869.  Mrs.  G.  still 
survives,  and  resides  with  her  son-in-law  in  Scott 
Township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodnow  were  the  par- 
ents of  three  children,  one  son  and  two  daughters, 
all  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  died  at  the  home  of  her 
husband  in  Scott  Township,  Feb.  16,  1887.  She 
was  a  lady  highly  respected  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances,  and  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  Church.  They  had  no  children, 
but  adopted  two,  named  Joseph  and  Mary.  The  lat- 
ter .became  the  wife  of  James  Coon,  a  farmer  of 
Scott  Township,  and  is  the  mother  of  one  child,  a 
son,  Elmer.  Mr.  Smith  is  Republican  in  politics, 
a  Baptist  in  religion,  and  has  been  intrusted  with 
the  minor  offices  of  his  township.  As  a  farmer  and 
citizen  he  is  held  in  high  respect  by  the  commu- 
nity of  which  he  has  been  a  member  for  over  thir- 
teen years. 


E  W.  COUDEN  is  the  only  surviving 
[It  (=-,  representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families 
'^^U  of  Champaign  County,  and  is  the  owner  of 
a  fine  estate,  located  on  section  27,  St.  Joseph 
Township,  where  he  was  born  June  18,  1855.  UN 
father,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born  Oct.  13,  1800. 
He  emigrated  from  his  native  State  to  Champaign 
County  about  forty  years  ago,  and  soon  after  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Jtilianno  Dv.'ellinger,  which  event 
occurred  Sept.  18,  1845.  On  his  arrival  in  this 


f. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


731 


county  lie  settled  on  a  farm  about  five  miles  south- 
west of  the  town  of  St.  Joseph.  He  cultivated  and 
improved  his  land,  carrying  on  a  successful  fann- 
ing business,  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life 
there.  He  did  not  long  survive  the  death  of  his 
second  wife,  which  occurred  March  19,  185'J,  his 
demise  taking  place  Aug.  12,  1859.  Seven  chil- 
dren were  born  of  his  second  marriage,  namely, 
Philip  H.,  William.  Taylor,  Harrison;  Henrietta, 
the  wife  of  Addisou  L.  Wood;  George  W.,  and 
Martha  M.,  the  wife  of  Lee  Marshall. 

The  subject  of  this  notice  passed  his  boyhood 
upon  his  father's  farm,  attending  school  during  the 
winters,  and  in  the  summer  time  assisting  in  the 
farm  labor.  In  his  twenty-second  year  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Alfaretta  Paxton, 
the  daughter  of  D.  P.  Paxton,  formerly  a  resident 
of  Indiana.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Couden  set- 
tled on  his  present  place,  and  has  become  one  of 
the  most  substantial  and  successful  farmers  in  the 
vicinity,  while  his  kind  disposition,  courtesy  and 
hospitality  have  won  the  regard  of  all  who  know 
him.  In  conducting  his  farm  he  has  made  a  spec- 
ialty of  breeding  Norman  draft  horses,  of  which  he 
has  some  fine  specimens  in  his  well-built  and  con- 
venient stables. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Couden  have  four  interesting  chil- 
dren— Otis,  Carrie,  Roscoe  F.  and  Freddie.  Mr. 
Couden  has  served  as  School  Director  for  several 
years,  and  himself  and  wife  are  both  highly  es- 
teemed members  of  the  Christian  Church  at  Pleas- 
ant Grove. 


ZEPHANIAII  M.  DUNN.  One  of  the  finest 
farms  in  St.  Joseph  Township  is  located  on 
section  12,  and  invariably  attracts  the  eye  of 
the  traveler  on  account  of  its  finely  laid  out  fields, 
its  neat  and  substantial  fences,  and  the  commodious 
farm  buildings  which  at  once  indicate  the  taste  and 
means  of  its  proprietor.  Mr.  Dunn  obtained  pos- 
session of  his  present  property  mostly  by  the  exer- 
cise of  his  own  industry  and  enterprise,  and  ranks 
among  the  progressive  men  of  this  section  who 
have  been  the  chief  instruments  in  developing  ito 
resources. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of    Kentucky,  born    near 


Harrison,  in  Cynthiana  County,  April  18,  is:il. 
His  grandfather,  Benjamin  Dunn,  a  native  of  the 
Old  Dominion,  removed  from  there  to  the  Blue 
Grass  regions  in  early  manhood,  and  it  is  supposed 
was  of  English  parentage.  He  became  a  successful 
and  extensive  planter  in  the  cotton  districts,  and 
spent  his  last  days  in  Kentucky.  His  wife  was 
formerly  Miss  Massa  Mills,  and  they  reared  a  family 
of  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  Zophaniah, 
Sr.,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  the  eldest.  He 
also  was  born  in  Harrison  County,  where  he 
received  a  common-school  education,  and  upon 
reaching  manhood  was  married  to  Miss  Lavina 
Brownfield,  a  native  of  the  same  county.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Anna  (Clemens)  Brownfield. 

After  marriage  our  subject's  parents  continued 
to  reside  in  their  native  county  until  the  fall  of 
1834,  then  came  north  to  Central  Illinois,  and 
located  in  what  is  now  Soiner  Township,  this 
county.  Here  the  elder  Dunn  purchased  a  half 
section  of  land,  and  in  due  time  became  one  of  the 
most  extensive  stock-raisers  in  this  locality.  He 
labored  until  the  fall  of  1877,  and  then  started 
across  the  Mississippi  to  Missouri  on  business,  and 
while  in  Atchison  County,  the  latter  State,  he  was 
taken  with  fatal  illness  and  died.  The  wife  and 
mother  preceded  him  to  the  home  beyond,  depart- 
ing this  life  Feb.  22,  1877.  The  thirteen  children 
of  the  parental  household  lived  to  maturity,  married, 
and  reared  families  of  their  own. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  who  was  the  fourth 
child  of  his  parents,  was  but  three  years  of  age 
when  they  became  residents  of  this  county.  His 
education  was  obtained  mainly  in  the  subscription 
schools,  and  during  the  latter  days  of  attendance  at 
one  of  these  institutions  he  was  obliged  to  walk 
two  and  one-half  miles  each  way,  and  worked  for 
his  board  by  feeding  cattle  for  Mr.  A.  Busey.  He 
was  married,  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  to  Miss 
Elizabeth,  second  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
Mapes,  who  were  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
Champaign  County.  After  marriage  Mr.  Dunn 
purchased  fifty-six  acres  of  land  in  Ogden  Town- 
ship, this  county,  where  he  began  the  career  of  an 
independent  farmer,  and  upon  which  he  remained 
until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  Thence  he  re- 


732 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


moved  to  the  farm  of  his  father,  which  he  occupied 
two  years,  and  then  disposing  of  his  own  land  in 
Ugden  Township,  purchased  the  land  which  consti- 
tutes his  present  homestead.  The  improvements 
which  we  see  on  his  farm  to-day  have  been  brought 
about  by  his  own  perseverance  and  industry,  and 
indicate  in  a  marked  degree  the  character  of  the 
proprietor.  In  addition  to  mixed  husbandry  he 
has  given  much  attention  to  the  raising  and  breed- 
ing of  graded  stock,  and  has  realized  a  handsome 
income  annually.  The  grain  which  he  raise?  is 
mostly  consumed  by  his  horses  and  cattle,  and  he 
ships  numbers  of  the  latter  every  year  to  the 
Eastern  markets.  A  view  of  his  residence,  together 
with  its  surroundings,  is  shown  elsewhere  in  this 
work. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Zephaniah  Dunn,  Jr.,  became 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  and  have  been  called  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  all  but  two.  John  S.  died  when  a  promising 
young  man  twenty-two  years  of  age ;  J.  F.  married 
Miss  Jessie  Holloway,  and  lives  in  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship ;  Matthew  F.  remains  at  home  with  his  parents- 
Mr.  Dunn  served  three  years  in  his  township  as 
Road  Overseer,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  School 
Board  from  the  second  year  of  his  residence  here. 
The  wife  of  his  youth  and  the  mother  of  his  chil- 
dren passed  from  earth  at  the  homestead  on  the  3d 
of  July,  1883.  In  February,  1884,  he  was  married  to 
Mrs.  Phcwbe  Mapes,  daughter  of  Charles  Holloway, 
Esq.,  of  Vermont,  and  widow  of  Samuel  Mapes. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunn  are  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Christian  Church,  and  our  subject  politically 
clings  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Jacksoniau  Democ- 
racy, with  which  he  became  imbued  when  a  young 
man,  and  which  he  considers  the  true  basis  of  Gov- 
ernment. Mr.  Dunn  was  appointed  executor  of  his 
father's  estate  prior  to  his  death,  and  acted  in  that 
capacity  with  entire  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 


J  TAMES  W.  VANSCHOYCK,  a  representative 
of  irresistible  energy  and  a  good  example  of 
|    a  progressive  farmer,  living  in  Ludlow  Town- 
'    ship,  is  a  na'.ive  of  Brown  Township,  Frank- 
lin   Co.,  Ohio,   and  was    born  Aug.   7,  1838.     He 


is  the  son  of  David  and  Esther  (Bailey)  Van- 
schoyck,  the  former  a  native  of  Franklin  County, 
Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  John  Yanschoyck,  descended 
from  German  ancestry,  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
pioneers  of  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  to  which  he 
removed  from  Pennsylvania  when  a  young  man. 
He  located  upon  a  tract  of  timber  land,  from  which 
he  cleared  a  farm  and  lived  there  until  about  1857. 
He  then  came  to  this  State  and  spent  the  last  years 
of  his  life  with  his  son  near  Leroy. 

David  Vanschoyck  spent  his  entire  life  in  his 
native  county.  When  reaching  manhood  he  bought 
a  tract  of  timber  land  in  Brown  Township,  where  he 
built  the  house  in  which  his  sonr  James  W.  of  our 
sketch,  was  born.  His  life  was  passed  after  the 
manner  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  day  and  he 
lived  contentedly,  tilling  the  soil  and  enjoying  the 
friendship  and  respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  He 
rested  from  his  earthly  labors  in  1854.  He  had 
married  in  early  life  Miss  Esther  Bailey,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  seven  of  whom 
lived  to  mature  years.  The  mother  is  still  living 
with  her  children  in  Brown  Township,  Franklin  Co., 
Ohio. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  the  second  child 
of  his  father's  household  and  was  sixteen  years  old 
when  the  latter  died.  He  took  charge  of  the  farm, 
which  he  managed  until  1861,  and  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  late  Civil  War  enlisted  in  Co.  C,  20th  Ohio 
Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  three  years  and  four  months. 
He  participated  with  his  comrades  in  the  battle  of 
Bull  Run,  with  true  soldierly  courage  enduring 
all  the  privations  and  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life 
until  the  expiration  of  his  first  term  of  enlistment. 
He  then  returned  home  and  rested  a  month,  after- 
ward becoming  a  member  of  the  1 8th  Ohio  Infantry, 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Perry ville,  Ky., 
Shiloh  and  Chickamauga,  when  his  regiment  joined 
the  command  of  Gen.  Sherman,  and  he  was  in  all 
the  battles  from  Chattanooga  to  Atlanta,  including 
the  siege  and  capture  of  that  city.  He  received  his 
final  discharge  Aug.  14,  1864,  and  returning  to  the 
old  homestead  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  resumed 
farming  until  1867.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he 
came  West  and  purchased  ICO  acres  of  land  on 
section  10,  Ludlow  Township.  Eighty  acres  of  this 


T 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


733 


were  under  cultivation  and  a  small  frame  house  stood 
upon  it.  Mr.  Vanschoyck  planted  trees  and  hedges, 
broke  the  remainder  of  the  land  and  lived  upon  it 
until  1871,  when  he  sold  out  and  purchased  the 
farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  This  com- 
prises the  northwest  quarter  of  section  15.  The 
land  is  all  improved,  furnished  with  a  good  set  of 
frame  buildings,  and  forms  one  of  the  most  desir- 
able farms  in  the  township.  A  lithographic  view 
of  his  residence  and  its  surroundings  is  shown  else- 
where in  this  work. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  his  native  State, 
April  12,  1865,  to  Miss  Annie,  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Mary  J.  (Ferris)  Holmes.  Mrs.  Vanschoyck 
was. born  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  July  14,  1844. 
Her  father,  a  native  of  New  York,  removed  to 
Ohio  when  a  young  man  and  located  in  Franklin 
County,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
dying  Oct.  5,  1874.  The  mother  was  reared  in 
Franklin  County,  Ohio,  and  is  still  living  there, 
among  her  children.  The  household  of  our  subject 
and  his  wife  includes  seven  children — Arthur, 
Charles,  Wilbur.  Nora,  Orville,  .Dora  and  Belva. 
The  parents  are  consistent  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  and  socially  Mr.  V.  belongs 
to  Ord  Post  No.  372,  G.  A.  R. 


<ip5)DWARD  S.  FISHER.  The  real  estate  of 
||U)  this  worthy  resident  of  Ogden  Township 
/I ' — ^  consists  of  a  quarter  of  section  17,  in  this 
county,  and  another  quarter  section  in  Vermilion 
County.  Mr.  Fisher  became  a  resident  of  the 
Prairie  State  in  1865,  first  locating  in  Vermilion 
County,  whence  he  removed  to  Champaign  County 
in  1881.  He  has  followed  agricultural  pursuits 
since  boyhood,  and  would  not  feel  at  home  else- 
where than  on  the  farm,  or  occupied  in  any  other 
vocation  than  that  which  now  engages  his  atten- 
tion. He  has  lived  the  life  of  an  upright,  conscien- 
tious man,  filling  worthily  his  position  as  the  head 
of  a  family,  and  an  important  member  of  society. 
Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Wayne  County,  Ind., 
born  Feb.  1 8,  1 826,  and  the  son  of  John  and  Jane 
(Starbuck)  Fisher,  of  North  Carolina.  The  former. 


who  was  born  Sept.  7,  1792,  departed  this  life  at 
Union  City,  in  Randolph  County,  Ind.,  on  the  8th 
of  February,  1881,  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  his 
age.  John  Fisher  came  of  a  family  noted  for  lon- 
gevity, strong  physically,  and  retaining  their  mental 
faculties  remarkably  until  the  close  of  life.  The 
wife  and  mother,  who  was  born  in  1798.  also  died 
in  Indiana,  passing  away  on  the  4th  of  February. 
1 882.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  but  her  husband  belonged  to  the  So- 
ciety of  Friends,  having  joined  them  when  forty 
years  of  age.  Both  were  of  fair  complexion  and 
had  blue  eyes.  He  was  five  feet  ten  inches  in 
height,  and  weighed  160  pounds.  The  mother  was 
of  average  size.  Of  their  sixteen  children,  nine 
grew  to  mature  years  and  seven  died  in  infancy. 
Daniel  A.  first  married  a  Miss  Baldwin,  who  died 
a  few  years  later,  and  he  was  then  married  to  a 
Miss  Sherman ;  he  is  now  deceased.  Joseph  died 
in  California  some  twenty-three  years  ago;  Edward 
S.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  child ;  Phebe  first 
married  Mr.  Baldwin,  and  after  his  death  became 
the  wife  of  David  Bailey,  and  was  widowed  a  sec- 
ond time;  her  third  husband  was  Nathan  Reed; 
James  died  in  boyhood;  Robert  first  married  Miss 
Henderson,  who  died  early  in  life;  his  second  wife 
was  Miss  Cotton.  Annie  J.  in  early  womanhood 
became  the  wife  of  J.  Commons,  who  died,  and  she 
then  married  Charles  Pearce;  John  married  a  Miss 
Freeman,  and  Lydia  E.  married  J.  R.  Jackson. 

Edward  S.  Fisher  came  to  Illinois  in  1865,  lo- 
cating first  in  Vermilion  County,  where  he  resided 
until  1881,  being  in  the  meantime  located  upon 
160  acres  of  land  in  Oakwood  Township.  In  the 
spring  of  the  year  mentioned,  he  came  to  Cham- 
paign County  and  located  upon  his  present  farm, 
also  embracing  a  quarter  section  of  land.  Here  he 
has  followed  the  ordinary  routine  of  a  farmer's  life, 
and  by  his  upright  and  honest  methods,  has  secured 
the  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  was  elected 
Commissioner  of  Highways,  and  has  been  Justice 
of  the  Peace  for  two  years.  Jn  1887  he  was 
elected  Township  Supervisor  by  a  majority  of  thir- 
teen, there  being  four  candidates  in  the  field.  This 
office  he  has  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  satis- 
faction to  all  concerned.  He  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  and  nothing  pleases  him  better 


t 


,  ,     ?34 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


than  to  note  the  march  of  progress  in  his  com- 
munity both  in  an  educational  and  moral  point  of 
v'jew. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Clements  took  place  Nov.  22,  1849.  Mrs.  Fisher 
is  the  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (Branden- 
burg) Clements,  and  was  born  Dec.  22,  1834.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1791,  and 
reared  to  farming  pursuits.  He  followed  this  vo- 
cation in  Indiana  during  the  latter  years  of  his  life, 
and  died  on  the  homestead  in  Wayne  County, 
June  11,  1865.  He  was  a  good  man  in  the  broad- 
est sense  of  the  word,  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  by  his  patient 
industry  and  good  management,  accumulated  con- 
siderable property.  He  was  prominent  in  local 
affairs,  and  held  in  high  respect  by  his  fellow-citi- 
zens. The  mother  of  Mrs.  Fisher  was  born  in  1795, 
and  survived  her  husband  only  three  years,  dying 
at  the  homestead  in  Wayne  County  in  1868.  She 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
in  the  various  relations  of  life,  fulfilled  her  part 
with  fidelity,  leaving  behind  her  a  record  of  wo- 
manly virtues  and  kindly  deeds. 

The  seven  children  of  our  subject  and  wife  are 
recorded  as  follows:  Joseph  married  Miss  Marcia 
Board  ;  Nancy  J.  became  the  wife  of  Elias  Free- 
man ;  James  married  Miss  Annie  Morris;  Elizabeth, 
John.  Ella  and  Matilda  are  at  home  with  their  par- 
ents. The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Fisher  were, 
James,  who  married  Miss  E.  Boyd  ;  Matilda,  who 
married  Josephus  Ladd;  Maria,  Mrs.  James  Peel; 
Samuel,  who  married  Miss  Eveline  Gray;  Susan, 
Mrs.  John  Jones;  William  married  Mrs.  Loviua 
Knox,  and  Anthony  married  Miss  Matilda  Horn. 

A  lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Fisher's  handsome 
residence  is  shown  on  another  page. 


VROF.  S.  W.  SHATTUCK,  M.  A.  C.  E.,who 
holds  the  Chair  of  Mathematics,  and  is 
business  agent  of  the  University  of  Illi- 
ll\  nois,  is  well  and  favorably  known  by  the 
people  of  Champaign,  where  he  resides.  He  is  a 
native  of  Groton,  Mass.,  and  was  born  Feb.  l,s, 


1841.  He  is  the  son  of  Walter  and  Koxana 
(Fletcher)  Shattuck,  natives  of  the  same  place  as 
their  son.  The  father  of  Prof.  Shattuck  nearly  all  his 
life  was  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  and  in  later 
years  as  a  private  banker.  He  departed  this  life  at 
his  home  in  Groton,  in  1870,  and  his  beloved  wife 
followed  five  years  later.  The  grandfather  of  our 
subject  was  a  Captain  iu  the  War  of  1812,  and  his 
great-grandfather  was  a  Captain  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War.  The  parents  of  our  subject  reared  a  fam- 
ily of  ten  children,  five  now  living,  namely,  Mar- 
tha, Mrs.  Cory;  Susan,  Mrs.  Carter;  Samuel  W., 
Abbott  and  Maiy. 

Samuel  W.  Shattuck  commenced  attend  ing  school 
at  an  early  age,  arid  was  graduated  at  the  Vermont 
State  Military  College  in  1860.  The  following 
year  he  was  engaged  as  a  teacher  in  the  college. 
During  this  time  and  prior  thereto  he  had  been 
Sergeant  Major  of  the  6th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
Upon  the  call  for  soldiers  the  6th  was  among  the 
first  to  respond,  and  was  the  first  to  report 
for  duty  at  Washington,  D.  C.  At  the  expir- 
ation of  his  term  of  service  of  four  months  he 
returned  to  his  duties  as  a  teacher,  only  remaining 
until  1863,  when  he  was  appointed  Adjutant  of  the 
8th  Vermont  Infantry.  In  1864  he  was  promoted 
Adjutant  General  of  the  Brigade  with  rank  of  Cap- 
tain. At  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek  he  received  a 
shot  in  the  leg,  and  his  horse  was  shot  from  under 
him.  He  engaged  in  all  the  battles  of  the  Shenan- 
doah  Valley,  and  continued  in  the  army  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  Soon  afterward,  returning  to 
Norwich  he  became  Professor  of  Mathematics  and 
Military  Tactics  in  the  college,  and  was  its  acting 
President  for  one  year.  He  was  also  appointed  In- 
spector General  for  the  State  of  Vermont,  with  the 
rank  of  Colonel. 

Prof.  Shattuck  came  to  Illinois  in  1868,  having 
been  appointed  to  the  Chair  of  Mathematics  in  the 
State  University  at  Urbana.  Five  years  later, 
while  Dr.  Gregory  was  in  Europe,  he  was  acting 
Regent  of  the  University,  and  was  Vice  President 
from  1874  to  1876.  As  a  scholar  and  executive 
officer  he  is  seldom  equaled  or  surpassed. 

Prof.  Shattuck  was  married,  in  1866,  to  Miss 
Adelaide  White,  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Capt.  Philo  White,  of  that  city.  Of  this 


t 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


735 


union  there  have  been  born  four  children — Charles 
W.,  Annie  F.,  Edith  A.  and  Walter  F.  The  Pro- 
fessor is  Republican  in  politics,  a  worthy  member 
of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  in  all  respects  a  highly  es- 
teemed citizen  and  member  of  society.  The  fam- 
ily residence  is  located  at  No.  108  Hill  street, 
where  its  inmates  enjoy  the  society  of  the  cultured 
people  of  the  city. 


ELIM  H.   PEABODY,  Ph.  I),  and  LL.  D., 

President  of  the  University  of  Illinois,  is 
a  native  of  Rockmgham,  VVindham  Co., 
Vt.,  born  Aug.  20,  1829.  He  is  the  son  of 
Rev.  Charles  H.  and  Grace  S.  (Ide)  Peabody,  the 
former  a  native  of  New  Hampshire  and  the  latter 
of  Vermont.  The  first  generation  of  Peabodys  of 
which  we  have  any  account  came  from  England 
in  the  year  1635,  and  settled  in  Essex  County, 
Mass.  From  that  branch  descended  all  the  Pea- 
bodys of  America. 

The  lather  of  our  subject  in  early  life  learned 
the  clothier's  business  and  carried  on  the  same  in 
New  Hampshire  until  1831.  He  was  converted  to 
religion  in  1830,  and  became  impressed  with  the 
feeling  that  it  was  his  duty  to  labor  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  He  accordingly  entered  upon  a  course  of 
study  in  Newton  Theological  Seminary,  Newton, 
Mass.,  where  he  spent  five  years  and  graduated  in 
1836.  His  first  charge  was  at  Sutton,  Worcester 
County,  that  State,  where  he  labored  for  four  years, 
then  accepted  a  call  from  Randolph,  Mass.,  and 
filled  a  charge  there  until  his  death  in  1842.  Pre- 
vious to  this  event,  from  the  1st  of  January  until 
March,  he  had  been  holding  revival  meetings,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  overworked  and  contracted  a 
severe  cold.  He  took  to  his  bed,  but  was  sent  for 
to  preach  the  funeral  sermon  of  three  or  four  boys 
who  were  drowned.  Although  scarcely  able  to 
leave  the  house,  he  consented  to  the  request,  and 
the  result  was  an  additional  cold  from  which  he 
never  recovered.  Rev.  Charles  H.  Peabody  was 
born  June  12,  1779.  He  departed  this  life  in  1812. 
His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  born  Aug. 
20,  1804,  and  is  now  living  at  Randolph,  Mass. 


They  had  only  two  children — Selim  H.,  our  subject, 
and  Mary  L,  who  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  L.  B. 
Steele,  of  Pittsford,  N't. 

Selim  H.  Peabody  during  his  younger  years 
attended  the  public  schools  and  the  academy  of  his 
native  town,  the  latter  of  which  was  conducted  by 
John  P.  Gulliver, -HOW  a  professor  in  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  In  the  fall  of  1842  he  entered 
the  Boston  Latin  School  and  for  one  year  made  his 
home  with  the  family  of  Simon  G.  Shipley.  After- 
ward he  went  to  live  with  his  uncle,  Simeon  Ide,  in 
Claremont,  N.  H.,  where  he  worked  for  his  board 
and  attended  the  academy  taught  by  the  sons  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Lord,  of  Dartmouth  College.  During  the 
same  time  he  was  employed  in  a  paper-mill  and 
also  in  setting  type,  remaining  in  Claremont  until 
the  spring  of  1845.  In  the  meantime  he  had  never 
lost  sight  of  his  original  intention  to  secure  a  col- 
legiate education.  He  had  been  a  close  student 
and  was  now  fully  prepared  to  enter  the  institution 
toward  which  all  his  hopes  had  turned,  but  he  had 
no  money.  He  now  returned  to  Randolph,  Mass., 
and  for  the  lack  of  something  better  engaged  with 
a  Carpenter  and  worked  at  his  trade  until  nineteen 
years  old. 

In  the  fall  of  1846  Mr.  Peabody  commenced 
teaching,  his  first  school  being  at  Billerica,  Mass;, 
where  he  taught  ten  weeks  at  the  rate  of  $10  per 
month.  The  winter  following  he  taught  three 
months  in  Braintree,  Mass.  After  this  he  became 
assistant  teacher  in  the  academy  at  Nashua,  N.  H., 
and  by  this  time  had  secured  sufficient  means  to 
enable  him  to  go  on  with  his  studies  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Vermont,  which  he  entered  in  September, 
1848,  and  from  which  he  graduated  four  years 
later.  In  the  meantime  he  also  taught  school  at 
intervals  in  Billerica  and  elsewhere.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  his  junior  year  in  college  he  was  ap- 
pointed assistant  teacher  in  the  public  High  School 
at  Burlington,  Vt.,  and  during  his  senior  year 
taught  school  in  Franklin,  Mass.,  three  months. 
Before  graduating  he  was  appointed  Principal  of 
the  Burlington  High  School,  the  first  of  its  kind 
established  in  the  State  of  Vermont.  After  one 
year  in  this  institution  he  accepted  the  Professor- 
ship of  Mathematics  in  the  semina^  at  Fairfax, 
Vt.,  and  after  spending  one  year  there  became  con- 


f. 


?3C 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


nected  with  the  Polytechnic  College,  Philadelphia, 
as  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Civil  Engineering, 
which  position  he  held  from  1854  to  1857.  He  then 
turned  his  steps  westward  to  Eau  Claire,  Wis.,  where 
he  laid  out  and  platted  the  town  and  also  served  as 
master  carpenter  in  the  building  of  houses  and 
stores.  Prof.  Peabody  opened  the  United  States 
Land  Office  at  Eau  Claire,  in  the  Register  Depart- 
ment of  which  he  was  chief  clerk,  and  where  he 
remained  until  December,  1859.  The  Fond  du  Lac 
High  School  then  having  been  established,  he  be- 
came its  Principal  until  1862.  Afterward  he  went 
to  Racine,  where  he  was  appointed  Superintendent 
of  Schools,  remaining  as  such  until  September, 
1865,  and  then  accepted  a  position  as  Professor  of 
Natural  Sciences  in  the  High  School  of  Chicago. 

In  September,  1871,  Prof.  Peabody  returned 
East  and  became  connected  with  the  Agricultural 
College  at  Amherst,  Mass.,  as  Professor  of  Physics 
and  Engineering.  Three  years  later  he  returned 
to  the  Garden  City  and  accepted  his  former  position 
in  the  High  School,  and  occupied  it  until  1878.  He 
then  came  to  Champaign  and  was  appointed  Pro- 
fessor of  Mechanics  and  Engineering  in  the  Illinois 
Industrial  University.  In  February,  1880,  he  was 
proffered  an  editorial  position  in  a  publishing  house 
in  New  York  City,  which  he  accepted  with  the 
expectation  of  abandoning  teaching  as  a  life  work. 
After  reaching  New  York  he  was  appointed  Editor- 
in-Chief  of  the  American  edition  of  Chambers' 
Encyclopedia,  which  was  then  being  published  un- 
der the  title  of  the  "Library  of  Universal  Knowl- 
edge." In  the  meantime  he  also  edited  a  monthly 
magazine  and  was  engaged  in  other  literary  work. 

In  August,  1880,  Prof.  Peabody  was  unani- 
mously re-elected  to  his  former  position  in  the 
University,  of  which  he  was  at  once  notified  and 
also  of  his  appointment  as  Regent  pro  tempore  to 
fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  service  made  vacant 
by  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Gregory.  In  March  fol- 
lowing he  was  elected  Regent,  which  position  he 
has  since  held.  Dr.  Peabody  is  also  known  as  the 
author  of  a  charming  series  of  juvenile  books  on 
natural  history,  in  addition  to  text  books  on 
various  branches  of  mathematics  and  a  number 
of  scientific  treatises.  His  thorough  education 
and  natural  abilities  have  finely  adapted  him  for  the 


responsible  position  which  he  now  holds  and  in 
which  he  has  distinguished  himself  as  an  executive 
and  instructor  of  more  than  ordinary  ability. 

The  marriage  of  Prof.  S.  H.  Peabody  and  Miss 
Mary  E.  Pangborn,  of  Burlington,  Vt.,  was  cele- 
brated at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  1852. 
Mrs.  P.  is  the  daughter  of  David  K.  Pangborn,  of 
Vermont,  and  by  her  intelligence  and  sympathy 
with  her  husband's  life-work,  is  well  fitted  for  his 
companion  and  life  partner.  Of  this  congenial 
union  there  have  been  born  four  children — Grace, 
Cecil  H.,  Arthur  and  Kate  F.  The  Professor  politi- 
cally is  a  Republican  and  takes  an  active  interest 
in  current  events,  keeping  himself  well  posted  in 
regard  to  national  and  political  affairs. 

It  may  be  proper  to  state  briefly  that  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois  is  a  well  defined  aggregation  of 
several  distinct  colleges,  with  special  faculties  and 
courses  of  instruction.  The  work  is  divided  among 
the  four  colleges  of  Agriculture,  Engineering, 
Natural  Science,  and  Literature  and  Science,  with 
the  two  detached  schools  of  Military  Science  and 
Art  and  Design.  Each  college  is  supervised  by  a 
Dean  and  the  Professors  divide  up  their  work  in 
the  different  departments  according  to  the  more  or 
less  close  relations  of  the  subject.  The  head  of  the 
faculty  and  Regent  of  the  University  is  our  subject, 
Prof.  Peabody. 


J^IOHN  CLARK.     In  1868  the  subject  of  this 
I    notice  selected   this  county  for  his  future 
I    home,  and  coming  here  purchased  land  from 
'    the     Illinois    Central    Railroad    at    #8    per 
acre.      This  was  located  on  section  6,  Compromise 
Township.      It   was  uncultivated,  and  from  it  Mr. 
Clark  has  eliminated  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this 
section.     It  embraces  370  acres,  all  enclosed  and 
improved,  and  he  has  upon  it  a  good  set  of  farm 
buildings,  including  a  substantial  and  commodious 
dwelling,  tastefully  finished  and   furnished,   in  the 
rear  of  which  is  a  good  barn  and  all  other  necessary 
outhouses  for  the  storage  of  grain  and   the  shelter 
of  stock.     After  spending  several  years  in  the  culti- 
vation and  improvement  of  his  land   Mr.  Clark  re- 


i 

f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


739 


tired  from  active  labor  and  is  now  enjoying  wisely 
the  fruits  of  his  early  industry. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  who  is  of  excellent 
birth  and  parentage,  first  opened  his  eyes  to  light 
in  Forfarshire,  Scotland,  April  2,  1830.  His  par- 
ents, William  and  Mary  (Donaldson)  Clark,  also 
natives  of  Scotland,  had  a  family  of  four  children, 
two  of  whom,  Thomas  and  Alexander,  are  deceased. 
Isabell,  the  wife  of  David  Freeman,  remains  in  her 
native  land.  Thomas  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  and  located  in  Cook  County,  111.,  whence  he 
subsequently  moved  to  Kansas,  where  he  died  in 
1886.  John,  of  our  sketch,  thus  remains  the  only 
representative  of  the  family  in  this  country. 

Mr.  Clark  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  For- 
farshire, and  when  twenty-three  years  of  age,  May 
23,  1853,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jane 
Butters,  a  ifative  of  his  own  county,  and  the  day 
following  they  sailed  from  Glasgow  for  the  United 
States.  After  a  tedious  voyage  of  fifty-two  days 
on  a  sailing-vessel  they  arrived  in  New  York  Har- 
bor and  took  up  their  abode  in  New  York  City, 
where  they  remained  two  years.  In  the  spring  of 
1855  they  came  westward  to  Chicago,  residing  in 
that  city  a  year,  and  subsequently  removed  to  a 
farm  in  Cook  County  where  they  remained  until 
January,  1868.  When  Mr.  Clark  first  arrived  in 
Chicago  he  had  but  $6  in  his  pocket,  $5  of  which 
he  was  obliged  to  pay  in  advance  for  the  rent  of  a 
house,  and  thus  with  $1,  commenced  keeping  house 
in  the  United  States.  While  living  in  Cook  Coun- 
ty, and  when  their  son  John  was  only  three  weeks 
old,  their  house  was  burned  down  and  they  were 
then  left  penniless.  Friends  came  to  their  rescue, 
however,  and  they  soon  recovered  their  losses 
by  industry  and  economy.  On  coming  to  this 
county,  they  located  upon  the  present  homestead  of 
the  family.  He  first  engaged  in  mixed  husbandry 
but  later,  finding  it  more  profitable  and  less  labor- 
ious, turned  his  attention  chiefly  to  stock-raising. 

Of  the  five  children  born  to  Mr  and  Mrs.  Clark 
one  died  in  infancy  and  was  buried  in  Chicago. 
Those  surviving  are,  Alexander,  Robert  B.,  John 
A.,  and  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Alfred  Jinkson.  In 
January,  1886,  our  subject  and  his  wife  returned  to 
their  native  Scotland,  where  they  remained  four 
months,  visiting  among  the  friends  of  their  child- 


hood.  The  father  of  Mrs.  C.  was  living  at  that 
time,  but  has  since  passed  away.  They  sailed  from 
New  York  on  the  steamer  "Oregon,"  which  was  sunk 
on  the  return  trip  in  New  York  Harbor.  They  re- 
turned on  the  "State  of  Georgia,"  and  were  but 
nine  days  going  from  Chicago  to  Dundee,  Scotland, 
which  was  a  great  contrast  in  point  of  time  to  their 
voyage  of  thirty  years  before. 

The  fine  homestead  of  Mr.  Clark,  a  view  of 
which  may  be  found  in  this  work,  with  its  broad 
acres  and  handsome  residence  gives  ample  evidence 
of  the  progress  which  he  has  made  since  becoming 
an  American  citizen.  He  has  served  as  School 
Director,  Road  Commissioner  and  Tax  Collector  of 
his  township,  and  no  man  more  generally  responds 
to  the  call  for  assistance  in  the  furtherance  of  any 
enterprise  calculated  to  benefit  his  community.  For 
many  years  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark  were  members  of 
the  Congregational  Church,  but  as  this  denomina- 
tion is  not  represented  in  Penfield,  they,  in  1886, 
identified  themselves  with  the  Baptists. 


<jfj>AMES  H.  DUNLAP,  Postmaster  at  Savoy, 
Station  Agent  of  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road, and  Agent  of  the  American  Express 
Company,  is  known  by  most  of  the  citizens 
of  Champaign  Township,  by  whom  he  is  highly  re- 
spected as  a  gentleman  of  intelligence  and  ability, 
and  one  who  discharges  the  duties  of  his  several 
offices  with  promptness  and  satisfaction.  He  was 
appointed  Postmaster  in  1875,  and  the  following 
year  was  instrumental  in  having  the  express  office 
established  here,  and  has  continually  held  the 
agency.  He  has  been  Station  Agent  since  1874, 
and  has  also  been  telegraph  operater  since  1880,  at 
which  time  the  office  was  established. 

Mr.  Dunlap  has  been  a  resident  of  Champaign 
County  since  a  child  two  years  of  age,  and  nearly 
all  his  life  has  been  spent  in  the  neighborhood  where 
he  still  resides.  His  birth  took  place  in  West  Chi- 
cago, Cook  County,  this  State,  on  the  2d  of  No- 
vember, 1854.  His  parents  were  Menzo  and  Ara- 
bella (Pierce)  Dunlap,  by  whom  he  was  reared  to 
manhood,  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and 
trained  to  habits  of  industry  and  those  principles 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


which  are  the  foundation  of  a  successful  and  honor- 
able course  through  life.  His  early  years  were  ein- 
plo3'ed  in  farming  pursuits  until  December,  1874, 
when  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  was  appointed 
Agent  of  Savoy  for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 
Six  months  later  he  received  his  commission  as 
Postmaster.  He  is  Republican  in  politics,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Savoy  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  and  has  always  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  advancement  and  welfare  of 
his  county  and  community.  Socially  he  belongs  to 
Western  Star  Lodge  No.  240,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  Knights  of  Honor 
Lodge  No.  841,  both  of  Champaign. 

The  wife  of  Mr.  Dunlap.  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Farmer  City,  De  Witt  Co.,  111.,  on  the  22d 
of  April,  1877,  was  formerly  Miss  Henrietta, 
daughter  of  J.  N.  and  Eliza  (Baltzell)  Coon.  Mrs. 
D.  was  born  in  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  April  6,  1856, 
and  at  the  date  of  her  marriage  resided  at  Farmer 
City,  111.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  five  chil- 
dren: Burleigh  H.,  Feb.  10,  1875;  Rosa  E.,  May 
20,  1879;  Louie  N.,  Oct.  10,  1880;  Albert  M.  and 
Isabell  J.,  the  latter  twins,  Jan.  15,  1884.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  to  the  support  of  which  they 
have  contributed  liberally  and  cheerfully,  and  dur- 
ing their  long  residence  here  have  become  the 
center  of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 

The  portrait  of  Mr.  Dunlap  is  given  on  a  pre- 
ceding page.  His  inflexibility  and  uprightness  in 
the  different  positions  he  so  efficiently  fills,  together 
with  his  general  worth  and  nobility  of  character, 
will  secure  for  the  picture  a  hearty  welcome  from 
the  entire  patronage  of  this  ALBUM,  which  it  mater- 
ially assists  in  embellishing. 


4 


SSAAC  HIXENBAUGH.     The  farm  of  this  gen- 
tleman, with   its  fine  residence  and   handsome 
out-buildings,   lies  like   a   picture  in  the  land- 
scape of  Ogden   Township,  and   is  located  on   the 
southwest  quarter  of  section  30.      It  embraces  129 
acres  of  choice  laud,  which  has  been  managed  in  the 
wisest  manner  and  which  has  responded  liberally  in 
rich  products  to  the  hand  of  one  of  the  most  skill- 


fill agriculturists  in  this  part  of  Champaign  County. 
To  aid  him  in  the  successful  tilling  of  the  soil  Mr. 
Hixenbaugh  has  availed  himself  of  the  experience 
of  older  men,  and  of  the  skill  of  the  inventor, 
adapting  his  fields  to  that  in  which  they  are  likely  to 
be  the  most  prolific,  and  cultivating  the  soil  and 
gathering  in  the  grain  with  the  best  modern  farm 
machinery  manufactured.  The  farm  stock  is  of 
the  best  description,  his  stables  containing  espec- 
ially fine  animals,  among  which  is  a  thoroughbred 
Lawrence  colt,  Bonny  Scotland  by  name,  but 
registered  St.  Joseph,  who,  if  he  lives  and  no  ac- 
cident happens  to  him,  will  be  heard  from  hereafter 
throughout  this  part  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Hixenbaugh  came  to  Illinois  in  1868,  with  a 
cash  capital  of  1200.  By  a  series  of  wise  invest- 
ments, and  the  outlay  of  judicious  labor  he  is  now 
in  possession  of  a  good  many  thousands  worth  of 
property,  with  the  prospect  of  being  able  to  pass 
his  declining  years  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  luxuries 
of  life  which  he  has  so  justly  earned.  His  early 
years  were  passed  in  Marion  County,  W.  Va.,  with 
his  parents,  Isaac  and  Martha  (Ogden)  Hixenbaugh. 
He  was  born  May  4.  1846,  and  as  soon  as  old 
enough,  commenced  attending  school  in  the  winter 
season  while  in  summer  his  youthful  services  were 
made  available  on  his  father's  farm.  The  latter 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  of  excellent 
parents  on  the  24th  of  July,  1802.  Besides  himself, 
his  brother  Jacob  became  a  member  of  the  family 
at  the  same  time,  and  lived  to  years  of  manhood. 

The  father  of  our  subject  removed  from  Penn- 
sylvania to  Illinois  in  1868,  his  death  taking  place 
in  this  county  in  August,  1874.  His  wife,  Martha, 
was  born  in  1806,  and  departed  this  life  Sept.  20, 
1868,  while  the  family  were  living  in  Ogden  Town- 
ship. She  fulfilled  worthily  the  duties  of  wife  and 
mother,  and  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  The  eight  children  of  the  parental 
household  were :  Sarah,  who  became  the  wife  of 
George  Underwood;  John,  who  enlisted  in  the  25th 
Illinois  Infantry,  and  died  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  while 
in  service ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Freeman ; 
Morgan,  who  married  Sarah  A.  Whittzel;  Adam, 
who  married  Margaret  White ;  Martha,  who  died  in 
girlhood ;  Isaac,  of  our  sketch,  and  Henry  B. 

The    boyhood   and   youth   of  our  subject  were 

•» 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


741 


passed  with  his  parents  on  a  farm,  and  lie  removed 
with  them  to  Illinois  in  1868.  He  was  reared  to  hab- 
its of  industry,  and  those  principles  which  consti- 
tute the  true  man  and  citizen,  and  the  year  after  his 
arrival  in  this  State,  and  after  laying  his  plans  for 
the  establishment  of  a  home,  feeling  that  life  was 
incomplete  without  a  wife  and  companion  to  en- 
courage him  in  times  of  difficulty,  and  rejoice  with 
him  in  seasons  of  success,  he  proffered  his  hand  and 
fortune  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Freeman,  who  accepted, 
and  they  were  made  husband  and  wife  on  the  19th 
of  August,  1870.  The  birth  of  Mrs.  Hixenbangh 
took  place  in  Ogden  Township  July  16,  1849,  her 
parents  being  Thomas  and  Nancy  (Redman)  Free- 
man, the  former  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  latter  of 
Illinois.  The  twin  sister  of  Mr.  Freeman  was 
named  Mary ;  she  became  the  wife  of  David  Meade 
and  is  now  deceased.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  H.  are 
living  in  Ogden  Township.  The  children  born  of 
her  union  with  our  subject  are:  Louis  M.,  Jan.  22, 
1871 ;  Clarence  N.,  Oct.  20,  1872;  Thomas  F.,  Dec. 
5,  1875;  Clara  B.,  Oct.  10,  1877,  and  Electa  G.,  Dec. 
22,  1879.  Two  of  these,  Electa  G.  and  Thomas 
F.,  rest  in  the  quiet  churchyard  at  Homer.  A  litho- 
graphic view  of  Mr.  Hixenbaugh's  residence  is 
shown  on  another  page. 


eHARLES  A.  BENGTSON,  of  Harwood 
Township,  came  to  this  country  from  his 
native  land,  Sweden,  in  1868,  and  at  once 
began  to  make  himself  familiar  with  its  customs 
and  institutions.  He  was  possessed  naturally  of  a 
receptive  mind  and  the  ambition  necessary  to  suc- 
cess. He  began  life  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  but 
has  made  his  way  steadily  upward  until  he  is  now  a 
prominent  property  owner  of  Harwood  Township, 
and  ranks  among  its  most  highly  respected  citizens. 
His  comfortable  homestead  on  section  7  comprises 
eighty  acres  of  land,  every  foot  of  which  he  has 
made  available  for  some  purpose,  and  upon  which 
the  work  has  been  well  done.  He  makes  a  specialty 
of  breeding  Morgan  horses  and  Holsteiu  cattle,  and 
exhibits  some  of  the  finest  animals  in  Central  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Bengtson  is  only  one  among  scores  of 


his  countrymen  who  are  numbered  among  the  most 
valued  citizens  of  the  Prairie  State. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  years  in  the  town  of 
Linkoping,  Sweden,  which  is  situated  about  108  miles 
southwest  of  Stockholm.  It  has  a  cathedral  and 
other  churches,  a  town  hall,  a  library,  a  House  of 
Assembly,  an  old  castle  and  a  gymnasium.  It  is 
the  See  of  a  Lutheran  Bishop,  and  the  population 
of  the  city  is  over  8,000.  Amid  these  surroundings 
our  subject  was  born,  on  the  28th  of  May,  1847, 
but  with  all  its  advantages  he  was  induced  to 
believe  that  there  were  still  greater  in  the  New 
World,  and  determined  to  try  them.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Johanna  C.  (Peterson)  Bengtson, 
and  he  was  their  third  child.  The  father  emigrated 
to  America  in  1852,  and  sixteen  years  later  his 
family  came.  Our  subject  came  with  the  various 
members  of  the  family  and  located  near  La  Fayette, 
Tippecanoe  Co.,  Ind.  Charles  A.  was  employed  as 
a  farm  laborer  near  the  city  for  four  or  five  years, 
and  then  changed  his  location  to  Benton  County, 
although  pursuing  the  same  line  of  work. 

Our  subject  removed  from  Indiana  to  Iroquois 
County,  this  State,  in  1881,  and  thence  to  Ford 
County.  In  the  meantime  he  had  saved  what  he 
could  of  his  earnings,  and  was  now  enabled  to  pur- 
chase 120  acres  of  improved  land.  He  was  married 
on  the  llth  of  December,  1872,  and  soon  after  his 
purchase  took  possession  of  his  home  with  his  fam- 
ily. Two  years  later  he  sold  the  farm  in  Ford 
County  and  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Champaign, 
upon  which  he  has  remained  since  that  time.  He 
has  been  keenly  observant  of  what  was  going  on 
around  him,  and  there  are  few  native  born  Ameri- 
cans who  have  exhibited  a  greater  degree  of  intel- 
ligence and  enterprise,  although  not  having  to 
contend,  as  he  did,  with  the  difficulties  of  a  strange 
land,  new  customs  and  different  people. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss  Clara 
J.  Errickson.  She  is  a  native  of  the  same  country 
as  her  husband,  was  born  Jan.  24,  1851,  and  came 
alone  to  America  when  a  young  lady,  in  1872, 
casting  her  lot  among  strangers  and  caring  for  her- 
self until  her  marriage  with  Mr.  Bengtson.  She  is 
the  daughter  of  Swanson  and  Christina  Margueritta 
Errickson,  also  natives  of  Sweden,  where  they 
were  married  and  spent  their  entire  lives.  The 


4* 

•  '  742 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


mother  passed  to  her  long  home  in  1872,  and  the 
father  in  1875.  Of  the  seven  children  born  to  our 
subject  and  his  wife  the  record  is  as  follows :  Alfred 
W.  was  born  Sept.  25,  1873;  Amanda  M.,Sept.  22, 
1875;  Adalina  A.  and  Anton  W.  (twins),  Aug.  13, 
1877;  George  Conrad,  Feb.  28,  1880;  Brewer  I., 
May  18,  1882,  and  Tillie  J.,  July  22, 1885.  Amanda 
died  Sept.  2,  1876;  Adalina,  Nov.  4,  1880,  and 
Anton,  Sept.  26,  1880.  Those  living  are  at  home 
with  their  parents. 

Mr.  Bengtson  is  independent  in  politics,  aiming 
to  give  his  support  to  the  candidate  whom  he  believes 
best  qualified  for  office.  His  influence  has  always 
been  strongly  in  favor  of  the  establishment  and 
maintenance  of  schools  and  churches,  and  whatever 
besides  is  calculated  for  the  welfare  of  his  commu- 
nity. He  is  a  man  of  decided  views,  although  quiet 
and  unobtrusive  in  his  manner.  His  opinions  are 
held  in  due  respect  by  his  fellow-townsmen  as  those 
of  a  man  temperate  in  his  impulses,  clear-headed 
and  cool,  and  one  whose  judgment  is  usually  safe 
to  follow. 


WILLIAM  LEHMAN.  Among  the  respected 
citizens  of  Sidney  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  a  carpenter  and  builder  by  trade, 
and  one  of  the  leading  real-estate  owners  of  the 
place.  He  was  born  in  Lebanon  County,  Pa.,  Dec. 
20,  1820,  and  his  parents,  Michael  and  Christiana 
(Spangler)  Lehman,  were  both  natives  of  the  same 
place.  Neither  of  them  are  now  living,  although 
they  attained  to  an  advanced  age. 

William  Lehman  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth  of 
a  family  of  nine  children.  The  names  of  his 
brothers  and  sisters  are  Henry,  Michael,  John,  Isaac, 
Catherine,  Mary,  Elizabeth  and  Susan.  After  at- 
taining his  majority  our  subject  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Rebecca  Haak,  also  a  native  of 
Lebanon.  Her  parental  family  included  ten  chil- 
dren, and  the  names  of  her  brothers  and  sisters 
were  Isaac,  Henry,  John,  Benjamin,  George,  Cath- 
erine, Mary,  Sally  and  Elizabeth.  The  marriage 
of  our  subject  with  Miss  Haak  was  blest  by  the 
birth  of  eight  children :  F.  W.,  Henry  L.,  Daniel 
M.,  Cyrus  P.,  Samuel  G.,  David  S.,  Elizabeth,  who 
died  in  infancy,  and  Amanda,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Hess, 


of  Sidney.  Henry  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville,  while  gallantly  defending  the  "Stars 
and  Stripes;"  F.  W.  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  and  Daniel  M.  also  served  in  the  late 
war. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  passed  from  her  earthly 
career  to  the  enjoyment  of  an  everlasting  peace 
beyond,  and  Mr.  Lehman  formed  a  second  matri- 
monial alliance,  with  Miss  Zerby  Sibley,  the  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Catherine  Sibley.  Six  children 
were  born  to  them,  namely:  Hiram  and  John,  de- 
ceased; Edward,  in  Kansas;  Emma,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Hay,  who  is  in  the  railroad  business  in 
Kansas;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  Charles  Vernon,  of  Sid- 
ney, and  Minnie,  who  is  single. 

In  1  865  Mr.  Lehman  removed  with  his  family 
from  his  native  State  to  Cass  County,  Ind.,  where, 
in  addition  to  following  his  trade,  he  also  engaged 
in  sawing  and  cutting  lumber.  In  1867  he  re- 
moved with  his  second  wife  and  ten  children  to 
Urbana,  and  since  that  time  has  made  his  home  in 
this  county.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  Sidney,  and  has  been  for  a  long  time 
one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  village.  He  owns  several 
lots  with  excellent  dwellings  upon  them.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  an  uncompromising  Republican,  and  in 
religion,  himself  and  wife  are  members  of  high 
standing  in  the  Lutheran  Church. 


S  FULL,  who  for  several  years 
I  has  been  active  and  prominent  in  the  rural 
community  of  St.  Joseph  Township,  was 
born  and  reared  in  the  Old  Dominion,  first  opening 
his  eyes  to  the  light  in  Franklin,  Pendleton  County, 
April  1,  1831.  He  comes  of  excellent  German  an- 
cestry, his  grandfather,  George  Full,  having  been 
born  in  the  Fatherland,  whence  he  emigrated  with 
his  wife,  Catherine,  soon  after  his  marriage,  and 
was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Virginia.  They 
reared  a  family  of  two  sons  and  three  daughters, 
among  whom  was  George,  Jr.,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  who  was  born  on  the  old  farm  in  Pendleton 
County  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1800.  Like 
his  father  before  him  he  followed  agriculture.  He, 
too,  received  a  limited  education,  remaining  under 


- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


743    ,  J 


i  ' 

t 


the  home  roof  until  his  marriage.  His  wife  was 
formerly  Miss  Margaret,  daughter  of  Martin  Judy, 
of  German  parentage,  and  after  marriage  they  set- 
tled down  in  Pendleton  County,  where  they  reared 
a  family  and  spent  their  entire  lives. 

Of  the  children  born  to  George  and  Margaret 
Full,  but  three  are  living.  Nicodemus,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  second  son  and  sixth  child,  and  re- 
mained under  his  father's  roof  until  twenty-two 
years  of  age.  He  then  started  out  in  life  on  his 
own  account  as  a  farm  laborer,  working  at  $10  per 
month.  In  1853  he  left  the  Old  Dominion,  and 
coming  to  this  county  resolved  to  establish  a  home 
for  himself  within  its  borders.  He  was  willing  to 
work  and  wait,  and  continued  employed  as  before 
until  he  had  accumulated  sufficient  means  to  buy 
the  necessary  things  with  which  to  commence  rent- 
ing a  farm.  He  operated  as  a  tenant  for  three 
years,  upon  land  belonging  to  D.  B.  Stayton,  and 
then  purchased  his  present  farm  of  160  acres  on 
section  9,  in  St.  Joseph  Township. 

The  land  upon  which  our  subject  located  first 
could  scarcely  be  dignified  by  the  name  of  a  farm, 
because  it  was  simply  raw  prairie,  uncultivated  and 
unfenced.  One  of  his  first  duties  was  to  put  up  a 
tenement,  which  was  built  of  plank,  and  was  16x26 
feet  in  area.  The  floor  was  not  even  nailed  flown, 
and  the  walls  were  destitute  of  plaster.  He  occu- 
pied this  for  about' seven  years  and  until  able  to 
erect  a  frame  dwelling,  and  thereafter  gradually 
added  other  handsome  and  substantial  buildings, 
which  are  now  among  the  chief  attractions  of  the 
estate.  Of  late  years  Mr.  Full  has  given  much 
time  to  the  raising  of  fine  stock,  in  which  business 
he  has  made  the  larger  part  of  his  money.  His 
stables  contain  some  noble  specimens  of  Belgium 
and  Norman  horses,  his  cattle  and  hogs  are  of  ex- 
cellent grade,  and  he  has  obtained  quite  an  enviable 
reputation  as  a  breeder  in  this  locality. 

The  lady,  who  for  a  period  of  over  twenty  years, 
has  presided  over  the  domestic  affairs  of  our  sub- 
ject's home,  and  been  his  earnest  sympathizer  and 
counselor  in  his  undertakings,  was  in  her  girlhood 
Miss  Nancy  J.  Breese,  a  native  of  Tippecanoe 
County,  Ind.,  who  came  to  this  county  in  the 
year  1852.  Her  parents  died  many  years  ago. 
The  father  died  while  on  his  way  to  Chicago,  and 


the  mother  in  Champaign  County,  111.,  in  18(52. 
Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there  were  born 
two  children  only,  a  son  and  daughter,  George  C. 
and  Vida  May.  When  Mr.  Full  first  began  voting 
the  old  Whig  party  was  in  existence,  and  he  identi- 
fied himself  with  its  followers.  Later,  feeling  that 
he  could  not  endorse  Republican  .principles,  he 
went  over  to  the  Democracy,  with  which  he  has 
since  affiliated.  He  has  meddled  but  little  in  poli- 
tics, however,  his  official  experience  including  the 
duties  of  a  Constable  only,  which  he  discharged 
two  years. 


EORGE  CONDIT,  dealer  in  hardware  at 
Rantoul,  established  his  business  here  in. 
1877.  He  is  a  native  of  Licking  County, 
Ohio,  and  was  born  May  22,  1839.  His  parents, 
James  B.  and  Amanda  (Sampson)  Condit.  are  na- 
tives of  New  Jersey.  Soon  after  their  marriage  the 
parents  removed  to  Ohio,  and  located  in  the  town 
of  Jersey,  where,  and  in  Johnstown,  the  father  of  our 
subject  engaged  in  mercantile  business.  He  con- 
tinued there  until  1867,  and  on  coming  to' Cham- 
paign County  engaged  in  the  grain  trade,  and  as 
a  banker,  carrying  on  the  latter  business  with  Mr. 
Burnham,  under  the  firm  name  of  Condit  &  Co. 
They  continued  together  several  years,  when  Mr. 
C.  disposed  of  his  interests  to  his  partner,  and  re- 
moving to  Pontiac  embarked  in  the  hardware 
trade. 

Our  subject  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
county,  receiving  a  fair  education  in  the  common 
schools,  and  came  to  this  locality  in  1857,  before 
his  marriage.  He  engaged  in  farming  for  about 
fifteen  years,  abandoning  this,  however,  in  1872,  to 
establish  his  present  business.  He  carries  a  good 
line  of  everything  needed  in  his  department,  in- 
cluding farm  implements.  In  1873  he  associated 
himself  in  partnership  with  Mr.  A.  Fromlet.  The 
latter  gentleman  retired  in  1876,  and  his  place  was 
taken  by  C.  McFarland.  Business  was  transacted 
for  several  years  under  the  firm  name  of  Condit  & 
McFarland,  when  the  latter  retired,  and  our  subject 
has  since  conducted  the  business  alone.  He  is  a 
thorough  business  man,  and  lias  built  up  an  exten- 


hi   744 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


sive  and  lucrative  patronage.  He  is  well  known 
throughout  this  section,  and  is  regarded  as  an  up- 
right, honorable  man. 

During  his  residence  on  the  farm,  in  1864,  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Condit  and  Miss  Mary  Carr,  of 
Champaign,  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents.  Mrs..C.  was  born  in  Indiana,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  Adam  Carr,  who  removed  from 
there  to  this  county  in  about  1850.  The  children 
of  this  union  are  James  A.,  Stella  and  Charles.  The 
wife  and  mother  departed  this  life  in  the  spring  of 
1885. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1886,  was  Miss  Lizzie  Piffer,  of  Ran- 
toul.  They  have  a  pleasant  and  attractive  home, 
and  enjoy  the  society  of  many  friends.  Both  are 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church,  in  which 
Mr.  Condit  has  officiated  as  Deacon  for  several 
years,  and  also  as  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday-school. 
Politically  he  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party. 


\fl  OHN  W.  RICHMOND  is  widely  and  favora- 
bly known  as  an  importer  of  French  draft, 
Percherou,  English  draft,  also  Cleveland 
Bay  and  English  coach  horses,  his  head- 
quarters being  in  Fisher  Village.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man of  great  energy  of  character,  always  busy  and 
revolving  some  new  project  in  his  mind,  always 
pleased,  of  course,  when  these  prove  of  benefit  to 
himself,  and  almost  as  well  pleased  when  they  prove 
to  be  of  use  and  convenience  to  his  fellow-citizens. 
Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Wilson  and  Mary  (Judy) 
Richmond,  natives  of  Ohio,  the  latter  being  a  sister 
of  J.  H.  Judy,  of  whom  a  sketch  is  given  elsewhere 
in  this  work,  together  with  that  of  the  parents. 
-The  parents  of  Mr.  Richmond  soon  after  their  mar- 
riage emigrated  from  the  Buckeye  State  to  Illinois, 
where  Mr.  Richmond  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising  and  where  he  still  lives.  The  mother  died 
in  Hittle  Grove  Township,  Tazewell  County,  in 
1854. 

Wilson  Richmond  came  to  Tazewell  County  in 
1830,  and  his  wife  in  1826.  They,  together  with 
others,  experienced  the  hardships  of  the  winter  of 


the  deep  snow,  when  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
Joseph  Richmond,  was  frozen  to  death  in  crossing 
the  prairie  from  Mackinaw  to  Hittle's  Grove.  In 
company  with  Samuel  Judy  he  had  gone  from  the 
Grove  to  Mackinaw  for  provisions.  On  the  return 
trip  Joseph  Richmond,  when  within  a  short  distance 
of  home,  exhausted  by  cold  and  fatigue,  dropped 
down  unable  to  proceed  further.  His  companion  was 
obliged  to  leave  him  and  lie  died  in  the  snow,  being 
found  by  the  settlers  the  following  morning,  sitting 
upright  as  when  Mr.  Judy  had  left  him.  It  required 
about  thirty-six  hours  before  they  were  able  to  get 
his  body  in  a  position  so  that  it  could  be  coffined. 
Of  the  nine  children  born  to  Wilson  and  Mary 
(Judy)  Richmond,  four  died  in  infancy  and  five 
lived  to  adult  years.  Since  that  time  Jane,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Thomas  H.  Bell,  departed  this 
life  in  Newcomb  Township,  Jan.  11,  1887.  (A 
sketch  of  Mr.  Bell  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this 
work.)  Frank  married,  and  is  farming  in  Brown 
Township,  this  county ;  Nancy  became  the  wife  of 
Joseph  Headrick,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Newcomb 
Township;  Mary,  Mrs.  John  L.  Knott,  resides  with 
her  husband  on  a  farm  in  Missouri. 

John  W.  Richmond  was  born  in  Hittle's  Grove 
Township,  Tazewell  County,  this  State,  July  26, 
1846.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed  on  his 
father's  farm,  and  during  the  winter  seasons  he 
availed  himself  of  the  instruction  afforded  in  the 
common  schools.  He  remained  a  member  of  the 
parental  household  until  thirty-five  years  of  age, 
having  at  the  early  age  of  fifteen  years  assumed 
the  management  of  the  farm.  The  responsibility 
thus  placed  upon  him  by  wise  and  judicious  parents 
admirably  developed  his  natural  business  talent  and 
fitted  him  for  the  further  duties  of  life,  in  which 
he  has  been  more  than  ordinarily  successful.  He 
became  a  resident  of  this  county  in  1881,  in  the 
meantime  having  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land 
in  Newcomb  Township.  The  residence  of  himself 
and  his  family,  however,  is  in  the  village  of  Fisher, 
where  he  has  a  handsome  dwelling  in  the  midst  of 
finely  laid  out  grounds,  and  everything  calculated 
for  the  comfort  and  pleasure  of  its  inmates. 

Mr.  Richmond  was  married,  Sept.  20,  1884,  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  to  Miss  Nora  Havenhill, 
who  was  born  in  Kendall  Count}',  this  State,  April 


I 


L. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


745 


16,  1862.  Mrs.  11.  is  the  daughter  of  Hiram  and 
Surah  (Richmond)  Havenhill,  the  former  a  native 
of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Her  father's 
family  included  nine  children.  Mr.  Havenhill  is 
still  living  and  is  a  resident  of  Kendall  County. 
The  mother  died  there  Jan.  1 1 ,  1870.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Richmond  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  a  son, 
Wilson  R.  In  the  sketch  of  Henson  Richmond, 
published  on  another  page  in  this  work,  will  be 
found  some  interesting  facts  connected  with  the 
history  of  the  Richmond  family,  our  subject  being 
a  nephew  of  Mr.  R.  Politically  Mr.  Richmond 
affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  and  socially 
belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  member 
of  Blue  Lodge  No.  622,  of  Hopedale,  111. ;  Royal 
Arch  Chapter  No.  155,  of  Delavan,  and  Constan- 
tine  Commaudery  No.  51,  of  Lincoln,  111. 

In  the  prosecution  of  his  business  Mr.  Richmond 
has  made  seven  trips  to  the  Old  World,  visiting 
England,  France,  Belgium,  Holland,  Germany  and 
Italy.  His  real  estate  embraces  1,400  acres  of  im- 
proved land  lying  mostly  in  Brown,  Newcomb  and 
East  Bend  Townships.  For  the  draining  of  this  he 
has  expended  about  $12,000  in  tile  alone.  He  keeps 
from  eight  to  twelve  head  of  imported  horses, 
sometimes  more,  and  has  proved  himself  admira- 
bly adapted  to  his  chosen  calling,  having  built  up 
an  enviable  reputation  in  the  West  as  a  good  judge 
of  horses,  in  the  breeding  of  which  he  takes  great 
pride  and  aims  to  excel. 


HARLES  E.  WRIGHT.  This  gentleman  is 
located  on  section  21,  Newcomb  Township, 
of  which  he  has  been  a  resident  since  a 
young  man  of  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  is  the 
owner  of  165  acres  of  good  land,  upon  which  he 
has  erected  all  needful  farm  buildings,  and  the 
whole  of  which  constitutes  a  comfortable  and  sub- 
stantial homestead.  His  residence  is  one  of  the 
best  in  the  township,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  hand- 
some grove,  a  view  of  which  is  to  be  seen  on  an- 
other page. 

Mr.  Wright  is  a  native  of  Licking  County,  Ohio, 
whene  he  was  born  Sept.  30,  1840.  and  the  son 
of  Hiram  and  Eliza  (Blood)  Wright,  natives  re- 


spectively of  Vermont  and  Massachusetts.  After 
leaving  New  England  they  located  in  the  Buckeye 
State,  whence  they  removed  in  about  1872  to  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  Newcomb  Township,  where  they 
still  reside.  The  parental  family  included  eight 
children,  five  boys  and  three  girls.  Our  subject 
remained  under  the  home  roof  and  received  a  fail- 
ed ucation  in  the  common  schools.  He  was  bred  to 
farm  pursuits,  which  he  has  followed  all  his  life. 

Mr.  Wright  was  married  in  Newcomb  Township, 
Sept.  10,  1863,  to  Miss  Nancy  H.,  daughter  of  J. 
S.  Hannah,  of  whom  a  sketch  and  portrait  appear 
in  another  part  of  this  volume.  Mrs.  Wright  is 
also  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  was  born  Dec.  10, 1846. 
Of  their  thirteen  children  six  only  are  now  living: 
Lewis  L.,  William  W.,  Hiram  S.,  Charles  A.,  Clara 
and  Sadie.  Lyman  F.  died  when  he  was  two  and 
one-half  years  of  age.  The  others  died  in  infancy. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episicopal  Church,  and  po- 
litically Mr.  Wright  is  a  stanch  Republican.  Dur- 
ing the  first  year  of  the  Civil  War  he  enlisted  in 
the  76th  Ohio  Infantry,  which  was  known  as  the 
"Squirrel  Hunters,"  but  only  served  a  short  time, 
the  regiment  belonging  to  the  State  Militia.  Mr. 
Wright  is  an  intelligent  farmer,  thoroughly  consci- 
entious, a  man  of  the  strictest  integrity,  and  enjoys 
the  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


ffiOHN  A.  OSBORNE.  A  prominent  writer 
has  said  that  "all  history  is  only  biography." 
We  find  this  especially  exempified  in  the 
community  of  which  our  subject  is  a  mem- 
ber. Its  history  is  principally  the  biography  of 
the  lives  of  those  men  who  have  mostly  lived 
worthily  and  left  a  good  impress  upon  the  places 
which  in  time  will  know  them  no  more.  Mr.  Os- 
bonie  has  fulfilled  his  duties  as  a  good  citizen  and 
member  of  society,  and  has  built  up  one  of  the 
best  homesteads  in  Rantoul  Township.  Although 
perhaps  not  at  first  attracting  the  eye  to  any  spec- 
ial points  it  presents  a  picture  of  peaceful  country 
life  under  the  proprietorship  of  an  industrious  and 
intelligent  man. 

John  A.  Osborne   is  a  native  of  this  State,  born 


H 


T 


746 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


near  Griggsville.  Pike  County,  Nov.  3,  1847.  His 
father,  Thomas  Osborne,  was  a  native  of  County 
Tyrone,  Ireland,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  on  a 
farm,  and  after  the  death  of  his  father  emigrated  to 
America,  accompanied  by  his  mother  and  five  broth- 
ers. The  latter  were  George,  James,  Samuel,  John 
and  Charles.  Three  of  these  brothers  located  in 
this  .State,  one  in  Kansas  and  one  in  Indiana. 
Thomas  settled  in  Ohio,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm 
for  a  few  years,  and  was  married.  In  1844  he  came 
to  this  State  with  his  wife,  making  the  journey  via 
the  Ohio,  Mississippi  and  Illinois  Rivers.  He  first 
rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Pike  County,  which  he 
operated  successfully,  and  a  few  years  later  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Brown  County,  which  he  has  since 
occupied.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  in 
her  girlhood  was  Miss  Matilda  Coulter.  She  was 
a  native  of  the  same  county  as  her  husband,  and 
after  becoming  the  mother  of  six  children  passed 
to  the  other  life  at  her  home  in  Brown  County,  in 
the  summer  of  1855. 

Our  subject  was  the  only  son  of  his  father's  fam- 
ily, and  was  five  years  old  when  they  located  in 
Brown  County.  His  first  studies  were  carried  on 
in  a  log  school-house  with  puncheon  floor,  slabs 
for  benches  and  writing-desks,  and  in  all  respects 
finished  and  furnished  after  the  fashion  of  those 
days.  The  system  of  teaching  was  widely  differ- 
ent from  that  of  the  present  time,  but  the  boys  of 
those  days  grew  up  industrious  and  self-reliant,  and 
have  since,  in  many  cases,  made  their  mark  in  the 
world.  Young  Osborne  lived  with  his  parents  un- 
til twenty-three  years  of  age,  then  married  and  lo- 
cated with  his  bride  on  a  tract  of  land  in  Logan 
County,  this  State,  which  he  rented  for  three  years. 
At  the  end  of  this  time  he  had  accumulated  a  small 
amount  of  money,  and  in  1874  became  possessor  of 
his  present  homestead.  Upon  this  he  has  brought 
about  great  improvements.  It  includes  157  acres, 
all  improved  and  in  a  fine  condition  for  the  rais- 
ing of  grain  and  stock,  to  which  he  is  now  devot- 
ing most  of  his  time  and  attention.  In  1879  he 
became  interested  in  the  bee  industry  and  pro- 
vided himself  with  all  the  appliances  necessary  for 
the  successful  carrying  on  of  an  apiary.  He  had 
sit  one  time  eighty-nine  stands,  and  has  become  j 
quite  mi  expert  in  the  management  of  the  industri-  J 


ous  little  workers,  whose  example  may  well  be  the 
subject  of  attention  by  humanity.  In  addition  to 
his  farming  operations  Mr.  Osborne  is  engaged  in 
breeding  thoroughbred  Poland-China  hogs,  which 
have  been  carefully  selected  from  the  best  families 
of  that  noted  breed.  He  also  owns  a  very  fine 
thoroughbred  Holstein  bull  registered  "The  Ra- 
jah," No.  2269,  and  has  several  other  high-grade 
thoroughbred  animals.  He  is  also  breeding  Per- 
cheron  horses,  and  has  at  the  head  of  his  stables  for 
breeding  purposes  a  very  fine  horse. 

The  lady  who,  in  1870,  consented  to  become  a 
sharer  in  the  fortunes  of  our  subject  was  Miss 
Margaret  A.  Rutledge,  a  native  of  Decatur,  Macon 
Co.,  111.,  and  the  daughter  of  Charles  and  Eliza- 
beth (Reed)  Rutledge,  the  former  of  Irish  ances- 
try. The  four  children  who  have  added  to  the 
pleasures  and  responsibilities  of  the  household 
are  Lilly  M.,  John  W.,  Cyrus  E.  and  Elizabeth  E. 
Our  subject  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  with  his 
wife  a  consistent  and  valued  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  He  is  in  all  respects  a 
worthy  representative  of  the  pioneer  element,  his 
father  having  been  among  the  first  who  located  in 
Brown  County,  endured  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions of  life  in  a  new  settlement,  and  received  due 
honor  as  one  of  the  brave  spirits  who  did  not 
shrink  at  the  thought  of  toil  and  fatigue,  but  was 
willing  to  give  the  strength  of  his  manhood  for  the 
sake  of  those  who  should  come  after  him.  A  view 
of  the  fine  thoroughbred  stock  and  home  place  of 
Mr.  Osborue  is  shown  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


K.  THOMPSON.  Some  of  the  most  enter- 
prising men  of  the  county  reside  in  Philo 
Township.  The  gentleman  whose  name 
heads  this  brief  biography  is  prominent 
among  this  number.  He  is  the  proprietor  of  a  well- 
conducted  farm  of  125  acres  on  section  3,  Philo 
Township,  where  he  located  in  1881.  His  land  is 
finely  improved  and  stocked  with  the  best  grades 
of  domestic  animals,  including  thoroughbred  Short- 
horn cattle  and  line  horses;  His  present  possessions 
are  the  result  of  his  own  industry.  Since  a  boy  of 


t 


RESIDENCE  or  ELI  BARRETT.SEC.  22 ..BROWN  TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE^.  Busi  N  ESS  HOUSE  OF  W.  J.  LATEER  .FISHER,  ILL. 


WMMHHBdHy^&flHBUM 


FARM  RESIDENCE  OF  GEORGEEDWARDS,  SEC. 18  ,PHILO  TOWNSHIP. 


IICRARY 
OF  THE 
Ty  CF  M.LINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


749 


twelve  years  he  lias  been  familial-  with  the  care  of 
horses,  to  the  habits  of  which  animal  he  has  given 
much  attention,  and  has  obtained  quite  a  reputa- 
tion as  a  breeder  of  the  noblest  and  most  useful  of 
all  animals. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  born  in  Cumberland  County, 
Pa.,  June  29,  1813.  His  father,  John  Thompson, 
a  native  of  Adams  County,  Pa.,  was  reared  on  a 
farm  which  occupied  a  part  of  the  ground  where 
was  fought  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  The  Thomp- 
sons were  of  Scottish  origin,  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject  coming  to  this  country  before  his  marriage 
and  Settling  in  Adams  County,  Pa.,  where  he 
reared  a  family,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  John  Thompson  was  reared  on  the  farm  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  upon  reaching  manhood  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  King,  who  was  a  lady  of 
Irish  parentage.  Their  wedding  took  place  in 
Cumberland  Count}',  where  they  located  upon  a 
farm  and  whence  they  removed  to  Ohio  in  1820. 
The  father,  however,  having  received  a  good  edu- 
cation spent  the  earlier  part  of  his  life  as  a  teacher 
in  the  public  schools.  After  his  marriage  he  set- 
tled with  his  bride  near  Urbana,  Champaign  Co., 
Ohio.  This  remained  the  home  of  the  parents  of 
J.  K.  until  their  death,  that  of  the  mother  occur- 
ring when  she  was  seventy-two  years  old,  and  the 
father's  in  1880,  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-nine 
years.  Of  their  four  sons  and  four  daughters  one 
died  before  the  parents.  Six  are  now  living. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  the  eldest  son  and  third  child 
of  the  family.  He  remained  a  member  of  the  par- 
ental household  until  thirty-one  years  of  age.  He 
was  united  in  marriage,  in  Champaign  County, 
Ohio,  in  the  year  1844,  to  Miss  Margaret  A.  Van 
Meter,  whose  parents,  Col.  Henry  and  Margaret 
(Renick)  Van  Meter,  were  natives  of  Virginia, 
and  of  German  descent.  The  father  of  Mrs. 
Thompson  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  indus- 
try, and  served  as  a  commissioned  officer  in  the 
War  of  1812.  After  retiring  from  the  army  he 
engaged  as  a  farmer  and  stock-dealer,  and  accumu- 
lated considerable  property.  He  was  Sheriff  of  his 
county  for  several  terms,  and  was  universally  re- 
spected as  a  citizen  and  business  man.  Both  par- 
ents died  in  Champaign  County,  Ohio. 

After   his   marriage  Mr.  Thompson  located  on  a 


farm  near  Urbana,  Champaign  Co.,  Ohio,  whence 
he  removed  in  1876  to  Philo  Township,  this  coun- 
ty. Here  he  has  been  successfully  engaged  in  ag- 
riculture, and  has  displayed  excellent  judgment  in 
the  management  of  his  farm  and  business  matters 
generally.  He  was  formerly  a  Whig,  politically, 
but  since  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party 
has  been  a  firm  supporter  of  its  principles.  Both 
our  subject  and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  A  lithographic  view  of  Mr. 
Thompson's  residence  is  shown  on  another  page. 


f  OHN  M.  COLLISON,  a  retired  merchant  and 
farmer  of  Rantoul,  is  a  native  of  the  Prairie 
State,  and  was  born  near  Pilot  Grove,  Ver- 
milion County,  on  the  24th  of  May,  1844. 

^^^s- 

His  parents,  Absalom  and  Mary  V.  (Chenowith) 
Collison,  were  natives  of  Ohio.  The  former  died 
when  our  subject  was  but  eight  years  of  age.  His 
early  education  commenced  in  the  district  schools, 
and  he  was  afterward  sent  to  a  High  School  near 
the  State  line  of  Indiana.  He  pursued  his  studies 
here  for  several  months,  then  returned  home  to  his 
mother,  and  the  following  year  embarked  in  farm- 
ing. In  1867  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Rantoul, 
where  he  embarked  in  general  merchandising. 

Mr.  Collison  continued  in  mercantile  business 
until  1887,  then  purchased  his  present  farm,  which 
consists  of  sixty-eight  acres  just  outside  of  the 
corporate  limits  of  Rantoul.  During  his  .successful 
experience  as  a  merchant  he  invested  largely  in 
farm  land,  having  200  acres  in  Rantoul  and  160 
acres  in  Compromise  Township,  320  in  Vermilion 
County,  and  eighty  acres  in  Ludlow  Township,  this 
county,  all  fertile  land  and  under  a  good  state  of 
cultivation.  His  home  is  presided  over  by  a  lady 
who  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss  Lucy  Waldon,  of 
Saybrook,  McLean  Co.,  111.,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried Sept.  1 ,  1886.  By  a  former  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  A.  West,  of  this  county,  there  were  born  two 
children — Edna,  who  died  when  four  years  of  age, 
and  Mabel.  The  mother  departed  this  life  at  her 
home  Feb.  21,  1884. 

Mr.  Collison  has  been  prominent  in  the  local  af- 
fairs of  his  township,  serving  as  Trustee  and  School 


750 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


Director,  and  is  uniformly  called  upon  to  aid  his 
fellow-townsmen  in  their  deliberations  upon  mat- 
ters of  general  interest.  Socially  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  Rantoul 
Lodge  No.  470.  He  is  also  a  K.  of  P.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  C.  are  worthy  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he  is  Trustee,  and  to 
the  support  of  which  he  has  contributed  generously 
and  otherwise  advanced  its  interests  whenever  the 
opportunity  was  presented. 

The  father  of  our  subject  upon  locating  in  Ver- 
milion County  entered  a  tract  of  Government  land 
embracing  800  acres.  He  labored  with  the  true 
pioneer  spirit,  tilling  the  soil,  building  fences  and 
putting  up  the  structures  necessary  for  the  use  of  the 
family  and  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  After 
a  goodly  record  he  departed  this  life  in  1855,  dying 
upon  the  homestead  where  he  had  labored  with  so 
much  patience  and  courage,  and  done  so  much  to- 
ward the  development  and  progress  of  that  section. 


\1  S.  WOLFE,  attorney  at  law  in  Champaign, 
is  a  native  of  this  State  and  was  born  in 
Morgan  County,  Sept.  21,  1833.  His  par- 
ents were  George  and  Mary  (Simms)  Wolfe, 
natives  respectively  of  Greenbrier  ^County,  Va., 
and  Spartanburg,  S.  C.  George  Wolfe,  in  1812, 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
the  family  locating  near  Chillicothe,  where  the 
father,  Henry,  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death, 
in  1825.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  piety  and  marked 
ability.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  late  in  life  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he  remained  a  consist- 
ent member  for  many  years.  The  children  of  the 
household  were  Elizabeth,  Jacob,  Henry,  Catherine, 
Daniel,  John,  Mary,  George  and  Joseph,  all  now 
deceased. 

George  Wolfe,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
reared  to  farming  pursuits,  which  he  followed  in  ; 
Ohio  until  1826,  in  which  year  the  entire  family 
came  to  this  State  and  were  among  the  early  pio- 
neers of  Morgan  County.  The  father  located  upon 
a  tract  of  Government  land  where  he  remained 
until  1839,  when  he  sold  out  and  moved  into  i 


Macoupin  County,  where  he  still  pursued  his  for- 
mer occupation  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1874.  The  mother  also  died  that  same  year.  Of 
their  seven  sons,  two  died  in  infancj7.  The  others 
are  as  follows:  James  is  a  resident  of  Macoupin 
County,  111.;  J.  S.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  second; 
Thomas  lives  in  Barton  County,  Mo. ;  George  is  a 
resident  of  Gerard,  this  State;  Peyton  lives  in  Bar- 
ton County,  Mo.  George  Wolfe  politically  was  a 
stanch  Republican,  a  strong  Prohibitionist,  and 
especially  interested  in  the  establishment  and  main- 
tenance of  schools. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  remained  on  the 
farm  until  twenty-two  years  old,  and  pursued  his 
early  studies  in  the  pioneer  log  school-house,  which, 
however,  was  different  from  some  others  of  that 
early  period,  having  a  long  window  on  each  side. 
They,  however,  used  slabs  for  writing-desks  and 
the  system  of  teaching  as  well  as  the  structure  itself 
in  which  it  was  carried  on,  were  widely  different 
from  those  of  the  present  day.  Mr.  Wolfe  early 
in  life  began  to  lay  his  plans  for  the  future.  After 
leaving  home  he  purchased  five  yoke  of  oxen  and 
commenced  breaking  the  prairie,  and  was  occupied 
at  this  laborious  work  for  two  years,  in  the  mean- 
time keeping  in  view  the  intention  which  he  had 
formed  of  commencing  the  study  of  law  as  soon  as 
possible  or  practicable.  In  1857,  he  went  to  Carlin- 
ville,  entered  a  law  office,  and  became  a  thorough 
student  of  Blackstone,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
two  years  later. 

Mr.  W.  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Carlinville,  but  the  following  year  removed  to 
Champaign,  of  which  city  he  was  then  a  resident 
for  four  years.  In  1864  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Chicago,  where  he  remained  until  1867,  and  then, 
on  account  of  the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  Will- 
iam Young,  returned  to  Champaign,  where  he  has 
since  lived.  He  has  been  Attorney  for  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  Company,  a  number  of  years,  and 
socially  belongs  to  Western  Star  Lodge  No.  240, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Urbana  Commandery  No.  16, 
K.  T. 

Mr.  J.  S.  Wolfe  was  married,  May  15,  1862,  to 
Miss  Celestia  A.  Young,  of  Lorain  County,  Ohio. 
Their  residence,  to  which  a  host  of  warm  friends 
and  acquaintances  often  resort,  is  pleasantly  located 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


751 


on  Church  street,  and  the  office  of  Mr.  Wolfe  is 
located  in  the  Burnham  Block.  Our  subject  is 
independent  in  politics.  Mr  and  Mrs.  W.  are  mem- 
bers in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  of  which  the  former  is  Class-Leader  and  a 
member  of  the  Official  Board.  He  is  a  careful, 
painstaking  lawyer,  a  man  of  the  strictest  integrity, 
and  enjoys  the  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


JACOB  S.  COONS  is  a  prosperous  farmer  and 
stock-grower,  residing  in  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship. He  is  the  son  of  William  and  Chris- 
tina (Smith)  Coons,  and  was  born  Oct.  5, 
183C.  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  near  Italy.  The 
Coons  branch  of  the  family  are  of  German  ancestry, 
and  were  early  settlers  of  America  in  the  old  Colo- 
nial times,  wherein  they  took  an  active  part  in  the 
various  Indian  disturbances,  with  which  New  York 
was  for  a  long  period  troubled.  His  paternal 
grandparents,  Jacob  and  Ellen  (Hawthorne)  Coons, 
were  natives  of  that  State,  where  his  father,  Will- 
iam Coons,  was  born  in  1807,  in  Schoharie  County. 
William  Coons'  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed 
in  his  native  State,  and  he  was  there  taught  the 
cooper's  trade.  His  marriage  to  Miss  Christina 
Smith,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Young) 
Smith,  likewise  occurred  there.  The  Smith  family 
were  natives  of  Virginia,  but  were  subsequently 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Pennsylvania.  After 
his  marriage  William  Coons  removed  to  Marion 
County,  Ohio,  and  subsequently  to  Wyandot  Coun- 
ty. He  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  that 
State,  his  death  occurring  in  1852;  he  left  his 
widow  with  a  family  of  six  children,  five  sons  and 
one  daughter. 

Jacob  S.  Coons  passed  his  early  life  in  Ohio, 
where  he  received  f,he  advantages  of  the  common 
schools,  and  subsequently  attended  an  excellent 
select  school.  He  remained  with  his  mother  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  then  went  to  visit  the 
old  homestead  in  New  York,  and  the  relatives  from 
whom  his  family  had  been  so  long  separated.  He 
spent  four  years  there,  engaged  in  various  business 
enterprises,  and  then  returned  to  Ohio.  In  the 
autumn  of  1858  became  to  Champaign  County,  and 


was  engaged  for  a  time  in  farming  by  the  month. 
He  next  rented  a  farm  and  soon  acquired  sufficient 
capital  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land.  He  has 
cultivated  and  improved  this,  and  from  time  to 
time  increased  its  limits  until  he  now  owns  a  fine 
estate  containing  1  70  acres.  He  has  brought  his 
farm  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  It  is  well' 
fenced  and  tiled,  and  supplied  with  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence and  excellent  farm  buildings.  In  conduct- 
ing his  farm,  Mr.  Coons  has  been  especially  success- 
ful in  raising  cattle  and  hogs. 

Mr.  Coons  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
was  Miss  Susan  Cox  ;-  she  became  the  mother  of  two 
children  —  Ada,  the  wife  of  George  Neldon,  and 
Arthur  M.  On  the  7th  of  October,  1886,  Mr. 
Coons  was  married  to  his  present  wife,  Mrs.  Cowell, 
of  Vermilion  County,  111.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coons  are 
both  highly  esteemed  members  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  of  which  the  former  is  one  of  the  Trustees. 
Mr.  Coons  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  holds  the 
belief  that  in  all  the  affairs  of  life,  political  and 
social,  law  and  order  should  be  the  regulatois  of  the 
commonwealth. 


THEODORE  F.  CRANE,  during  the  years  of 
his  early  manhood  and  middle  age,  was  em- 
ployed mostly  in  agricultural  pursuits,  but 
is  now  retired  from  active  labor  and  spending  his 
days  in  the  comfort  and  quiet  which  he  has  so  justly 
earned.  He  is  one  of  the  most  valued  residents  of 
Rantoul,  and  a  man  for  whom  its  people  have  the 
warmest  and  most  sincere  regard. 

Mr.  Crane  was  born  in  Peoria  County,  near 
Farmington,  111.,  Dec.  9,  1836.  He  is  the  son  of 
John  M.  and  Louisa  (Randolph)  Crane,  natives  of 
New  Jersey.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
Harry  Crane,  was  of  Scotch  ancestry,  and  located  in 
New  Jersey  in  the  Colonial  days.  There  he  married, 
and  reared  a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daughters  who, 
with  one  exception,  scattered  through  different 
parts  of  the  East,  John  M.  having  moved  to  Ohio. 
He  lived  in  and  around  the  city  of  Cincinnati 
several  years,  where  he  secured  quite  a  large 
amount  of  real  estate  but  lost  heavily  on  account  of 
its  subsequent  depreciation.  He  left  that  locality 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


in  1830,  and  coining  to  Peoria,  secured  possession 
of  a  farm  where  he  cultivated  the  soil,  and  in  con- 
nection with  it  operated  a  sawmill  for  a  number  of 
years.  Afterward  he  sold  the  farm  and  purchased 
another,  but  subsequently  abandoned  agriculture 
and  removing  to  the  town  of  Kenney,  retired  from 
active  business  and  made  his  home  with  his  chil- 
dren. His  death  took  place  in  this  county  in  1881. 
Mrs.  Louisa  Crane  survived  her  husband  for  a 
period  of  nearly  six  years,  and  died  in  Fulton 
County  in  January,  1887.  The  parental  household 
included  three  daughters  and  nine  sons,  with  three 
pairs  of  twins,  five  of  them  boys.  Seven  of  the 
children  have  passed  to  their  long  home. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  who  was  the  young- 
est son  of  the  family,  grew  to  manhood  in  Peoria 
County,  receiving  a  common-school  education,  and 
remained  with  his  parents  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age.  He  then  started  out  on  his  own  ac- 
count, engaging  as  a  farmer,  stock-trader  and 
dealer  in  real  estate.  Early  in  life  he  had  evinced 
unusual  business  talents,  which  developed  as  years 
passed  by  and  he  soon  found  himself  on  the  road  to 
a  competency.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  E.  Marchaut, 
of  Fulton  County.  This  lady  is  the  daughter  of  . 
Jonah  and  Sarah  J.  Marchant.  After  their  marriage 
the  young  people  went  to  housekeeping  in  Peoria 
County,  where  our  subject  continued  nearly  a  year 
and  then,  removing  to  Abingdon,  Kriox  County, 
engaged  in  hotel-keeping.  Thence  he  removed  to 
Fulton  County  two  years  later  and  engaged  in 
farming,  but  afterward  returned  to  Peoria  County, 
where  he  remained  three  years.  His  next  removals 
were  to  Stark  and  Marshall  Counties.  In  the  for- 
mer he  engaged  for  nine  years  in  farming. 

Mr.  Crane  became  a  resident  of  this  county  in 
1876,  locating  one  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of 
Rantoul  on  section  1,  where  he  had  purchased  320 
acres  of  the  finest  land  in  that  locality.  For  ten 
years  thereafter  he  followed  fanning  and  stock- 
raising,  and  the  various  pursuits  incident  to  rural 
life,  realizing  each  year  a  handsome  income,  and 
retired  in  the  spring  of  188C,  upon  a  competency. 
Besides  his  farm  property  in  Rantoul  Township,  he 
has  160  acres  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county. 
His  farm  is  now  operated  by  a  tenant.  The  in- 


dustrious habits  of  Mr.  Crane  will  by  no  means  per- 
mit him  to  be  idle,  and  he  is  now  dealing  somewhat 
in  real  estate. 

Of  the  seven  children-,  four  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife,  two  died 
in  infancy.  Those  surviving  are,  Anna  L.,  Eva  A., 
Estella  M.,  Cassius  M.  and  Austin  T.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  state  that  considering  the  more  than 
ordinary  business  capacities  of  Mr.  Crane  he  has 
been  often  called  into  the  councils  of  his  fellow- 
townsmen  when  deliberating  upon  questions  relat- 
ing to  the  various  enterprises  inaugurated  for  the 
welfare  of  the  people.  He  has  taken  great  satisfac- 
tion in  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of 
schools,  serving  as  Trustee  and  encouraging  by 
every  means  in  his  power,  the  moral  and  intellectual 
advancement  of  his  community.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Crane  became  connected  with  the  Christian  Church 
in  1876,  of  which  they  have  since  remained  consist- 
ent members,  and  our  subject  is  a  Trustee.  He  votes 
with  the  Republican  party,  and  is  an  ardent  Pro- 
hibitionist. 


BRAHAM  D.  CROSS,  Postmaster  at  Ran- 
toul, is  tW  stanch  representative  of  an 
excellent  Pennsylvania  family,  of  English 
descent,  and  was  himself  born  near  Dan- 
ville, in  Lycoming  County,  in  November,  1830. 
His  parents  were  Joseph  and  Mary  A.  (Davis) 
Cross;  the  former  was  born  in  England,  and  the 
latter  in  Wales.  They  emigrated  to  this  country 
in  their  youth  and  after  their  marriage  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Lycoming  County,  Pa.  The  quiet  of  their 
rural  life  was  interrupted,  however,  by  the  wars 
with  Texas  and  Mexico,  in  which  Joseph  Cross 
served  as  a  Federal  soldier,  and  as  he  never  returned 
from  the  battle-field  was  supposed  to  have  been 
killed.  His  widow  was  left  with  four  children,  two 
sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was 
the  eldest.  She  afterward  married  again  and  the 
children  were  subsequently  scattered. 

Upon  leaving  his  mother's  home  our  subject 
drifted  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  where  he  lea  rued 
the  carpenter's  trade  and  from  which  place,  in 
18,56,  he  came  to  the  West.  Soon  after  reaching 
the  borders  of  Illinois,  he  concluded  to  take  up  his 


I    ' 

t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


abode  in  Rantoul  and  commenced  operating  as  a 
builder  and  contractor.  He  was  afterward  made 
conductor  of  a  train,  and  subsequently,  in  connec- 
tion with  Harvey  E.  Bullock,  distinguished  himself 
as  one  of  the  publishers  of  the  Rantoul  Neu-s,  with 
which  he  remained  connected  from  1874  to  1877. 
He  again  returned  to  the  road  and  was  conductor 
on  the  Nickel  Plate  Road,  running  from  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind.,  to  Belleview,  and  on  the  Cleveland 
and  Marietta  from  Cleveland  to  Valley  Junction. 
He  was  appointed  Postmaster  in  June,  1885,  the 
duties  of  which  office  he  has  since  performed  with 
credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  those  who 
recommended  him.  He  gives  his  whole  time  and 
attention  to  the  duties  of  the  office  and  has  effected 
some  admirable  charges  in  the  management.  He 
has  been  a  lifelong  Democrat,  always  in  good 
standing  with  his  party,  and  is  an  attendant  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  to  which  the  various  members  of 
his  family  belong. 

Over  thirty -five  years  ago,  in  November,  1851, 
Mr.  Cross  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Jacoby,  the 
ceremony  being  performed  in  the  Episcopal  Church 
in  the  town  of  Andalusia,  Pa.  The  wife  of  our 
subject  is  the  daughter  of  ..John  and  Elizabeth 
Jacoby,  of  Bloomsburg,  Pa.,  and  of  this  congenial 
union  there  have  been  born  eight  children.  Of  these 
but  four  are  now  living:  George S. ;  Lillian  E.,  now 
the  wife  Of  0. -J.  Downey,  editor  of  the  Potomac 
(Vermilion  County)  News;  Frank  Raymond,  Assist- 
ant Postmaster,  and  Ruth  D. 


^ILLIAM  F.  HOWARD,  of  Hensley  Town- 
ship, occupies  a  snug  farm  on  section  24, 
where  he  settled  in  1865.  The  homestead 
was  originally  established  by  his  father,  from  whom 
it  was  purchased  by  our  subject,  who  has  carried 
out  in  a  praiseworthy  manner  the  improvement 
which  he  instituted.  When  our  subject  first  took 
possession  of  the  place  there  was  upon  it  a  com- 
fortable set  of  frame  buildings.  In  1885  the  house 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  together  with  most  of  its 
contents.  Mr.  H.  with  commendable  enterprise  im- 
mediately set  about  rebuilding,  and  now  has  one  of 
the  pleasantcst  homes  in  this  part  of  the  county. 


753 


The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  in  Union 
Township,  Brown  Co.,  Ohio,  Jan.  25,  1838.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  whence 
he  removed  to  Ohio,  settling  in  Brown  County  when 
that  section  of  the  country  was  a  wilderness.  He 
put  up  the  first  mill  in  the  county,  which  was  fur- 
nished with  three  run  of  buhrs,  one  for  corn,  and 
two  for  wheat,  and  was  operated  by  horse  power. 
This  mill  was  a  great  convenience  to  the  settlers, 
and  patrons  came  from  thirty  miles  away.  Mr. 
Howard  became  the  proprietor  of  an  extensive 
tract  of  land  and  cleared  a  farm  upon  which  he 

.  resided  until  his  death.  Among  the  members  of 
the  family  reared  there  was  Campbell,  the  father 

|  of  our  subject,  who  was  born  May  7,  1811.  He 
spent  his  entire  life  on  the  homestead  and  his  death 
occurred  there  in  1886.  When  a  young  man  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  adjoining  the  old 
homestead,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the 
possessor  of  200  acres,  besides  other  land  in  that 
vicinity.  Campbell  Howard  was  married  to  Miss 
Angeline  Forsyth,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  all  of  whom  save  one  grew  to  ma- 
ture years. 

The  subject  of  this   history   was  reared   on  the 

i  farm  and  when  old-  enough  began  to  assist  in  its 
labors,  and  during  the  winter  seasons  attended  the 

i  district  school.  He  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  his  marriage,  and  then  assumed  the  manage- 
ment of  a  portion  of  the  farm.  From  this  he  re- 
moved in  1863  to  the  farm  of  his  uncle,  which  he 
operated  until  1865.  A  portion  of  the  year  1864 
Mr.  H.  spent  in  the  army,  serving  in  the  172d  Ohio 
Infantry.  In  1865  he  came  to  this  county  and  set- 
tled on  his  present  homestead.  His  wife  was  for- 
merly Miss  Mary  Baker,  a  native  of  Mason  County, 
Ky.  Their  marriage  took  place  Sept.  22,  1859. 
Mrs.  H.  is  the  daughter  of  Hiram  W.  and  Margaret 
(Van  Buskirk)  Baker,  the  former  a  native  of  Mason 
County,  Ky.,  where  he  followed  fanning  and  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life.  His  death  occurred  in 
1849.  Mrs.  Margaret  V.  Baker  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, spent  the  last  years  of  her  life  with  her  chil- 
dren, and  died  in  Hensley  Township,  this  county, 
July  6,  1883. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howard  have  seven  children: 
Eleanora,  Mrs.  Pitman,  who  lives  in  Urbana;  Ida 


.  .    754 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


M.,  Minnie  B.,  Laura,  John  A.,  Charles  T.  and 
Lawrence.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  promi- 
nently connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  That  they  enjoy  the  highest  regard  of 
their  numerous  friends  is  not  at  all  strange.  They 
are  high-minded,  honorable  people,  honest  and  up- 
right, and  generous  whenever  and  wherever  their 
charity  is  invoked.  Politically  Mr.  II.  supports  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party. 


RANK  WILCOX,  real-estate  and  mortgage 
broker,  also  Abstractor  of  Titles  of  Cham- 
paign, has  been  a  resident  of  this  section 
since  1865,  and  is  close!}'  identified  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  the  city  in  which  he  resides.  He  is 
a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  was  born  between  the 
towns  of  Elizabeth  and  Newark,  March  13,  1834. 
He  is  the  son  of  Levi,  Jr.,  and  Hulda  (Crane) 
Wilcox,  also  natives  of  New  Jersey,  who  followed 
farming  for  some  years  in  their  native  State,  and 
then  removed  to  Ohio.  There  the  father  of  our 
subject  located  in  Warren  County,  and  engaged  as 
a  contractor  on  the  old  Erie  Canal  until  1842. 
That  year  he  removed  to  Indiana,  becoming  a  resi- 
dent of  Fountain  County,  where  he  farmed  and 
kept  a  hotel  for  a  few  years,  finally  removing  to 
Warren  County,  the  same  State,  where  he  continued 
farming  and  died^  in  1853.  The  mother  had  de- 
parted this  life  ten  years  before.  Their  nine  chil- 
dren were  David  B.,  Anner,  Elias  C.,  Orpha,  Albert, 
Frank,  Mulford,  John  and  Mary.  Of  these  four 
are  living,  namely,  Elias,  Anner,  John  and  Frank. 
The  great-great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  who 
was  Peter  Wilcox,  a  native  of  England,  emigrated 
to  America  in  January,  1736  or  1737,  settling  on 
Blue  Brook,  in  New  Jersey,  which  was  known  as 
the  Peter  Hill  Farm,  and  which  consists  of  424 
acres.  This  tract  of  land  lay  between  Blue  and 
Green  Brooks,  and  Peter  Wilcox  occupied  it  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  He  married  and  raised  a 
family  of  five  children,  of  whom  William,  the 
second  son,  was  the  great-grandfather  of  our 
subject.  William  became  the  father  of  eleven 
children,  his  second  son  being  Levi,  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject.  Levi.  Sr.,  became  the  father 


of  four  children,  of  whom  Levi,  Jr.,  was  the  father 
of  our  subject. 

The  parents  of  Frank  Wilcox  had  a  family  of 
nine  children,  of  whom  Frank  was  the  sixth  in  order 
of  birth.  The  family  patronimic  in  early  days  was 
spelled  Willcockse  and  was  changed  to  Willcox  by 
the  grandfather,  Levi,  Sr. ;  one  "1"  was  dropped  by 
the  father  of  our  subject.  Peter  Willcockse  was  an 
officer  in  the  English  army,  a  man  of  great  force  of 
character.  He  finally  resigned  his  position,  and 
was  subsequently  engaged  in  a  duel  on  the  ocean 
with  a  Frenchman. 

Mr.  Wilcox  of  our  sketch  was  reared  on  the 
Wabash  River,  in  Indiana,  and  attended  school 
during  the  winter  season  until  fourteen  years  of 
age.  In  the  summer  he  assisted  his  father  in  the 
labors  of  the  farm.  At  the  age  named  he  engaged 
as  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  store  at  Covington,  where 
he  remained  four  years,  and  then  started  across  the 
plains  to  California,  seeking  for  an  improvement  in 
health.  After  five  years  spent  on  the  Pacific  Slope, 
he  returned  by  water,  and  in  the  fall  of  1856 
engaged  in  business  at  Coviugton.  This  he  sold 
out  in  1859,  spent  the  following  winter  in  Nebraska 
City,  and  in  the  spring  of  1860  started  to  Pike's 
Peak.  There  he  engaged  in  mining  and  located  a 
cattle  ranch  half  way  between  Breckenridge  and 
what  is  now  Leadville.  The  following  year  he 
returned  to  Covington,  Ind.,  and  in  1862,  the  late 
war  being  in  progress,  entered  the  army  as  Captain 
of  Co.  E,  63d  Ind.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  was  placed  on 
duty  at  Indianapolis  as  Provost  Marshal  of  the  dis- 
trict composed  of  Indiana  and  Michigan. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  Capt.  Wilcox  and  his  com- 
pany were  sent  to  the  field  and  engaged  in  active 
service  during  the  Atlanta  campaign.  After  the 
battle  of  Resaca  our  subject  was  commissioned 
Major  of  the  63d  Indiana  Infantry,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  was  promoted  Colonel  of  the  154th  Indi- 
ana Infantry,  which  rank  he  held  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Columbia,  S.  C., 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  fought  the  rebel 
Gen.  Johnson,  from  Kennesaw  Mountain  to  At- 
lanta. He  received  his  honorable  discharge  in  1  H<!5, 
and  coming  to  the  city  of  Champaign,  became  the 
partner  of  A.  B.  Eads,  and  with  him  opened  a  real- 
estate  office.  They  made  one  set  of  abstracts  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


755    ,  , 


purchased  another,  continuing  together  until 
when  Mr.  Wilcox  purchased  the  interest  of  his 
partner,  and  since  that  time  has  conducted  the  busi- 
ness alone. 

Our  subject  was  married  at  Leavenworth,  Kan., 
in  1860,  to  Miss  Margaret  F.  Fields.  Mrs.  W.  was 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Majah  -(Jarvis)  Fields, 
and  of  her  union  with  our  subject  became  the 
mother  of  four  children,  of  whom  only  one  is  now 
living,  a  daughter,  Fannie  M.  Their  residence  is 
located  on  the  corner  of  Hill  and  State  streets, 
where  they  extend  a  generous  hospitality  to  a  large 
number  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 

Col.  Wilcox  has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  suc- 
cess of  the  temperance  movement,  and  is  an  Elder 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  with  which  Mrs.  W..  is 
also  connected.  He  has  been  Superintendent  and 
teacher  of  the  Sabbath-school,  and  in  all  respects 
has  identified  himself  fully  with  the  moral  and  edu- 
cational interests  of  this  section.  He  was  President 
of  the  Champaign  County  Sabbath-School  Associa- 
tion for  four  years,  which  under  his  management 
became  the  Banner  county,  which  position  it  still 
maintains.  He  is  now  serving  the  fourth  year  as 
President  of  the  Sabbath-School  Association  of  the 
Thirteenth  District  of  the  State.  Socially  he  be- 
longs to  the  G.  A.  R. 


: 


/ILLIAM  M.  WEST,  the  leading  dry-goods 
merchant  'of  Rantoul,  is  a  native  of  the 
Buckeye  State,  and  was  born  near  the  city 
of  Cleveland,  Sept.  8,  1845.  His  father,  Munns 
West,  a  native  of  Ireland,  emigrated  to  America 
when  a  young  man  twenty-one  years  old.  He  had 
some  knowledge  of  mercantile  pursuits,  having 
served  three  years  as  a  clerk  in  his  native  country, 
but  after  becoming  an  American  citizen  changed 
his  occupation  somewhat,  becoming  a  dealer  in 
real  estate  and  engaged  in  agriculture,  of  which  he 
made  a  success. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  formerly  Miss  Mary 
A.  Higgins,  was  a  native  of  Euclid,  a  suburban 
town.  of  Cuyahoga  County,  about  ten  miles  from 
Cleveland.  After  marriage  the  young  people 
located  on  a  tract  of  land  near  the  city  limits, 


where  they  continued  to  reside  a  number  of  years. 
In  1 854,  the  elder  West,  deciding  to  join  the  tide  of 
emigration  setting  toward  the  Prairie  State  went 
first  to  Rockford,  111.,  and  thence  to  this  county.  Un- 
der the  impression  that  farm  life  would  suit  him 
best  he  purchased  320  acres  in  Harwood  Township, 
of  which  he  remained  in  possession  until  after  the 
outbreak  of  the  late  war,  and  in  1863  abandoned 
farming  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Rantoul.  Not 
long  afterward  he  purchased  a  stock  of  goods,  and 
from  that  time  until  1866  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandising. In  the  fall  of  the  year  last  named  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  M.  E.  Wandell,  but  a  year 
later  they  dissolved,  and  Mr.  West,  purchasing  the 
interest  of  his  partner,  carried  on  the  business  alone 
until  selling  out  to  C.  W.  Gulick.  Later  he  engaged 
in  brokerage,  and  in  1872  retired  altogether  from 
business.  He  departed  this  life  at  his  home  in 
Rantoul,  on  the  10th  of  May,  1881,  in  the  sixty- 
second  year  of  his  age.  The  mother  had  died  in 
1865,  while  they  were  living  on  the  farm.  Of  their 
eight  children,  but  four  are  living,  and  our  subject 
is  the  eldest  of  the  family. 

William  West  was  a  boy  of  eleven  when  his  par- 
ents became  residents  of  this  county.  He  assisted 
his  father  on  the  farm,  and  after  finishing  his  pri- 
mary studies  entered  Eastman  Commercial  College, 
where  he  took  a  thorough  course,  and  became  a 
book-keeper.  After  his  father  established  the  store 
in  Rantoul,  William  became  his  trusted  clerk,  and 
in  January,  1875,  purchased  the  business.  Two 
years  later  he  took  V.  C.  Lennox  in  as  a  partner, 
and  they  continued  together  four  years,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  time  the  stock  was  divided.  Mr. 
West  taking  the  dry-goods  and  Mr.  Lennox  the 
groceries,  since  which  time  each  has  conducted 
business  alone. 

In  addition  to  his  stock  and  store  in  Rantoul, 
besides  a  handsome  residence,  Mr.  West  has  a  good 
farm  near  the  town  limits,  where  he  makes  a  spec- 
ialty of  .breeding  Percheron  horses.  He  embarked 
in  this  enterprise  in  1882,  and  has  now  sixty  as  fine 
animals  of  this  description  as  will  be  found  in  this 
section.  In  1881-82  he  invested  considerably  in 
Kansas  and  Nebraska  lands,  and  altogether  has  a 
prospect  of  living  comfortably  in  his  old  age. 

The  lady  who  has  presided  over  the  home  of  our 


f 


756 


CHAMPAIQ.N  COUNTY. 


subject  for  a  period  of  nearly  twenty  years  was 
formerly  Miss  L.  E.  Dodge,  a  native  of  Union 
County,  Ohio,  and  who  became  his  wife  in  the 
spring  of  1869.  She  is  the  daughter  of  J.  K. 
Dodge,  former^  of  this  county,  but  now  a  resident 
of  Kansas.  The  five  children  born  of  this  union  are 
Munns,  Charles  E.,  William  O.,  Ray  D.  and  Jessie 
May.  The  family  residence  is  pleasantly  located, 
and  is  evidently  the  home  of  refinement  and  culti- 
vation. Mr.  West  has  taken  an  active  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  his  fellow-citizens,  serving  as  School 
Trustee  and  as  a  member  of  the  Town  Board  for 
several  terms.  He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  1883,  and  served  acceptably  for  two  terms.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  are  identified  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  are  among  its  most  devoted 
and  consistent  members.  Socially  Mr.  West  is  a 
valued  member  of  the  K.  of  P. 


well 


1 


AMES  II.  TENNANT.  The  State  of  Illi- 
nois has  developed  many  of  the  most  exten- 
sive agriculturists  the  Nation  can  boast  of, 
and  the  subject  of  the  following  sketch  may 
be  classed  among  the  number.  In  Condit 
Township  he  owns  the  whole  of  section  13,  and  car- 
ries on  one  of  the  best  conducted  stock  farms  in 
this  section  of  the  country.  His  land  is  finely  lo- 
cated, and  in  all  respects  admirably  adapted  for 
the  purpose  to  which  it  is  mainly  devoted.  Nature 
has  done  much  for  section  13,  and  Mr.  Tennant 
has  greatly  aided  also  in  producing  one  of  the 
most  attractive  spots  in  Champaign  County.  He 
possesses  the  energy  and  enterprise  necessary  to 
success  in  this  department  of  agriculture,  ship- 
ping annually  large  numbers  of  the  finest  animals 
to  be  found  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and 
was  born  in  Mayville,  Chautauqua  County,  Aug. 
25,  1833.  He  is  descended  from  an  excellent  fam- 
ily, who  were  widely  and  favorably  known  through- 
out New  England.  His  grandfather,  Daniel  Ten- 
nant, a  native  of  Connecticut,  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolutionary  War.  After  the  independ- 
ence  of  the  Colonies  had  been  established  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  the  Empire  State,  which  at  that 


day  was  only  just  beginning  to  give  promise  of  its 
future  importance.  He  located  in  Oneida  County, 
being  among  the  pioneer  settlers  there,  and  carried 
on  merchandising  for  several  years.  Subsequently 
he  removed  to  Chautauqua  County,  whore  his 
death  occurred  in  about  1848. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Austin  Tennant,  was 
a  native  of  Sangerfield,  Oneida  Co.yN.  Y.,  yvhere 
he  was  born  April  24,  1799.  He  received  an  un- 
usually good  education  for  those  days,  and  in  early 
life  became  a  teacher,  which  occupation  he  followed 
for  a  number  of  years.  In  about  1827  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  heavily  timbered  land,  near  which 
was  afterward  Mayville,  Chautauqua  County,  from 
which  he  cleared  a  farm,  and  lived  there  until 
about  1855.  In  the  meantime  he  added  to  his  first 
estate,  and  became  one  of  the  landed  proprietors 
of  that  locality.  Upon  his  removal  from  there  in 
the  year  mentioned  he  located  in  the  city  of  Ash- 
tabula,  Ohio,  purchasing  city  property  there,  where 
he  now  resides.  After  the  labors  of  an  active  and 
industrious  manhood  he  still  retains  his  health  and 
mental  faculties  to  a  remarkable  degree,  and  now 
is  passing  his  declining  years  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
competency.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Miss 
Laura  Morgan,  whose  parents,  Russell  and  Eliza 
Morgan,  were  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Chau- 
tauqua County,  N.  Y.,  where  Mrs.  Tennant  was 
born.  The  parental  household  included  three  chil- 
dren: Amos  H.,  who  lives  in  Mayville,  N.  Y. ;  Sa- 
rah J.,  Mrs.  Munn,  of  Warren  County,  Pa.,  and 
our  subject,  James  H. 

Mr.  Tenuant,  of  our  sketch,  who  was  a  bright 
and  ambitious  boy,  after  graduating  from  the  dis- 
trict school,  entered  Westfield  Academy,  in  his  na- 
tive county,  to  prepare  for  college.  His  college 
course  was  pursued  in  Buffalo,  and  after-  gradua- 
tion in  1852,  he  engaged  as  clerk  at  Erie,  Pa.  Six 
months  later  he  threw  up  his  clerkship  and  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Sharon  Iron  Company,  whose 
headquarters  were  at  Buffalo.  His  time  not  being 
fully  occupied  he  began  to  speculate  on  his  own  ac- 
count, and  was  very  successful.  After  being  in 
the  employment  of  this  company  for  six  years  he 
succeeded  to  the  business.  Two  years  later  he 
went  South  and  commenced  dealing  in  cotton.  He 
became  proprietor  of  five  river  steamers,  making 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


757 


his  headquarters  at  Memphis,  and  at  the  end  of  two 
years  found  himself  posessed  of  a  fortune  of  half  a 
million  dollars.  Soon  afterward,  on  account  of 
failing-  health,  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  active 
business,  and  coming  North  to  Chicago  devoted 
himself  to  the  care  of  over  GO,  000  acres  of  land, 
and  the  restoration  of  his  health. 

While  in  the  midst  of  other  business  transactions 
Mr.  Tennant  had  also  bought  largely  of  wild  land 
in  the  West,  among  which  was  the  section  which 
he  now  owns  in  Condit  Township.  Of  this  he  took 
possession  in  1873,  and  commenced  the  improve- 
ments which  have  now  made  this  tract  so  valuable. 
Since  then  he  has  divided  his  time  between  this 
place  and  Chicago,  spending,  however,  the  past  two 
winters  in  Texas,  where  he  also  has  extensive  real- 
estate  interests.  In  due  time  Mr.  Tennant  expects 
to  make  his  home  in  the  Lone  Star  State. 

The  marriage  of  .1.  H.  Tennant  and  Miss  Eliza- 
beth T.  Hnlburt,  a  native  of  Erie,  Pa.,  was  cele- 
brated on  the  27th  of  May,  1863.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  two  children  :  Clara,  the  only 
daughter,  died  when  eighteen  months  old  ;  the  son, 
George  B.,  completed  his  education  at  the  United 
States  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  and  is 
now  a  civil  engineer,  and  a  resident  of  Grand  Rap- 
ids, Mich. 


S7AME8    A.    WILSON,    the   youngest  son  of 
William   and   Martha  (Fulton)  Wilson,  was 
born  in  Vermilion  County,   111.,   April    29, 
1859.     When  six  years  old   the  family  re- 
moved to  the  place  where  he  now  resides,  on  sec- 
tion 9,  in   Raymond   Township.     He  received   his 
elementary  education  in  the  district  schools,  and 
subsequently  entered  the  West  Side  High  School  in 
Champaign  County,  whence  he  graduated  in  1883. 
He  resides  on  the  homestead,  of  which  he  now  owns 
an  undivided  interest.     This  also   is   the   home   of 
his  aged  mother,  who  has  now  reached  the  age  of 
threescore  years  and  ten.     A  sketch  of  the  parents 
will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  a  man  of  fine  tastes,  and  has  done 
some  very  creditable  work  as  an  artist  in  crayon. 
lie  has  been  employed  at  different  times  as  a  school 
teacher.  Politically  he  votes  the  Democratic  ticket. 


and  served  as  Col-lector  of  Raymond  Township  two 
years.  He  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  1876.  with  which  he  has  since  been  iden- 
tified. He  is  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the 
community,  destined  to  rank  among  its  representa- 
tive citizens. 


LBERT  DUNLAP,  deceased,  who  was 
widely  known  as  one  of  the  most  highly 
respected  residents  of  Champaign,  was  a 
native  of  the  Prairie  State,  and  was  born 
at  Leyden,  Cook  County,  Dec.  29,  1847.  He  was 
the  son  of  M.  L.  Dunlap,  who  emigrated  from 
New  York  State  to  Cook  County  in  1836.  In 
early  manhood  he  was  married  to  Miss  Emeline 
Pierce,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  and  who 
is  still  living  with  her  son  Henry,  having  now  ar- 
rived at  the  advanced  age  of  sixty-nine  years. 

Mr.  Dunlap  was  the  fourth  son  in  a  family  of 
nine  children,  seven  boys  and  two  girls.  When  he 
was  nine  years  of  age,  the  family  came  to  Cham- 
paign County,  locating  on  a  farm  of  320  acres, 
three  and  one-half  miles  south  of  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign, and  now  known  as  Rural  Home  Fruit  Farm. 
It  was  at  that  time  an  unbroken  prairie.  The  early 
years  of  our  subject  were  spent  alternately  at  the 
district  school,  and  after  the  manner  of  most  of  the 
sons  of  pioneers,  in  assisting  to  develop  the  farm 
and  establish  a  comfortable  homestead.  The  father 
laid  off  several  acres  of  his  land  for  a  nursery,  the 
first  project  of  the  kind  in  this  section  of  the  State. 

When  nineteen  years  old  Albert  entered  the 
High  School  at  Tuscola,  111.,  where  he  pursued  his 
studies  two  terms,  and  afterward  attended  the  pri- 
vate school  at  Kinmundy,  where  he  completed  a 
good  business  education.  In  this  institution  also 
he  met  his  future  wife,  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Claytor, 
and  they  were  united  in  marriage  on  the  10th  of 
August,  1868.  Mrs.  Dunlap  was  born  in  Ross 
County,  Ohio,  and  came  West  with  her  parents, 
John  and  Esther  Claytor,  in  1860.  They  located 
upon  a  farm  in  Marion  County,  111.  Mrs.  Dunlap 
was  the  eldest  of  eight  children,  and  received  her 
education  in  the  district  and  High  Schools  at 
Kinmundy.  She  afterward  became  a  teacher, 


I 


1   758 


CIIAMPAION  COUNTY. 


t 


which  profession  she  followed  a  number  of  years. 
She  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
1864,  and  has  performed  all  the  duties  of  a  wife 
and  mother  in  the  most  faithful  and  devoted  man- 
ner. 

In  186!)  Albert  J)unlap  became  a  partner  with 
his  father,  and  brother  Merton,  in  the  nursery  busi- 
ness. Upon  the  death  of  the  former  our  subject 
continued  the  business  in  connection  with  a  brother. 
In  1880  Mr.  Dunlap  removed  to  Savoy,  111.,  and 
engaged  in  merchandising,  buying  grain,  etc.  He 
commenced  in  a  modest  way,  and  his  prompt  busi- 
ness methods  soon  placc'd  him  on  the  road  to  pro.s- 
perity.  As  his  trade  increased  he  enlarged  his 
facilities,  building  a  more  commodious  store,  and 
putting  up  a  large  grain  elevator.  He  also  erected 
a  dwelling  for  his  family,  whom  he  removed  from 
the  farm,  and  closed  out  the  nursery  business. 
Such  was  the  confidence  in  his  business  integrity, 
that  many  farmers  preferred  to  haul  their  grain 
longer  distances  in  order  to  do  business  with  him. 
Many  also  entrusted  their  private  business  to  his 
care,  and  he  managed  a  large  amount  of  property 
belonging  to  non-residents.  He  fulfilled  all  his 
trusts  in  a  faithful  and  creditable  manner,  and  fully 
established  himself  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
all  with  whom  he  had  dealings. 

In  1885,  in  order  that  he  might  give  his  children 
the  benefit  of  a  good  school,  Mr.  Dunlap  removed 
his  family  to  Champaign,  although  continuing  his 
business  in  Savoy,  going  out  on  the  morning  freight 
and  returning  iu  the  evening  to  his  home  in  the 
city.  On  the  22d  of  November,  1886,  he  entered 
the  caboose  of  a  delayed  freight  train  that  had 
stopped  to  do  some  switching.  Two  friends  had 
accompanied  him  into  the  caboose.  The  night  was 
dark  and  rainy,  and  on  the  way  the  station  agent 
remarked  to  Mr.  Dunlap  that  the  light  in  the  dis- 
tance was  the  local  freight  on  which  he  usually  re- 
turned home.  No  apprehension  was  felt,  as  the 
local  always  stopped,  but  this  train  proved  to  be  a 
wild  freight,  which  passed  the  local  at  the  first  sta- 
tion back.  Not  aware  that  there  was  a  delayed 
train  ahead,  and  having  been  repeatedly  urged  by 
the  trainmaster  to  make  Champaign  within  a  given 
time,  the  engineer  was  unable  to  check  the  speed  of 
his  train,  which  was  running  very  fast.  They 


dashed  into  the  standing  cars,  completely  wrecking 
the  caboose,  engine  and  many  cars.  The  engineer 
of  the  wild  train,  James  Near,  was  killed,  and  also 
Mr.  Dunlap's  two  companions.  Mr.  Dunlap  was 
taken  from  beneath  the  wreck  badly  mangled  but 
still  alive.  Kind  hands  removed  him  to  the  near- 
est house,  his  former  residence,  where  he  expired 
in  about  one  hour.  Upon  being  taken  from  the 
wreck  he  asked.  "  Is  this  a  dream  ?"  Thus  ended 
the  life  of  one  of  the  best  citizens  of  Champaign 
County,  through  the  criminal  neglect  of  the  train- 
master at  Champaign  -to  notify  the  wild  train  that 
a  delayed  one  was  ahead  of  them,  and  urging  the 
greater  speed. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Dunlap  was  Town- 
ship and  School  Trustee,  and  serving  his  second 
term  as  Supervisor.  He  was  also  President  of  the 
County  Grain-Dealers'  Association.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
1865,  and  was  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  word,  a 
Christian  gentleman,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  that  highest  of 
all  Christian  virtues,  charity  for  his  fellow-men. 
At  the  time  of  his  death,  his  family  consisted  of 
his  wife,  three  daughters  and  one  son.  At  the  time 
of  this  calamity  Ella  Marion  was  seventeen  years 
of  age;  Alice,  fifteen;  Nellie,  ten,  and  Joseph  C. 
but  two  years  old.  Mr.  Dunlap  by  his  wise  fore- 
sight, left  his  family  in  comfortable  circumstances. 
His  name  is  held  in  tender  remembrance  as  one 
who  left  a  record  of  an  upright  and  honorable  life. 


yiLLIAM  H.  VANASLEN.  The  agricult- 
ural implement  trade  at  Tolono  is  repre- 
sented in  a  praiseworthy  manner  by  the 
subject  of  this  biography,  who  is  a  native  of  Cum- 
berland County,  Pa.  His  birth  took  place  on  the 
4th  of  April,  1  845,  and  his  parents  were  Isaac  and 
Sarah  (Beltzhoover)  Vanaslen,  whose  ancestors 
originally  came  from  Holland,  and  located  in  Penn- 
S3'lvania  at  an  early  period  in  its  history.  Isaac 
Vanaslen  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  by  his 
first  marriage  became  the  father  of  nine  children, 
five  of  whom  died  of  scarlet  fever  in  childhood. 
Four  grew  to  mature  years.  Sarah,  who  became 


i 

-; 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


759 


the  wife  of  Levi  Gleira,  died  in  1881 ;  Mary  Jane, 
who  married  Levi  Gutshall,  and  Kate  E.,  the  wife 
of  W.  II.  Gipe,  are  residents  of  Boiling  Springs, 
Pa. ;  our  subject  is  the  twin  of  Kate  E.  The  mother 
of  these  children  departed  this  life  in  1856.  The 
father  subsequently  married  Mrs.  Rachel  Smyers. 
There  were  no  children  of  this  marriage.  This  lady 
died  in  1885,  and  Isaac  Vanaslen  in  1878,  when 
seventy-three  years  of  age. 

Our  subject  was  but  eleven  years  old  when  his 
mother  died.  He  continued  to  live  on  his  father's 
farm  until  sixteen,  attending  the  district  school 
during  the  winter  and  farming  in  the  summer. 
When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  commenced  teach- 
ing, and  the  following  year  entered  Burnham's 
American  Business  College  at  Springfield,  Mass. 
After  leaving  college  he  resumed  teaching  in  Cum- 
berland County,  Pa.,  until  the  year  1870,  when  he 
came  to  Illinois,  took  a  course  of  penmanship  at 
Champaign,  under  the  instruction  of  II.  S.  Souder, 
and  for  six  years  afterward  was  employed  success- 
fully as  a  teacher  of  penmanship.  After  this  he  was 
variously  employed  during  the  summer  seasons. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  1873,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Jessie  A.,  daughter  of  Jesse  and 
Anna  M.  Simpson,  of  Tolono.  On  the  evening  of 
their  marriage  they  went  to  Pennsylvania,  where 
Mr.  Vanaslen  resumed  teaching  school  in  Clearfleld 
County,  remaining  there  until  1875.  That  year 
he  located  in  Tolono,  where  he  was  employed  as  a 
teacher  for  nine  years  following,  during  the  winter 
season,  while  in  the  summer  he  dealt  in  agricultural 
implements.  In  the  meantime  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  S.  J.  Surrcll,  and  the  business  was  con- 
ducted under  the  firm  style  of  Surrell  &  Vanaslen 
until  the  fall  of  1883,  when  our  subject  became 
sole  proprietor. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vanasleu  became  the  parents  of 
one  child  only,  a  daughter,  Lilly  K.,born  Sept.  15, 
1876.  The}'  occupy  a  pleasant  home  on  Holden 
street,  and  are  surrounded  by  a  large  circle  of  warm 
friends.  Mr.  V.  has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world, 
and  is  now  comfortably  situated  financially.  From 
a  modest  beginning  he  has  built  up  a  good  trade, 
and  his  courteous  dealings  have  secured  him  the 
respect  of  his  community.  He  has  held  various 
local  offices,  and  politically  endorses  the  principles 


of  the  Republican  party.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
have  been  active  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Charch  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years  or  over, 
and  have  given  special  attention  to  Sabbath-school 
work. 

•iILLIAM  ROCK,  deceased,  one  of  the  hon- 
ored pioneers  of  Sadorus  Township,  and 
who  improved  one  of  the  first  farms  laid 
of  on  section  24,  became  one  of  the  prominent 
landmarks  of  the  county,  and  left,  to  his  descend- 
ants a  name  and  a  record  of  which  they  may  well  be 
proud.  He  was  born  in  Alleghany  County,  Md.,  Feb. 
17,  1799,  and  departed  this  life  at  his  home  in 
Sadorus  Township,  in  188-i.  He  remained  a  resi- 
dent of  his  native  State  until  1831,  and  in  the 
spring  of  that  year  emigrated  to  Indiana,  and 
in  March,  1835,  came  to  this  county.  Soon  after- 
ward he  took  up  a  claim  of  forty  acres  in  Sadorus 
Township,  and  built  the  house  which  continued  his 
residence  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Rock  illustrates  in  a  remark- 
able manner  the  result  of  determination,  persever- 
ance and  industry.  Upon  coming  to  this  county 
he  had  only  money  enough  to  pay  for  his  forty 
acres,  at  $1.25  per  acre.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
he  was  the  owner  of  nearly  2,400  acres  of  land, 
which,  with  the  exception  of  190  acres  purchased 
after  his  will  was  made,  was  divided  in  an  equitable 
and  satisfactory  manner  among  his  children. 

William  Rock  spent  his  boyhood  and  youth  as  a 
member  of  his  father's  household  until  his  marriage 
in  1824.  His  first  wife,  formerly  Miss  Nancy 
Beavers,  was  born  Aug.  15,  1808,  and  of  this  union 
there  were  eleven  children:  James  is  deceased; 
Catherine,  Mrs.  Bryant,  resides  near  Parkville; 
Elizabeth  is  deceased;  Andrew  J.  is  written  of  else- 
where in  this  work;  Jane  and  William  H.  are  de- 
ceased; Mary,  Mrs.  Newton  Coler,  lives  in  Sadorus 
Township;  Rebecca  married  Pierce  S.  Coler,  and 
lives  in  Sadorus  Township;  George  is  deceased; 
Ann  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  G.  Chambers,  of  Sadorus 
Township:  John  is  deceased.  The  death  of  little 
Jane  occurred  about  two  years  after  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Rock  and  his  family  in  Sadorus  Township. 
There  was  scarcely  enough  suitable  material  in  the 
neighborhood  in  which  to  enshroud  the  child,  but  a 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


small  piece  of  white  muslin  was  finally  securer!  from 
Mrs.  Henry  Sadorus.  There  were  not  even  boards 
to  be  obtained  large  enough  to  make  a  cofh'n.  and 
the  father  and  brother  hewed  out  a  receptacle  for 
the  remains  from  a  log.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren passed  from  earth  Nov.  28,  1847.  A  year  later 
Mr.  Rock  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Shreve,  by 
whom  he  had  one  child,  Martin  V.,  who  died  Jan. 
9,  1864.  The  second  wife,  who  was  born  Jan.  25, 
1808,  still  survives  him,  and  is  living  in  St.  Joseph, 
this  county. 

When  Mr.  Rock  commenced  farming  in  this 
county,  his  stock  consisted  of  a  light  four-horse 
team,  three  cows,  a  few  calves  and  about  a  dozen 
pigs,  which  he  had  brought  with  him.  The  first 
dwelling  was  built  of  round  poles,  and  contained 
a  solitary  room  16x18  feet.  In  this  the  family 
dwelt  for  about  eight  years.  The  next  residence 
was  built  of  hewn  logs,  and  was  one  and  one-half 
stories  in  height.  The  more  pretentious  residence, 
which  was  erected  in  1848,  was  built  of  brick, 
made  and  burned  on  his  land.  The  first  school  in 
that  locality  was  a  private  one,  conducted  in  a 
little  house,  which  Mr.  Rock  built  especially  for 
that  purpose.  In  this  five  of  his  children  learned 
their  letters  at  the  same  time.  Mr.  Rock  himself 
learned  his  letters  in  the  evenings  after  he  was 
married,  from  a  man  who  was  working  for  him, 
and  felt  quite  proud  of  his  later  accomplishments 
in  reading.  His  first  lessons  in  arithmetic  were 
obtained  by  counting  the  chapters  in  the  Bible, 
which  was  the  first  and  only  reading  book  he  ever 
had.  He  was  a  Universalist  in  religious  belief,  and 
meetings  were  sometimes  held  at  his  house  or  in  the 
neighborhood. 

In  this  sketch,  necessarily  brief,  there  is  scarcely 
space  to  detail  the  experiences  of  Mr.  Rock,  as  one 
of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  this  county.  His  family 
never  suffered  for  food,  because  there  was  plenty 
of  wild  game,  and  when  not  able  to  reach  the  mills, 
which  were  twenty  to  sixty  miles  away,  they  pieced 
out  their  meager  fare  on  home-made  hominy.  The 
epicure  of  to-day  might  seriously  object  to  the 
"menu"  of  those  times,  but  the  pioneers  possessed 
in  a  remarkable  degree  the  quality  of  contentment 
and  made  the  best  of  circumstances. 

Mr.  Rock  politically  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  and 


seldom  permitted  any  other  duties  to  interfere 
with  casting  his.  vote  on  election  days,  although 
this  at  first  involved  a  journey  to  Urbana.  He  was 
a  remarkably  healthy  man,  although  at  long  periods 
suffered  from  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  which 
finally  destroyed  his  eyesight.  In  the  management 
of  his  business  affairs  he  was  prudent  and  far-seeing, 
and  looked  upon  death  as  one  of  the  least  calamities 
that  can  befall  a  man,  making  his  arrangements  for 
that  event  with  as  much  calmness  as  he  would  to 
start  upon  a  journey  to  see  a  friend.  He  had 
erected  a  monument  on  the  private  burying-ground 
on  his  farm,  and  there,  according  to  his  request  and 
his  previous  arrangement,  his  body  was  laid  for  its 
final  rest.  The  memory  of  "Uncle  Billy  Rock"  is 
held  in  kind  remembrance  by  all  who  knew  him, 
and  who  will  often  speak  of  him  to  their  children 
and  grandchildren  as  one  of  the  resolute  spirits  who 
aided  so  materially  in  developing  the  resources  of 
this  section  and  opening  a  path  for  the  march  of  a 
later  civilization. 


yiLLIAM  YOUNG,  carpenter  and  builder, 
at  Rantoul,  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye 
State,  and  was  born  in  Bethel  Township, 
Miami  County,  Jan.  31,  1833.  His  grandfather, 
John  Young,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  of  Scotch 
ancestry,  emigrated  to  the  United  States  when  a 
young  man,  and  locating  upon  a  tract  of  land  in 
Virginia,  opened  up  a  farm,  upon  which  he  labored 
and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Among  the 
members  of  his  family  was  a  son,  John,  who  was 
born  in  the  Old  Dominion,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood, employed  at  farming  and  in  the  distillery 
which  his  father  operated'' in  connection  with  the 
farm.  The  liquor  manufactured  there  was  trans- 
ported to  Richmond  and  Baltimore.  John  Young 
was  inherently  opposed  to  the  institution  of  slav- 
ery, and  after  the  death  of  his  father  resolved  to 
leave  a  section  of  country  which  upheld  it.  He 
accordingly  sold  his  property,  and  removing  to 
Ohio,  purchased  a  farm  in  Miami  County,  where  he 
made  his  home  until  his  death. 

Before  leaving  his  native  State  John  Young  had 
married    Miss   Nancy  Northcut,  a   Kentucky  lady, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


701 


and  the  daughter  of  Willis  Northcut,  a  native  of 
Scotland,  who  settled  among  the  early  pioneers  of 
Miami  County.  The  mother  of  our  subject  is 
still  living,  making  her  home  in  Miami  County, 
Ohio,  and  having  arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-nine  years.  Of  the  eleven  children  horn  to 
them,  six  lived  to  mature  years.  Samuel,  during 
the  late  war,  enlisted  in  the  8th  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  died  in  the  service;  Willis  is  at  Topeka,  Kan.; 
Eleanor  married  Abram  Oliver,  who  died  in  Mason 
County,  this  State;  Sarah  A.  died  in  Miami  Coun- 
ty, Ohio;  William,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  fifth 
child;  John,  also  a  Union  soldier,  died  in  West 
Charleston,  Ohio,  from  disease  contracted  in  the 
army. 

William  Young,  as  the  son  of  a  pioneer,  became 
well  acquainted  with  the  difficulties  attending  life 
in  a  new  settlement.  His  early  studies  were  car- 
ried on  in  the  subscription  schools,  and  in  common 
with  other  farmers'  boys  of  that  period,  he  was 
trained  to  habits  of  industry,  and  at  an  early  age 
began  to  assist  in  the  labors  around  the  homestead. 
When  nineteen  years- old,  desiring  a  change,  he 
commenced  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  which 
he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  three  years.  At  the 
expiration  of  that  time  he  resumed  farming,  at 
which  he  continued  until  1856.  In  the  spring  of 
that  year  he  came  to  Mason  County,  this  State, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  a  year,  then  rented  a 
tract  of  land,  where  he  carried  on  farming  until 
after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  He  then  re- 
solved to  lay  aside  his  personal  interests  and  assist 
in  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  and  accordingly 
enlisted  in  Co.  I?,  85th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  His  army  experience 
embraced  seventeen  distinct  engagements  with  the 
enemy,  including  such  sanguinary  battles  as  those 
of  Perry  ville,  Ky.,  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  Mis- 
sion Ridge  and  Kennesaw  Mountain.  He  marched 
with  Shtyman's  army  from  Chattanooga  to  the  sea, 
and  was  present  at  the  siege  and  capture  of  At- 
lanta, whence  the  army  removed  northward,  and 
after  the  surrender  of  Lee  passed  in  grand  review 
before  the  President  at  Washington.  After  leav- 
ing the  Capital  our  subject  proceeded  with  his  regi- 
ment to  Springfield,  whore,  in  June,  18C5,  it,  was 
mustered  out.  Mr.  Young  then  returned  to  Mason 


County  and  resumed  his  trade,  which  he  followed 
until  1871.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  took  up 
his  abode  at  Rantonl,  where  he  has  since  lived,  and 
been  successfully  engaged  as  a  carpenter  and 
builder.  Being  a  natural  mechanic,  as  well  as  hav- 
ing had  the  advantages  of  thorough  training  in  his 
business,  he  has  become  an  expert,  there  being 
many  evidences  of  his  skill  in  Rantoul  and  vicinity. 
In  1877  he  erected  a  handsome  dwelling  for  him- 
self on  Penfield  street,  at  the  corner  of  Belle  ave- 
nue, which,  with  its  surroundings,  constitutes  one 
of  the  pleasant  homes  in  Rantoul. 

The  lady  who  has  superintended  his  household 
affairs  for  a  period  Of  thirty  years,  in  the  meantime 
becoming  the  mother  of  four  children,  was  formerly 
Miss  Marj-  C.  Layman,  to  whom  he  was  married 
Sept.  8,  1857,  in  Mason  County,  111.  Mrs.  Young, 
like  her  husband,  is  also  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  was 
born  in  Union  County,  March  6,  1838.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  Henry  Layman,  of  whom  mention  is 
made  in  the  sketch  of  Lewis  Layman,  published 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.  The  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  William  Young  are  George  W.,  Alvin,  Will- 
iam N.  and  Grace  W. 

Mr.  Young  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  1854,  and  Mrs.  Young  joined 
three  years  later.  Our  subject  has  been  greatly 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  church  and  religious 
matters  in  general,  serving  as  Class-Leader  for  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years,-  and  being  a  faithful 
and  efficient  worker  in  the  Sunday-school.  He  has 
been  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Republican  party 
since  its  organization,  and  illustrates  admirably  the 
character  of  a  Christian  gentleman,  which  is  evinced 
in  his  private  life  and  in  the  midst  of  his  family  as 
well  as  in  the  public  places  to  which  he  has  repeat- 
edly been  called. 


ffiESSE  B.  THOMPSON  is  the  owner  of  eighty 
acres  of  fine,  well-improved  land,  located  on 
section  25,  Sidney  Township.  He  was  born 
in  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  Jan.  15,  1833,  and 
is  the  son  of  Presley  and  Louisa  (Britten)  Thomp- 
son. His  parents  were  both  natives  of  Ohio,  and 
died  at  Jefferson  ville,  that  State.  Our  subject  moved 


T 


762 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


i  ' 

t 


from  Ohio  to  Illinois  in  1804.  bringing  with  him 
his  wife  and  four  children.  He  was  married  in  Ohio 
to  Rebecca  (Armstrong)  Wright,  daughter  of  John 
Armstrong.  She  was  born  in  Fayettc  Count}", 
April  1,  1833.  Her  mother  was  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  her  father  of  Ohio,  in  which  State  both 
of  her  parents  died.  Their  daughter,  Rebecca,  had 
previously  married  Mr.  Jacob  Wright,  and  was  left 
a  widow,  [her  husband's  death  occurring  Oct.  3, 
1854.  He  was  one  of  the  unfortunate  victims  to 
the  terrible  scourge  of  cholera  that  swept  over  the 
country  during  that  year.  By  this  marriage  she 
had  one  child,  Leander  A.,  now  living  in  Kansas. 
Jesse  B.  Thompson  was  the  eldest  of  a  family 
of  seven  children — Jesse,  Mary  C.,  Susan,  Nancy, 
James  II.,  Elizabeth  and  Minerva.  Mrs.  Thomp- 
son's grandfather,  Joseph  Parrot,  was  [of  German 
origin;  he  was  a  Captain  in  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  lived  to  be  nearly  one  hundred  years  of 
age.  Her  parents  had  a  family  of  twelve  children 
— Samuel  E.,  Mahala,  George  II.,  Mary,  Nancy, 
Able,  Rebecca,  Sarah,  John,  Jane,  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth.  Mr.  Thompson  and  his  wife  have  be- 
come the  parents  of  four  children :  Granville,  who 
lives  in  Kansas;  Amy,  John  W.,  and  Ida,  deceased. 
Mr.  Thompson  is  interested  in  the  public  affairs  of 
the  county,  and  has  held  the  office  of  School  Di- 
rector. His  farm  residence  and  out-buildings  are 
tasteful  and  commodious. 


WILLIAM  CHERRY.  The  320-acre  farm 
which  has  been  the  subject  of  so  much 
comment  by  the  people  in  that  vicinity 
and  by  travelers  through  Ogden  Township,  belongs 
to  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  is  accounted  one 
of  the  most  skillful  farmers  in  that  section  of  coun- 
try. He  located  on  his  present  farm  in  1866,  and 
of  late  years  has  been  extensively  engaged  as  a 
stock-grower,  his  animals  embracing  Southdown 
sheep,  Clydesdale  horses  and  high-grade  Short-horn 
cattle.  For  the  accommodation  of  these  he  has 
fine  pasture  lands,  and  all  conveniences  for  shelter, 
while  the  main  barn  and  the  dwelling  will  compare 
favorably  with  the  farm  buildings  of  his  neighbors. 
Mr.  Cherry  is  in  all  respects  an  important  factor 


in  his  community,  not  only  interesting  himself  in 
the  reputation  of  its  farming  interests,  but  con- 
tributing to  its  religous,  moral  and  educational  ad- 
vantages, serving  as  School  Director  and  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways,  and  occupying  other  important 
positions  in  the  counsels  of  his  fellow-townsmen. 
He  and  his  family  are  regular  attendants  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he  is  one  of 
the  pillars,  and  his  wife  is  a  Sunday-school  teacher 
of  several  years'  standing.  Mr.  Cherry,  politically, 
does  not  confine  himself  to  party  lines,  but  aims  to 
support  the  man  best  fitted  to  have  custody  of  the 
public  interests,  hence  may  b.e  properly  called  an 
Independent. 

In  common  with  many  of  the  representative  men 
of  the  wide  and  prosperous  West,  made  so  by  their 
industry  and  persistence,  Mr.  Cherry  was  origin- 
ally from  England,  his  birth  taking  place  in  Ox- 
fordshire, June  9,  1828.  His  parents,  Thomas  and 
Ann  (Lock)  Cherry,  were  of  pure  English  stock, 
and  the  former,  born  Feb.  14,  1805,  is  still  living  in 
his  native  country.  The  wife  and  mother,  who  was 
born  in  1806,  departed  this  life  Sept.  29,  1878"  and 
her  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  Albury  Church- 
yard. The  ten  children  of  the  parental  household 
were  William,  George;  Thomas,  who  died  in  this 
State  in  1870;  Jane,  Esther,  Barbara;  Emma,  who 
died  Feb.  25,  1877;  Ann,  Eliza  and  Mary. 

Our  subject  remained  in  his  native  England 
about  five  years  after  reaching  his  majority,  but 
not  being  satisfied  with  his  prospects  there  decided 
to  come  to  the  United  States/  Boarding  a  sailing- 
vessel  at  London  he  landed  in>  New  York  after  a 
tedious  voyage  of  eight  weeks,  and  soon  afterward 
proceeded  westward  to  Toledo,  Ohio.  He  there 
engaged  with  the  Wabash  Railway  Company,  but  a 
month  later  secured  work  on  a  farm  at  $1G  per 
month.  After  remaining  in  that  vicinity  one  sum- 
mer he  pushed  on  into  Indiana,  remaining  there 
until  his  marriage,  on  the  21st  of  February,  1855. 
His  bride  was  Miss  Sarah  Leaver,  and  the  wedding 
took  place  at  Attica.  Mrs.  Cherry  is  a  native  of 
Buckinghamshire,  England,  born  Jan.  3,  1833,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Anna  (Lovesey) 
Leaver,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  their  native 
England,  and  are  now  deceased.  The  father  died 
in  1880,  aged  ninety-two  years.  He  had  followed 


I 


r. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


763 


funning  all  his  life,  and  was  a  greatly  respected 
citi/.en.  The  mother  preceded  her  husband  to  the 
other  life,  dying  in  18(iO,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 
The  children  of  the  parental  family,  nine  in  number, 
were  named  respectively  Ann,  Elizabeth,  William, 
Mary,  Ellen.  John,  Sarah,  Emma  and  Eliza.  The 
latter  was  burned  to  death,  her  clothes  having 
caught  fire  from  an  open  fireplace. 

Some  time  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cherry  came  to  Illinois,  and  Mr.  C.  was  employed 
at  whatever  his  hands  could  find  to  do,  in  the 
meantime  saving  what  he  could  from  his  earnings. 
His  steady  persistence  and  industry  have  been  gen- 
erously rewarded,  as  his  present  surroundings  fully 
indicate.  In  the  absence  of  children  of  their 
own  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  have  performed  the  part  of 
parents  to  three  others,  whom  they  took  in  their 
infancy.  The  eldest,  whom  they  named  James  II. 
Cherry,  received  a  good  education  at  the  hands  of 
his  benefactors,  with  whom  he  remained  until  reach- 
ing manhood,  and  in  1883  was  married  to  Miss 
Emma  Smith,  and  has  a  comfortable  home  in  Ogden 
Township.  The  second  one,  Emma  McClarron, 
died  when  about  thirty-one  years  of  age.  Minnie, 
who  was  born  in  1871,  still  remains  with  her  foster- 
parents. 


AVID  B.  STAYTON,  SB.,  a  prominent  and 
influential  farmer  of  St.  Joseph  Township, 
is  of  Scotch  ancestry,  and  spent  his  earliest 
years  in  the  Blue  Grass  regions,  where  the 
first  representatives  of  the  family  settled  upon 
their  arrival  in  this  country.  His  father,  Joseph 
Stay  ton,  also  a  native  of  Kentucky,  was  there  reared 
and  married,  and  eight  years  after  the  birth  of  his 
son,  our  subject,  departed  from  the  scenes  of  his 
youth  and  early  manhood  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the 
Prairie  State.  He  came  to  this  county  in  the  fall 
of  1830,  accompanied  by  his  family,  and  purchased 
forty  acres  of  laud  on  the  east  fork  of  Salt  Creek  in 
St.  Joseph  Township.  Here  he  lived  and  labored, 
the  soil  yielding  him  a  rich  return  for  his  industjy, 
and  here  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

He  wisely  invested  his  surplus  capital  in  ad- 
ditional land,  and.  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the 
possessor  of  300  acres,  all  improved  with  the  ex- 


ception of  a  valuable  limber  tract  of  eighty  acres. 
The  father  of  our  subject  was  twice  married,  and 
became  the  parent  of  eighteen  children.  Of  these 
there  are  living  but  three  of  the  first  marriage,  and 
but  two  of  the  second.  David  B.,  of  our  sketch,  was 
the  third  child  and  second  son,  and  first  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light  on  the  old  farm  in  Mason  County. 
Ky.,June  23.  1820.  Although  but  a  boy  when  the 
removal  was  made  to  Illinois,  he  remembers  many 
of  the  incidents  connected  therewith,  and  the  coun- 
try as  it  appeared  at  the  time.  There  were  then 
only  two  families  in  St.  Joseph-  Township,  and  no 
school  was  established  until  four  years  later,  con- 
sequently the  educational  advantages  of  young 
Stayton  were  extremely  limited.  In  the  winter  of 
1834,  one  William  Peters  donated  the  use  of  his 
kitchen  to  the  juvenile  pioneers,  their  studies  being 
conducted  by  John  Lard,  who.,  when  not  occupied 
in  school,  engaged  in  whipsawing  and  farming  in 
the  neighborhood.  Our  subject  availed  himself  of 
school  privileges  for  a  few  weeks  during  the  winter 
seasons,  but  his  services  were  for  the  most  part 
urgently  required  upon  the  farm,  where  he  remained 
with  his  parents  until  reaching  manhood. 

The  young  men  of  those  days,  usually  before  they 
were  out  of  their  teens,  began  to  make  their  cal- 
culations for  the  future,  which  almost  without  ex- 
ception included  domestic  ties  and  a  home  of  their 
own.  There  then  appeared  no  more  worthy  ambi- 
tion than  to  "build  up  a  good  homestead  and  leave 
an  honorable  name  to  posterity.  It  would  be 
well  if  the  principles  inculcated  by  the  pioneer 
fathers -and  mothers  had  prevailed  until  this  day, 
for  it  was.  these  sentiments,  in  connection  with  others 
fully  as  worthy,  which  resulted  in  such  a  perfect 
building  up  of  the  great  West,  and  in  giving  to  the 
historian  the  line  material  which  he  now  has  to  work 
upon.  David  Stayton  in  taking  the  first  steps  to- 
ward the  consummation  we  have  alluded  toj  began 
as  a  farm  laborer  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  father 
for  the  munificent  wages  of  $12  per  month.  There 
were  few  luxuries  with  which  to  coax  his  money 
from  him,  so  he  lived  economically  and  carefully, 
saved  what  he  could,  and  the  following  year  proudly 
took  possession  of  his  father's  farm  as  a  tenant  and 
also  at  the  same  time  took  unto  himself  a  wife. 
Miss  Sarah,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  Bart- 


1 <  ,    764 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ley,  of  Pickaway,  Ohio.  Later  the  young  people  re- 
moved to  section  1C,  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  which 
is  included  in  his  present  homestead.  His  first  pur- 
chase consisted  of  160  acres,  to  which  he  added 
from  time  to  time  until  he  had  a  clear  title  to  an 
entire  section.  After  his  children  were  grown  and 
began  to  establish  homes  for  themselves  he  divided 
the  land  among  them,  reserving  but  220  acres  for 
himself  and  wife.  Of  the  offspring  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
S.,  seven  in  number,  only  four  survive,  namely, 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  John  S.  McEl wee;  Joseph  H. ; 
David  B.,  Jr.,  and  William  J.  They  are  all  located 
in  the  neighborhood  of  their  father's  farm,  and  are 
highly  respected  citizens,  having  done  ample  honor 
to  the  early  training  of  their  wise  and  excellent 
parents. 

Mr.  Stay  ton,  as  one  of -the  pioneers  of  Champaign 
County,  was  early  in  life  .called  upon  to  assist  in 
the  adjustment  of  its  local  and  business  affairs,  al- 
though he  had  no  ambition  whatever  for  office. 
The  first  position  which  he  was  called  upon  to 
fill  was  that  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  but  he  refused 
to  qualify  and  they  were  obliged  to  seek  a  more 
willing  candidate.  Afterward  he  was  prevailed 
upon  to  serve  as  Constable  three  and  one-half  years 
and  subsequently  was  elected  Collector  of  St. 
Joseph.  He  was  Supervisor  one  year,  and  after- 
ward held  the  offices  of  Assessor  and  Collector  for 
a  period  of  twenty-five  years  in  St.  Joseph,  the 
duties  of  which  he  discharged  with  conscientious 
fidelity. 

Mr.  Stayton  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party  until  near  the  close  of  Buchanan's  ad- 
ministration, when  he  began  to  feel  that  there  was 
reason  for  a  change  in  his  sentiments,  and  believing 
that  the  Union  should  be  preserved  at  all  hazards, 
he  therefore  cast  his  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  at 
the  next  Presidential  election,  and  since  that  time 
has  affiliated  with,  the  Republican  party. 

Mr.  Stayton  is  of  an  affable  and  genial  disposition, 
which  at  once  secures  him  the  respect  and  friend- 
ship of  stranger  and  citizen  alike.  He  possesses 
more  than  ordinary  intelligence  and  is  most  enter- 
taining to  converse  with,  being  able  to  place  before 
the  mind's  eye  of  his  hearers  a  vivid  picture  of 
the  early  days  when  he  joined  in  the  chase  after 
deer  and  wolves,  and  when  the  cry  of  the  hounds 


was  music  to  his  ears.  He  was  of  stout  and  mus- 
cular frame,  very  active  on  his  feet,  and  possessed 
the  hardy  spirit  and  the  nerve  which  made  him  a 
general  favorite  and  the  admiration  of  the  pioneers 
for  miles  around;  He  is  wisely  spending  his  de- 
clining years  in  the  ease  and  comfort  which  he  has 
so  justly  earned  by  a  life  of  industry  and  economy 
and,  surrounded  by  hosts  of  friends,  is  passing  down 
the  sunset  hill  of  life  with  a  clear  conscience,  and  as 
one  who  will  leave  a  good  record  when  he  passes 
from  the  scene  of  action. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  in  her  girlhood  was 
Miss  Anna  Beard,  a  native  of  the  same  county  in 
Kentucky  as  David  Beard,  who  was  born  in  the  Blue 
Grass  regions  and  traced  his  lineage  back  to  a  good 
old  family  of  German  descent.  Mrs.  Stayton  was  a 
true  pioneer  wife  and  mother,  looking  well  to  the 
ways  of  her  household,  carefully  training  her  chil- 
dren, and  possessed  of  all  womanly  virtues.  Her 
death  took  place  on  the  old  homestead  in  St. 
Joseph  Township. 


eHARLES  K1RKPATRICK,  M.  IX,  a  rising 
young  physician  of  Penfield,  completed  his 
medical  studies  in  the  College  of  Indiana  at 
Indianapolis,  from  which  he  graduated  in  February, 
1885,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Ladoga,  Montgomery  Co.,  Ind.  From  there,  a 
year  later,  he  came  to  Penfield,  and  although  his 
residence  here  has  been  comparatively  brief  he  has 
already  built  up  a  lucrative  practice.  He  has  been 
a  close  student  and  extensive  reader,  and  as  a  con- 
scientious practitioner  is  rapidly  establishing  himself 
in  the  confidence  of  this  community. 

Dr.  Kirkpatrick  was  born  in  Urbana,  this  county, 
June  15,  1864,  and  is  the  son  of  John  C.  and  IMary 
(Bnsey)  Kirkpatrick,  prominent  among  the  resi- 
dents of  that  city  as  -valued  members  of  an  intelli- 
gent and  well-educated  community.  He  remained 
a  resident  of  his  native  town  until  sixteen  years  of 
age,  pursuing  his  early  studies  in  the  public  schools 
and  completing  his  classical  course  in  the  State 
University.  Before  attaining  his  majority  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ccrtrude,  daughter 
of  John  1>.  Wilson,  of  Ladoga,  Ind.,  in  which  city 


I 


RESIDENCE  OF  ROBERT  HEWER  DINE  ,  SEC.  18.,(R.9.  E,)  RANTOUL.TOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCE  OF  HENRY  KURTZ  .  SEC.  32. BROWN  TOWNSHIP 


RESIDENCE  OF  J.  R.  Gu  LICK,  SEC.  £8.,  NEW  COMB  TOWN  SHIP. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

707    -  . 


she  was  born  and  roared.  The  two  children  of  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Kirkpatrick  are  John  and  Ruby.  They 
are  pleasantly  located  on  Main  street,  and  enjoy 
the  society  of  the  best  residents  of  the  city. 

Dr.  K.,  politically,  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Re- 
publican principles,  and  socially  belongs  to  Gene- 
vieve  Lodge  No.  100,  K.  of  P.,  being  Chancellor 
Commander,  and  the  youngest  man  in  the  world 
occupying  this  position,  us  he  was  chosen  when  but 
twenty-two  years  old.  He  is  well  fitted  both  by 
early  training  and  natural  talents  to  occupy  a  high 
position  in  the  medical  profession  of  this  county. 


EPHRA1M  DRESBACH,  an  enterprising  far- 
mer and  stock-grower  of  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship, is  possessor  of  an  estate  containing  1  20 
acres  of  valuable  land  located  on  section  20.  He 
was  born  in  Fair-field  County,  Ohio,  near  Lithopolis, 
Nov.  12,  1834,  and  is  descended  from  German  and 
Irish  ancestry,  being  the  son  of  John  and  Anna 
(Hoy)  Dresbach,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio. 
John  Dresbach  was  born  in  1804.  His  wife,  Anna, 
was  the  daughter  of  Philip  and  Elizabeth  (Irely) 
Hoy.  The  Irely  family  were  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  of  Irish  origin,  and  the  family  of  Philip 
Hoy  descended  from  German  ancestry. 

After  his  marriage  John  Dresbach  lived  for  a 
time  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  and  then  removed 
with  his  family  to  Hancock  County,  settling  near 
Findlay.  Not  satisfied  with  the  locality,  he  changed 
his  residence  to  Fairfield,  and  afterward  to  Picka- 
way  County,  making  in  the  latter  place  a  perma- 
nent settlement,  and  building  up  a  homestead, 
where  he  died  in  the  winter  of  1880.  He  was  twice 
married.  The  death  of  his  first  wife  occurred  in 
Fairfield  County,  in  1844.  Of  this  union  six  chil- 
dren were  born,  and  of  the  second  marriage  there 
were  three. 

Ephraim  Dresbach  passed  his  boyhood  in  Fair- 
field  and  Pickaway  Counties,  where  he  received 
such  education  as  could  be  obtained  at  the  country 
schools.  After  the  death  of  his  mother  he  made 
his  home  with  relatives  and  began  the  struggle  of 
life  at  a  very  early  age.  Possessing  an  obliging 


disposition  he  made  friends,  and  employed  himself 
in  various  branches  of  farm  labor  until  he  had 
reached  his  twenty-fourth  year.  He  then  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Clarissa  E.  Croninger,  a  native 
of  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of 
Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Hines)  Croninger.  After  his 
marriage  Mr.  Dresbach  settled  on  a  farm  in  Picka- 
way County,  and  remained  there  until  the  autumn 
of  1807,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Cham- 
paign County,  111.  The  first  year  he  rented  a  farm 
in  St.  Joseph  Township,  and  subsequently  purchased 
his  present  place.  Only  a  part  of  the  land  was 
broken,  but  he  has  since  brought  it  to  a  fine  state 
of  cultivation.  He  is  engaged  in  general  farming 
and  stock-raising,  giving  special  attention  to  the 
raising  of  hogs. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dresbach  had  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren, eight  of  whom  are  living,  and  recorded  as 
follows:  Elnora  S.  is  the  wife  of  Theodore  F. 
Swearingen;  Joseph  F.  is  residing  at  home;  Chris- 
sie  B.  is  the  wife  of  O.  Hootz;  Clara  L.,  Alma  May, 
Arthur  C.,  Minnie  O.  and  Ora  A.  are  with  their 
parents.- 

In  politics  Mr.  Dresbach  reserves  the  right  of 
voting  for  the  best  man,  regardless  of  party.  He  is 
interested  in  public  affairs,  and  has  served  as 
School  Director,  giving  satisfaction  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties. 


RS-  LUCY  J.  VARNEY,  widow  of  Samuel 
B.  Varney,  and  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Sarah  (Frye)  White,  natives  of  New 
Hampshire,  was  born  in  the  Old  Granite 
State  in  1816.  Her  father  was  a  blacksmith  by 
trade,  and  her  maternal  grandfather,  Ebenezer 
Frye,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War 
with  the  rank  of  Major.  He  also  was  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  when  not  in  the  army  en- 
gaged in  farming  pursuits.  Late  in  life  he  became 
a  resident  of  Northport,  Me.,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  beloved  and  honored  by  all 
who  knew  him. 

Robert  White,  the  father  of  Mis.  Varney,  re- 
moved from  his  native  State  first  to  Peacham,  Yt., 
where  he  engaged  in  blacksmithing,  and  subse- 


f 


f 


768 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


quently,  in  1818,  went  to  Maine.  In  the  latter 
State  he  became  quite  prominent  in  public  affairs, 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  was  expert  in 
the  settlement  of  estates.  In  the  meantime  he  also 
carried  on  his  trade,  having  a  number  of  men  under 
him.  He  remained  a  resident  of  Maine  the  balance 
of  his  life,  dying  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty- 
seven  years.  The  mother  died  when  seventy-one 
years  old.  Of  their  eleven  children,  four  only  are 
now  living,  and  three — Mrs.  Mary  A.  Turner, 
Robert  F.  and  George  N. — are  residents  of  Odin, 
Marion  County. 

Mrs.  Varney,  the  fourth  child  of  her  parents,  re- 
ceived careful  home  training  and  a  fair  education 
in  the  common  schools.  She  remained  under  the 
home  roof  until  her  marriage  with  Samuel  B.  Var- 
ney,  which  took  place  in  Montville.  Me.,  in  Jan- 
uary, 1845.  Mr.  V.  was  a  native  of  Maine,  born 
in  1814,  and  the  son  of  Silas  Varney,  who  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  Samuel  B.  was  a  bright  and 
ambitions  boy,  and  through  his  own  efforts  obtained 
a  practical  business  education.  His  childhood  and 
youth  were  spent  upon  his  father's  farm,  and  after 
starting  out  in  life  for  himself  he  engaged  in  hotel- 
keeping  and  farming  combined  in  Levant,  Penob- 
scot  Co.,  Me.  In  1859  he  resolved  to  emigrate  to 
the  great  West,  and  after  reaching  the  Prairie 
State  purchased  a  tract  of  land  seven  miles  from 
the  city  of  Champaign,  this  county.  This  he  culti- 
vated and  improved,  in  the  meantime  visiting 
Missouri  and  purchasing  land  there  also.  In  con- 
nection with  his  farming  he  also  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  for  a  short  time.  He  erected  a 
handsome  residence  on  Church  street,  Champaign, 
which,  a  few  months  later  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
lie  soon  afterward  rebuilt  upon  the  same  site. 

~Mr.  Varney  was  Democratic  in  politics,  and  with 
his  wife,  became  connected  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  which  he  was  a  Deacon  for  many  years. 
lie  was  a  man  of  excellent  business  capacity,  ex- 
treme kindness  of  heart,  and  was  imbued  with  those 
principles  which  constituted  him  an  honest  man  and 
a  good  citizen,  respected  and  beloved  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  V.  became  the  parents  of 
three  children,  of  whom  two  died  when  quite 
young,  and  the  remaining  daughter  when  twelve 
years  of  age.  Mrs.  Varney  afterward  adopted  two 


little  girls:  Mattie  became  one  of  the  family  when 
seven  years  old;  she  is  now  married  to  Dr.  M.  C. 
Wilson,  is  living  in  Downs,  McLean  County,  and 
has  two  children — Mabel  C.  and  Warren.  The 
other  child.  Mary,  was  eight  months  old  when 
taken  by  Mrs.  Varney,  who  has  performed  toward 
her  the  part  of  a  kind  and  affectionate  mother; 
she  is  now  fourteen  years  old,  and  is  pursuing  her 
studies  in  the  High  School  of  Champaign. 


OLOMON  V.  STAFFORD  occupies  a  quar- 
ter of  section  36,  St.  Joseph  Township, 
which  is  an  excellent  body  of  land,  well 
cultivated  and  supplied  with  convenient 
and  substantial  farm  buildings.  He  took  possession 
of  this  place  in  the  fall  of  1803,  and  since  that  time 
has  been  industriously  engaged  as  a  general  farmer 
and  stock-raiser,  making  a  specialty  of  Poland- 
China  hogs  and  draft  horses.  Our  subject,  who  is 
a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  was  born  near  Wash- 
ington, the  county  seat  of  Fayette  County,  on  the 
8th  of  May,  1814.  His  grandfather,  Z.  B.  Stafford, 
was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and  became  the  father 
of  four  children.  His  sou  Charles,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  .was  born  in  Tennessee,  and  went  with 
his  brother-in-law  to  Ohio.  In  that  State  he  re- 
ceived his  education  and  developed  into  manhood, 
and  selected  from  among  the  daughters  of  Fayette 
County,  Miss  Nancy  Leverton,  who  became  his 
wife  in  the  fall  of  1809.  This  lady  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina,  and  the  daughter  of  Foster  Lever- 
ton,  who  removed  to  Ohio  after  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  in  which  he  had  participated 
as  a  Colonial  soldier.  Charles  Stafford  served  in  the 
War  of  1812,  and  after  his  marriage  continued  to 
reside  in  Fayette  County,  where  he  became  exten- 
sively engaged  in  farming  and  accumulated  a  fine 
property.  The  parental  family  included  ten  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  lived  to  mature  years  and  with 
one  exception  were  all  married. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  of  Irish  and 
Knglitih  origin  respectively,  and  Solomon  Y.  wa> 
their  secor.  d  son  and  fourth  child.  He  was  reared 
on  the  farm  in  Ohio,  and  received  a  limited  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  town- 


f 

If 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

769   i 


ship.  He  was  carefully  trained,  however,  by  his 
excellent  parents,  and  imbibed  those  principles  of 
honesty  and  honor  which  served  him  so  well  in 
later  life.  He  remained  with  them  until  after  reach- 
ing his  majority,  and  when  in  his  twenty-fourth 
year  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Nancy  (Wil- 
kinson) Hoppis,  and  they  located  on  a  small  farm 
of  which  our  subject  became  the  owner,  and  where 
they  lived  until  the  fall  of  1863.  Mr.'  S.  then 
resolved  to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  Prairie  State, 
and  coining  to  this  county,  located  upon  the  land 
which  constitutes  his  present  homestead.  The  only 
child  of  the  household  was  a  daughter,  Jane  F., 
who  became  the  wife  of  John  Brown,  and  died  at 
her  home  in  February,  1882.  The  mother  had  pre- 
ceded her  child  to  the  silent  land,  passing  away  in 
the  spring  of  1874. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1875,  was  Mrs.  Mary  J.,  widow  of 
Jacob  Rice,  and  by  her  first  marriage  had  become 
the  mother  of  one  child,  a  daughter,  who  died  in 
infancy.  .  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  our  subject 
officiated  as  Trustee  and  Steward  for  several  years. 
He  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  politically,  and  is  a  citizen 
of  due  importance  in  his  township,  being  acknowl- 
edged by  all  as  having  materially  assisted  in  its 
development. 


THOMAS  W.  GIDDINGS.  This  enterpris- 
ing  and  well-to-do  resident  of  Ludlow 
Township  is  successfully  engaged  as  a  far- 
mer and  stock-raiser  on  section  10.  He  comes  of 
an  excellent  English  family,  the  first  representative 
in  this  country  being  his  grandfather,  who  crossed 
the  ocean  and  located  first  in  Connecticut,  whence 
he  removed  later  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he  fol- 
lowed the  pursuit  of  agriculture,  reared  a  fine 
family  of  sons  and  daughters,  and  having  built  up 
a  good  record  as  a  citizen,  passed  to  his  final  rest 
in  the  Keystone  State  in  about  1816.  His  son, 
Moses  C.,  who  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Conn.,  was  the 
father  of  our  subject.  The  grandfather,  Silas  Gid- 
dings,  at  his  death  left  his  widow  with  nine  children, 
six  sons  and  three  daughters. 

Moses    C.    Giddings,  being  the  eldest  son,  was 


largely  depended  jipon  to  assist  his  widowed  mother 
in  the  care  of  the  family  and  the  management  of  the 
homestead,  in  which  he  nobly  exerted  himself  until 
each  member  could  take  care  of  himself.  The  estate 
comprised  a  body  of  land  400  acres  in  extent,  situ- 
ated eight  miles  from  what  afterward  became  the 
flourishing  city  of  Erie,  Pa.  When  the  father  of  our 
subject  took  possession  of  it  it  was  heavily  timbered. 
He  was  a  very  industrious  and  energetic  man  and 
cleared  the  land,  disposing  of  the  timber  by  means 
of  two  sawmills  which  he  erected  on  the  place,  and 
which  for  a  period  of  several  years  were  kept 
steadily  at  work. 

Moses  Giddings  remained  in  Pennsylvania  until 
1857,  then  disposed  of  his  interests  there,  and  com- 
ing to  Warren  County,  this  State,  purchased  a  farm 
in  Floyd  Township,  which  he  cultivated  and  oc- 
cupied the  balance  of  his  life.  After  reaching  the 
age  of  fourscore  years,  he  passed  to  his  final  rest 
on  the  12th  of  May,  1880,  regretted  by  all  who 
knew  him  as  being  a  citizen  of  more  than  ordinary 
worth  arid  ability.  He  was  a  strict  temperance 
man.  and  had  been  reared  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  After  his  marriage,  however,  he  became 
a  Methodist.  In  common  with  his  cousin,  Joshua 
R.  Giddings,  who  became  famous  as  an  Abolitionist 
before  the  war,  Moses  C.  was  also  bitterly  opposed 
to  slavery,  and  upon  every  occasion  gave  expression 
to  his  views  upon  this  subject.  It  is  scarcely  neces- 
sary to  say  that  during  the  later  years  of  his  life 
he  was  an  ardent  Republican,  the  principles  of 
which  party  he  cheerfully  endorsed  after  the  aban- 
donment of  the  old  Whig  doctrines. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Sophronia  Stafford,  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  daughter  of  Jesse  Stafford,  of  that  State.  She 
accompanied  her  husband  to  Illinois.  They  became 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  whom  they  trained 
to  habits  of  industry  and  those  principles  which 
made  of  them  reliable  citizens  and  useful  members 
of  society.  After  building  up  a  good  record  as 
wife,  mother  and  friend,  Mrs.  Sophronia  Giddings 
departed  from  the  scenes  of  earth  at  her  home  in 
Floyd  Township,  on  the  1 2th  of  May,  1 875.  Eleven 
of  her  children  lived  to  become  men  and  Women, 
and  ten  are  still  surviving.  Jesse  died  in  Henry 
County,  Iowa;  Hannah,  Mrs.  Martin,  is  a  resident 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  Colorado;  Sebastian,  of  Moiimouth,  III.;  Sa- 
inantha,  Mrs.  Styles,  of  Colorado;  Edwin  W.,  of 
Campbell,  Minn.;  Silas,  of  Polk  Grove,  Iowa; 
Marion  is  deceased;  John  W.  lives  in  Liidlow 
Township,  this  county,  and  Henry  C.  on  the  home- 
stead in  Warren  County;  George  W.  and  Harriet 
A.,  Mrs.  Ogden,  live  in  Ft.  Collins,  Col. 

Thomas  W.  Uiddings,  the  ninth  child  of  his  par- 
ents, attended  school  with  his  brothers  and  sisters, 
and  with  them  assisted  in  the  labors  on  the  farm. 
He  was  fourteen  years  old  when  his  parents  came 
to  Illinois,  and  remained  a  member  of  the  family 
until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war.  He  then  en- 
listed in  Co.  C,  138th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  entering  the 
service  in  18G5,  and  was  detailed  for  duty  chiefly 
in  Kansas  and  Missouri.  After  being  mustered  out 
he  returned  to  his  home  in  Warren  County,  and  in 
the  spring  of  18(>0,  in  partnership  with  a  neighbor, 
engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock-raising.  This 
partnership  was  dissolved  two  years  later,  and  after 
assuming  the  management  of  tile  home  farm  one 
year  our  subject  crossed  the  Mississippi  into  Mis- 
souri, and  engaged  in  the  herding  of  cattle.  In 
the  fall  he  shipped  150  animals  to  Buffalo,  and  as 
many  more  to  Warren  County,  the  latter  of  which 
he  fed  until  the  following  spring,  when  he  sold 
them  and  resumed  farming  with  his  brother.  A 
year  later  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Flo}'d 
Township,  and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing until  1875.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  came 
to  this  county  and  purchased  the  southeast  quarter 
of  section  10,  in  Ludlow  Township,  where  he  in- 
dustriously employed  his  time  until  1883,  and  was 
remarkably  successful  in  his  farming  operations. 
That  year  he  added  to  his  landed  estate,  and  in 
company  with  his  brother  bought  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  10.  Two  years  later  he  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  his  brother,  and  is  now  the 
possessor  of  a  half  section  under  a  fine  state  of  cul- 
tivation and  supplied  with  excellent  farm  buildings. 
Nothing  has  been  left  undone  to  preserve  its  repu- 
tation as  one  of  the  finest  homesteads  in  this  part 
of  Champaign  County. 

On  the  15th  of  November,  1868,  after  Mr.  Gid- 
dings  had  begun  to  lay  the  foundation  for  a  home, 
he  selected  as  his  future  wife  and  helpmeet  Miss 
Laura  A.  Wiggins,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 


Floyd  Township.  Mrs.  G.  was  born  in  the  latter 
named  township,  July  2,  1849,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Benjamin  F.  and  Mary  Jeanette  Wiggins.  The 
forme-!-,  a  native  of  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  removed 
to  the  West  in  the  pioneer  days,  and  located  in 
Warren  County,  111.,  where  he  improved  a  farm  and 
reared  a  family.  He  was  married  in  early  manhood 
to  Miss  Jeanette  Mattson,  also  a  native  of  the  Em- 
pire State.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  G.  departed  this 
life  at  her  home  in  Warren  County.  Mr.  Wiggins 
afterward  became  an  inmate  of  the  home  of  our 
subject,  and  died  in  1883. 

The  six  children  of  Mr.  and   Mrs.  Giddin»'s  are 

o 

Warren  L.,  Archie,  Cornelia,  Nellie  (who  died 
when  two  years  old),  Orlo  and  Irena.  The  family 
attend  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Ludlow, 
of  which  the  parents  have  been  members  several  • 
years.  Mr.  Giddings,  politically,  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, and  fearlessly  upholds  the  principles  of 
his  party.  A  view  of  the  residence  of  Mr.  G.  is 
shown  on  another  page  of  this  work. 


EW  E.  STEVENSON,  Postmaster  at  St.  Jo- 
seph,  and  also  a  leading  druggist  and  jeweler 
of  the  place,  was  born  among  the  hills  of 
Southern  Ohio,  near  Hillsboro,  the  county  seat  of 
Highland  County,  on  the  21st  of  April,  1850.  His 
parents,  Elisha  and  Nancy  A.  (Keelor)  Stevenson, 
were  natives  of  the  same  State.  The  father  of  our 
subject  followed  farming  in  Ohio  until  1854,  when 
svith  his  family  he  came  west  to  Champaign  Count3', 
111.,  locating  at  Urbana,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, and  where  he  still  resides,  having,  however, 
retired  from  active  labor  some  years  ago. 

The  children  of  Elisha  and  Nancy  Stevenson, 
thirteen  in  number,  consisted  of  seven  sons  and  six 
daughters,  twelve  of  whom  lived  to  mature  years 
and  with  the  exception  of  three  were  all  married. 
Three  of  these  came  West  with  their  parents,  and 
the  remaining  ten  were  born  in  Champaign  County, 
where  they  still  reside.  Arthur  A.  is  deceased ; 
Lew  E.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  second  born;  Cin- 
derella became  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Lawhead ;  he  is 
now  deceased.  Sarah  J.  is  a  resident  of  Urbana; 
Elisha  is  passenger  conductor  of  the  I.,  1!.  A-  \V. 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


771 


R.  R.,  and  makes  his  home  in  Indianapolis,  Ind. ; 
Susan  is  the  wife  of  Edward  Stephens,  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo.;  Josephine  married  Edward  Swan,  a  well-to-do 
fanner  living  south  of  Orbana,  111.;  Charles  II.  is 
a  conductor  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad,  with  head- 
quarters at  Las  Vegas,  N.  M. ;  William  F.  is  Assistant 
Postmaster  and  a  pharmacist,  and  resides  in  St. 
Joseph;  Benjamin  F.  lives  in  Oakland,  111.;  Eliza- 
beth is  the  wife  of  Edward  (}.  Hammer,  of  Urbaua; 
Uriah  S.,  the  j'oungest,  remains  with  his  parents. 
Alferretta  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Stevenson  was  a  lad  four  years  of  age  when 
his  parents  came  to  this  county,  and  his  education 
was  begun  and  completed  in  the  public  schools  of 
Urbaua.  He  remained  at  home  working  on  a  farm 
until  he  attained  the  age  of  twenty-three  years, 
and  then  entered  the  drug-store  of  William  Sim,  of 
Urbana.  in  the  capacity  of  a  clerk,  and  remained 
four  years,  acquiring  in  that  time  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  drug  business  in  all  its  branches.  In 
January,  1877,  he  came  to  St.  Joseph  and  purchased 
the  drug  stock  of  -W.  B.  Sim,  and  since  that  time 
has  continued  in  the  trade  here,  adding  an  excel- 
lent stock  of  drugs  and  medicines,  wall- paper, 
paints,  oils  and  jewelry.  He  was  appointed  Post- 
master in  1885,  having  been  a  stanch  adherent  of 
the  Democratic  party  since  exercising  the  right  of 
suffrage.  He  was  a  strong  Union  man  during  the 
war,  and  illustrated  his  principles  in  the  most  forci- 
ble manner  by  proffering  his  services  in  aid  of  its 
preservation,  becoming,  in  1864,  a  member  of  Co. 
A,  135th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  fulfilling  all  the  duties 
required  of  a  faithful  soldier  until  his  honorable 
discharge  at  Mattoon,  September  28  following. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  life  of 
our  subject  was  his  marriage,  which  took  place  Dec. 
28,  1877,  his  chosen  bride  being  Miss  Ada  O.  Coff- 
man.*  Mrs.  S.  is  a  native  of  Urbana  and  the 
daughter  of  Noah  B.  and  Margaret  Coffman,  at 
present  residents  of  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.  Of  this  union 
there  is  one  child  only,  a  daughter,  Mae  Agnes,  now 
an  interesting  girl  of  eight  years.  The  family  resi- 
dence is  pleasantly  located. 

Mr.  Stevenson  has  lor  many  years  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  is  a  Knight  Templar 
and  also  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  (i.  A.  R. 
Both  he  and  his  estimable  lady  are  members  in  good 


standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in 
which  Mr.  S.  lias  been  a  Trustee  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  society  at  St.  Joseph.  He  is  actively 
interested  in  Sunday-school  work,  and  has  officiated 
as  Superintendent,  serving  also  as  chorister  and  a 
teacher.  He  is  one  of  those  men  necessary  to  the 
well-being  of  every  community,  who  knows  just 
what  is  to  be  done  at  all  times  and  how  to  do  it, 
and  is  willing  to  aid  by  his  means  and  influence 
every  enterprise  calculated  for  the  welfare  of  the 
people. 


F.  WILSON,  who  is  a  dealer  in  horses  and 
engaged  in  the  livery  business  on  Walnut 
street,  is  contributing  his  full  share  toward 
the  business  interests  of  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign by  carrying  on  his  department  in  a  methodi- 
cal and  systematic  manner,  and  in  which  he  has 
been  established  since  April,  1887.  His  large  barn 
on  Walnut  street  contains  some  of  the  best  travel- 
ing stock  and  vehicles  in  the  city,  and  his  patrons 
comprise  its  best  people. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  a  native  of  the  Prairie  State,  and 
was  torn  in  Piatt  County,  Sept.  18,  1852.  He  is 
the  son  of  Henry  L.  and  Margaret  (Hubbard)  Wil- 
son, both  natives  of  Ohio.  The  former,  who  was 
also  a  dealer  in  fine  horses,  removed  from  the 
Buckeye  State  to  Illinois,  and  located  in  Piatt 
County,  where  he  remained  until  1854.  He  then 
purchased  a  farm  in  Newcorab  Township,  Cham- 
paign County,  which  he  occupied  two  years,  and 
thence  removed  into  the  village  of  Mahomet,  where 
he  continued  his  business  as  a  purchaser  and  shipper 
of  fine  horses  until  his  death,  which  was  brought 
about  in  the  following  sad  manner:  His  office  was 
located  adjacent  to  Llewellyn's  drug-store,  and 
one  night  while  sleeping  there  the  store  was  set  on 
fire,  and  Mr.  Wilson,  unable  to  escape,  was  burned 
to  death.  This  melancholy  event  occurred  on  the 
16th  of  May,  1876.  Mr.  Wilson  during  the  late 
war  enlisted  in  the  125th  Illinois  Infantry,  serving 
nine  months,  and  was  finally  discharged  on  account 
of  physical  disability,  lie  belonged  to  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  was  a  member  in  good  standing  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  The  mother  of  our  subject 
is  still  living,  making  her  home  at  Mahomet.  Of 


f. 


772 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


the  parental  household,  including  live  children,  two. 
only  are  now  living,  our  subject,  H.  F.,  and  his  sis- 
ter, Mrs.  Dorothy  Pugh,  of  Mahomet. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  received  a  practi- 
cal education,  attending  school  until  sixteen  years 
old.  He  inherited  the  same  love  for  that  noblest  of 
animals  for  which  his  father  was  noted,  and  at  an 
early  age  engaged  in  buying  and  sellirg,  while  at 
the  same  time  operating  a  livery  stable  in  Mahomet. 
Desirous  of  a  larger  field  for  his  operations,  he  re- 
moved to  Champaign,  and  first  leased  a  stable  on 
-  Neal  street,  which  he  occupied  until  burned  out,  in 
1887.  His  loss  at  that  time  aggregated  $2,500, 
partially  covered  by  insurance.  Three  valuable 
horses  were  destroyed,  besides  office  fixtures,  har- 
ness, etc.  On  the  14th  of  April  following  Mr. 
Wilson  purchased  the  large  livery  barn  on  Walnut 
street,  where  he  is  now  permanently  established  and 
is  building  up  a  fine  patronage.  Politically  he  af- 
filiates witli  the  Democratic  party. 

The  marriage  of  H.  F.  Wilson  and  Miss  Burzetta 
Petty  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents  in  Mahomet,  in  1873.  Mrs.  Wilson  is  the 
daughter  of  Nimrod  Fetty,  and  by  her  union  with 
our  subject  has  become  the  mother  of  three  -chil- 
dren. The  eldest,  eleven  years  of  age,  named 
himself  Harry  F.  The  others,  aged  two  and  one- 
half  years  and  three  months  respectively,  are  un- 
named. 


ETKR  ROOS,  Professor  of  Industrial  Art 
and  Design  in  the  University  of  Illinois,  and 
a  native  of  Sweden,  was  born  at  Lyngbye, 
Kristianstad  La>n,  the  22d  of  February, 
1850,  where  he  received  the  fundamental  part  of 
his  education.  From  childhood  he  showed  a  strong 
propensity  for  art,  and  soon  after  his  confirmation 
entered  that  field  under  the  instruction  of  a  cele- 
brated artist  in  the  city  of  Kristianstad,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  nearly  four  years. 

In  1871  Prof.  Roos  emigrated  to  America  and 
located  in  Boston,  as  a  decorator  and  designer.  In 
a  little  over  a  year  he  was  elected  teacher  of  draw- 
ing in  the  Boston  city  schools.  lie  also  formed  a 
partnership  to  establish  the  Boston  Art  Academy. 


From  this  school  was  sent  quite  an  extensive  ex- 
hibit of  students'  work  to  the  Philadelphia  Exposi- 
tion in  187C.  This  was  awarded  the  medal  of  the 
Centennial  Commission.  At  this  time  he  was  called 
to  take  charge  of  the  Art  Department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois.  Owing  to  urgent  engagements 
in  Boston  he  relinquished  that  position  for  two 
years.  In  1880  he  returned  upon  a  renewed  call  to 
the  Chair  of  Art  and  Design. 


AJ.   ABSALOM  B.  VALLANDINGHAM, 

who  is  well  and  favorably  known  in  Com- 
promise Township  as  a  stirring,  energetic 
citizen,  is  of  excellent  old  Kentucky  stock, 
being  born  near  Lexington,  in  Fayette  County, 
Sept.  1,  1817.  His  father,  John  Vallandingham, 
was  born  near  Georgetown,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood and  married  Miss  Ann  Bainbridge,  who  was 
born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  but  reared  in  Kentucky. 
After  marriage  the  young  people  took  up  their  abode 
in  Scott  County,  whence  they  removed  to  Owen 
County,  where  the  father  of  our  subject  became 
owner  of  a  plantation  of  nearly  1 ,000  acres,  together 
with  from  ten  to  twenty  slaves.  The  parents  reared 
a  family  of  ten  children,  and  the  father  departed 
this  life  in  about  1850,  at  the  age  of  fifty-three 
years.  The  wife  and  mother  survived  until  1876. 
Maj.  Vallandingham  was  the  eldest  child  of  the 
household,  and  under  the  encouragement  of  his 
father  received  a  good  education,  as  did  his  brothers 
and  sisters.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  Owen  County, 
and  in  1839,  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Vallandingham, 
a  distant  relative.  He  engaged  alternately  in  farm- 
ing and  teaching  and  in  this  way  provided  com- 
fortably for  the  needs  of  his  growing  family,  which 
in  the  course  of  time  included  five  children.  Of 
these  the  record  is  as  follows:  Pickard  is  farming 
in  Owen  County,  Ivy. ;  Ann  became  the  wife  of 
John  M.  Richards,  and  died  leaving  a  sou  and 
daughter;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  J.  M.  Arnette, 
resides  in  Frederickstown,  Mo.;  John,  during  the 
late  war,  was  killed  in  the  Confederate  ranks,  hav- 
ing been  induced  to  enter  the  service  by  some  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


773 


his  cousins;  Armilda,  who  married   Willis   Hall,  is 
also  dead;  she  left  one  son. 

Mrs.  Vallandingham,  after  being  the  affectionate 
and  faithful  companion  of  her  husband  ten  yearsi 
departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Owen  County, 
Ky.,  in  the  summer  of  1  849.  The  second  wife  of 
our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  March, 
1852,  was  Miss  Malinda  Johnson,  who  died  the 
following  year.  On  the  21st  of  October,  1856,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jennie  Elizabeth 
Coons,  who  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ky.,  Oct.  ' 
28,  1832,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Henry  C.  and 
Margaret  Coons.  That  same  year  Maj.  Vallanding- 
ham opened  a  hotel  at  Warsaw,  Ky.,  which  he  con- 
ducted until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  In  1861 
he  acted  as  Provost  Marshal  of  Warsaw,  and  had 
charge  of  a  company  of  home  guards  until  this 
department  of  the  military  was  disbanded  by  gen- 
eral order  and  requested  to  enter  the  regular  serv- 
ice. The  Major  assisted  in  recruiting  the  18th 
Kentucky  Infantry,  and  was  afterward  detailed  for 
the  Secret  Service  of  the  United  States  Army,  to 
look  after  the  guerrilla  element  of  the  Blue  Grass 
State.  In  1864  he  recruited  the  37th  Kentucky 
Infantry,  and  was  commissioned  Major,  serving  the 
interests  of  the  Union  faithfully  until  the  close  of 
the  war. 

In  1867  Maj.  Vallandingham  left  the  Blue  Grass 
regions  and  came  north  into  Illinois,  locating  first 
near  Bloomington,  McLean  County.  In  common 
with  many  other  Southerners  he  had  lost  all  his 
property  during  the  war,  and  upon  coming  to  this 
State  was  compelled  to  begin  life  anew.  He  first 
rented  a  tract  of  land,  where  he  followed  farming, 
and  also  engaged  as  a  law  practitioner  in  McLean 
County.  Three  years  later  he  came  to  this  county, 
continuing  as  a  farmer  and  counselor-at-law,  and 
was  instrumental  in  obtaining  the  right  of  way  for 
and  constructing  the  Havanna,  Rantoul  &  Eastern 
Railroad.  Upon  the  completion  of  this  he  located 
at  Gifford,  where  he  has  since  resided.  In  1882  he 
abandoned  his  law  practice,  and  now  devotes  his 
time  to  looking  after  his  property  and  acting  as 
•'mine  host"  of  the  Commercial  Hotel.  He  owns 
twenty-two  town  lots  in  Gifford,  besides  three  acres, 
two  houses  and  his  residence  properly. 

Maj.  .Vallandingham  in  early  ^ife  affiliated   with 


the  Whig  party  and  after  its  disbandment  sup- 
ported Republican  principles  until  1  875,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  identified  with  the  Greenbackers. 
Although  repeatedly  solicited  to  fill  responsible 
offices  he  has  invariably  declined,  preferring  to  give 
his  time  and  attention  to  his  home  and  business 
affairs.  He  has  always  lived  well  and  extracted 
as  much  enjoyment  from  life  as  possible,  being 
possessed  of  that  genial  disposition  which  enables 
him  usually  to  look  only-  upon  the  bright  side. 
Social!}'  he  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
V.  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian 
Church,  in  which,  as  elsewhere,  our  subject  has  dis- 
tinguished himself  as  an  active  and  valued  member. 


1 


T.  PEARMAN,  M.  D.,  who  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Prairie  State  for  over  thirty-five 
years,  is  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of 
Champaign  County,  of  the  Regular  School. 
He  was  born  in  Hard  in  County,  Ky.,  Oct.  29, 1829, 
and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Sarah  (Lyons)  Pear- 
man, natives  respectively  of  Georgia  and  Virginia. 
John  Pearman,  Sr.,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812,  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  New  Or- 
leans. After  retiring  to  civil  life,  he  engaged  in 
farming  pursuits  in  Kentucky,  to  which  State  he 
had  removed  with  his  parents  when  a  boy,  and 
there  became  acquainted  with  his  future  wife,  the 
mother  of  our  subject.  In  1851  he  sold  out  his  in- 
terests in  Kentucky,  and  emigrating  to  Illinois, 
purchased  a  farm  in  Edgar  County,  which  he  culti- 
vated until  1860,  and  then,  on  account  of  old  age, 
retired  from  active  labor.  He  subsequently  made 
his  home  with  his  sou,  Samuel  Pearman,  near  Paris, 
where  he  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four 
years.  The  mother  departed  this  life  in  1881. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children  who  lived 
to  mature  years,  and  three  of  whom  still  survive. 
These  are,  Martha,  Mrs.  Pinell,  of  Edgar  County; 
Dr.  J.  T.,  our  subject,  and  Mary,  .Mrs.  Sisk,  of  Ver- 
milion Township,  Edgar  County. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  spent  his  early 
years  upon  his  father's  farm,  and  received  a  com- 
mon-school education.  When  twenty-one  years  of 
age  he  commenced  teaching,  spending  one  year 


H  H* 


I    774 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


thus  occupied  in  Kentucky.  He  pursued  the  same 
calling  after  coming  into  Kdgar  County,  and  in 
1852  commenced  reading  medicine  with  Dr. 
Thomas  Smith,  of  Grand  View,  111.,  graduating  in 
1858,  at  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago.  He  lo- 
cated in  Edgar  County,  where  he  remained  eight 
3rears,  in  the  meantime  perfecting  himself  still  fur- 
ther in  his  profession  by  attending  a  course  of  lec- 
tures in  the  winter  of  18CO-01.  There  lie  had  a 
fine  practice.  He  entered  the  army  as  Surgeon, 
and  was  assigned  by  Gen.  Nelson  as  Surgeon  for 
the  15th  Indiana  Regiment.  From  there  he  was 
transferred  to  the  hospital  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 
After  two  months  he  was  token  ill  and  sent  home, 
whence,  after  one  month,  he  returned  to  his  duties, 
suffered  a  relapse,  and  was  obliged  to  abandon  his 
connection  with  the  service. 

In  1863  Dr.  Pearman,  wishing  to  enlarge  the 
field  of  his  operations,  removed  to  the  city  of 
Champaign,  where  he  has  since  established  a  fine 
practice,  mostly  within  the  city.  In  1878  he  was 
appointed  Surgeon  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad, 
his  jurisdiction  extending  from  Kankakee  on  the 
north  to  Oilman  on  the  south,  a  distance  of  120 
miles.  He  is  a  member  of  the  State,  County  and 
National  Medical  Associations.  Politically  he  affil- 
iates with  the  Republican  party,  and  socially  be- 
longs to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  has  always 
token  an  active  interest  in  the  progress  and  devel- 
opment of  his  adopted  county,  interested  in  its  ed- 
ucational and  moral  welfare,  and  in  1881  was  ap- 
pointed by  Gov.  Cullom,  a  Trustee  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Illinois. 

Dr.  Pearman  was  married,  in  1858,  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Elliott,  who  was  born  in  Edgar  County,  111., 
and  was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Ilan- 
na)  Elliott,  of  Ohio.  They  removed  to  Illinois  in 
the  pioneer  days  and  located  in  Edgar  County. 
Of  this  union  there  were  born  five  children,  the 
record  of  whom  is  as  follows :  Ida  became  the  wife 
of  C.  H.  Stephens,  of  Loganspovt,  111.,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Sabra;  J.  Ora  is  a  physician  and 
surgeon,  having  a  fine  practice  in  Chicago;  Ira  E. 
is  ft  clerk  in  the  Merchants'  National  Bank,  of  Chi- 
cago; Minnie  and  Myrtle  are  at  home  with  their 
father.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Pearman  departed  this  life 
in  the  latter  part  of  August,  1881.  The  second 


wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  lie  was  married  in 
1883,  was  Miss  Mae  Columbia,  a  native  of  Cham- 
paign County,  and  the  daughter  of  Curtis  and 
Nancy  (Cox)  Columbia,  natives  respectively  of 
Kentucky  and  Illinois.  Of  this  marriage  there  has 
been  born  one  child — Arthur  C.  The  family  resi- 
dence, which  is  located  on  South  Neal  street,  would 
be  at  once  singled  out  as  the  home  of  refinement 
and  culture,  and  is  the  resort  of  the  cultivated 
people  of  Champaign. 


.ENJAMIN  CODDINGTON,  deceased,  was 
for  many  years  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  of 
Sidney  Township.  He  was  born  May  8, 
1828,  in  Ohio,  and  was  the  son  of  John  and 
Susanna  (Roadamer)  Coddington.  His  parents 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  where  his  father  was 
born  April  4,  1774,  and  his  mother,  Mny  24,  1789. 
His  family  removed  to  Ohio  and  thence  to  Illinois, 
where  they  were  among  the  pioneers  of  this  State. 
Probably  no  portion  of  the  fertile  State  of  Illi- 
nois is  better  adapted  to  agriculture  and  stock- 
raising  than  that  embraced  within  the  limits  of 
this  county,  and  the  early  settlers  patiently  en- 
dured the  many  privations  and  hardships  to  which 
they  were  exposed,  looking  hopefully  forward  to 
the  future  with  a  faith  and  courage  that  were  al- 
most sublime.  Time  has  wrought  marvelous  changes, 
and  the  prairies,  once  desolate  wastes  covered  with 
coarse,  matted  grass,  now  wave  with  harvests  of 
golden  grain  and  form  rich  pasture  lands  for  vast 
herds  of  cattle  and  sheep,  and  to-day  the  children 
of  the  pioneers  are  reaping  the  harvest  which  their 
fathers  planted  at  the  costly  price  of  suffering  and 
privation. 

Mr.  Coddington  was  active  and  enterprising  in 
business,  and  in  his  early  life  cleared  and  impuoved 
a  fine  farm.  His  uprightness  and  integrity  of 
character  won  a  large  circle  of  friends,  and  in  his 
home  he  was  a  kind  father  and  loving  husband. 
His  death  occurred  on  the  old  homestead,  April  13, 
1865,  and  lie  is  buried  in  Bliss  Cemetery  near  Sid- 
ney. Mr.  Coddington  was  in  every  respect  a  most 
estimable  man.  and  his  death  was  not  only  a  loss  to 


-; 

775   -  > 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


i 


his  family,  but  to  tlic  community,  by  which  he  was 
beloved  and  sincerely  mourned. 

Mr.  Coddington's  marriage  to  Miss  Delilah 
Thomas  took  place  Dec.  10,  1841.  Mrs.  Codding- 
ton  was  born  Jan.  13,  1825.  Her  father  was  twice 
married,  and  she  had  two  own  sisters  older  than 
herself,  Mary  and  Margaret,  and  eight  half  broth- 
ers and  sisters,  whose  names  are:  Harriet,  Me- 
lissa, Rebecca,  Jemima,  Joseph,  Henry,  Jefferson, 
and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  All  are  now  de- 
ceased with  the  exception  of  Harriet  and  Melissa. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coddington  had  a  family  of  nine 
children  born  to  them :  Joseph,  married  to  Miss 
Carrie  McElroy,  lives  in  Sidney  Township;  Cather- 
ine, the  wife  of  Henry  McElroy,  is  living  in  Mitch- 
ell County,  Kan.;  Mary  S.  is  dead;  Sarah  J.  is  the 
wife  of  James  McElroy;  John,  married  to  Miss 
Emma  Woodcock,  resides  in  Sidney  Township; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Isaac  George,  likewise  resides 
in  that  township;  Clarissa  is  dead;  Benjamin  F.  and 
Alice  are  single  and  live  with  their  mother. 

Mrs.  Coddington's  estate  contains  210  acres  of 
valuable,  well-improved  land,  with  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence and  excellent  farm  buildings.  She  conducts 
the  business  in  her  own  name  and  is  greatly  assisted 
])y  her  son  Benjamin,  who  is  general  manager  of 
the  place.  Mrs.  Coddington  is  a  highly  esteemed 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  a  sincere 
Christian,  and  a  refined  and  courteous  lady  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  and  possesses  the  affectionate 
regard  of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


R.  J.  W.  TRLSLER,  one  of  the  rising  young- 
physicians  of  the  city  of  Urbana,  located 
here  in  1886,  and  in  the  comparatively 
short  time  of  his  residence  has  already  es- 
tablished himself  in  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
the  people.  He  is  a  native  of  Brown  County,  Ohio, 
and  was  born  Nov.  8,  1858.  His  parents,  Abra- 
ham and  Christina  (Davis)  Trisler,  formerly  of 
Ilamcrsville,  Ohio,  engaged  there  in  farming  pur- 
suits for  a  number  of  years,  but  afterward  removed 
to  Ripley,  Brown  County,  where  the  mother  died 
in  1875,  leaving  a  family  of  eight  children.  These 
were  Randolph,  now  Superintendent  of  the  public 


schools  of  Cincinnati;-  Lafayette,  a  teacher  in  that 
city;  Sarah,  Amanda,  Dr.  J.  W. :  Charles,  of  Kan- 
sas, Clara  and  Maria.  The  father  of  our  subject 
was  a  member  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  held 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Brown  County 
for  a  number  of  years.  Both  parents  belonged  to 
the  New-Light  Church. 

Dr.  Trisler  remained  with  his  parents  on  the 
farm  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  attending  the 
schools  of  his  native  county.  He  afterward  went 
to  Mason  County,  Ky.,  and  entered  Dover  Acad-. 
emy,  where  he  studied  for  eighteen  months,  and 
soon  afterward  commenced  reading  medicine  under 
the  instruction  of  Dr.  W.  A.  Dixon,  of  Ripley, 
Ohio,  and  then  attended  lectures  at  Jefferson  Med- 
ical College,  Philadelphia,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1884.  He  commenced  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession at  Decatur,  Brown  Co.,  Ohio,  whence,  after 
three  and  one-half  3'ears  he  removed  to  Wellington, 
Kan.  Eighteen  months  later  he  came  to  Illinois 
and  located  at  Urbana,  where  he  has  since  followed 
his  practice  with  success.  He  is  a  close  student 
and  an  extensive  reader,  and  bids  fair  to  occupy 
an  enviable  position  among  his  brethren  of  the  pro- 
fession in  this  county. 

Dr.  Trisler  was  married,  in  1882,  to  Miss  Emma 
West,  of  Decatur,  Ohio,  and  they  have  become  the 
parents  of  two  children — Bessie  and  Carl. 


T.  AINSWORTH,  who  since  1879  has 
been  farming  extensively  in  Ludlow  Town- 
ship, is  the  proprietor  of  a  fine  estate  on  sec- 
tion  28,  where  he  "has  a  commodious  resi- 
dence, and  all  other,  buildings  necessary  for  the 
carrying  on  of  agriculture  in  a  first-class  manner. 
His  farm  estate  comprises  400  acres,  many  of  the 
fields  enclosed  with  beautiful  hedge  fences,  of 
which  he  planted  five  miles  the  second  year  after 
taking  possession,  and  has  planted  more  as  time 
and  opportunity  afforded.  He  also  has  a  pond  em- 
bracing an  area  of  about  two  acres,  which  is  stocked 
with  German  carp.  Mr.  Ainsworth  took  possession 
of  this  property  in  1809,  when  the  laud  was  unim- 
proved, and  since  that  time  has  given  to  it  his  en- 


T 

r 


•  •  776 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tire  attention,  and,  as  is  evident,  with  the  happiest, 
results. 

The  subject  of  this  history  is  a  native  of  this 
State,  born  in  Lynchburg  Township,  Mason  County, 
Jan.  23,  1847.  His  father,  William  Ainsworth, 
was  a  native  of  the  town  of  Blackburn,  Lancashire, 
England,  the  son  of  Thomas  Ainsworth,  a  weaver 
by  trade.  He  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
about  1842,  and  proceeding  directly  westward,  lo- 
cated in  Mason  County,  111.,  where  he  established  a 
.permanent  home,  and  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life.  William  Ainsworth  was  quite  young  when 
apprenticed  to  a  silversmith  and  watchmaker,  serv- 
ing until  eighteen  years  old.  Then,  in  company 
with  his  elder  brother,  he  set  sail  for  the  United 
States.  Coming  to  Illinois,  as  we  have  said,  he 
settled  in  Mason  County,  and  was  soon  afterward 
attacked  with  fever  and  obliged  to  place  himself 
under  the  care  of  a  physician.  He  thus  contracted 
a  debt  of  $60,  which  he  paid  in  work  for  the  Doc- 
tor at  $8  per  month,  as  he  had  but  threepence  in 
his  pocket  when  landing  here,  and  no  capital  to  go 
on.  He  finally  borrowed  money  from  an  elder 
brother,  and  entering  a  tract  of  land,  commenced 
farming  on  unimproved  prairie.  He  still  owns 
his  first  purchase,  and  has  brought  about  a  vast  im- 
provement in  its  original  condition.  It  includes 
a  series  of  beautiful  and  productive  farms,  and  fine 
farm  buildings,  including  a  residence,  barn,  and 
sheds  for  the  shelter  of  stock. 

The  wife  of  William  Ainsworth,  the  mother  of 
our  subject,  was  formerly  Miss  Elizabeth  Pendle- 
ton,  who  was  born  in  Church  Parish,  Lancashire, 
England.  They  became  the  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren, and  the  mother  departed  this  life  at  the  home 
of  her  husband,  in  1860.  John  T.,  of  our  sketch, 
was  the  eldest  of  the  family;  Sarah,  the  eldest 
daughter,  resides  witli  her  father,  and  Elizabeth  A., 
the  wife  of  J.  J.  Ainsworth,  is  also  a  resident  of 
Mason  County.  These  are  the  only  survivors. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education  in  the 
district  schools  of  Mason  County,  and  afterward 
attended  Virginia  Academy  in  Cass  County.  When 
nineteen  years  old  his  father  returned  to 'England 
and  left  him  in  charge  of  the  farm.  Produce  was 
high,  and  his  management  of  the  farm  proved  very 
successful.  He  continued  there  until  1869,  then 


removed  to  this  county  and  located  upon  the  land 
which  lie  now  occupies.  He  still  has  charge  of  the 
land  belonging  to  his  father,  and  his  entire  time 
and  attention  are  given  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
has  built  up  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  farmer, 
stock-raiser  and  business  man,  and  is  one  of  the 
important  factors  of  an  enterprising  and  industri- 
ous community. 

The  marriage  of  John  T.  Ainsworth  and  Miss 
Frances  Penny,  took  place  at  the  home  of  Lewis 
Layman,  in  Champaign  County,  111.,  in  the  spring 
of  1873.  Mrs.  Ainsworth  is  the  daughter  of  Will- 
iam G.  and  Ellen  (Duff)  Penny,  and  was  born  in 
Sangamon  County,  111.,.  May  20,  1846.  Their 
three  children  are  William  P.,  Nellie  E.  and  Fran- 
ces L.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr. 
Ainsworth.  politically,  is  independent.  He  has  been 
connected  with  local  affairs  since  coming  to  this 
section,  being  a  man  of  excellent  judgment,  and 
possessing  a  good  fund  of  general  information. 
Since  1875  he  has  been  one  of  the  drainage  com- 
missioners for  Big  Slough  Special  Drainage  District, 
embracing  an  area  of  12,000  acres,  which  originally 
was  worthless  land,  and  has  now  been  brought  to. a 
good  state  of  cultivation.  He  served  as  Highway 
Commissioner  through  1871-73,  and  is  a  man  whose 
opinions  are  solicited  upon  all  matters  of  interest 
concerning  the  welfare  of  his  township  and  neigh- 
borhood. 


EORGE  W.  TREES,  one  of  the  substantial 
farmers  and  stock-growers  of  Illinois,  re- 
sides on  section  20,  St.  Joseph  Township.  He 
is  one  of  the  self-made  men  of  the  State,  having 
acquired  his  fine  property  through  the  exercise  of 
industry,  energy  and  good  management.  He  was 
born  in  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  near  Moscow,  May 
16,  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Delila  (Mc- 
Adams)  Trees.  His  grandfather,  John  Trees,  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  of  German  extraction, 
whose  wife  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina. 

William  Trees-  was  born  in  Clermont  County, 
Ohio,  Nov.  14,  1807.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  remained  in  his  native  county  until  his 
marriage  with  Miss  Delila  McAdams,  who  was  like- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


777 


wise  a  native  of  the  same  county.  He  then  re- 
solved to  go  West,  and  removed  to  Indiana  with 
his  young  wife,  and  after  an  experience  of  four 
years  returned  to  his  native  county  in  Ohio,  where 
he  continued  to  reside  until  his  removal.to  Cham- 
paign County,  111.,  in  1868.  Upon  his  arrival  he 
located  in  Rantoul  Township,  where  he  still  resides. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Trees  became  the  parents  of 
fourteen  children,  seven  boys  and  seven  girls,  all  of 
whom  with  the  exception  of  three  lived  to  matur- 
ity; nine  are  still  living.  His  wife,  who  was  born 
in'  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  in  1808,  died  in  Sep- 
tember, 1 88G,  after  a  long  life  of  usefulness  and 
self-sacrifice.  She  was  a  noble  woman  who  lived 
to  promote  the  interests  and  happiness  of  her. 
family.  She  left  eighty -four  grandchildren.  Her 
father  was  head  of  a  family  of  twenty-four  children, 
and  his  grandchildren  were  numbered  by  the  hun- 
dreds. 

George  W.,  who  was  the  tenth  in  order  of  birth, 
passed  his  boyhood  attending  the  common  school 
and  assisting  his  parents,  until  he  reached  the  age 
of  twenty-one,  when  he  resolved  to  go  West  in 
search  of  a  career  in  life  for  himself.  He  came  to 
Champaign  County,  111.,  where  for  a  year  he  was 
engaged  as  a  wage-worker  by  the  month.  By 
economy  and  industry  he  had  then  acquired  enough 
money  to  purchase  forty  acres  of  land.  This  he  im- 
proved and  cultivated  and  subsequently  sold  at  an 
advance  which  enabled  him  to  make  another  pur- 
chase of  160  acres.  He  improved  this  tract  also, 
and  sold  it,  purchasing  the  place  which  he  now  owns 
and  occupies,  most  of  which  is  cultivated,  well 
fenced  and  tiled. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Trees  to  Miss  Jennie  Ray 
occurred  in  October,  1873.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Amanda  Ray,  residents  of  Vermilion 
County,  111.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trees  have  an  interest- 
ing family  of  four  children,  whose  names  are  as  fol- 
lows: Hattie  D.,  Lillian  P.,  Merrill  J.  and  Mertie 
May. 

Mr.  Trees  is  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
stock-raising,  giving  special  attention  to  Short- horn 
cattle,  the  best  breeds  of  hogs,  and  thoroughbred 
horses.  He  realized  12,260  as  the  proceeds  of  a 
stock  sale  on  his  farm  Feb.  23,  1887.  Mr.  Trees  is 
recognized  in  the  community  as  a  man  of  excellent 


business  qualifications,  and  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  Drainage  Commissioner  of  the  Miller 
District.  Himself  and  wife  have  been  for  many 
years  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  of  which 
he  is  one  of  the  Stewards.  He  takes  a  personal 
interest  in  the  cause  of  religion,  and  has  been  a 
teacher  in  the  Sabbath-school  for  ten  years.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Trees  is  not  restricted  by  party  spirit,  but 
votes  for  the  man  whom  he  considers  best  qualified 
to  fill  the  position. 


ft/  IRAM  J.  DUNLAP,  editor  and  manager  of 
the  Champaign  weekly  and  daily  Gazette, 
is  a  native  of  the  Prairie  State,  born  in  Ley- 
den,  Cook  County,  Feb.  8,  1841.  He  is  the 
son  of  Mathias  L.  and  Emeline  (Pierce)  Dunlap, 
natives  of  New  York  State,  the  former  of  whom  was 
born  in  Cherry  Valley,  Sept.  14,  1814,  and  spent 
his  childhood  and  youth  upon  the  farm  of  his  father, 
William  I.  The  latter  subsequently  removed  to 
Pulaski,  Oswego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  until 
emigrating  to  this  State.  Here  he  located  at  Troy 
Grove,  La  Salle  County,  whence  he  removed  to  Ley- 
den,  Cook  County,  and  afterward  to  Champaign 
County,  where  he  died  in  1858. 

Mathias  L.  Dunlap  was  a  gentleman  of  good  edu- 
cation, and  was  engaged  in  teaching  School  at  Troy 
Grove.  He  afterward  secured  a  clerkship  at  Chi- 
cago at  the  time  it  was  a  village  of  5,000  inhabitants. 
He  subsequently  became  book-keeper  for  a  firm  of 
contractors  on  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  at 
Lemont,  where  he  remained  two  years.  After  coin- 
ing into  Cook  County,  he  entered  a  piece  of  Gov- 
ernment land  in  Leyden,  which  was  then  twelve 
miles  west  of  the  city  limits.  There  he  followed 
farming  and  surveying,  in  the  meantime  holding 
the  office  of  Township  Supervisor,  serving  thus  for 
several  years.  In  1854  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Legislature,  when  Cook  County  sent  but  four  mem- 
bers to  that  body.  He  was  Democratic  in  politics, 
and  east  his  last  Presidential  vote  for  Frank  Pierce. 
After  leaving  Cook  County,  Mathias  L.  Dunlap 
located  upon  320  acres  of  land  south  of  Champaign, 
which  he  had  purchased  in  1855,  and  which  is  now 
known  as  "Rural  Home."  lie  removed  his  family 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


to  that  place  in  1857,  where  he  made  his  home  un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  Feb.  14,  1875.  He 
was  a  man  of  rare  intelligence,  possessing  a  good 
fund  of  general  information,  and  was  the  agricult- 
ural correspondent  of  the  Dcnt'n-rtiffi-  Press,  before 
its  consolidation  with  the  Chicago  Tribune,  and  then 
of  the  Tribune  until  the  day  of  his  death,  a  period 
of  twenty-two  years.  He  was  also  a  contributor  to 
various  western  journals  almost  from  the  first  day 
of  his  arrival  in  Illinois.  The  parental  family  in- 
cluded eight  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom 
Hiram  J.  was  the  second  child. 

The  subject  of  this  history  after  reaching  years 
of  manhood  engaged  as  a  farmer  and  fruit-grower 
until  1874.  He  had  received  a  good  common-school 
education,  and  after  leaving  the  pioneer  schools  at- 
tended for  a  time  Wheaton  College,  at  Wheaton, 
111.  He  became  connected  with  the  weekly  Gazette 
of  Champaign  as  local  editor  in  1874,  which  posi- 
tion he  occupied  five  years  and  until  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  editor  and  proprietor,  George 
Scroggs,  as  Consul  to  Hamburg,  in  1879.  Mr. 
Scroggs  then  selected  Mr.  Dunlap  as  editor-in- 
chief,  and  after  the  death  of  Mr.  S.,  in  1880,  Mr. 
Dunlap  was  appointed  manager  of  the  paper.  He 
commenced  the  publication  of  the  daily  Gazette  in 
1883,  and  has  conducted  it  successfully  until  the 
present  time.  It  is  the  only  daily  paper  in  Cham- 
paign County,  and  the  organ  of  the  Republican 
party  in  this  locality. 

Mr.  Dunlap  is  a  clear  and  forcible  writer,  and 
commenced  his  literary  labors  in  his  youth.  For 
three  years  he  was  the  agricultural  correspondent 
of  the  Chicago  Tribune,  and  has  been  connected  with 
other  papers  in  trie  West  in  the  same  capacity.  He 
possesses  excellent  business  ability,  being  one  of  the 
Directors  of  the  Building  Association  of  Cham- 
paign, and  for  many  years  Secretary  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Board,  and  interested  in  all  enterprises 
tending  to  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the  county. 
He  is  Republican  in  principle,  and  uniformly  casts 
his  vote  and  exerts  his  influence  in  support  of  his 
party.  Socially  he  is  a  member  in  good  standing 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  was  for  nine 
years  High  1'riest,  and  was  Master  of  Blue  Lodge 
in  Champaign  one  year.  He  was  Supervisor  of 
Champaign  Township  for  nine  consecutive  years, 


and  has  served  as  a  delegate  to  the  various  county 
and  State  conventions. 

Iliram  J.  Dunlap  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Ellen  L.  Baker,  of  Cobden,  Union  Co.,  111., 
Nov.  18,  1861.  Mrs.  D.  is  the  daughter  of  Garret 
II.  and  Elinina  (Clapp)  Baker,  who  were  natives  of 
New  York  State.  They  are  pleasantly  located  on 
West  Clark  street,  and  enjoy  the  'society  of  the 
most  cultured  people  of  the  vicinity.  Aside  from 
his  city  interests,  Mr.  D.  is  the  owner  of  a  fruit 
farm  two  miles  south  of  Champaign. 


BEDEBICK  B.  BATTLES,  who  has  distin- 
guished himself,  as  one  of  the  intelligent 
and  progressive  fanners  of  Harwood  Town- 
ship, is  located  on  section  28,  and  has  just  inaug- 
urated the  breeding  of  fine  stock,  starting  out  with 
a  herd  of  imported  Holstein  cattle.  Among  these 
are  Younger  Hendrick  and  Vic  Duvries,  both  im- 
ported, and  also  Bessie  L'Oiel  and  Victor  of  Har- 
wood. With  this  handsome  showing  he  expects  to 
raise  a  herd  which  will  compare  favorably  with 
anything  of  the  kind  in  the  county.  Aside  from 
this  and  the  raising  of  grain  and  hay  in  large 
quantities,  he  also  keeps  a  dairy  of  fifteen  fine  cows. 
The  farm  buildings  are  amply  suited  to  the  pur- 
poses for  which  they  are  intended,  the  house  being 
shapely  and  commodious.  The  proprietor  takes 
much  pride  in  the  result  of  his  labors,  and  may  be 
freely  pardoned  in  supposing  that  there  are  few 
who  will  surpass  him  in  good  management,  enter- 
prise and  industry. 

Mr.  Battles  is  a  native  of  Dorchester,  Mass.,  and 
was  born  Dec.  15,  1828.  He  is  the  fifth  child  in  a 
family  of  ten  born  to  his  parents,  Joseph  and 
Judith  (French)  Battles,  also  natives  of  the  Bay 
State.  Joseph  Battles  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812,  in  the  place  of  his  twin  brother, 
Benjamin,  who  had  been  drafted  and  was  a  mar- 
ried man.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Jona- 
than Battles,  was  a  Captain  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  in  command  of  a  Massachusetts  company.  His 
grandmother  was  formerly  a  Miss  Porter,  a  de- 
scendant of  a  prominent  family  in  New  England^ 


1 

t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


779 


various  members  of  which  afterward  scattered  in 
different  portions  of  the  West. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Lowell,  and  became  largely  interested  in 
cotton  manufactures.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
to  establish  a  mill  there,  and  his  elder  brother, 
Frank  F.,  is  now  Superintendent  in  one  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts cotton  mills,  having  held  the  same  posi- 
tion for  a  period  of  forty  years;  the  mill  em- 
ploys 2,000  hands.  Another  brother,  Joseph  P.. 
has  just  retired  from  a  similar  position  in  the  At- 
lantic mills,  at  Lawrence,  which  he  had  held  for 
forty  years.  Still  another  one,  Charles,  was  Super- 
intendent and  Paymaster  in  another  establishment 
of  the  kind,  where  he  was  employed  for  thirty 
years. 

Onr  subject  passed  his  childhood  and  youth  in 
his  native  city,  and  upon  reaching  manhood  served 
an  apprenticeship  as  a  molder,  being  thus  employed 
until  1851.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  started 
by  vessel  around  Cape  Horn,  from  Boston  for  Cal- 
ifornia, and  upon  arriving  on  the  Pacific  Slope 
selected  his  location  in  the  Suisun  Valley,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming.  After  a  residence  there  of 
two  and  one-half  years  he  returned  East  as  far  as 
lona,  Mich.,  where  he  engaged  in  a  sawmill  for  two 
years. 

While  a  resident  of  Michigan  Mr.  Battles,  on  the 
1st  of  February.  1857,  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  A.  Wiser.  Mrs.  B.  was  born  in  Harris- 
burg,  Pa.,  Dec.  18,  1834,  and  was  the  fifth  child  of 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Reinhart)  Wiser,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  among  the  most  highly  respected 
people  of  the  farming  districts.  Henry  Wiser,  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Battles,  and  his  father-in-law, 
John  Reinhart,  were'  both  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Battles  came 
to  Douglas  County,  111.,  and  shortly  afterward  to 
Champaign  County,  locating  on  the  south  half  of 
section  28,  which  had  been  purchased  by  the  brother 
of  our  subject.  This  has  been  the  home  of  Mr. 
Battles  since  1857.  Upon  his  first  arrival  here  his 
neighbors  were  few  and  far  between,  and  the  land 
wholly  uncultivated.  Nothing  but  a  wagon  tract 
marked  the  line  of  travel,  and  here,  in  common 
with  their  remote  neighbors,  they  struggled  with 


the  difficulties  of  the  wilderness  until  the  soil 
yielded  them  a  return  for  their  labor,  and  the 
blooming  aspect  of  the  country  induced  a  more 
generous  colonization. 

The  five  sons  and  two  daughters  born  to  our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  all  living  with  one  excep- 
tion. Benjamin,  the  youngest,  passed  away  in 
early  childhood.  Those  surviving  are  Frank  W., 
Frederick,  Mary  A.,  Elizabeth  B.,  John  F.  and 
Joseph.  The  latter  and  his  deceased  brother  Ben- 
jamin were  twins.  The  eldest  daughter,  Mary,  is 
the  wife  of  Albert  Tompkins,  who  operates  a  rented 
farm  about  half  a  mile  from  the  residence  of  his 
father-in-law.  Our  subject  is  a  Republican  in  pol- 
itics, and  his  estimable  wife  is  a  worthy  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  A  lithographic 
view  of  the  thoroughbred  herd  of  Holsteins  and  the 
handsome  home  of  Mr.  Battles  is  shown  elsewhere  in 
this  work. 


GEORGE  WEBSTER  is  numbered  among  the 
intelligent  and  prosperous  farmers  of  Ran- 
toul  Township,  where  he  located  on  section 
9,  in  1872.  At  that  date  there  was  a  small  house 
and  a  few  acres  under  cultivation.  He  now  has  a 
farm  of  160  acres,  finely  laid  out  in  grain  fields 
and  pasture  lands,  and  equipped  with  good  stock, 
creditable  farm  buildings,  all  necessary  machinery, 
and  the  usual  appliances  required  by  the  progressive, 
modern  agriculturist.  His  course  in  life,  although 
perhaps  not  distinguished  by  any  remarkable  event, 
has  been  that  of  a  peaceable  and  law-abiding  citi- 
zen, conducting  his  business  and  farming  trans- 
actions in  a  praiseworthy  manner,  and  enjoying 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-men. 

The  early  home  of  Mr.  Webster  was  located  in 
New  Lebanon,  Columbia  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was 
born  under  his  father's  roof,  on  the  5th  of  January, 
1845.  His  parents,  Aurelius  and  Elsie  (Brockway) 
Webster,  were  natives  of  Rensselaer  County,  that 
State,  where  they  grew  to  years  of  maturity  and  be- 
came husband  and  wife.  After  his  marriage  Mr. 
W.  purchased  a  sawmill  in  East  Nassau,  Rensselaer 
County,  which  he  operated  for  a  number  of  years, 


780 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  thence  removed  to  Columbia  Count}7,  where  he 
had  previously  bought  a  farm,  upon  which  he  lo- 
cated and  lived  until  his  decease,  March  13,  1886. 
The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Constant  Webster, 
occupied  himself  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in 
blacksmithing  and  farming,  and  possessed  that  res- 
olute and  industrious  spirit  which  resulted  in  his 
prosperity  and  secured  for  him  a  comfortable  home. 
He  also  was  a  resident  of  Rensselaer  County,  where 
he  looked  his  last  upon  the  scenes  of  earth,  and 
where  his  remains  were  laid  to  rest. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  fifth  of  ten 
children  born  to  his  parents.  He  passed  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers' 
boys,  and  in  common  with  his  brothers  and  sisters 
assisted  in  the  lighter  labors  around  the  homestead. 
His  studies,  begun  in  the  common  schools,  were 
completed  in  the  academy  at  Lebanon,  and  he  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof  until  his  father's 
death,  in  1866.  In  December  of  that  year,  having 
nearly  reached  his  majority,  he  started  for  the 
West,  and  located  in  the  borders  of  Indiana  until 
-  June  of  the  following  year.  He  then  came  to  Del- 
avan in  Tazewell  County,  this  State,  where  he 
worked  by  the  month  two  years,  and  afterward  for 
a  few  months  clerked  in  a  store.  His  constitution, 
however,  would  not  permit  of  indoor  employment, 
and  without  much  regret  he  returned  to  farming. 
He  continued  a  resident  of  Tazewell  County  until 
1872,  when  he  made  his  advent  into  this  county, 
and  purchased  a  tract  of  land  now  included  in  his 
present  farm.  After  occupying  this  for  a  period 
of  about  nine  years  he  left  it  in  charge  of  a  tenant, 
and  removing  to  Rantoul  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandising, living  in  town  two  years.  He  then 
returned  to  his  farm,  where  he  has  since  resided 
and  superintended  its  cultivation  and  improvement. 
He  has  never  enjoyed  robust  health. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  and  Miss  Mary  H. 
Slaughter  took  place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's 
parents  in  Delavan,  111.,  April  15,  1873.  Mrs.  Web- 
ster was  born  in  Delavan  Township,  Aug.  20,  1853, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Hudson) 
Slaughter,  pioneer  settlers  of  Tazewell  County,  to 
which  they  removed  from  Ohio  in  1852.  Of  this 
marriage  there  have  been  born  three  children — 
Frank,  Nelson  and  Edith,  all  at  home  with  their 


parents.  Mr.  Webster  politically  is  a  decided  Re- 
publican, and  keeps  himself  well  posted  upon  the 
current  events  of  the  day.  Mrs.  Webster  is  :i  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


/ff^  W.  TERRY,  a  retired  farmer  who  is  spcnd- 
(I|  <—- -,  ing  his  life  quietly  in  the  city  of  Urbana, 
v\^5i  was  born  in  Darke  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  13, 
1817.  His  parents  were  Nathan  and  Delilah  (West- 
fall)  Terry,  natives  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  His 
grandfather,  Enos  Terry,  was  born  in  New  Jersey, 
to  which  State  his  parents  emigrated  from  Ireland 
and  where  they  spent  the  last  years  of  their  life. 
Enos  Terry  served  as  a  Colonel  in  the  War  of  1812, 
and  the  final  treaty  with  the  Indians  was  made  at 
his  house.  He  afterward  removed  to  Ohio  with  his 
family,  where  he  became  an  extensive  farmer  and 
land-owner,  and  was  also  identified  with  the  politi- 
cal affairs  of  that  section,  being  Associate  Judge  of 
Darke  a  number  of  years.  He  also  married  and 
reared  a  family,  among  whom  was  Nathan,  the 
father  of  our  subject.  He  was  bred  to  farming 
pursuits,  which  he  carried  on  near  the  old  home  his 
entire  life.  His  family  consisted  of  seven  children, 
of  whom  only  three  are  now  living:  Sarah,  Mrs. 
Furnas,  of  Miami  County,  Ohio;  George  W.,  of 
our  sketch;  and  Linus,  a  carriage  manufacturer  of 
Miami  County.  Both  the  families  of  Enos  and 
Nathan  belonged  to  the  Christian  Church. 

The  subject  of  this  history  remained  at  home 
with  his  parents,  attending  school  and  assisting  in 
the  labors  of  the  farm  until  fifteen  years  of  age. 
He  then  went  to  Logansport,  Ind.,  where  he  served 
an  apprenticeship  of  five  years'  at  saddlery  and  har- 
ness-making, and  then  worked  two  years  as  a  jour- 
neyman. In  1845  he  pushed  further  westward  into 
Illinois,  stopping  the  first  two  years  in  Tazewell 
County,  whence  he  came,  in  1847,  to  Champaign 
County.  Here  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in 
Somer  Township,  to  which  he  afterward  added  sixty 
acres,  which  he  improved  and  cultivated  until  1869, 
with  uniform  success.  At  this  time,  wishing  to  aban- 
don farming  pursuits,  he  erected  a  fine  brick  resi- 
dence at  the  intersection  of  Main  and  Coler  streets, 
into  which,  when  completed,  he  removed  his  family 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


781 


and  where  he  has  since  lived.  He  suld  the  farm  in 
1873.  While  a  resident  of  Urbana  Township  he 
was  intrusted  with  its  various  offices,  the  duties  of 
which  he  fulfilled  with  credit  to  himself  and  satis- 
faction to  his  constituents. 

Mr.  Terry  was  married  in  1849,  to  Mrs.  Eliza 
Ad  kins,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Asenath  (Hall)  Young.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  her  father  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  the  Buckeye  State.  Of  the  ten 
children  comprising  the  parental  household,  five 
only  are  now  living,  namely :  Mrs.  Elizur  Tenney; 
Mrs.  Mary  Somers,  of  Somer  Township,  this  county  ; 
Walter,  who  is  farming  near  Normal;  Mrs.  Sarah 
Moore,  of  Ford  County,  111.,  and  Naomi,  Mrs. 
Ditto,  of  St.  Joseph  Township,  this  county.  James 
Young  came  to  Illinois  in  1842,  and  locating  on  a 
farm  in  Urbana  Township  cultivated  the  soil  until 
he  rested  from  his  earthly  labors.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  By  her  first  marriage  Mrs.  Terry  became 
the  mother  of  two  children — William  and  Asenath. 

Mr.  Terry  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  during 
the  late  war  assisted  in  the  preservation  of  the 
Union  by  enlisting  in  Co.  B,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and 
serving  three  years.  He  was  promoted  Sergeant, 
and  was  present  at  .the  battles  of  Vicksburg,  Jack, 
son,  Blakesley,  and  many  other  engagements  and 
skirmishes.  He  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  a  fair  repre- 
sentative of  the  substantial  farmers  and  business 
men  of  Champaign  County. 


J-~)AMES  G.    OLDHAM,  of   Urbana,  has   ob- 
I    taincd  a  local  reputation  as  a  breeder  of  fine 
!    stock,  in  which  he  has  had  a  valuable  ex- 
'    perience    and    been    remarkably    successful. 
He  is  a  native  of  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  and  was 
born  Oct.  2,  1847.    His  parents,  John  G.  and  Anna 
(Warner)  Oldham,    were    natives    respective!}'    of 
Virginia  and  Ohio.     John  Oldham  was  an  extensive 
farmer  and  stock-dealer,  and  the  owner  of  about 
800  acres  of  land  in  Fayette  County.     In  connec- 
tion with  farming  he  also  operated  a  blacksmith  and 
cooper  shop.     His  life  was  one  of  industry  and  en- 


ergy, and  he  remained  in  Ohio,  to  which  State  he 
had  removed  at  an  early  day,  until  his  death,  in 
1852.  Mrs.  O.  survived  her  husband  thirty-three 
years  and  died  near  Urbana  in  1885.  Both  parents 
belonged  to  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  politically 
the  father  of  our  subject  was  a  stanch  adherent  of 
the  old  Whig  party. 

The  parental  family  included  ten  children,  eight 
now  living,  namely:  Jane,  Mrs.  Daniels;  John  E. ; 
Massey,  Mrs.  Williams;  Simeon  W. ;  Elizabeth,  Mrs. 
Lukens;  Abner  W. ;  J.  W.,  and  James  G.,  of  our 
sketch.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Edward 
Oldham,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  married  Miss 
Jane  Gardner,  who  was  of  English  descent.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  the  daughter  of  Levi 
Warner,  a.  native  of  the  Keystone  State,  reared 
among  the  Quakers,  and  whose  grandparents,  also 
Quakers,  emigrated  from  England  at  an  early  period 
in  the  history  of  this  country  and  engaged  exten- 
sively in  farming. 

Mr.  Oldham,  of  our  sketch,  was  bred  to  farm 
life  and  at  an  early  age  learned  to  depend  upon  his 
own  resources.  When  thirteen  years  old  he  com- 
menced working  out  at  $7  per  month,  and  made 
himself  so  useful  that  in  the  fall  of  that  same  year 
his  wages  were  raised  to  $15  per  month.  The  year 
following  he  received  $17.  In  the  meantime  he 
prosecuted  his  education  by  attending  school  iu  the 
winter,  so  that  at  seventeen  years  of  age  he  en- 
gaged as  a  teacher  at  Madison,  Ind.,  in  the  vicinity 
of  which  place  his  labors  had  been  carried  on  since 
he  was  ten  years  of  age. 

Our  subject  came  to  Illinois  in  1864,  and  rented 
a  farm  three  miles  east  of  Urbana.  He  operated 
upon  rented  land  until  1875,  and  then  purchased  a 
farm  in  Urbana  Township,  which  he  occupied  until 
1 882.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been  engaged  in  buy- 
ing and  shipping  stock,  of  which  he  made  a  success, 
and  which  he  has  continued  since  1871.  He  deals 
only  in  the  best  grades,  and  has  in  his  stables  a  num- 
ber of  blooded  horses,  usually  keeping  no  less  than 
twelve  on  hand.  Mr.  Oldham  became  a  resident 
of  Urbana  in- 1883,  at  which  time  he  began  dealing 
in  city  property,  and  is  at  the  present  doing  more 
to  build  up  and  improve  the  city  than  any  other 
one  man. 

In  view  of  the  career  here  detailed  it  is  hardly 


jmm 


782 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


necessary  to  say  that  Mr.  Oldhain  has  arrived  at 
his  present  position,  financially,  through  his  own  ef- 
forts, and  he  possesses  the  respect  and  esteem  which 
arc  tacitly  accorded  all  those  who  have  been  success- 
ful in  surmounting  difficulties,  and  have  thus  at- 
tained that  independence  of  character  which  con- 
stitutes the  substantial  and  reliable  citizen. 

Mr.  Oldham  was  married  on  the  9th  of  March, 
1871,  to  Miss  Bell  L.,  daughter  of  John  and  Maria 
(Roe)  McDonald,  natives  of  Virginia  and  Ken- 
tucky respectively.  Of  this  union  there  are  two 
children — Ora  B.  and  Ada  P. 


Dec. 


-*- 


AMUEL  A.  KIRKPATRICK,  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  is  the  third  son  and  fifth  child 
of  John  C.  and  Mary  C.  (Busey)  Kirkpat- 
rick, and  was  born  on  the  old  homestead 
22,  1860.  The  Kirkpatricks  are  a  family 
widely  and  favorably  known  in  the  Buckeye  State, 
where  James  Kirkpatrick,  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born,  reared  and  married.  He  after- 
ward removed  to  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  and 
reared  a  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  among  whom 
was  John  C.,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who  became 
a  resident  of  Illinois  in  1851.  He  possessed  the 
excellent  traits  of  his  Irish  and  German  ancestry, 
and  by  his  energy  and  industry  became  a  leading 
light  in  this  locality,  assisting  with  his  brother  pio- 
neers in  developing  the  resources,  of  the  country, 
and  building  up  from  the  uncultivated  prairie  the 
fine  and  fertile  stretch  of  land  which  is  now  con- 
sidered one  of  the  most  valuable  in  the  Prairie 
State.  His  first  purchase  comprised  a  portion  of  the 
present  site  of  Champaign. 

John  C.  Kirkpatrick  followed  farming  for  many 
years,  and  is  still  living,  but  retired  from  active 
labor.  He  became  particularly  successful  in  the 
raising  of  cattle  for  the  markets,  from  the  proceeds 
of  which  he  realized  quite  a  fortune,  which  he  in- 
vested in  real  estate  to  the  extent  of  800  acres, 
which  now  comprises  one  of  the  finest  farms  in 
Champaign  County.  The  beautiful  residence  is 
surrounded  by  choice  shade  trees,  flanked  by  good 
barns  and  other  out-buildings,  and  in  fact  is  very 
nearly  perfection  in  all  that  constitutes  the  modern 


country  home.  The  parental  family  included  the 
following  children,  all  living,  viz.,  Marion  F.,  Al- 
bert J. ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  D.  R.  Dilling;  llat- 
tic  B.,  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Barricklow;  Samuel  A.,  of 
our  sketch;  Charles  S.,  Jesse  C.  and  Fannie. 

Our  subject  remained  a  member  of  the  house- 
hold until  1884,  and  on  the  23d  of  April  of  that 
3'ear.  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  Day,  of  Fountain 
County,  Ind.  Mrs.  Kirkpatrick  is  a  native  of  the 
county  mentioned,  and  the  daughter  of  Michael 
and  Jane  Day.  After  marriage,  the  young  people 
made  their  preparations  for  a  permanent  residence 
on  the  old  homestead,  where  they  have  still  re- 
mained, and  where  our  subject,  like  his  father  be- 
fore him,  has  successfully  followed  farming  and 
stock-raising,  and  made  a  specialty  of  fine  horses, 
breeding  and  importing  direct  from  Scotland  some 
of  the  best  specimens  of  Clydesdales  to  be  found 
in  Illinois.  He  also  has  a  small  herd  of  thorough- 
bred Short-horn  cattle,  and  has  acquired  quite  an 
enviable  reputation  as  a  breeder  of  fine  stock.  In 
conjunction  with  this  he  has  raised  large  quan- 
tities of  corn  annually,  it  being  consumed  mostly 
by  the  farm  stock. 

Of  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirkpatrick,  there 
has  been  born  one  child,  a  son,  Glenn  B.  Mr. 
Kirkpatrick  received  a  good  education,  completing 
his  studies  in  the  Normal  School  at  Ladoga,  and 
for  two  winters  thereafter  conducted  a  school  in 
Champaign  County.  He  finally  concluded,  how- 
ever, that  farming  was  preferable  to  teaching,  but 
by  a  judicious  course  of  reading  keeps  himself  well 
informed  upon  matters  of  general  interest. 


OSEPH  R.  HUDSON,  the  fourth  son  of  John 
and  Lydia  Hudson,  of  St.  Joseph  Township, 
was  born  near  Rising  Sun,  now  the  county 
seat  of  Ohio  County,  Ind.,  March  18,  1846. 
He  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents  when  a 
boy  eight  years  of  age,  and  completed  his  educa- 
tion by  a  limited  attendance  at  the  district  school. 
He  has  been  continuously  a  resident  of  the  old 
homestead,  and  before  reaching  his  majority  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nellie  Koep.  a  native 
of  Ohio,  but  whose  parents  were  from  Pennsylva- 


T 


RESIDENCE      OF     V/M    F,    HO  WARD  ,  SEC  ,  24- ,   H  EN5LE  Y     TP. 


RESIDENCE     OF     ROBERT     DAVIS  ,  5  EC  .  13  ,  M  A  HOM  ET     T  P. 


"SYCAMORE    HOME  "  =  R.B  .  MORRIS  ,5Ec.i5,uRBANA     TP. 


HE. 


•f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


785 


nia.  Of  this  union  there  was  burn  one  daughter, 
Amelia  M.,  now  the  wife  of  Joseph  Rice,  of  St. 
Joseph  Township.  The  mother  departed  this  life 
when  the  child  was  but  an  infant. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  the  spring  of  1880,  was  formerly  Miss 
Margaret  McGraw,  a  native  of  New  York  State, 
who  came  to  this  county  with  her  parents  when  a 
child.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Roger  and  Mary 
McGraw,  the  former  of  whom  is  deceased;  the 
mother  resides  in  Urbana.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hudson  are  members  and  regular  attendants  of  the 
Catholic  Church  at  Champaign. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  includes  ICO  acres 
of  choice  land,  with  a  handsome  and  substantial 
residence,  which  was  put  up  in  the  summer  of 
1886.  The  barn  and  out-buildings  are  commodi- 
ous and  convenient,  and  the  premises  in  all  respects 
indicate  the  supervision  of  an  enterprising  and  in- 
telligent proprietor.  Mr.  Hudson  has  given  his  at- 
tention principally  to  the  raising  of  grain  and 
stock,  in  which  he  has  been  eminently  successful, 
and  is  reckoned  among  the  well-to-do  and  inde- 
pendent farmers  of  St.  Joseph  Township.  He  is 
pre-eminently  an  expert  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil,  and  his  stock  operations  yield  him  annually  a 
handsome  income. 


IIRISTOPI1ER  L.  IIOWSER,  one  of  the  en- 
terprising  young  farmers  of  St.  Joseph,  of 
whom  much  is  expected  in  the  future,  was 
born  not  far  from  his  present  residence  on  the  8th 
of  November,  1864.  He  is  the  third  son  of  Jona- 
than and  Margaret  J.  (Dillman)  Howser,  who  be- 
came residents  of  this  county  in  1854,  settling 
upon  a  farm  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  where  they 
still  reside. 

Our  subject  received  the  advantages  of  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  remained  with  his  parents  until 
his  marriage,  which  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1884, 
when  he  was  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age. 
The  lady  destined  to  become  the  sharer  of  his  home 
and  fortune  was  Miss  Millie  J.  Ileeder,  a  native  of 
Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  born  in  1864,  and  the 
daughter  of  Henry  H.  and  Emma  (Neil)  Reeder, 


who  became  residents  of  this  county  in  1870,  and 
are.  now  residing  in  Philo. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  llowser  lo- 
cated upon  their  present  homestead  on  section  31, 
which  embraces  eighty  acres  of  improved  land, 
with  a  handsome  two-story  residence,  a  good  barn, 
and  all  necessary  out-buildings.  Mr.  H.,  in  addi- 
tion to  general  farming,  has  already  distinguished 
himself  as  a  successful  stock-raiser,  giving  his  at- 
tention mostly  to  hogs  and  cattle,  numbers  of  which 
he  fattens  each  year  and  ships  to  the  Eastern  mar- 
kets. 

To  this  little  household,  established  early  in  life, 
thefe  have  been  born  two  children,  a  son  and 
daughter,  Herman  Blaine  and  Laurel  Bertram.  Mr. 
Howser  since  becoming  a  voter  has  uniformly  ex- 
erted his  influence  in  support  of  Republican  princi- 
ples, and  takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  county  and 
local  affairs. 


with 


OHN  II.  HUDSON.  The  fine  farm  of  360 
acres,  which  is  located  on  section  30,  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  and  invariably  attracts 
the  eye  of  the  traveler  through  that  section 
its  thrifty  grain  fields,  and  pasture  lands 
neatly  fenced,  its  handsome  and  imposing  resi- 
dence in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  grove,  and  the 
other  shapely  and  convenient  out-buildings,  has  been 
for  years  the  property  of  the  gentleman  whose 
name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  sketch.  Of  this  he 
took  possession  when  it  was  but  an  open  prairie, 
with  neighbors  few  and  far  between,  and  since  that 
time  he  has  given  to  the  place  his  undivided  care 
and  attention.  On  all  sides  are  evinced  the  indus- 
try and  enterprise  of  an  intelligent  and  wide-awake 
man,  and  one  who,  without  question,  has  been 
largely  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests 
and  the  welfare  of  his  township. 

Mr.  Hudson  was  born  in  Ohio  County,  Ind.,  near 
the  thriving  town  of  Rising  Sun,  the  county  seat, 
March  22,  1814.  His  father,  John  Hudson,  a  na- 
tive of  England,  was  born  in  1803,  and  in  1820 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  was  married  in 
Ohio  to  Miss  Lydia  McKinsy,  a  native  of  the  Buck- 
eye State.  After  marriage  the  young  people  re- 


T 


786 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 

5 


maiued  fur  :i  time  in  Ohio,  and  thence  removed  to 
Indiana,  of  which  they  were  residents  until  1854. 
Then,  with  their  family  of  nine  children,  they  came 
to  this  county,  locating  two  miles  south  of  Urbana 
upon  a  farm  which  the  father  rented  for  one  year. 
He  then  purchased  the  farm  which  lies  on  section 
19,  and  is  now  occupied  by  his  son  Joseph  R.  He 
is  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health  and  all  his  fac- 
ulties. The  mother's  death  took  place  May  23, 
1887. 

The  parental  family  of  our  subject  included  ten 
children,  of  whom  only  seven  are  living.  Of  these 
John  H.  was  the  third  son,  and  was  fourteen  years 
old  when  his  parents  came  to  this  county.  He  com- 
pleted his  education  in  the  schools  of  Terre  Haute, 
Ind.,  and  remained  with  his  parents  until  reaching 
his  twentieth  year,  when  he  started  out  on  his  own 
account  by  renting  a  farm.  At  the  expiration  of  a 
year  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  which  is 
now  included  in  his  present  homestead,  and  to 
which  he  has  subsequently  added  until  the  farm 
embraces  300  acres.  Upon  laying  his  plans  for  the 
future,  one  of  the  most  important  steps  toward  the 
establishment  of  a  home  of  his  own  was  his  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Eliza,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan 
and  Martha  J.  l-Ionser. 

The  young  people  after  their  marriage  remained 
a  year  on  the  homestead  of  the  elder  Hudson,  and 
then  removed  to  their  own  farm  on  section  30. 
The  lirst  modest  dwelling  was  replaced  in  1870  by 
the  present  fine  residence,  and  Mr.  Hudson  has- 
been  continually  adding  improvements  since  taking 
possession.  Most  of  his  accumulations  have  been 
the  result  of  his  success  as  a  grain-raiser,  although 
he  has  dealt  largely  in  cattle,  keeping  usually  about 
seventy  head  which  he  fattens  on  grass.  He  is  also 
engaged  considerably  in  the  breeding  of  draft 
horses,  and  exhibits  some  fine  specimens. 

The  home  circle  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hudson  was 
completed  by  the  birth  of  eight  children,  six  sons 
and  two  daughters,  named  respectively,  Lettie  L., 
Clifton  A.,  Charles  II.,  John  M.,  Oscar,  Perry, 
Frederick  M.  and  Carrie.  All  are  at  home  with 
their  parents. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Hudson  has  been  essentially 
that  of  a  self-made  man,  who  early  in  life  became 
1  Y     dependent  upon  his  own   resources,  and   who  has 


been  prospered  through  his  own  perseverance  and 
industry.  Upon  .first  starting  out  for  himself  his 
outfit  consisted  of  one  horse  which  had  been  given 
him  by  his  father.  He  labored  industriously,  lived 
economically  and  was  remarkably  fortunate  in  his 
investments.  He  is  now  ranked  among  the  repre- 
sentative farmers  of  Central  Illinois,  and  his  estate 
adds  greatly  to  the  value  of  property  in  his  com- 
munity, as  well  as  forming  one  of  the  most  attract- 
ive features  of  the  landscape. 


GEORGE  W.  PUTNAM,  who  is  well  known 
as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Putnam  Bros., 
the  leading  business  house  at  Pen  field,  is 
with  his  brother  conducting  an  extensive  trade  in 
agricultural  implements,  besides  having  a  store  of 
general  merchandise  and  a  grain  elevator.  Mr. 
Putnam  was  born  on  the  3d  of  May,  1852,  when 
his  parents  were  residents  of  the  city  of  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  lived  until  two  years  old,  and  then 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Worcester  County,  Mass., 
remaining  there  until  twelve  years  of  age,  and  then 
came  with  them  to  Illinois.  His  boyhood  and 
youth  were  passed  alternately  in  the  district  school 
and  employed  in  the  lighter  labors  of  the  farm 
until  a  youth  of  seventeen  years. 

Our  subject's  father,  a  gentleman  of  much  nat- 
ural ability,  who  valued  the  advantages  of  learning, 
being  desirous  that  his  son  should  receive  a  college 
education,  placed  him  in  the  High  School  of  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  until  the 
death  of  the  former.  He  returned  home  after  a 
time  but  subsequently  resumed  his  studies  until 
failing  health  obliged  him  to  abandon  them,  and 
his  school  life  was  practically  ended.  Afterward 
he  resumed  work  on  the  farm  until  February,  1883, 
his  mother  in  the  meantime  having  given  him  a 
portion  of  the  land.  At  the  date  mentioned,  ill 
company  with  his  brother  Edgar,  he  engaged  in  his 
present  business,  and  they  now  pay  over  to  the 
railroad  company  annually  more  than  one-half  of 
the  freight  charges  at  Peufield  Station. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  1878,  our  subject  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Florida  Kirkpatrick, 
at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  Charity,  Ver- 


t. 

t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


787 


milion  Co.,  111.  Mrs.  P.  is  the  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Rebecca  Kirkpatrick,  and  was  born  in  Indiana; 
her  father  is  proprietor  of  a  fine  farm  in  Vermilion 
County,  thisj&ate,  and  is  one  of  the  leading  agri- 
culturists of  that  section.  The  three  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Putnam  are,  Nellie,  Earl  and  Harry. 
Mr.  P.  is  a  strong  temperance  man.  Democratic 
politically,  and  socially  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias. 


R.  COSBEY  was  'born  among  the 
Ohio  hills,  in  Hamilton  County,  Dec.  29, 
1848.  fie  was  the  third  child  of  Samuel  M. 
and  Elizabeth  (Malsbury)  Cosbey,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  New  Jersey.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  the  son  of  Samuel  and 
Ellen  (Lee)  Cosbey,  of  Scotch  descent,  and  his 
niother  was  the  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza 
(Bowman)  Malsbury,  natives  of  New  Jersey. 

The  childhood  and  youth  of  our  subject  were  spent 
on  his  father's  farm  and  his  education  was  con- 
ducted in  the  district  schools  of  Sycamore  Town- 
ship. When  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age  the 
family  were  bereft  of  the  kind  care  of  the  affec- 
tionate mother  who  passed  from  earth  in.  middle 
life,  and  Thomas  R.  was  placed  in  the  home  of  an 
uncle.  He  remained  there  a  year,  and  afterward 
took  up  his  abode  with  another  uncle,  remaining 
the  same  length  of  time.  His  father  was  then  mar- 
ried and  the  family  once  more  established  under  the 
same  roof.  The  second  wife  of  Samuel  Cosbey 
was  formerly  Miss  Ellen  Steefel,  a  native  of  New 
Jersey,  and  with  them  our  subject  remained  until 
he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age.  He  then  began 
farming  on  his  own  account  and,  believing  that  he 
would  be  enabled  to  maintain  a  family,  on  the  18th 
of  June,  1874,  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Maggie  Meier,  who  was  the  eldest  of  seven  children 
born  to  John  M.  and  Kuniguuda  (Seitenfaden) 
Meier.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Bavaria  and 
came  to  America  during  the  great  foreign  emi- 
gration of  1848. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosbey  soon  after  their  marriage, 
established  themselves  on  a  farm  in  Hamilton 
County,  Ohio,  which  they  occupied  until  the  spring 
T)f  1884.  Then  coming  West  they  located  on  a 


farm  of  240  acres  in  Ilarwood  Township,  which 
was  owned  by  the  father  of  our  subject.  Here  Mr. 
Cosbe}'  has  since  successfully  followed  farming  and 
stock-raising  and  ha?  become  one  of  the  important 
factors  in  the  agricultural  interests  of  this  section. 
The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cosbey,  seven  in 
number  and  all  living,  are  recorded  as  follows: 
Linn  Leonard  was  born  in  1875;  Carl  Walter,  in 
the  year  1876;  Myra  Mabel,  Oct.  22,  1877;  Hal- 
ley.  May  31,  1879;  Miles  Milo,  May  5,  1881;  lola 
Edith,  Nov.  5,  1883;  Lola  May,  Aug.  14,  1886. 
The  home  and  its  surroundings  form  a  pleasant 
picture  of  country  life  in  the  midst  of  peace  and 
plenty.  Our  subject  has  never  been  an  office-seeker, 
although  occasionally  officiating  as  Township  Clerk 
or  Trustee.  His  political  sympathies  are  with  the 
Republican  party,  and  religiously,  with  his  estima- 
ble wife  and  her  parents,  he  adheres  to  the  doctrines 
of  the  Lutheran  Church. 


J"~l  T.  FUGATE,  M.  D.,  a  popular  and  promi- 
nent physician  of  Urbana,  located  in  this 
city  in  November,  1868,  whence  he  had  re- 
'  moved  from  Pike  County,  111.  He  was  born 
hrWytheville,  Wythe  Co.,  Va.,  June  15,  1831,  and 
is  the  son  of  Wilbourn  and  Enphemia  (Thompson) 
Fugate,  natives  respectively  of  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina.  Mr.  Fugate  was  a  Huguenot.  His  ances- 
tors fled  to  this  country  before  persecution,  locating 
in  South  Carolina.  His  father  was  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  his  native  county  in  Virginia,  occupying 
an  official  position  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He 
studied  medicine  in  his  younger  days,  but  never 
practiced.  He  removed  with  his  family  to  Pike 
County,  Missouri,  and  there  became  a  partner 
in  the  Bowling  Green  Republican,  with  which  he 
was  associated  for  three  years.  Then,  in  partner- 
ship with  Mr.  Block,  he  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits, and  in  1835  purchased  a  farm  which  he 
occupied  until  1863.  He  then  sold  out  and  re- 
moved to  Mt.  Sterling,  111.,  near  which  town  he 
purchased  land  and  lived  for  some  time.  After 
disposing  of  his  property  there  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Camp  Point,  where  he  died  on  the  2d-of 
December,  1866,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six 


788> 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


years.  During  his  early  life  Wilbourn  Fugate  was 
a  Whig,  politically,  but  later  cast  his  lot  with  the 
Democratic  party.  Religiously  he  was  an  old- 
school  Presbyterian.  He  possessed  a  remarkable 
memory,  especially  in  regard  to  names  and  dates, 
and  wherever  he  lived  was  readily  recognized  as  a 
man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  well  fitted  to  be 
a  leader  among  his  fellows.  He  was  a  great  ad- 
mirer of  Masonic  principles,  and  connected  himself 
with  the  fraternity  when  a  young  man,  becoming 
prominent  and  establishing  many  lodges  in  differ- 
ent localities.  The  six  children  of  the  parental 
household  are  recorded  as  follows:  J.  T.,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  eldest;  Dr.  Jerome  W.  is  practicing 
in  Lawrence,  Kan. ;  Elizabeth  married  Dr.  A.  L. 
Darrali,  of  Bloomington,  111.;  Dr.  Lycurgus  W.  has 
built  up  a  fine  practice  in  and  around  Colchester, 
McDonough  County ;  David  W.  and  Miranda  are 
residents  of  Camp  Point,  111.  The  mother  survives, 
and  is  living  with  her  son,  our  subject,  at  Urbana, 
being  now  seventy-six  years  old. 

The  Doctor  spent  his  younger  days  in  teaching 
school,  and  pursuing  his  studies  under  competent 
tutors  at  Barry,  in  Pike  County,  111.  When  twenty- 
two  years  of  age  he  determined  to  see  something 
of  the  world,  and  proceeding  to  Virginia,  traveled 
South  and  East  and  in  various  other  sections  for 
several  years.  Upon  returning  to  this  State  he 
resumed  his  former  occupation,  and  devoted  his 
leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  medicine.  After  a 
thorough  course  in  the  Missouri  Medical  College- he 
was  admitted  to  practice,  in  185!(,  entering  upon 
his  profession  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  of  which  he 
was  a  resident  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebell- 
ion. He  then  returned  to  Pike  County,. ill.,  where 
he  followed  his  practice  until  1868.  In  that  year 
he  turned  it  over  to  his  brother,  Lycurgus  W.,  and 
removed  to  Urbana,  where  he  has  since  been 
actively  engaged.  He  is  prominent  and  popular 
among  his  professional  brethren  in  this  city,  and 
belongs  to  the  State,  County,  and  District  Medical 
Societies.  He.  has  been  a  close  student,  an  exten- 
sive reader,  and  Ifas  won  his  way  fairly  to  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  the  people  of  Champaign 
County. 

Dr.  Fugate  was  married  in  1862,  to  Miss  Dora 
Parkes,  who  was  born  in  Adams  County,  111.,  in 


1838,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Orsamus  and  Jane 
(Burnham)  Parkes.  natives  of  Ohio.  Of  this  union 
there  are  three  children:  Minnie,  Mrs.  Ray,  of  Ur- 
bana, who  has  two  children — Wayne  and  Carlos  ; 
Wilbourn  W.  and  Alice  G.  are  at  home  with  their 
parents.  The  family  residence  is  pleasantly  located 
at  the  intersection  of  High  and  Broad  streets, 
where  its  inmates  enjoy  all  the  comforts  and  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life.  The  Doctor  and  Mrs  F. 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  number  among  their  friends  andasso- 
ciates  the  leading  people  of  Urbana. 


MATHEWSON,  who  is  worthily 
fulfilling  his  misson  as  a  member  of  the 
farming  community  of  Compromise  Town- 
ship, for  the  last  twenty-two  years  has  been 
industriously  cultivating  160  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 4.  Here  he  has  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings, 
witli  all  the  machinery  required  by  the  modern  ag- 
riculturist. Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Rhode  Isl- 
and, and  was  born  at  Smithfield,  Sept.  11,  1810. 
His  early  years  were  passed  after  the  manner  of 
most  farmers'  boys,  and  he  started  out  quite  young 
in  life  to  do  for  himself.  Going  first  to  Oxford, 
Mass.,  when  but  fifteen  years  of  age,  he  worked 
nine  months  in  the  year  and  spent  the  remaining 
three  in  school,  in  the  meantime  doing  chores  for 
his  board.  He  was  thus  occupied  for  a  period  of 
two  years,  and  then  returning  to  his  native  State 
engaged  in  a  livery  stable  at  Providence,  where  he 
worked  for  a  year,  in  the  meantime  revolving  in 
his  mind  a  plan  by  which  he  would  be  enabled  to 
see  something  more  of  the  world,  and  find  if  there 
were  not  something  better  for  him  in  the  future. 

At  the  expiration  of  this  time  Mr.  M.  proceeded 
first  to  Utica,  then  to  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls, 
and  from  there  walked  about  200  miles  through  the 
country  to  Albany.  He  thence  proceeded  by  boat 
to  Schenectady,  and  from  there  to  New  York  City, 
finally  arriving  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  where  he  en- 
gaged to  work  by  the  month,  and  was  thus  occu- 
pied two  years.  He  now  determined  to  seek  the 
West  in  earnest.  Proceeding  first  to  Cincinnati  and 
finding  nothing  to  keep  him  there,  he  went  into 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


789 


Frankfurt,  Ohio,  and  was  afterward  variously  en- 
gaged, being  in  the  lumber-yard  and  on  the  canal, 
driving  a  cooper's,  wagon  sometimes,  and  finally 
rented  a  piece  of  land  and  settled  down  for  five 
years. 

After  becoming  his  own  man  on  the  farm,  and 
feeling  the  necessity  of  a  companion  and  helpmeet 
to  cheer  his  solitude,  Mr.  Mathewson  was  united  in 
marriage  with-  Miss  Marie  Williams,  of  Butler 
County,  Ohio,  and  they  went  to  housekeeping  in 
modest  style  upon  the  rented  land.  In  due  time 
the  family  was  increased  by  the  birth  of  four  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  and  the  other 
three  grew  to  maturity  and  married.  Lewis  W., 
the  eldest  son,  chose  for  his  wife  Miss  Mollie  Can- 
non, of  Cincinnati,  and  where  he  is  now  City  En- 
gineer; James  married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Jackson,  and 
is  farming  on  section  2  in  Compromise  Township, 
this  county ;  Alice,  the  wife  of  C.  W.  Lambert,  is 
living  in  Nebraska. 

Mr.  Mathewson,  in  1845,  abandoned  farming  for 
the  time,  and  moving  into  Cincinnati  purchased  a 
number  of  teams  and  commenced  draying.  This 
proved  a  very  successful  venture,  and  he  contin- 
ued for  seventeen  years,  during  which  time  he  pur- 
chased several  lots,  and  in  1861  sold  them  all  in 
order  to  come  to  Illinois.  He  reached  this  county 
in  July,  1865,  and  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in 
Compromise  Township,  where  he  built  a  small 
house,  into  which  he  removed  his  family  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  Ten  years  later  he  met  with  an 
affliction  in  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  departed  this 
life  on  the  7th  of  January,  1875,  and  was  buried  in 
the  cemetery  at  Maplewood. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  formerly  Mrs. 
Harriett  (Wells)  Thrapp,  and  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried Jan.  7,  1882,  is  the  daughter  of  Richard  and 
Susannah  (Sappington)  Wells,  and  was  born  in 
Knox  County,  Ohio,  Sept.  6.  1827.  Her  father  was 
a  native  of  Anne  Arundel  County,  Md.,  was  born 
Jan.  4,  1800,  and  in  early  life  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade  at  Baltimore.  He  worked  there  several 
years,  and  when  twenty-six  years  of  age  was  mar- 
ried and  removed  to  Ohio,  .locating  among  the  ear- 
liest settlers  of  Knox  County.  Thence  he  removed 
to  Licking  County,  and  engaged  in  farming  there 
for  a  period  of  thirty-five  years.  Subsequently  he 


removed  into  Delaware  County  for  the  purpose  of 
educating  his  children,  and  died  there  May  27, 
1871.  His  wife,  formerly  Miss  Susannah  Sapping- 
ton,  was  born  Oct.  It),  1808,  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Maryland,  near  the  shores  of  Chesapeake  Bay.  Her 
parents  died  when  she  was  but  four  years  of  age, 
and  she  was  reared  by  her  uncle,  Charles  Wil- 
loughby.  She  departed  this  life  Aug.  31,  1843, 
during  the  residence  of  the  family  in  Licking 
Count}'.  Her  children,  five  in  number,  were  John 
T.,  Harriett  A.,  Rebecca  J.,  Richard  N.,  and  a  babe 
who  died  unnamed.  These  worthy  people  filled 
their  niche  in  life,  and  were  devout  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Joseph  Mathew- 
son, was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  where  he  spent 
his  entire  life  engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  and 
passed  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthy  labors  on  the 
18th  of  November,  1812,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three  years,  ten  months  and  fourteen  days.  His 
wife,  who  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss  Bettie  Brown, 
was  a  native  of  the  same  State  as  her  husband,  and 
also  died  there  Feb.  17,  1842.  She  survived  her 
husband  many  years,  having  at  the  time  of  her 
death  reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight 
years,  one  month  and  seven  days  The  great-grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Othiniel  Mathewson,  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  State  as  his  son,  lived  to  be  one 
hundred  and  one  years,  seven  months  and  twenty- 
eight  days  old.  His  death  took  place  on  the  18th  of 
October,  1800. 


„.,  SHBEL  H.  BAILEY,  of  Rantoul  Township, 
LJ]    came  to  this  section  of  the  country  in  the 


spring  of  1861,  and  located  on  a  farm  four 
miles  west  of  the  village  of  Rantoul.  After 
engaging  in  farming  for  a  period  of  ten  years  he 
moved  into  town  and  took  charge  of  a  nursery, 
which  he  conducted  until  admonished  by  failing 
health  that  he  must  retire  from  active  labor.  Of 
his  family,  one  son,  Algernon  S.,  after  serving  in 
the  Union  army  as  a  member  of  Co.  I,  12th  111. 
Vol.  Cav.,  died  of  disease  contracted  in  the  service. 
Frederick  S.  resides  here,  and  Edward  D.,  in  Clark, 
Dak.  Laura  E.  married  F.  A.  Brown,  of  Dakota, 


T 


.    790 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  Charles  W.,  the  youngest,  is  a  grain  dealer  and 
Postmaster  at  Tomlinson. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Lenox, 
Berkshire  Co.,  Mass.,  Sept.  11, '181 9.  His  parents, 
Caleb  and  Betsey  (Hills)  Bailey,  were  natives  of 
Connecticut  and  Massachusetts  respectively,  and 
the  former  of  English  and  the  latter  of  German 
ancestry.  Caleb  Bailey  early  in  life  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade,  afterward  engaged  as  a  merchant, 
and  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  devoted  him- 
self to  farming.  The  eight  children  of  the  parental 
household  comprised  five  sons  and  three  daughters, 
six  of  whom  survive.  Ashbel  II.  was  the  eldest  of 
the  family,  and  spent  his  early  life  in  his  native 
town,  receiving  his  education  at  the  district  school 
and  Lenox  Academy.  Upon  the  removal  of  the 
parents  to  Ohio  he  accompanied  them,  and  grew  to 
manhood  on  the  farm.  He  had  a  natural  love  of 
learning,  and  after  becoming  a  resident  of  the 
Buckeye  State  entered  Grand  River  Institute  at 
Austinburg,  Ohio,  where  he  became  fitted  for  a 
teacher  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  He  subsequently 
attended  Western  Reserve  Teachers'  Seminary  two 
years.  He  commenced  teaching  in  the  district 
school,  and  advanced  until  he  became  Superintend- 
ent of  Schools  in  Ashtabulfi  County,  Ohio,  and  was 
also  connected  with  the  Board  of  Examiners  eight 

O 

years. 

While  a  resident  of  Ohio  Mr.  Bailey  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Laura  M.  Wright,  of  Ashta- 
bula  County,  and  daughter  of  Col.  David  Wright. 
The  young  people  located  at  Jefferson,  Ashtabula 
County,  where  Mr.  B.  taught  several  years,  and 
then  at  College  Hill.  He  became  agent  for  Terre 
Haute  and  Ohio  Female  Colleges,  and  was  thus  oc- 
cupied ten  years,  coming  to  this  county  soon  aft- 
ward.  Mrs.  Laura  M.  Bailey  departed  this  life  in 
the  summer  of  1 868. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1870,  was  formerly  Miss  Sarah  E.  Smead, 
who,  like  her  husband,  was  in  earlier  years  a  teacher, 
and  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  was  engaged  in  her 
profession  in  Madison,  Ohio.  She  also  is  a  native 
of  Massachusetts,  whence  her  parents  removed  to 
Ohio  when  she  was  a  young  lady  sixteen  years  of 
age. 

Mr.  Bailey  has  been   prominent  in  the  affairs  of 


this  locality  since  coming  here,  representing  Ran- 
totil  Township  in  the  Board  of  Supervisors  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  in  1 880  was  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature  on  the  Republican  ticket,  serving 
in  the  Thirty-second  General  Assembly.  Much  of 
his  life  has  been  devoted  to  reading  and  study,  he 
being  one  of  those  men  who  wisely  consider  the 
time  well  spent  which  is  given  to  the  improvement 
of  the  mind.  He  keeps  himself  well  posted  upon 
current  events,  and  although  having  little  to  do 
with  general  politics,  casts  his  vote  in  support  of 
Republican  principles.  Nothing  pleases  him  better 
than  to  be  able  to  encourage  the  various  worthy 
enterprises  calculated  for  the  general  welfare  of  his 
fellow-citizens,  and  his  voice  is  always  heard  on  the 
side  of  truth  and  justice.  The'  agitation  of  re- 
ligious and  educational  questions  finds  no  more  in- 
terested listener  than  himself,  or  one  who  more 
zealously  encourages  every  measure  for  the  intel- 
lectual and  moral  advancement  of  the  people.  His 
home  in  Rantoul  is  the  resort  of  the  intelligent  and 
educated  people  of  the  place.  He  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  Congregational  Church  for  a  pe- 
riod of  twenty  years,  and  of  which  Mrs.  Bailey  is 
also  a  member,  being  the  active  sympathizer  of 
her  husband  in  his  religious  ideas  and  literary 
tastes. 

>HOMAS  H.  BELL,  one  of  the  self-made 
men  of  Newcomb  Township,  was  born  in 
Madison  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  8,  1845,  and 
is  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Smith) 
Bell,  natives  of  the  same  county,  where  the 
father  died  in  June,  1848.  The  parental  household 
included  six  children,  of  whom  Thomas  H.  was  the 
fifth.  He  resided  in  his  native  county  until  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  and  until  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  late  war.  He  then  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier 
in  Co.  A,  113th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  three 
years.  At  the  battle  of  Kennesaw  Mountain  he  was 
badly  wounded  in  the  head,  but  finally  recovered 
and  resumed  his  place  in  his  regiment. 

After  the  close  of  the  war.  in  the  spring  of  1806, 
Mr.  Bell  came  to  Illinois,  stopping  in  McLean 
County  a  short  time,  and  thence  went  to  Kansas. 
Afterward  he  returned  to  Ohio,  and  after  a  brief 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


791 


stay  in  Madison  County,  finally  settled  in  Tazewell 
County,  111.,  where  he  lived  six  years,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1875  came  to  Champaign  County,  locat- 
ing in  Newcomb  Township,  where  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  and  commenced  its  improvement  and 
cultivation.  He  is  now  the  possessor  of  180  acres, 
with  good  buildings  and  valuable  farm  machin- 
ery, and  in  both  his  agricultural  and  business  oper- 
ations has  been  eminently  successful.  He  is  re- 
garded as  a  good  citizen  and  worthy  member  of 
the  community,  and  is  contributing  his  share  to- 
ward the  development  and  progress  of  this  section. 
Mr.  Bell  was  married  in  Tazewell  County,  111., 
Dec.  31,  1868,  to  Miss  Jane  Richmond,  a  native  of 
that  county,  who  was  born  Oct.  26,  1849.  Of  this 
union  there  have  been  born  six  children — Norah, 
Benjamin,  Laura,  Harvey,  Bessie  and  James.  Mrs. 
Bell  departed  this  life  in  Newcomb  Township,  Jan. 
11,1 887.  Our  subject  is  Republican  in  politics, 
and  takes  an  interest  in  general  and  local  affairs. 


<\w?OHN  M.  MINTURN,  physician  and  sur- 
I  geon  at  Rantoul,  first  drew  breath  in  the 
village  of  Callensville,  Pendleton  Co.,  Ky., 
April  16,  1854.  His  ancestry  is  traced  as 
follows :  William  W.  Minturn,  his  paternal  grand- 
father, was  born  in  Virginia,  Sept.  1,  1791,  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Tirza  Fellows,  of  Point  Pleasant,  May  26, 
1816.  She  was  born  June  18,  1799,  in  Shelbourne, 
Mass.,  and  became  the  mother  df  eleven  children. 
The  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  Samuel  P. 
Minturn,  was  of  German  descent  and  a  native  of 
Holland,  whence  he  emigrated  with  his  parents  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century.  His  father 
was  Samuel  P.  Minturn,  Sr.  The  family  of  the 
latter  included  eleven  children,  of  whom  the  mother 
was  formerly  Miss  Catherine  Howel,  of  Warwick, 
Orange  Co.,  N.  Y. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Point 
Pleasant,  Va.,  June  19,  1830,  and  during  early 
manhood,  in  1849,  became  a  resident  of  Pendleton 
County,  where  lie  married  Miss  Susan  Ann  Will- 
iams, of  that  county,  Oct.  5,  1851.  Of  the  four  chil- 
dren born  to  them,  namely,  John  M.,  William  W., 


Mary  T.  and  Anna  B.,  only  our  subject  and  one 
brother  survive.  John  M.,  being  the  eldest  of  the 
family,  passed  his  boyhood  in  his  native  town,  and 
after  a  brief  course  in  the  primary  schools  studied 
tinder  a  private  tutor  and  obtained  a  good  acquaint- 
ance with  Latin,  German  and  English.  He  after- 
ward made  himself  useful  as  clerk  in  a  general  mer- 
chandise store,  and  in  1876  began  the  study  of 
medicine,  while  at  the  same  time  carrying  on  gen- 
eral merchandise.  After  he  had  .  sufficient^'  ad- 
vanced he  entered  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
Cincinnati  College  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  and 
was  graduated  with  honors  in  1880.  Soon  after- 
ward he  returned  home  and  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession.  Four  years  later,  desiring 
a  broader  field  of  operation,  he  came  to  the  West 
and  located  in  Rantoul,  where  he  has  since  been  a 
valuable  addition  to  the  profession. 

Dr.  Minturn  married  while  in  his  native  State, 
his  bride  being  Miss  Sallie  Kennedy,  of  Paris,  Ky., 
their  wedding  occurring  April  25,  1883.  Of  the 
three  children  born  of  this  union,  only  one  is 
living,  a  daughter,  Winnie  St.  C.  The  others  died 
in  infancy.  Dr.  Minturn  is  Examining  Surgeon  for 
the  United  States  Pension  Department,  to  which 
office  he  was  appointed  July  15,  1885.  He  is  con- 
nected with  the  Christian  Church,  and  in  all  re- 
spects is  an  addition  to  the  community. 


VAVID  A.  KING,  formerly  a  highly  re- 
spected farmer  of  Urbana  Township,'  is 
now  living  in  ease  and  retirement  in  the 
city  on  East  Main  street.  He  became  a 
resident  of  Illinois  in  1855,  locating  first  in  Hens- 
ley  Township,  this  count}',  where  he  purchased  160 
acres  of  land,  which  he  occupied  until  1882.  He 
was  successful  in  his  farming  operations,  and  now 
in  his  declining  years  is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
early  industry.  He  is  still  in  possession  of  his  farm 
property,  which  is  occupied  by  a  tenant. 

Mr.  King  is  a  native  of  Bourbon  County.  Ky., 
and  was  born  June  5,  1818.  He  is  the  son  of  Rob- 
ert S.  and  Rebecca  (Ford)  King,  natives  respect- 
ively of  Virginia  and  Maryland.  His  father,  who 
was  a  wheelwright  by  trade,  became  a  resident  of 


•  •    792 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Kentucky  in  171)0,  to  which  State  he  removed  with 
his  fathsr,  David  King,  Sr.  The  latter  built  the 
first  brick  house  in  Madison  County,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  saddlery  and  harness  business.  When 
a  young  man  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  His  son  Robert  S.,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  Blue 
Grass  region,  where  he  married  and  became  the 
father  of  thirteen  children.  Of  these  five  are  now 
livng,  namely,  John  P.,  David  A.,  Thomas  F., 
Robert  A.,  and  Margaret,  Mrs.  King.  Robert  8. 
King  (luring  the  war  was  a  stanch  Union  man,  and 
with  his  excellent  wife  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  during  a  period  of  sixty-three 
years.  His  home  was  the  headquarters  of  the  Meth- 
odist clergymen  of  that  vicinity  during  their  con- 
ventions and  other  important  meetings.  Although 
a  Southerner  he  was  never  known  to  take  a  drop 
of  ardent  spirits  or  have  liquor  in  the  house  but 
once,  and  that  was  ordered  by  the  physician  in  a 
case  of  sickness.  He  was  a  Henry  Clay  Whig  of 
the  old  type,  and  rounded  up  a  worthy  and  useful 
life  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  The  mother 
was  seventy  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education  in  the 
pioneer  log  school-house,  with  its  puncheon  floor 
and  greased  paper  for  window  panes.  He  remained 
under  the  parental  roof  until  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  then  became  overseer  on  a  farm  of  slaves,  which 
position  he  occupied  for  six  years  following.  After- 
ward he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture 
in  Clark  County,  Ky.,  for  a  period  of  sixteen 
years,  giving  employment  to  several  men  and  ap- 
prentices. In  1855  he  sold  out  and  made  his  first 
entry  into  the  Prairie  State. 

Mr.  King  of  our  sketch  was  married,  in  1840,  to 
Miss  J.  K.  Mitchell,  a  native  of  Montgomery 
County,  Ky.,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  eleven 
children,  of  whom  nine  are  still  living:  John  W. 
married  Miss  Kate  Fry,  and  they  have  four  children 
—Blanche,  Earle,  Roscoe  C.  and  Kate;  Harriet,  Mrs. 
Fisher,  of  Hensley  Township,  has  six  children — 
Coyncr,  Alice,  Delia,  Jennie,  Eliza  and  Minnie; 
Margaret,  Mrs.  Ellen,  of  Hensley  Township,  has 
three  children — Frank,  William  and  Nellie;  Bessie, 
Mrs.  Coffman,  is  a  resident  of  Hensley  Township, 
and  Susan  B.,  Mrs.  Montgomery,  of  Condit  Town- 


ship; Roxy,  Mrs.  Fry,  of  Urbana,  has  two  children 
—  Bessie  and  Ethel;  Isabella,  Mrs.  Stickrod,  of 
Champaign,  has  two  sons  —  Willie  and  Harry; 
James  II.  married  Miss  Lotta  Nicely,  and  they  live 
at  Girard,  Kan.;  David  A.,  Jr.,  married  Miss  Bell 
Stickrod,  and  they  have  two  children  —  Flora  and 
Cora;  they  live  in  Condit  Township.  Mrs.  J.  E. 
King  died  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Hensley 
Township,  Aug.  30,  1880. 

For  his  second  wife  Mr.  David  A.  King  married 
Mrs.  Mary  A.  (Christie)  Brewer,  a  native  of  New 
York  City,  and  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
(Day)  Christie,  of  New  Jersey.  Her  father  was  a 
contractor  and  builder,  and  the  parental  household 
consisted  of  three  children,  two  now  living  —  Mrs. 
King  and  Abraham  Christie,  of  Nebraska.  The  first 
husband  of  Mrs.  King,  Ashael  Brewer,  was  one  of 
the  old  settlers  of  Champaign  County  and  a  native 
of  Maysville,  Ky.  He  died  in  Urbana  Township 
in  1881. 

Mr.  King  js  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of 
this  county,  and  since  his  residence  here  has  been 
closely  identified  with  its  business  and  agricultural 
interests.  He  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
for  a  period  of  fifty-five  years.  During  that  time 
he  served  as  Class-Leader  and  Steward,  and  has  al- 
ways contributed  liberally  and  cheerfully  of  his 
means  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel. 


>OHN  M.  HADDEN,  M.  D.,  a  popular  and 
successful  physician  of  Seymour,  111.,  is  the 
son  of  Gawin  and  Sarah  (Martin)  Hadden. 
natives  of  Indiana  County,  Pa.  They  lo- 
cated in  their  native  county  after  their  marriage, 
where  they  are  now  residing  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing pursuits.  Their  eight  children  included  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was 
the  second.  He  was  born  in  Indiana  County,  Pa., 
Aug.  7,  1842,  and  pursued  his  first  studies  in  the 
common  schools.  He  remained  under  the  home 
roof  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  in  the  fall  of 
18C1,  after  the  first  call  for  troops  to  defend  the 
Union,  enlisted  in  the  G7th  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 


OF  THE 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


795 


serving  till  the  close  of  the  war.  At  the  battle  of 
Winchester  he  was  captured  by  the  rebels,  and  for 
a  period  of  two  months  confined  in  Libby  and 
Belle  Isle  prisons.  He  was  finally  paroled  and 
in  October,  1863,  exchanged, and  joined  his  regi- 
ment at  Bull  Run.  He  was  particularly  fortunate 
in  his  after  career  as  a  soldier,  escaping  wounds  and 
imprisonment,  and  at  the  close  of  the  struggle, 
received  his  honorable  discharge  and  was  mustered 
out  at  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

Our  subject  then  returned  to  his  old  home  in 
Indiana  County,  and  resumed  his  studies  in  Plum- 
ville  Academy,  where  he  attended  six  months  and 
then  entered  Shelocta  Academy,  where  he  spent  one 
year,  and  from  there  went  to  Greenville,  Pa.,  where 
he  attended  a  select  school  two  years.  '  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  been  paying  his  own  expenses  by 
money  earned  during  the  hours  when  not  in  school, 
mostly  as  teacher.  After  completing  his  studies  he 
entered  the  office  of  Dr.  Thomas  McMullen,  of 
Greenville,  with  whom  he  read  medicine  three 
years,  and  completed  his  professional  studies  in  the 
Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
at  Ann  Arbor.  After  a  thorough  course  of  one 
year  in  this  institution,  he  returned  to  Greenville 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession 
in  partnership  with  Dr.  McMullin,  with  whom  he 
operated  two  years.  He  then  returned  to  the  Uni- 
versity and  remained  one  year,  after  which  he 
received  his  diploma.  He  came  to  Champaign 
County  in  the  spring  of  1872,  and  located  at  Sey- 
mour, where  he  has  built  up  an  extensive  and 
profitable  patronage,  and  is  highly  esteemed  as  a 
physician  and  surgeon. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  John  M.  Hadden  and  Miss 
Jennie  E.  Johnston  was  celebrated  in  Scott  Town- 
ship on  the  24th  of  October,  1878.  Mrs.  H.  is  the 
daughter  of  George  and  Esther  (Irwin)  Johnston, 
who  were  natives  of  Ireland,  where  the  father  died. 
The  mother  afterward  emigrated  to  America,  and 
died  at  her  home  four  miles  north  of  Seymour  in 
1863.  The  parental  family  consisted  of  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Mrs.  Hadden  was  the  second.  She 
was  born  in  Ireland  in  about  1844.  She  is  a  lady 
highly  respected  in  her  community  and  a  member 
in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Church.  The 
Doctor  politically  is  a  Republican. 


eAPT.  JOHN  B.  LESTER,  whose  name  is 
familiar  throughout  this,  county,  and  who 
gave  some  of  the  best  years  of  his  life  to  the 
service  of  his  country  when  he  earned  the  title 
which  he  now  bears,  is  the  sixth  child  of  Benjamin 
and  Deliverance  R.  (Baldwin)  Lester,  the  former  a 
native  of  New  York  and  the  latter  of  Wales.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  emigrated  with  her  parents 
to  this  country  at  an  early  age,  and  after  her  mar- 
riage with  Mr.  Lester  they  located  first  in  Cincin- 
cinnati,  Ohio,  whence  they  afterward  removed  to 
Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  and  later,  in  1852,  to 
Champaign  County,  111.  The  father  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  in  Newcomb  Township,  where  his 
death  occurred  in  1857.  The  mother  is  still  living 
at  an  advanced  age.  Their  family  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, six  sons  and  six  daughters,  were  born  mostly 
in  Switzerland  County,  Ind. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  in  the  latter 
named  county,  Feb.  2,  1836,  and  he  lived  there 
with  his  parents  until  sixteen  years  of  age,  thence 
removing  with  them  to  this  county,  of  which  he 
has  since  been  a  resident.  He  remained  a  member 
of  the  parental  household  until  his  marriage,  which 
took  place  in  Newcomb.  Oct.  12,  1865,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Elizabeth  A.,  daughter  of 
Hiram  and  Lydia  (Allamang)  Trotter  (see  sketch 
of  Hiram  Trotter).  After  his  marriage  he  located 
upon  a  farm  of  his  own,  on  section  23,  in  Newcomb 
Township. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1862,  young  Lester  en- 
listed in  Co.  F,  125th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  as  a  private, 
and  on  the  4th  of  November  following  received  his 
commission  from  Gov.  Yates  as  First  Lieutenant. 
In  March,  1863,  he  was  promoted  Captain  of  his 
company  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  winning  the  admiration  and  esteem  of 
his  company  to  a  man.  He  was  engaged  with  his 
comrades  in  some  of  the  most  important  battles  of 
the  war,  and  at  Kennesaw  Mountain  his  clothing 
was  rent  with  seven  bullets.  In  the  engagement  at 
Altoona  he  was  surrounded,  together  with  the  left 
wing  of  his  regiment,  by  the  rebels,  but  succeeded 
in  cutting  his  way  through  and  personally  captured 
and  held  the  rebel  officer  in  command.  He  still 
has  in  his  possession  the  sword  which  he  took  from 
that  commander.  Capt.  Lester  went  through  the 


1 


t  .    796 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Atlanta  campaign  under  Gen.  Sherman,  after  which 
the  troops  proceeded  to  Washington,  passed  in 
grand  review  before  the  Chief  Executive,  and 
were  then  mustered  out  and  returned  to  their 
homes. 

Capt.  Lester  on  returning  to  civil  life  again  took 
up  farming  in  Newcomb  Township,  where  he  has 
since  occupied  himself  in  the  cultivation  of  the  352 
acres  of  land  which  constitute  his  present  home- 
stead. He  is  a  decided  Republican,  politically,  and 
occupies  a  good  position  socially  and  in  the  regard 
of  the  business  community.  He  became  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  1855,  and  now  belongs 
to  Mahomet  Lodge  No.  220,  at  Mahomet.  In  the 
G.  A.  11.  he  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  Ft. 
Worth  Lodge  No.  300,  at  Fisher. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Frederick 
County,  W.  Va.,  June  26,  1 842.  Of  the  eight  chil- 
dren who  came  to  bless  their  union  five  only  are 
now  living,  viz.,  Marion,  Rosa,  Wiley,  Lydia  and 
Nellie.  Those  deceased  are  Sherman,  Sanford  and 
George.  Mrs.  Lester  is  a  lady  held  in  high  respect 
and  a  devout  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Capt.  Lester  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  for  three  years.  He  has  not  been  an 
aspirant  for  political  honors,  but  has  preferred  to 
attend  to  his  business  of  farming.  The  accompany- 
ing portrait  of  Capt.  Lester  will  be  received  with 
pleasure  by  all  who  know  him,  and  recognized  as 
that  of  a  worthy  and  honored  citizen. 


il 


>ILLIAM  BREINER.  Mr.  Breiner  took 
possession  of  his  place  in  Harwood  Town- 
ship in  the  spring  of  1870,  and  has  resided 
there,  with  the  exception  of  a  brief  interval  spent 
in  merchandising  at  Ludlow,  since  that  time.  The 
improvements,  which  are  noticeable  on  account  of 
their  superiority,  are  due  to  the  ingenuity  and 
industry  of  the  owner  who,  as  a  man,  citizen  and  far- 
mer, is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  mem- 
bers of  the  community.  Much  of  his  land  is 
devoted  to  grain-raising,  the  grain  being  chiefly  util- 
ized on  the  farm  in  the  feeding  of  stock,  in  which 
department  of  agriculture  Mr.  Breiner  takes  great 


delight.  His  stables  contain  some  fine  specimens 
of  Norman  horses.  In  cattle  his  favorites  are  the 
Short-horns  and  his  swine  are  of  the  Poland-China 
breed.  The  farm  buildings  are  finely  adapted  to 
all  the  requirements  of  the  modern  agriculturist, 
combining  convenience  with  taste  in  their  structure, 
and  the  fences  and  farm  machinery  are  kept  in  first- 
class  condition. 

Mr.  Breiner  is  the  representative  of  an  excellent 
old  family  and  spent  his  early  life,  until  a  boy  of 
thirteen  years,  in  the  township  of  Bethlehem,  Hun- 
terdon  Co.,  N.  J.,  where  he  was  born  on  his  father's 
farm,  Sept.  6,  1839.  The  family  included  thirteen 
children,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  second  born. 
His  parents  were  Francis  J.  and  Anna  (Overpeck) 
Breiner,  the  father  a  native  of  Strasburg,  Germany, 
and  the  mother  of  Pennsylvania.  Margaret,  the 
mother  of  Francis  J.  Breiner,  was  born  in  the  same 
old  German  city  as  her  son,  Strasburg,  the  capital 
of  Alsace-Lorraine,  famous  for  its  historic  interest, 
and  one  of  the  points  of  attack  by  the  German  army 
in  1870,  during  which  many  of  its  most  important 
buildings  sustained  great  injury,  but  were  afterward 
restored  as  far  as  possible  to  their  original  condi- 
tion. Among  the  other  public  institutions  is  the 
library,  containing  nearly  400,000  volumes,  and  the 
famous  University  which  is  the  admiration  and  am- 
bition of  the  intellectual  German  youth.  Its  rail- 
ways and  canals  connect  it  with  all  the  great  rivers 
of  France,  and  with  the  Danube,  are  important  aids 
to  its  commerce.  Its  lofty  houses,  spacious  squares 
and  streets,  intersected  by  branches  of  the  111,  form 
a  scene  exceedingly  picturesque  and  over  which  the 
American  traveler  lingers  with  deep  admiration. 
The  father  of  our  subject,  however,  only  retains 
faintly  in  his  mind's  eye  the  picture  of  his  native 
city,  as  his  parents  emigrated  to  America  when  he 
was  a  child  of  six  years. 

After  the  Breiner  family  had  landed  on  Ameri- 
can shores  they  proceeded  to  a  point  near  Philadel- 
phia, where  they  located  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  their  days,  the  father  being  occupied  in  weav- 
ing. The  mother  of  our  subject  was  the  daughter 
of  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Shumaker)  Overpeck,  and 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  of  which  State  her  par- 
ents were  also  natives.  The  father  died  in  middle 
life  and  the  mother  was  afterward  married  to  Ira 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


797 


Cline.  Of  this  latter  union  there  were  born  seven 
children. 

After  their  marriage  Francis  and  Anna  Breiner, 
in  1852,  came  to  Illinois  and  located  in  Fail-view, 
Fulton  County,  where  Mr.  B.  followed  his  trade  as 
a  carpenter,  and  upon  accumulating  sufficient 
means  purchased,  first,  152  acres  of  unimproved 
land  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  5,  in  what 
is  now  Prairie  City  Township.  He  took  possession 
of  this  in  the  spring  of  1857.  One  of  his  first  duties 
was  to  put  up  a  house  for  the  shelter  of  his  family, 
which  proved  quite  a  pretentious  structure  for  those 
times,  being  1  Gx26  feet  in  area  with  two  stories  and 
a  basement.  It  was  very  substantially  built,  and, 
with  his  estimable  wife,  he  still  occupies  it.  He 
subsequently  added  to  his  original  purchase  of 
land  135  acres,  so  that  the  farm  now  contains  287 
acres  and  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  tracts  in  that 
section.  Francis  Breiner  is  now  a  hale  and  hearty 
old  man,  seventy-four  years  old,  active  and  ener- 
getic as  many  men  a  quarter  of  a  century  younger. 
The  mother  has  kept  even  pace  with  her  husband 
and  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health.  They  have 
performed  their  part  in  life  in  a  quiet  and  unobtru- 
sive manner  and  now,  surrounded  by  many  friends 
and  all  the  comforts  of  life,  are  spending  their  de- 
clining years  amidst  the  peace  and  plenty  so  justly 
earned. 

William  Breiuer,  of  this  sketch,  spent  his  youth 
and  early  manhood  with  his  parents,  being  trained 
to  habits  of  industry,  but  receiving  only  a  limited 
education.  After  reaching  his  majority  he  rented 
a  tract  of  land  adjoining  his  father's  homestead, 
where  he  began  farming  for  himself  while  he 
boarded  at  home  and  assisted  his  father  when  not 
busy  with  his  own  concerns.  There  was  little  com- 
fort in  working  for  himself  alone,  and  on  the  22d  of 
August,  1861,  he  secured  a  partner  to  share  his  fort- 
unes, being  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Dunbar, 
whose  acquaintance  he  had  made  years  before. 
This  lady  was  the  second  child  of  Warder  and  Eliza- 
beth (Logsdon)  Dunbar,  natives  of  Kentucky,  who 
occupied  a  farm  on  the  same  section  as  our  subject. 
Mr.  Breiner,  abandoning  the  land  upon  which  he 
had  been  working,  rented  a  tract  near  by,  in  War- 
ren Count}',  where  he  remained  eight  years  with 
satisfactory  results  He  was  then  enabled  to  pur- 


chase  forty  acres  of  this,  and  continued  his  occu- 
pancy of  the  log  cabin  which  he  had  previously 
built  until  he  could  put  up  a  more  pretentious 
dwelling.  This  latter  structure  was  16x24  feet  in 
area,  with  one  story  and  basement,  to  which  he 
afterward  added  a  kitchen  10x16  feet.  This  he  oc- 
cupied with  his  family  a  little  more  than  eigtot 
years,  being  prosperous,  as  usual,  and  then  com- 
menced to  look  about  him  for  something  still  better. 
There  was  a  tract  of  160  acres  on  section  22,  in 
Harwood  Township,  which  he  very  much  desired 
and  of  which  he  soon  managed  to  secure  possession 
after  selling  his  Warren  County  farm.  Upon  this 
was  a  house  already  begun,  which  he  finished,  and 
into  which  he  removed  his  family  in  August  of  the 
same  year  (1870).  He  afterward  added  to  his 
landed  estate  by  the  purchase  of  eighty  acres'  in 
Kansas. 

Mr.  Breiner  for  several  years  afterward  was  con"- 
tinuously  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  but 
in  the  winter  of  1876,  imagined  he  would  like  to 
change  his  occupation,  and  engaged  in  merchandis- 
ing. This  he  tried  to  his  satisfaction  for  one  year 
and  then  returned  to  the  farm,  drawing  a  long 
breath  of  relief  after  he  had  been  reinstated  as  a 
member  of  the  rural  community. 

Of  the  three  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brei- 
ner, a  little  son,  Willie  T.,  died  in  infancy;  Emma 
lola  became  the  wife  of  John  Darsham,  of  Rantoul, 
and  they  have  one  son,  Earnest  Esel.  The  young- 
est son  of  our  subject,  also  Esel  by  name,  remains 
on  the  homestead  assisting  his  father,  Mr.  B.  was 
married  the  second  time,  Nov.  13,  1881,  to  Mrs.  M. 
M.  Taylor;  she  is  the  daughter  of  Charles  F.  and 
Mary  (Holtz)  Ahlert,  natives  of  Germany,  who  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  when  their  daughter 
Mary  was  but  six  years  of  age.  They  located  in 
New  York  where  they  remained  several  years  and 
until  after  the  first  marriage  of  their  daughter,  who 
then  took  up  her  residence  with  her  husband  in 
New  York  City.  After  the  death  of  the  latter  she 
went  to  Chicago  with  her  sister,  where  she  met  her 
present  husband. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Breiner  have  continued  on  the  farm 
since  their  marriage,  enjoying  the  respect  of  the 
community  around  them,  and  filling  their  places 
worthily  in  life.  Both  are  members  of  the  Christian 


(4   798 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Church,  with  which  our  subject  has  been  connected 
for  a  period  of  twenty-seven  years.  He  cast  his 
first  Presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  and 
has  supported  the  Republican  nominees  for  that 
office  since  that  time.  He  served  his  township  as 
School  Trustee  and  Road  Commissioner  for  three 
yaars,  and  was  then  elected  School  Treasurer,  which 
position  he  holds  at  the  present  time.  He  has  been 
an  earnest  worker  in  the  Church  and  Sunday-school, 
being  Superintendent  of  the  latter  in  Harwood 
Township  for  five  years,  and  at  present  occupies 
the  same  position  in  the  Pleasant  Vale  Sunday- 
school.  During  the  last  fourteen  years  he  has 
labored  as  a  Christian  teacher  among  the  young,  and 
nothing  pleases  him  better  than  to  see  a  houseful  of 
bright  young  faces  listening  with  interest  to  the 
precepts  of  the  Master. 

Mr.  Breiner,  in  1886,  was  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  which  office  he  still  holds,  and  the  duties  of 
which  he  is  discharging  in  a  manner  creditable  to 
himself  and  satisfactory  to  his  constituents. 


'  RMSTRONG  A.  GOINGS,  one  of  the  early 
7U|  pioneers  of  the  Prairie  State,  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  throughout  this  county 
as  a  man  eminently  worthy  the  respect  of 
its  best  citizens.  His  has  been  a  life  filled  with  in- 
dustry and  usefulness,  and  after  building  up  a  record 
as  an  honest  man  and  good  citizen  he  is  now  prac- 
tically retired  from  its  sterner  duties  and  in 
a  comfortable  home  in  Rantoul  Township  is  spend- 
ing his  later  days  pleasantly.  In  locating  a  home 
in  the  West,  he  traveled  over  a  long  stretch  of 
country,  his  native  place  being  Fredericksburg, 
Md.,  where  he  was  born  Dec.  6,  1810;  this  he  left 
with  his  parents  in  1839,  for  the  new  and  unde- 
veloped West. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Roswell  Goings,  was  a 
native  of  Maryland,  of  German  ancestry,  his  grand- 
father having  emigrated  to  America  during  the 
early  settlement  of  Maryland,  where  he  located  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Among  the  sons 
was  Roswell,  who  was  born  in  Maryland  and  who 
lived  there  until  1811.  when  he  removed  to  Penn- 
sylvania and  purchased  a  farm  in  Greene  County, 


which  he  occupied  until  1839.  That  year  he  came 
overland  with  his  family  to  Illinois  and  settled  in 
that  part  of  Tazewell  County  now  included  in 
Woodford  County,  taking  up  a  tract  .of  Govern- 
ment land,  improving  a  farm  and  establishing  a 
comfortable  homestead,  which  he  occupied  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  about  1860.  In  early 
manhood  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lett,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Maryland,  and  who  departed  this  life  at  the 
home  of  her  son  in  California  in  about  1867.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  Germany,  who  emigrated  to 
this  country  when  .1  young  man,  and  during  the 
Revolutionary  War  assisted  in  establishing  the 
independence  of  the  Colonies.  He  was  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Brandywiiie,  but  lived  to  return  to 
civil  life,  found  a  home,  and  rear  a  family. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  fourth  child 
and  second  son  of  his  parents,  and  but  an  infant 
when  they  removed  from  Maryland  to  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  grew  to  manhood  in  Greene  County, 
that  State,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  accom- 
panied his  parents,  first  to  Mason  County,  Va.,  and 
then  to  the  further  West.  This  latter  journey  was 
made  via  the  Ohio,  Mississippi  and  Illinois  Rivers 
to  Peoria,  which  was  then  a  village  of  a  few  strag- 
gling log  cabins.  Mr.  Goings  purchased  a  claim  in 
Tazewell  County,  ten  miles  east  of  the  hamlet,  and 
as  soon  as  the  land  came  into  market  proceeded  to 
Springfield  on  horseback  and  entered  it.  Among 
the  persons  interested  at  this  sale  was  Stephen  A. 
Douglns,  who  officiated  as  crier.  The  claim  of  Mr. 
Goings  had  been  improved  by  the  building  of  a 
log  cabin,  into  which  the  family  removed  and  lived 
for  a  time,  and  then  he  sold  out  and  purchased  land 
adjacent.  He  remained  a  resident  of  Tazewell 
County  thirteen  years,  then  removed  to  La  Salle 
County  and  purchased  land  near  the  present  site  of 
Tonica.  This  he  improved  and  transformed  into  a 
good  farm,  which  he  occupied  until  1879.  In  the 
spring  of  that  year  he  sold  out  and  came  to  this 
county,  and  now  lives  with  his  son. 

Mr.  Goings  was  married  in  November,  1835,  to 
Miss  Mary  Green,  a  native  of  Virginia,  who  was 
born  in  June.  1811.  She  remained  the  faithful  and 
affectionate  companion  of  her  husband  for  over 
thirty  years,  and  then  departed  this  life. at  their 
home  in  La  Salle  County,  Oct.  18,  1868.  The  nine 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


799   n 


children  born  of  this  congenial  union  are  recorded 
as  follows:  Edward  is  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.; 
Susannah  is  the  wife  of  William  Buren,  and  they  live 
on  a  farm  in  Livingston  County,  111. ;  Frank  is  in 
Beadle  County,  Dak.;  Sarah  E.  is  the  wife  of  Ray- 
mond P.  Francis,  a  farmer  of  Ludlow  Township; 
Eliza  married  James  Gregory,  and  they  are  residents 
of  Livingston  County;  Mary,  Mrs.  Dudley  Witty, 
lives  in  La  Salle  County,  and  Elisha  is  farming  in 
Rantoul  Township,  this  county.  Two  are  deceased. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goings  became  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  early  life,  with 
which  the  mother  remained  connected  during  her 
lifetime,  and  in  which  Mr.  G.  still  retains  his  mem- 
bership. He  was  the  pioneer  Methodist  of  this 
count}1,  and  while  residing  iiiTazewell  and  La  Salle 
Counties  his  house  was  the  home  of  the  preachers, 
and  the  place  at  which  the  neighborhood  meetings 
were  frequently  held. 

Elisha  Goings,  the  son  above  mentioned,  was 
born  in  La  Salle  County,  111.,  Nov.  29,  1853.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  until  after  reaching  his 
majority,  and  was  married  Nov.  8,  1870,  to  Miss 
Julia  Foster.  This  lady  is  a  native  of  Copenhagen, 
Denmark,  where  she  was  born  Sept.  5,  1855;  she  is 
the  daughter  of  A.  T.  and  Catura  Foster,  natives 
respectively  of  Denmark  and  England.  The  family 
emigrated  to  America  in  1866,  and  the  parents  are 
now  residents  of  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Elisha  Goings  have  five  children,  viz.,  Lilly,  Fannie, 
Arthur,  George  and  Chester.  They  are  members 
and  regular  attendants  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  valued  factors  of  an  intelligent  com- 
munity. 


^ILLIAM  DAVIS,  of  Ilarwood  Township, 
first  opened  his  63res  to  the  light  in  Hunt- 
ingdon County,  Pa.,  on  the  10th  of  No- 
vember, 1823,  and  was  the  third  child  of  Evan 
and  Lutitia  (Conley)  Davis,  also  natives  of  the 
Keystone  State,  and  the  father  a  stonemason  by 
trade.  In  1837,  when  our  subject  was  a  boy  of 
fourteen  years,  his  father  gathered  together  his 
household  goods,  and  with  his  family  set  out  for 
the  farther  West,  and  coming  into  this  State  lo- 
cated near  Fairview,  in  Fulton  County,  where  he 


commenced  farming  after  the  methods  adopted  by 
the  people  of  the  Prairie  State.  He  lived  a  quiet, 
uneventful  life,  and  finally  removed  to  Prairie 
City,  McDonough  County,  where  both  parents 
closed  their  eyes  upon  the  scenes  of  earth. 

Young  Davis  remained  a  member  of  the  parental 
household  until  the  day  after  he  was  twenty-three 
years  of  age,  and  on  the  evening  of  that  day  was  one 
of  the  chief  actors  in  an  interesting  ceremony,  by 
which  he  became  the  husband  of  Miss  Susan,  third 
child  of  John  and  Susan  (Martin)  Wolgamot,  who 
were  born  near  Hagerstown,  Md.  The  wife  of  our 
subject  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  born  Dec.  12, 
1823.  The  young  people  after  their  marriage 
located  on  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  near  Fairview, 
which  our  subject  had  purchased  a  short  time 
previously.  Three  years  later  he  sold  this  and 
purchased  a  quarter  section  near  Canton,  which  he 
retained  until  1853.  He  then  changed  his  property 
into  a  stock  of  merchandise  at  Prairie  City,  Mc- 
Donough County,  and  was  in  trade  there  for  three 
years  following.  During  the  great  depression  in 
grain  and  pork,  which  will  still  be  remembered  by 
many  of  the  settlers  of  that  region,  Mr.  Davis  was 
compelled  to  close  out  his  business  at  a  great  sacri- 
fice. He  then  took  up  butchering,  which  he  fol- 
lowed thirteen  years  in  Prairie  City,  and  in  1868 
came  to  this  county,  resolving  to  resume  farming. 
He  managed  to  secure  possession  of  a  tract  of  land 
from  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  in  Harwood 
Township,  which  he  has  since  retained  his  hold 
upon,  and  upon  which  he  has  effected  a  remarkable 
and  admirable  change.  The  soil  had  never  been 
turned  by  the  plowshare,  and  there  was  neither  a 
building  nor  a  fence  upon  it.  He  now  has  a  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  on  section  16,  smiling  with  grain  and 
pasture  fields,  neatly  fenced  and  with  comfortable 
buildings.  It  presents  the  picture  of  a  pretty  rural 
home,  which  should  satisfy  the  ambition  of  any 
ordinary  person. 

The  seven  little  children,  who  came  one  by  one  . 
to  the  household  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  were 
named  respectively  Sarah  R.,  John  E.,  William  II., 
Samuel  G.,  George  H.,  Edward  and  Nettie.  The 
third  child,  William,  was  taken  from  the  home  cir- 
cle when  but  twenty-two  months  old;  Sarah  is 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Barber,  a  carpenter  b}'  trade,  i 


800 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


and  a  resident  of  Rautoul;  they  have  a  family  of 
seven  children — Minnie,  Lutitia,  Jennie,  Nellie, 
Willie,  Pearl  and  Maud;  John  married  Miss  Ida 
Hewitt,  of  Ludlow,  and  follows  farming  near  the 
homestead  of  Mr.  Davis;  within  the  precincts  of  this 
little  household  are  the  children — Effie,  Lida  and 
Elraa;  Samuel  married  Miss  Jennie  Counteman,  and 
is  a  resident  of  Chicago,  being  a  conductor  on 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  Of  the  three  children 
born  to  them,  Stella  and  Claud  are  numbered  with 
the  dead ;  Amanda,  a  bright  girl  of  ten  years,  is 
with  her  parents.  George  married  Miss  Emma 
Smith,  and  lives  in  the  northern  part  of  this 
county,  being  a  successful  farmer;  Edward  mar- 
ried Miss  Annie  Doak,  and  lives  on  a  farm  a  short 
distance  north  of  his  father ;  Nettie  is  the  baby. 

Mr.  Davis,  in  1869,  was  elected  School  Trustee, 
and  served  nine  years  in  succession.  He  was  Col- 
lector four  or  five  years,  and  was  elected  Assessor 
eight  years  ago,  which  position  he  still  holds.  He 
was  elected  on  the  Republican  ticket.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Davis  are  connected  with  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  are  the  most  highly  valued  by  those 
who  know  them  best. 


f~  ALENTINE  J.  GALLION,  Justice  of  the 
Peace  and  Supervisor  of  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship, first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  near 
the  Atlantic  coast,  adjacent  to  the  city  of  Hagers- 
town,  Washington  Co.,  Md.,  on  the  5th  of  March, 
1 835.  His  father,  James  W.  Gallion,  departed  this 
life  while  still  a  young  man,  and  when  our  subject 
was  but  a  boy,  so  that  the  latter  has  but  little 
knowledge  of  -him.  The  mother  in  her  girlhood 
was  Miss  Margaret  S.  Troutman,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  parental  family  included  four  sons. 
Our  subject  passed  his  early  life  in  his  native 
county,  and  in  common  with  his  brothers  enjoyed 
the  advantages  of  the  public  school  near  Hagers- 
town,  and  the  excellent  training  of  a  wise  and  judi- 
cious mother.  He  remained  with  the  latter  until 
twenty  years  of  age,  and  then  commenced  to  learn 
the  trade  of  a  ship  carpenter,  at  which  he  worked 
four  years.  In  the  meantime,  being  fond  of  read- 
ing and  study,  he  had  not  neglected  his  books  and 
now  began  teaching,  which  occupation  he  followed 


with  success  until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war. 
Then,  laying  aside  his  personal  plans  and  interests, 
he  responded  to  the  first  call  for  troops  by  enlist- 
ing in  Co.  F,  6th  W.  Va.  Vol.  Inf.,  in  which  he 
served  four  years,  and  was  successively  promoted 
Second  and  First  Sergeant,  and  finally  First  Lieut- 
enant of  Company  K,  with  which  rank  he  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  being  mustered  out  in 
June,  18C5. 

In  the  month  of  July  following  his  retirement 
from  the  army  Mr.  Gallion  came  West,  locating 
first  in  Champaign,  where  he  engaged  in  general 
merchandising.  Two  years  later  he  resolved  to 
follow  agricultural  pursuits,  and  secured  possession 
of  eighty  acres  of  land  at  Burr  Oak,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  two  years,  and  then  resumed  his 
former  occupation  as  a  teacher  in  St.  Joseph,  where 
he  continued  until  elected  a  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
in  1874.  Since  that  time  he  has  given  his  attention 
to  the  duties  of  his  ollice,  which  he  has  held  con- 
tinuously for  over  thirteen  years.  He  took  his  seat 
with  the  Board  of  Supervisors  in  the  spring  of 
1880,  and  has  since  remained  in  that  position. 
He  is  a  gentleman  well  versed  in  the  duties  of  his 
office  and  common  law  generally,  and  is  frequently 
called  upon  to  act  as  Administrator  of  estates,  which 
he  usually  succeeds  in  adjusting  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  the  Old  Dominion, 
in  August,  1866,  to  Miss  Julia  W.  Gallion,  also  of 
West  Virginia.  They  have  three  children  living, 
namely,  Charles  H.,  Marshall  E.  and  Grace  M. 
Florence  N.  is  deceased.  Mr.  Gallion  and  his  wife 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
youth,  to  the  support  of  which  they  contribute  lib- 
erally and  cheerfully,  and  in  which  Mr.  G.  is  a 
Trustee.  Besides  his  farm  property  he  owns  sev- 
eral buildings  in  St.  Joseph,  from  the  rents  of 
which  he  derives  a  snug  little  income  in  addition 
to  that  afforded  from  his  office  and  general  store, 
which  is  located  in  St  Joseph. 


1LLIAM  S.  FUNKHOUSER,  who  became 
a   resident  of   Somer  Township   in   1864, 
owns  and  occupies   a  comfortable    home- 
stead, where  he  is  carrying  on  agriculture  in  an  in- 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-•*- 

801 


telligcut  and  successful  manner.  His  farm  con- 
sists of  120  acres,  a  large  portion  of  which  is  de- 
voted to  the  raising  of  corn  and  stock,  the  latter 
consisting  principally  of  horses  and  hogs. 

Mr.  Funkhouser  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Law- 
renceville,  Dearborn  Co.,  Ind.,  Oct.  14,  1842.  He 
is  the  son  of  Jacob  Funkhouser,  who  was  born  in 
Beaver  County,  Pa.,  in  1818,  whence  he  emigrated 
to  Indiana  with  his  father's  family  at  a  very  early 
age,  while  the  country  was  yet  a  wilderness,  and 
Indians  and  wild  animals  roamed  through  the  for- 
ests. The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Abraham 
Funkhouser,  was  also  born  and  reared  in  Beaver 
County,  Pa.  He  left  Indiana  in  about  1852,  and 
locating  in  Greene  County,  111.,  died  there  at  the 
age  of  seventy-nine  years.  The  father  of  our  sub- 
ject still  lives  in  Hamilton  County,  this  State. 
The  parental  family  included  seven  children.  Our 
subject  remained  under  the  home  roof  until  his 
marriage,  which  took  place  Nov.  1,  1865.  His 
wife  was  formerly  Miss  Sarah  F.  Kirby,  who  was 
born  in  this  county  and  was  the  daughter  of  James 
Kirby.  There  were  twelve  children  in  our  subject's 
family,  seven  of  whom  survive,  namely,  Jasper,  Ida 
May,  Edward  J.,  George  C.,  Guy,  Ernest  and  Jessie 
Pearl. 

James  Kirby  was  born  in  Pickaway  County, 
Ohio,  in  1816.  He  married  Miss  Susan  Trickle. 
March  17,  1836.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Kirby  set- 
tled in  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  whence  they  removed 
to  the  present  site  of  Danville,  111.,  in  about  1825. 
There  Mr.  Trickle  erected  the  first  mill  in  Vermil- 
ion County.  Subsequently  they  came  to  this 
county,  where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
days.  The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  F.,  Elias  Kirby,  a 
native  of  Maryland,  settled  in  Ohio  when  a  young 
man,  making  his  first  location  in  Pickaway  County, 
whence  he  afterward  removed  with  his  family  to  a 
point  near  Attica  on  the  Big  Shawnee.  The  grand- 
mother of  Mrs.  F.  was  formerly  Miss  Polly  Johnson, 
whose  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  The  par- 
ental household  consisted  of  ten  children,  five  sons 
and  five  daughters,  all  of  whom  came  to  Illinois 
together.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirby  became  the  parents 
of  fourteen  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy, 
and  two  after  reaching  adult  years.  There  are  now 
remaining  five  sons  and  five  daughters,  all  of  whom 


are  married  and  settled  in  Illinois,  save  one  who  is 
in  Iowa. 

Politically  our  subject  is  a  stanch  supporter  of 
the  Independent  party.  He  has  been  School  Di- 
rector. He  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church,  but  is  not  now  connected  with 
any  religious  organization.  His  services  as  School 
Director  extended  over  a  period  of  fifteen  years. 


V.  ANTHONY  JOSEPH  WAGNER,  Pas- 

tor of  St.  Patrick's  Church,  at  Tolono,  is  a 
native  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  was  born 
Feb.  8,  1849.  His  parents,  John  and  Eliz- 
abeth Wagner,  were  natives  of  Alsace,  France,  and 
after  marriage,  in  about  1840,  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  and  located  in  the  Quaker  City. 
John  Wagner  there  engaged  as  a  contractor  and 
builder,  continuing  this  business  until  his  decease, 
in  about  1850.  The  mother,  who  remained  a 
widow,  is  still  living  at  Philadelphia,  having  now 
arrived  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  The  par- 
ental family  included  four  sons  :  John,  who  is  pas- 
tor of  a  Catholic  congregation  at  Pottstown,  Pa.  ; 
James,  in  the  War  Department  at  Washington,  D. 
D.  ;  Peter  A.,  an  importer  of  rattan,  at  Philadel- 
phia, and  Rev.  Anthony,  of  our  sketch,  who  is  the 
youngest  of  the  family. 

Our  subject's  early  education  was  conducted  in 
the  School  of  the  Christian  Brothers  at  Philadel- 
phia, and  when  thirteen  years  old  he  entered  the 
Academy  of  the  Christian  Brothers  in  New  York 
City.  Later  he  took  a  classical  and  philosophical 
course  in  St.  John's  College,  at  Fordham,  N.  Y. 
He  entered  upon  his  theological  studies  in  St. 
Charles'  Seminary,  at  Overbrook,  Pa.,  and  after 
graduating,  came  West,  and  was  ordained  at  Peoria, 
III,  on  the-J3th  of  December,  1878.  He  officiated 
as  assistant  Priest  for  some  time  at  Champaign,  in 
fact  until  appointed  to  his  present  charge  at  Tolono, 
on  the  10th  of  August,  1879. 

The  church  edifice  at  Tolono  was  built  by  Rev. 
Patrick  Toner,  in  1871.  He  officiated  until  1879, 
and  then,  on  account  of  failing  health,  retired  and 
returned  to  Ireland.  Our  subject  then  succeeded 
to  his  charge.  The  church  building  is  80x42  feet 


T 


802 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


•4 


in  area,  and  the  parish  contains  about  ninety  fam- 
ilies. .Since  the  time  when  Father  Wagner  took 
charge,  a  residence  and  thirty  acres  of  ground  have 
been  purchased,  and  the  church  property  altogether 
is  valued  at  $10,000.  As  pastor  and  preacher  the 
present  incumbent  has  fulfilled  his  duties  ill  a  man- 
ner creditable  to  himself  and  highly  satisfactory  to 
his  parishioners. 


J~'OHN  CRAWFORD.  One  of  the  fine  home- 
steads which  lie  on  section  23,  Scott  Town- 
ship, is  the  property  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  of  which  he  came  into  possession  in 
1875.  It  embraces  240  acres  of  finely  improved 
land,  with  a  comfortable  and  convenient  dwelling, 
good  barns  and  outhouses,  and  all  the  appliances 
of  a  first-class  country  estate.  Mr.  Crawford  is  a 
native  of  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  and  was  born 
April  30,  1840.  His  parents,  Simeon  and  Elenor 
(Hainsworth)  Crawford,  were  natives  respectively 
of  Ohio  and  Maryland.  They  settled  in  Morgan 
County,  Ohio,  after  their  marriage,  whence  they 
removed  to  Hocking  County,  and  from  there  to 
Wisconsin.  In  about  1856  they  came  to  Illinois 
and  located  in  Logan  County,  but  afterward  re- 
turned to  Ohio.  Later  they  came  back  to  Illinois 
and  took  up  their  abode  in  Boudville,  this  county, 
where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days. 

The  family  of  the  above-mentioned  couple  con- 
sisted of  nine  children,  of  whom  -  our  subject  was 
the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  He  was  reared  to  farm- 
ing pursuits  and  remained  in  his  native  State  until 
after  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion.  He  then  prof- 
fered his  services  to  assist  in  the  preservation  of 
the  Union,  becoming  a  member  of  the  90th  Ohio 
Infantry.  At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  he  was 
wounded  in  the  breast  and  finger,  and  afterward,  at 
the  battle  of  Stone  River,  injured  by  a  fall.  He 
was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Camp  Dennison, 
Ohio,  in  1865.  He  then  came  to  Logan  County, 
111.,  where  he  took  up  his  residence  for  a  brief 
period,  then,  returning  to  Ohio,  he  was  married  in 
Logan,  Hocking  County,  on  the  3d  of  December, 
18C5,  to  Miss  Julia  A.  Staker.  Mrs.  Crawford  was 
born  in  Hocking  County,  Aug.  20,  1845,  and  is 


the  daughter  of  George  and  Henrietta  (Rohberg) 
Staker,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Her  parents 
emigrated  to  America  in  early  life  and  settled  in 
Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  whence  they  removed 
to  Hocking  County,  and  passed  the  remainder  of 
their  days.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children, 
of  whom  Mrs.  Crawford  was  the  fifth  in  order  of 
birth. 

After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Crawford  at  once  re- 
turned to  this  State,  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Logan 
County  which  he  occupied  five  years.  He  then 
sold  out  and  removed  back  to  Ohio,  locating  in 
Pickaway  County,  where  he  remained  six  years, 
and  in  1875  returned  to  Illinois.  He  then  settled 
in  Scott  Township,  of  which  he  has  since  been  a 
resident,  and  besides  being  prospered  in  his  farm- 
ing and  business  operations,  has  secured  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him.  The  eight 
children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  are,  Curtis  A., 
Anna  Belle,  Ross  C.,  Minnie  M.,  Olive  G.,  Harry 
P.,  Nellie  F.  and  Luveruia  Henrietta.  Mr.  Craw- 
ford has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  the  prosperity 
of  his  adopted  county,  and  in  his  township  has 
served  as  School  Director  and  Trustee.  Politically 
he  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party. 


RS.  CHARLOTTE  VAN  FLEET,  daughter 
of  Abram  and  Philomela  Payne,  and  widow 
of  Christopher  B.  Van  Fleet,  is  a  resident 
of  Stantou  Township,  and  owns  a  fine  farm 
of  150  acres  on  section  36.  She  has  lived  in  this 
county  since  1873,  when  her  husband  purchased  the 
present  homestead,  but  only  lived  to  enjoy  it  a  lit- 
tle over  three  years,  his  death  taking  place  on  the 
19th  of  August,  1876. 

Mrs.  Van  Fleet  is  a  native  of  Washington  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  was  born  Oct.  9,  1828.  Her  parents 
were  natives  respectively  of  Connecticut  and  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  her  father,  born  in  1792,  died  in 
Marion  County,  Ohio,  in  1870,  when  seventy-eight 
years  of  age,  The  mother  died  six  days  later,  aged 
seventy-two,  and  their  remains  were  laid  to  rest 
side  by  side  in  the  burial  ground  at  Pleasant  Hill. 


RESIDENCE    OF  ISAAC     HIXENBAUGH  ,  SEC. 30,  CT-I3-  N-)  00DEN     TP 


RE5IDENCE   OF  THOMAS    LAVERICK  ,  5EC.3I.  (R-14-W-)  AYRE5  TP 


RE5IDEMCEOF   Z.  M.DUNN, 5  EC.  13,  5T.  JOSEPH     TOWNSHIP 


LIBRARY 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

805 


Grandfather  Payne,  also  born  in  Connecticut,  re- 
moved to  Ohio  during  the  early  settlement  of  the 
State,  and  with  his  wife,  Hannah,  lived  there  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  The  Paynes  were  of  En- 
glish origin,  and  a  family  who  became  prominent 
in  the  New  England  States  for  their  uniform  suc- 
cesses financially,  and  their  excellent  qualities  as 
citizens. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Van  F.  had  a  family  of  thir- 
teen children,  two  of  whom  died  young.  Those 
who  lived  to  maturity  are  recorded  as  follows: 
Benjamin  L.  remained  single,  and  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Kansas,  where  his  death  took  place  when  he 
was  sixty-three  years  old;  Stephen  and  his  sister 
Eliza  Ann,  now  the  wife  of  David  J.  Brady,  are 
also  residents  of  Kansas;  Philomela  died  when  two 
years  of  age ;  Abrara  married  Miss  Sarah  J.  Smith, 
and  is  a  resident  of  Ogden  Township,  this  county ; 
William,  who  married  Miss  Sarah  J.  Bartrom, 
served  as  a  Union  soldier  during  the  late  war,  and 
died  in  the  army  at  Memphis,  Term.,  after  having 
participated  in  many  important  battles;  his  widow 
is  a  resident  of  Marion  County,  Ohio;  Charlotte, 
of  our  sketch,  was  the  seventh  child ;  Angelina, 
now  Mrs.  Henry  Kelly,  is  a  resident  of  Dubuque, 
Iowa;  David  J.  married  Miss  Marinda  Wiseman; 
he  was  a  soldier  in  Co.  I,  174th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  and 
was  killed  during  one  of  the  battles  in  Tennessee, 
on  the  7th  of  December,  1864;  Charles  F.  is  mar- 
ried, and  living  in  Ohio;  Philomela  (2d)  passed 
from  earth  when  eighteen  months  old  ;  Emeline  be- 
came the  wife  of  Victor  Taylor,  and  they  are  resi- 
dents.of  Pilot  Grove,  111.;  Susan  M.,  Mrs.  Joseph 
Contu,  is  living  in  Marion  County,  Ohio. 

Mrs.  Van  F.  spent  her  childhood  with  her  brothers 
and  sisters  at  home,  and  received  the  excellent  ad- 
vantages afforded  by  the  common  schools  of  the 
Buckeye  State.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  she 
was  united  in  marriage,  Aug.  1,  1846,  with  Chris- 
topher B.  Van  Fleet,  who  was  a  native  of  Marion 
County,  that  State,  and  born  Dec.  24,  1824.  He 
was  deprived  of  a  mother's  care  when  two  years 
old,  and  was  reared  by  his  grandparents,  who  lived 
upon  a  farm  in  Marion  County.  His  childhood  and 
youth  were  passed  after  the  manner  of  most  farm- 
ers' boys,  attending  school  during  the  winter  season 
and  working  on  the  farm  in  summer.  He  was 


twenty-two  years  of  age  when  married,  and  engaged 
in  farming  in  Ohio  until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war. 
He  then  enlisted  in  Co.  I,  66th  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  en- 
tering the  ranks  Nov.  19,  1861,  and  serving  until 
April  5,  1863,  when  he  was  discharged  for  physical 
disability.  He  was  unwilling,  however,  to  give  up 
the  struggle,  and  believing  that  he  was  yet  good 
for  a  fight  with  the  rebels,  re-enlisted  on  the  1st  of 
September,  1864,  to  serve  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  This  time  he  was  assigned  to  the  174th  Ohio 
Infantry  and  remained,  as  he  had  desired,  with  his 
comrades  until  the  surrender  of  the  Confederate 
army.  He  was  promoted  Corporal,  and  met  the 
enemy  in  some  of  the  most  important  battles  of  the 
war. 

After  retiring  from  army  life  Mr.  Van  Fleet  re- 
turned to  his  native  county  in  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  engaged  in  farming  six  years.  In  1871 
he  emigrated  to  Vermilion  County,  this  State,  and 
thence  after  two  years  took  up  his  abode  in  Cham- 
paign County.  The  sister  of  Mr.  Van  F.,  Mrs.  Abi- 
gail Harraman,  resides  in  Marion  County,  Ohio. 
The  children  of  Mr.  Van  Fleet  were  as  follows: 
Asa  B.  was  born  Feb.  28,  1848;  he  was  studious 
and  made  good  progress  in  school,  and  at  nineteen 
years  of  age  commenced  teaching,  which  he  contin- 
ued for  seven  successive  winters.  Afterward  he 
engaged  in  merchandising  in  Marion  County,  Ohio, 
until  1870,  in  which  year  he  sold  out  and  came  to 
Illinois.  His  time  subsequently  for  a  few  years  was 
employed  in  teaching  and  farming  alternately. 
After  the  death  of  his  father  he  was  called  to  take 
charge  of  the  homestead.  The  second  son,  Harvey, 
died  wheii'two  years  of  age;  Marilla  died  when  an 
interesting  girl  of  nine  years;  Andrew  E.  married 
Miss  Mary  A.  Johnston,  and  is  a  resident  of 
Thayer  County,  Neb.;  Princess  L.  became  the 
wife  of  Pierce  Dunn,  and  is  living  in  Vermilion 
County,  this  State;  Anna  E.  remains  on  the  home- 
stead ;  Almira  died  when  two  years  of  age ;  Clara 
M.,  a  teacher,  makes  her  home  with  her  mother; 
Samantha  E.  is  also  at  home,  assisting  in  the  duties 
of  the  household. 

Christopher  B.  Van  Fleet,  although  a  resident  of 
Stanton  Township  but  a  brief  time,  was  recognized 
as  a  worthy  citizen,  and  in  his  farming  operations 
was  eminently  successful.  He  left  a  comfortable  ' 


f- 

<  ,   806 


CHAMPAION  COUNTY. 


home  and  fine  property  to  his  widow,  who  since  his 
death  has  sustained  the  reputation  of  the  estate  and 
kept  it  up  after  his  own  praiseworthy  methods. 
He  uniformly  casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican 
party. 

OSEP1I  CODDINGTON  is  a  prominent  fann- 
er and  stock-grower,  residing  on  section  12, 
Sidney  Township.  He  is  the  son  of  Benja- 
min and  Delilah  (Thomas)  Coddington,  and 
was  born  in  Sidney  Township,  Oct.  24,  1843.  His 
parents  were  natives  of  Ohio,  where  his  father  was 
born  in  1823,  and  his  mother  in  1824.  (For  his- 
tory of  parents,  see  sketch  of  Benjamin  Codding- 
ton). 

Joseph  Coddington  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of 
nine  children,  comprising  three  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters. He  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  on  the 
parental  homestead,  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm 
in  the  summer  and  attending  school  during  the 
winter.  The  educational  advantages  of  the  west- 
ern frontier  were  beginning  to  improve  at  that 
time,  and  he  made  the  best  use  of  all  the  oppor- 
tunities afforded  him,  and  during  his  life  at  home 
also  acquired  much  useful  experience  in  systematic 
farming.  His  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  'McElroy 
took  place  Nov.  23,  1871.  Mrs.  Coddington  is  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary  A.  (Franklin)  Mc- 
Elroy, and  was  born  July  13,  1853,  in  or  near 
Marietta,  Ohio.  She  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of 
six  children-,  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  Ohio,  but  are  now  living 
in  Sidney  Township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coddington 
had  a  family  of  three  children  born  to  them — 
(irant,  Essie  May  and  Mary  Delilah.  The  two  el- 
der are  deceased. 

May  14,  1864,  Mr.  Coddington  enlisted  in  the 
service  of  his  country  for  100  days,  and  was  kept 
on  guard  duty  on  the  Government  Island  near 
Rock  Island.  He  was  a  faithful  and  efficient  sol- 
dier, and  after  serving  more  than  his  full  time,  was 
mustered  out  at  Camp  Butler,  about  the  16th  of 
September,  1864.  After  his  return,  he  remained  at 
home  until  1874,  and  then  removed  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Mitchell  County,  Kan.  Remaining  there  a 
few  days,  and  encountering  some  of  the  cyclones 


incident  to.  that  region,  he  decided   to   return  to 
Illinois,  where  he  has  since  resided. 

Mr.  Coddington  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  estate  con- 
taining eighty  acres  of  valuable  laud,  all  of  which 
is  under  cultivation,  with  the  exception  of  five 
acres  of  timber.  His  residence  and  farm  buildings 
are  substantial  and  well  appointed.  He  takes  great 
interest  in  stock-raising,  giving  special  attention  to 
hogs  of  the  Poland-China  breed.  The  manage- 
ment of  his  farm  is  carried  on  with  system,  aided 
by  the  best  modern  improvements.  He  possesses 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  agriculture  in  all  its  de- 
partments, and  by  close  and  intelligent  application 
to  business  has  met  with  marked  success.  In  busi- 
ness transactions  he  is  always  guided  by  honesty 
and  integrity  of  character;  in  his  home  life  he  is 
affectionate  and  indulgent,  and  his  genial  disposi- 
tion has  won  a  large  circle  of  friends  by  whom  he 
is  held  in  the  highest  esteem.  With  his  wife  he  is 
a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  in  which 
he  is  Class-Leader  and  also  Assistant  Superintend- 
ent of  the  Union  Sunday-school. 


w 


AMKS  R.  MORE.  Among  the  pioneers  of 
Champaign  County,  the  number  of  which  is 
slowly  but  surely  decreasing,  this  gentleman 
deserves  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He , 
has  been  one  of  the  most  reliable  men  in  the  busi- 
ness and  agricultural  community,  being  possessed 
of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  great  resolution  and 
energy  of  character,  and  those  qualities  upon  which 
the  prosperity  of  a  section  and  country  depend. 
He  is  descended  from  an  excellent  family,  who 
trace  their  ancestors  back  to  Germany,  and  the  first 
representative  of  whom,  after  reaching  this  country 
located  in  New  York  State.  His  grandfather,  Henry 
More,  of  German  parentage,  was  born  in  Columbia 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  after  reaching  manhood  he 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  being  located  for  a 
number  of  years  on  a  tract  of  land  at  Chatham  Four 
Corners.  Thence  he  went  into  Delaware  County  and 
purchased  a  large  tract  of  timber  land,  from  which 
he  cleared  a  farm,  and  where  he  remained  occupied 
in  its  improvement  and  cultivation  until  his  death. 
Among  the  children  of  Henry  More  was  Henry, 


f. 

ll 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


807 


!'  '    fa 

r 


Jr.,  who  was  born  on  the  farm  at  Chatham  Four 
Corners,  and  was  but  a  boy  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
moval to  Delaware  County.  There  he  grew  to 
manhood,  and  was  occupied  after  the  manner  of 
most  farmers'  sons  until  his  marriage.  The  maiden 
whom  he  chose  to  share  his  fortunes  was  Miss  Bet- 
sey Ann  Farringtou,  who  was  born  in  Delhi,  Dela- 
ware Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  March 
Farrington,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  who  re- 
moved to  Delaware  County,  N.  Y.,  during  its  early 
settlement.  His  daughter  Paulina  was  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Meredith  Township,  that  county. 

This  was  during  the  time  that  the  Colonies  were 
struggling  for  their  independence.  Mr.  Farring- 
ton cherished  a  hearty  contempt  for  the  Tories, 
and  as  soon  as  his  services  could  be  made  available 
he  shouldered  his  musket  and  started  for  the  scene 
of  conflict,  and  did  not  leave  the  field  until  peace 
-  was  established.  Mr.  F.  then  returned  to  his  home, 
where  he  remained  engaged  with  his  private  con- 
cerns until  1812,  and  then  as  soon  as  the  guns  be- 
gan firing  again  left  at  once  for  the  field  of  battle, 
where  he  served  until  the  end  of  the  second  con- 
flict. He  was  permitted  to  escape  unharmed,  and 
spent  his  declining  years  in  Delhi  with  the  mother 
of  our  subject. 

After  their  marriage  Henry  More,  Jr.,  and  his 
young  wife  settled  down  on  the  old  homestead,  in 
a  section  which  had  not  even  then  been  disturbed 
by  the  building  of  canals  and  railroads.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  farming  he  set  aside  a  part  of  the  house 
for  the  accommodation  of  travelers,  the  homestead 
being  located  on  the  main  road  leading  from  Delhi 
to  the  Hudson  River.  Thus  employed,  and  pass- 
ing a  comparatively  uneventful  life,  he  remained 
until  his  earthly  labors  were  terminated  on  the 
27th  of  October,  1841,  being  stricken  down  in 
his  prime,  when  but  thirty-nine  years  of  age.  He 
had  previously  visited  Michigan  and  contemplated 
a  removal  there,  but  his  untimely  death  essentially 
changed  the  whole  future  for  his  family. 

Our  subject,  who  was  born  in  Delhi,  N.  Y.,  May 
17,  1829,  was  the  only  son  in  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren born  to  his  parents,  and  was  but  twelve  years 
of  age  when  his  father  died.  The  mother,  with 
excellent  management  and  forethought,  kept  her 
family  together  and  gave  the  children  a  good  edu- 


cation,  fitting  them  for  teaching.  James  R.  gradu- 
ated from  Delhi  Academy  when  seventeen  years 
old,  and  at  once  entered  upon  his  profession  as  a 
teacher.  He  was  thus  employed  for  several  win- 
ters, engaging  in  farming  during  the  summer.  He 
continued  a  resident  of  his  native  county  until 
1854,  when  he  migrated  to  Michigan  and  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  in  St.  Joseph  County,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  teaching  alternately 
until  1859.  He  then  sold  out  and,  accompanied  by 
his  little  family,  came  to  this  county  and  rented 
land  in  Rantoul  Township.  This  he  occupied  un- 
til 1860,  and  then  purchased  a  portion  of  the  land 
included  in  his  present  farm.  His  course  from  the 
beginning  was  marked  by  good  judgment  and  de- 
liberation, and  he  was  uniformly  prosperous  in  his 
undertakings.  He  followed  closely  the  principles 
which  had  been  instilled  in  him  by  his  excellent 
parents,  lived  honestly  and  uprightly,  was  prompt 
in  meeting  his  obligations,  and  secured  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  added  by 
degrees  to  his  real  estate,  and  is  now  possessed  of 
160  acres  in  the  home  farm  near  the  city,  eighty 
acres  on  section  10,  and  another  eighty  on  section 
12  in  Rantoul  Township.  It  is  all  improved  and 
enclosed,  and  furnishes  every  facility  for  the  suc- 
cessful raising  of  stock  and  grain. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1852,  Mr.  More  took  an- 
other important  step  in  life,  becoming  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Louisa  M.  Lee.  The  wedding 
occurred  in  Delhi,  N.  Y.  Mrs.  More  was  born  in 
Roxbury,  Delaware  Co.,  N.  Y.,  March  8,  1829,  and 
is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mittie  (Baker)  Lee, 
natives  of  Delaware  County,  the  latter  born  in  Rox- 
bury, and  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Eunice 
Baker,  natives  of  Connecticut  and  pioneers  of  Del- 
aware County.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  More,  to- 
gether with  two  brothers  and  one  sister,  died  in 
Roxbury,  all  within  three  weeks,  in  1850.  Her 
paternal  grandfather,  Daniel  Lee,  was  also  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  whence  he  emigrated  to  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  future  town  of  Roxbury,  N.  Y.,  during 
the  early  settlement  of  the  Empire  State.  Later  he 
removed  to  Westernville  in  Oneida  County,  where 
his  decease  occurred. 

The  six  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  R. 
More  comprise  a  family  of  which  they  ma}'  well 


t. 


<  ,    808 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


I 


be  proud.  Ella,  the  eldest  daughter  and  child,  be- 
came the  wife  of  J.  A.  Pillars,  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign; Henry  is  farming  in  Rantoul  Township;  Ed- 
ward N. ;  Anna  married  Samuel  E.  Tubbs,  and  re- 
sides in  Auburn,  N.  Y. ;  Fred  and  Nellie  are  at 
home  with  their  parents  when  not  engaged  at  their 
studies  in  school.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  de- 
vout members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr. 
More,  who  in  early  days  was  a  stanch  adherent  of 
the  old  Whig  party,  now  cheerfully  endorses..  Re- 
publican principles  and  gives  his  vote  and  influence 
in  support  of  them. 


J~  OHN  L.  LESTER.  The  400-acre  farm  lying 
one  and  one-half  miles  west  of  Gifford  and 
six  miles  east  of  Rantoul,  has  been  a  subject 
of  much  comment  by  travelers  passing 
through  that  section,  embracing  as  it  does  one  of 
the  finest  bodies  of  land  in  Compromise  Township. 
This,  like  most  of  the  homesteads  adjacent,  was 
built  up  gradually  from  a  modest  beginning,  and  is 
the  property  of  the  above-named  gentleman.  He 
commenced  life  in  a  modest  manner,  and  the  quar- 
ter century  of  steady  labor  which-he  has  given  to 
the  completion  and  beautifying  of  his  home,  has 
resulted  in  the  draining  and  tilling  of  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  land  and  the  erection  of  a  beautiful 
dwelling,  in  addition  to  the  other  buildings  re- 
quired by  the  modern  agriculturist.  The  stables 
contain  fine  horses,  and  the  sheds  and  pens  display 
numbers  of  cattle,  hogs  and  sheep,  all  in  good  con- 
dition and  well  cared  for,  and  the  whole  presenting 
a  rural  scene  which  is  a  delight  to  look  upon. 

Mr.  Lester  is  a  descendant  of  excellent  English 
ancestry,  and  his  father,  Thomas,  was  born  in  En- 
gland. When  a  youth  of  fifteen  years,  in  company 
with  his  father,  he  came  to  the  United  States  on  a 
pleasure  trip,  landing  in  New  York  City  about  one 
year  previous  to  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution- 
ary War.  They  remained  a  few  months  visiting  in 
the  States,  but  the  temperature  being  a  little  warm 
for  English  subjects  they  found  it  convenient  to  go 
over  to  Canada.  Young  Thomas  was  left  there  in 
charge  of  Gen.  Drummond,  while  his  father  set  out 
upon  his  return  to  England.  This  was  the  last  time 
Thomas  saw  his  father  and  he  was  never  more 


heard  from  by  his  friends.  Thomas  subsequently 
enlisted  in  the  Canadian  army,  but  a  year  afterward 
deserted  and  went  over  into  the  ranks  of  the  Colo- 
nists. He  served  in  the  army  of  Gen.  Washington 
until  their  independence  had  been  established  and 
was  honorably  discharged. 

After  retiring  from  the  service  Thomas  Lester 
went  into  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  and  purchased  100 
acres  of  heavily  timbered  land,  which  he  cleared 
and  transformed  into  a  good  farm,  where  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  reached  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  seventy-eight  years,  passing  to  the 
other  life  in  1858.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
formerly  Miss  Delight  Vauderwalker,  a  native  of 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  whose  parents  were  born  in 
Holland.  The  family  consisted  of  ten  children, 
namely,  George  W.,  Martin,  Leonard,  Mary  Ann, 
Nancy:  John  L.,  of  our  sketch;  Charles,  Fannie, 
Elizabeth  and  Melissa.  Those  living  are  Mary  Ann, 
Elizabeth  and  John  L. 

Young  Lester  passed  his  early  years  under  the 
parental  roof,  attending  school  during  the  winters 
and  assisting  on  the  farm  in  summers  until  seven- 
teen years  of  age.  Then,  in  1845,  with  a  cash  capi- 
tal of  $0  in  his  pocket,  he  started  in  life  for  him- 
self. Upon  arriving  at  his  destination,  which  was 
Monroe,  Mich.,  he  had  $1  left.  His  first  business 
was  to  procure  employment,  which  he  obtained  with 
the  Michigan  Southern  Railroad  Company,  with 
whom  he  remained  two  years,  working  at  seventy- 
five  cents  per  day  and  boarding  himself.  At  the 
expiration  of  this  time  he  visited  his  father  and 
mother  in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.  After  a  time  spent 
among  old  friends  he  engaged  with  the  Albany  & 
Boston  Railroad  Company,  with  whom  he  remained 
a  year,  and  then  went  into  the  New  York  &  Erie 
Railroad  Company,  with  which  he  served  accepta- 
bly for  a  period  of  nine  years.  In  1857  he  made 
his  first  visit  to  the  Prairie  State,  and  locating  in 
Springfield  became  an  engineer  on  the  Great  West- 
ern Railroad. 

The  following  year,  with  the  view  of  changing 
his  occupation  and  making  arrangements  for  a  per- 
manent abiding-place,  our  subject  purchased  164 
acres  of  wild  prairie  land  in  Compromise  Town- 
ship, this  county,  on  section  3,  for  $6  per  acre. 
There  was  no  house  within  five  miles.  He  had  now  a  ' 


r 


t. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


809 


family,  and  his  first  business  was  to  provide  for 
them  a  suitable  dwelling,  which  he  had  ready  in  the 
spring  of  18C1,  and  of  which  they  took  possession. 
In  the  meantime  there  arose  a  necessity  for  more 
hard  cash  than  he  could  obtain  by  working  on  his 
land,  so  he  resumed  railroading  as  engineer  with 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company,  and  was 
thus  employed  until  March,  1864.  He  then  aban- 
doned the  road  for  good,  and  turned  his  undivided 
attention  to  farming.  He  met  with  uniform  success 
fron  the  start,  and  added  to  his  first  purchase  by 
degrees,  allowing  none  to  run  to  waste  or  be  neg- 
lected, and  draining  the  swamp  sections  with  tile. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  Mr.  Lester 
has  been  prominent  in  township  affairs,  his  fellow- 
citizens  naturally  looking  to  him  to  assist  in  filling 
its  important  offices.  He  served  as  Supervisor 
three  years,  and  with  the  exception  of  one  year  has 
been  School  Director  since  1856.  He  and  his  ex- 
cellent wife  have  for  many  years  been  connected 
with  the  Baptist  Church,  and  since  becoming  a  voter 
Mr.  L.,  having  imbibed  the  principles  of  freedom 
which  were  an  essential  element  of  his  father's 
character,  has  uniformly  encouraged  Republican 
ideas. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
on  the  16th  of  February,  1852,  was  formerly  Miss 
Mary  Jones,  a  native  of  Bradford  County,  Pa., 
born  Jan.  12,  1828,  and  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Jane  Jones,  natives  of  the  same  county.  Of 
the  three  children  born  of  this  union  one  only  is 
living,  Charles  H.,  who  is  married  and  a  resident  of 
Dakota;  he  has  one  child.  Jane  R.  died  in  Susque- 
hanna,  Pa.,  when  about  three  years  of  age,  in 
1856.  Daniel  T.,  born  July  22,  1863,  died  at  the 
home  of  his  father  in  Compromise  Township,  on 
the  6th  of  February,  1882,  when  a  promising  young 
man  nineteen  years  of  age. 


L.  COLLINS.  This  highly  re- 
spected resident  of  Scott  Township  may  be 
properly  classed  as  one  of  its  self-made  men, 
who  from  a  modest  beginning  has  arisen  to  a  good 
position  among  his  fellow-citizens,  both  socially  and 
financially.  He  started  in  life  when  twenty-one 


years  of  age,  with  no  capital  but  his  strong  hands 
and  willing  disposition,  and  for  two  years  was  em- 
ployed as  a  farm  laborer  in  Piatt  County,  and 
afterward  in  Mason  County  for  a  period  of  three 
years.  He  then  rented  a  farm  in  Shelby  County 
where  he  remained  two  years,  and  from  there  re- 
moved to  Bondville,  where  he  was  employed  by  S. 
M.  Athens,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  as  a  grain  buyer. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  contract  he  came  into 
Scott  Township  and  rented  a  farm.  He  afterward 
lived  in  Bondville  and  Colfax  Township,  and  then 
returning  to  Scott  Township  purchased  the  farm 
which  he  now  occupies. 

Upon  taking  possession  of  this  Mr.  Collins  began 
the  establishment  of  a  permanent  homestead  in  which 
he  has  admirably  succeeded,  and  where  he  has  ac- 
cumulated sufficient  means  to  enable  him  to  pass  his 
declining  years  surrounded  by  the  good  things  of 
earth.  He  has  also  secured  for  himself  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  by  whom 
he  is  regarded  as  an  important  factor  in  the  busi- 
ness and  agricultural  interests  of  this  section.  He 
is  Democratic  in  polities,  has  served  as  School 
Director,  and  has  taken  a  genuine  interest  in  all 
matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his  county  and 
community. 

Mr.  Collins  was  born  in  Vermillion  County,  Ind., 
April  15,  1846.  He  is  the  son  of  Aaron  and  Vir- 
ginia (Fultz)  Collins,  the  former  a  native  of  the  Old 
Dominion  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  They 
removed  to  Indiana  soon  after  their  marriage, 
locating  in  Vermilli'on  County,  "whence  they  re- 
moved in  the  spring  of  1857,  to  Piatt  County,  this 
State.  Five  years  later  they  took  up  their  abode 
in  Danville,  111.,  whence  they  removed  to  Grayville, 
where  the  father  of  our  subject  departed  this  life  in 
February,  1884.  The  mother  still  survives  and 
lives  in  Danville,  111.  Of  the  twelve  children 
which  comprised  the  parental  household,  ten  lived 
to  become  men  and  women.  Our  subject  remained 
with  his  parents  in  Piatt  County  until  he  reached 
his  majority.  His  subsequent  course  we  have 
already  indicated. 

Mr.  Collins  was  married  in  Mahomet,  111.,  Nov. 
18,  1875,  to  Miss  Catherine,  daughter  of  James  and 
Anna  (Kelly)  Bowes.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  C.  were 
natives  of  Ireland,  who  emigrated  to  this  country 


810 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


while  young.  The  father  died  in  Scott  Township, 
this  county,  in  April,  1882.  The  mother  is  living 
with  our  subject.  Of  the  three  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bowes,  Mrs.  C.  was  the  eldest.  Her 
birthplace  was  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  the  date 
thereof  Jan.  23,  1854.  Of  her  union  with  our  sub- 
ject there  have  been  born  two  children,  both 
daughters,  Blanche  G.  and  Maude  M.  Mrs.  Collins 
is  an  intelligent  and  worthy  lady,  and  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 


AMUEL  D.  MANDEVILLE  is  an  extensive 
farmer  and  stock-grower,  living  on  section 
15,  Sidney  Township.  He  is  the  son  of 
Elijah  and  Hulda  (Uenton)  Mandeville. 
They  came  of  French  and  German  extraction,  and 
were  married  in  their  native  place,  Seneca  County, 
N.  Y.  In  1859  they  removed  from  New  York  and 
settled  in  Champaign,  111.,  where  Mrs.  Mandeville 
died  in  18GO.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  Mr. 
Mandeville  returned  to  New  York,  but  after  re- 
maining there  one  year  removed  to  St.  Joseph 
Township,  in  this  county,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
business  of  farming  and  stock-raising  until  the  last 
fifteen  years  of  his  life,  when  he  made  his  home 
with  his  son,  Dr.  J.  B.  Mandeville,  of  Philo,  with 
whom  he  remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
Oct.  10,  1885.  He  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his 
wife  in  Mt.  Hope  Cemetery,  Champaign,  111. 
Formerly  he  was  a  Presbyterian,  but  afterward 
became  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 
Samuel  D.  Mandeville  was  born  in  Ovid,  Seneca 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  July  2,  1839,  and  remained  at  home 
until  eighteen  years  of  age,  when  he  removed  to 
Champaign,  111.  During  his  first  year  in  this  place 
he  held  a  clerkship  in  the  store  of  A.  O.  Wood- 
worth  ;  at  the  expiration  of  the  year  he  was  appointed 
manager  of  a  general  store  at  St.  Joseph,  by  Mr. 
Woodworth,  for  whom  he  conducted  the  business 
for  about  six  months.  He  then  purchased  the 
stock  of  Mr.  Woodworth  and  entered  into  business 
for  himself,  which  he  .successfully  carried  on  until 
1865,  when  he  sold  out  his  stock  to  Kelly  & 
Slnwe.  During  the  next  three  years  he  was  en- 
i  gaged  in  stock-raising, dealing  extensively  in  sheep 


and  investing  in  wool.  During  the  two  following 
years  he  entered  into  partnership  with  William  O. 
Shreve,  in  osagc  plant  raising.  He  was  at  this 
time  a  resident  of  Champaign,  and  while  living 
there  was  married,  Feb.  3,  1869,  to  Miss  Mary  A, 
!  Coffeen,  of  Homer,  111.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
M.  D.  and  Mary  (Elliot)  Coffeen,  highly  respected 
and  well-known  people  of  this  county.  She  was 
born  Sept.  3,  1846.  Her  death  occurred  May  10, 
1884,  and  her  remains  were  tenderly  laid  to  rest  in 
the  cemetery  at  Sidney. 

Mr.  Mandeville's  family  consisted  of  seven  chil- 
dren: Ira  F.,  who  was  born  July  25,  1870;  Ollie 
M.,  born  April  27,  1872;  Hulda,  May  10,  1876; 
Ethel  G.,  Sept.  1,  1878;  Anna  B.,  March  17,  1880; 
Paris  and  Carrie  were  twins,  born  March  14,  1884. 
Carrie  died  Sept.  9,  1 884,  and  was  buried  by  the 
side  of  her  mother. 

Mr.  Mandeville  is  now  holding  the  office  of  Su- 
pervisor, representing  his  township  on  the  County 
Board.  In  1876  he  held  the  office  of  Assessor  of 
Sidney  Township,  and  was  Postmaster  at  St.  Joseph 
for  a  term  of  five  years.  He  has  charge  of  1 47 
acres  of  well-fenced  land,  and  gives  considerable 
attention  to  stock-raising.  He  is  one  of  the  Trustees 
and  Stewards  of  the  Methodist  Church,  of  which  his 
wife  was  also  a  highly  esteemed  member.  His  po- 
litical interests  are  identified  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  in  its  success  he  always  evinces  the  most 
earnest  zeal. 


¥>ILLIAM  M.  JONES,  a  gentleman  in  the 
prime  of  life,  and  a  farmer  of  St.  Joseph 
Township  who  is  entitled  to  much  credit 
for  his  industry  in  building  up  one  of  its  finest 
homesteads,  is  the  second  son  of  Lewis  and  Sarah 
(Street)  Jones,  who  were  residents  of  Sidney  Town- 
ship at  the  time  of  his  birth,  which  took  place  Dec. 
8,  1848.  The  branch  of  the  Jones  family  to  which 
our  subject  belongs  traces  its  origin  in  this  country 
back  to  the  Old  Dominion,  where  the  grandfather, 
Maj.  Matthew  Jones,  was  born,  and  from  which  he 
removed  to  Ohio  at  an  early  period  in  the  history 
of  that  State.  He  there  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Allen,  who  was  born  in  1792,  and  they  reared  a 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


family  of  six  children.  The  maternal  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  David  Street,  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812,  and  was  married  to  a  Miss  Dun- 
can, of  Kentucky,  who  was  of  German  descent. 
The  Jones  family  first  originated  in  Wales,  from 
which  the  first  representatives  emigrated  to  this 
country  dm-ing  the  Colonial  days. 

Lewis  Jones,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born 
July  3,  1816,  and  married  Feb.  23,  1843.  His  wife, 
Sarah,  was  born  March  19,  1814.  After  uniting 
their  fortunes  they  migrated  to  this  State,  locating 
first  at  Macoupin,  whence  they  removed  to  this 
county  in  the  spring  of  1 843,  where  the  elder  Jones 
purchased  a  small  tract  of  timber  land,  built  a  log 
cabin,  and  continued  to  live  until  April,  1849.  He 
then  sold  out  and  purchased  the  farm  now  oc- 
cupied by  his  son,  our  subject.  This  he  secured 
from  the  Government  at  $1.25  per  acre.  It  is  lo- 
cated on  section  32,  and  is  included  in  the  present 
fine  estate  embracing  320  acres  of  valuable  land, 
which,  under  the  wise  manipulation  of  its  pro- 
prietor is  numbered  among  the  finest  homesteads 
in  this  county. 

At  the  time  Lewis  Jones  settled  here  the  present 
flourishing  city  of  Urbana  was  an  unpretentious 
hamlet  of  one  house.  He  lived  to  see  the  country 
developing  around  him,  and  the  march  of  the  iron 
horse  over  fields  which,  when  he  came  here  were 
traveled  only  by  wild  game  and  now  and  then  a 
solitary  traveler.  He  did  not  live  to  old  age,  how- 
ever, but  passed  from  the  scenes  of  earth  in  the 
forty-third  year  of  his  age,  on  Christmas  Day, 
1 858.  He  left  a  wife  and  four  children,  of  whom 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  second. 

William  M.  Jones  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth 
on  the  old  homestead,  attending  the  district  school 
and  assisting  his  mother  as  best  he  could  after  the 
father  had  passed  away.  Upon  reaching  manhood 
he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  still  remain- 
ing on  the  homestead,  to  which  he  brought  a  bride 
on  the  Oth  of  October,  188G.  This  lady  was  for- 
merly Miss  Nora  B.  Cooper,  a  native  of  this  county, 
and  the  daughter  of  David  and  Nancy  (Wise) 
Cooper,  who  removed  from  Ohio  to  this  State  in 
about  I860. 

Mr.  Jones  has  continued  on  the  old  homestead 
up  to  this  time,  and -has  added  by  degrees  a  large 


acreage  of  the  fertile  land  adjoining.  Aside  from 
general  farming  and  stock-raising  he  has  given 
much  attention  to  the  breeding  of  Belgian  horses, 
having  about  four  head  of  as  fine  animals  as  are 
contained  in  any  of  the  stables  of  this  section.  Mr. 
Jones  also  fattens  numbers  of  cattle  annually, 
which  he  ships  to  the  Eastern  markets  and  the  pro- 
ceeds of  which  yield  him  a  handsome  income.  The 
land  is  largely  devoted  to  the  raising  of  grain,  being 
finely  adapted  to  this  purpose  by  its  thorough 
drainage  with  tile,  and  its  admirable  location,  which 
enables  it  to  receive  the  sunshine  and  the  atmos- 
phere best  calculated  for  the  growth  of  vegetation. 


SSAAC  FRANCIS.  Among  the  early  settlers  of 
St.  Joseph  Township  the  name  of  our  subject 
is  worthy  of  an  honorable  place.  He  was  born 
Nov.  9,  1825,  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  near  La 
Fayette.  His  grandfather,  Reason  Francis,  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  the  latter-named  State.  He 
lived  there  in  the  early  days,  when  wolves  and  bears 
were  frequent  visitors,  and  upon  one  occasion  dis- 
patched an  aggressive  bear  with  a  tomahawk.  His 
wife's  maiden  name  was  Margaret  Bair.  Her  father 
was  likewise  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Ohio.  He 
was  a  brickmason  by  trade,  and  the  founder  of 
London,  the  county  seat  of  Madison  County. 

Onr  subject's  father,  John  Francis,  came  to  Ohio 
with  his  parents  in  the  early  days,  where,  after  at- 
taining to  manhood,  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Vance. 
She  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  the  daughter  of 
John  Vance.  In  1840  her  father  left  his  Eastern 
home  with  the  intention  of  settling  in  Champaign 
County,  111.,  but  earthly  plans  are  in  the  hands  of 
a  Higher  Power.  On  the  journey  his  death  oc- 
curred while  seated  at  the  breakfast  table.  The 
family  of  Mr.  Vance  is  of  Scotch  extraction,  and 
that  of  Mr.  Francis  of  English  lineage.  After  his 
marriage  John  Francis  settled  in  Madison  County, 
Ohio,  and  engaged  in  farming  there,  becoming  one 
of  the  principal  wheat-growers  of  the  neighborhood. 
He  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  Madison 
County,  where  his  death  took  place  in  August, 
1  t-i-'W.  He  had  been  twice  married,  and  was  the 
father  of  six  children. 


T 


812 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


1 


Isaac  Francis  was  the  eldest  child  of  his  father's 
first  marriage.  His  boyhood  was  passed  at  home 
among  the  green  fields  of  his  native  county  until 
the  death  of  his  mother,  after  which  he  made  his 
home  with  strangers.  He  first  engaged  in  farm 
labor  as  a  wage-worker  by  the  month,  and  when  he 
had  reached  the  age  of  twenty  resolved  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  the  West.  He  came  to  Champaign 
County,  111.,  and  first  found  employment  in  Homer 
by  the  month,  and  next,  like  Abraham  Lincoln, 
took  a  job  of  rail-splitting,  at  which  he  worked 
faithfully  summer  and  winter  for  two  years,  receiv- 
ing thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents  per  hundred. 

In  1849  our  subject  married  Miss  Eliza  J.  Gazle, 
but  their  married  life  was  of  short  duration,  her 
death  occurring  in  the  following  August.  In  1855 
he  was  married  the  second  time,  to  Miss  Ella  Van 
Brunt,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Van  Brunt.  After 
his  marriage  he  rented  a  farm  for  five  years,  and  in 
1859  purchased  his  present  place  on  section  33, 
containing  120  acres  of  choice  land.  The  place 
had  originally  but  few  improvements,  but  his  farm 
is  now  well  tiled  and  fenced,  and  supplied  with  a 
good  barn  and  pleasant  farm  residence.  His  former 
dwelling-house  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1882,  but 
fortunately  it  was  partially  covered  by  an  insurance 
of  $450,  which  afforded  some  assistance  in  the 
building  of  another  house. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  have  a  family  of  three  chil- 
dren, two  sons  and  a  daughter  —  Edgar,  Craton  W. 
and  Jennie.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
Mr.  Francis  is  just  and  kind  in  disposition,  temper- 
ate in  his  habits,  and  possesses  the  esteem  of  all 
who  know  him. 


RS.  ELIZABETH  (EVANS)  GABRIEL, 
who  may  be  justly  numbered  with  the 
early  pioneers  of  Champaign  County,  lo- 
cated in  Rantoul  Township  on  a  tract  of 
wild  land,  in  1867.  She  became  familiar  with  all 
the  difficulties  of  settlement  in  a  new  country, 
and  performed  worthily  the  duties  of  a  pioneer, 
bring  among  those  noble  women  without  whom  the 
settlement  of  this  county  would  have  been  much 


less  advanced  than  it  is  at  the  present  time.  She 
evaded  no  duty,  and  labored  cheerfully  with  her 
family  during  the  days  when  such  labor  was  nec- 
essary to  their  well-being  and  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  home.  Her  first  husband,  Phineas  Allen, 
was  drowned  in  the  Hocking  River.  He  was  cross- 
ing a  trestle  work  during  high  water,  and  falling 
from  the  bridge  was  drowned.  His  body  was  found 
three  months  later. 

Mrs.  Gabriel  was  born  Feb.  11,  1822,  in  that 
part  of  Athens,  Ohio,  which  is  now  included  in 
Vinton  County.  Her  father,  David  Evans,  was  a 
native  of  Virginia,  and  her  grandfather,  Caleb 
Evans,  removed  from  the  Old  Dominion  to  Ohio  in 
about  1840,  and  settled  near  Columbus,  where  he 
spent  the  balance  of  his  days.  His  son,  David, 
who  was  a  young  man  when  this  removal  was  made, 
married  in  the  Buckeye  State  and  located  on  a 
timber  tract  in  Athens  Township,  Vinton  County. 
He  first  erected  a  log  cabin,  which,  however,  was 
soon  replaced  by  a  more  modern  structure,  and 
cleared  a  part  of  the  land,  and  remained  there  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1854.  The  maiden 
whom  he  chose  for  his  wife,  Miss  Sallie  Roderick, 
was  born  on  the  Scioto  River  in  Ohio,  and  died  at 
her  home  in  Vinton  County,  in  1844.  The  parental 
household  included  eleven  children. 

Mrs.  Gabriel  remained  with  her  mother  until  her 
marriage,  assisting  in  the  household  duties,  learning 
to  spin,  weave  and  knit,  and  to  cut  and  make  the 
clothing  for  the  family.  Her  first  marriage  took 
place  on  the  12th  of  May,  1842,  when  she  became 
the  wife  of  Phineas  Allen,  the  gentleman  above 
mentioned,  who  was  a  native  of  Athens  County, 
Ohio,  and  was  the  son  of  Phineas  Allen,  Sr.,  who 
emigrated  from  his  native  State  of  New  Jersey  to 
Ohio  in  the  pioneer  days,  and  locating  in  Athens 
County,  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Phineas  Allen,  Jr.,  spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native 
county,  and  during  his  last  years  was  -engaged  in 
the  management  of  his  father's  farm.  Mrs.  Allen 
was  married  to  William  Gabriel  in  1861,  who  died 
in  1863.  Mrs.  Gabriel  removed  to  Franklin  County 
in  1865,  renting  a  farm,  which  her  sons  worked 
until  1868,  when  they  came  to  Champaign  County, 
and  bought  forty  acres  in  Condit  Township,  and 
later  moved  to  Rantoul  Township.  Here  she  im- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


813 


proved  a  farm  and  lived  for  several  years,  display- 
ing great -skill  in  the  management  of  the  place. 

In  1881  Mrs.  Gabriel  removed  to  the  village  of 
liantoiil.  By  her  first  marriage  she  became  the 
mother  of  six  children,  two  of  whom  are  deceased. 
Those  surviving  are  Harvey,  who  is  a  resident  of 
Indiana;  George,  living  in  Arkansas;  Sarah,  who 
married  Providence  Mounts,  and  is  a  resident  of 
Pawnee,  Kan.,  and  Tartns,  who  manages  the  farm. 
The  second  son,  Sanford  Allen,  was  born  July  3, 
1845,  and  during  the  war  enlisted  in  the  fall  of 
1861,  in  the  75th  Ohio  Infantry.  At  the  bloody 
battle  of  Gettysburg  he  laid  down  his  life,  and  his 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  a  soldier's  grave.  He 
w.-is  a  bright  and  promising  young  man,  and  Ser- 
geant of  his  company.  Of  the  second  marriage  of 
Mrs.  Gabriel  there  were  no  children. 


ON.  S.  II.  BUSEY.  The  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch  is  one  of  the  oldest 
pioneers  of  Champaign  County,  having 
come  here  in  1836  with  his  parents,  when  a 
lad  twelve  years  of  age.  Here  he  grew  to  man's 
estate,  and  finished  the  education  which  was  begun 
in  his  native  county.  He  was  born  Oct.  24,  1824, 
in  Greencastle,  Ind.,  his  parents  being  Col.  Mat- 
thew W.  and  Elizabeth  (Bush)  Busey,  whose  fam- 
ily consisted  of  eight  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject was  the  second  in  order  of  birth. 

AVhen  Mr.  Busey  came  to  this  county,  the  neigh- 
bors were  few  and  far  between,  but  possessed  in  an 
eminent  degree  the  social  spirit  which  prevailed  in 
the  pioneer  days.  The  neighbors  were  all  ac- 
quainted with  each  other  for  twenty  miles  around, 
and  it  was  considered  almost  a  duty  to  attend  the 
dances,  weddings  and  funerals  which  occurred  in 
the  county.  The  schooling  of  young  Busey  was 
mostly  carried  on  in  a  log  cabin  with  puncheon 
floor  and  greased  paper  for  window-panes.  He  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof,  assisting  his  parents 
in  the  duties  incident  to  the  opening  up  of  a  new 
farm,  and  after  arriving  at  years  of  manhood  was 
married,  in  1848,  to  Miss  Artemesia  Jones,  of 
Greencastle,  Ind.,  formerly  of  Kentucky,  whence 
she  removed  with  her  parents,  John  \\ .  and  Alice 


(Scott)  Jones,  to  Greencastle,  Ind.,  when  a  child. 

Of  the  union  of  our  subject  and  wife  there  were 
born  eight  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  fol- 
lows: JohnW.  married  Miss  Ada  Tobias,  and  they 
have  two  children — Frankie  and  Katie;  this  son  is 
carrying  on  an  extensive  stock  farm  in  Compro- 
mise Township,  and  breeding  Short-horn  cattle 
and  Clydesdale  horses.  Augusta  Busey  is  the  wife 
of  W.  P.  Morgan,  an  attorney  of  Minneapolis, 
Minn.;  Frances,  Mrs.  II.  Riley,  lives  in  Champaign, 
where  her  husband  is  engaged  in  the  jewelry  busi- 
ness; Matthew  W.  married  Miss  Kate  Richards, 
and  they  have  two  children — Paul  W.  and  Virginia; 
he  is  'a  partner  in  Bnsey's  Bank.  James  B.,  who  is 
farming  in  Newcomb  Township,  this  county,  mar- 
ried Miss  Kate  Kaucher,  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren— Martin  M.  and  Simeon  H. ;  Alice,  Mrs.  •  G. 
Freeman,  of  Urbana.  has  three  children — Simeon 
H.,  Jessie  and  George;  George  W.,  who  is  now 
in  Arizona,  has  charge  of  the  Colorado  River  In- 
dian Agency;  William  H.  is  conducting  a  stock 
ranch  at  Great  Bend.  Kan. 

In  1853  Mr.  Busey  began  the  improvement  of 
what  is  now  known  as  the  University  Farm,  which 
he  occupied  until  1866.  He  then  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Urbana  where  he  was  for  many  years  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  and  grocery  business.  At  the 
same  time  he  was  first  and  foremost  in  the  enter- 
prises which  were  calculated  to  develop  and  in- 
crease the  prosperity  of  this  county,  among  which 
was  the  First  National  Bank  of  Champaign,  of 
which  he  was  the  originator,  and  one  of  its  first 
Directors.  He  afterward  sold  out  his  interest  in 
this  institution,  and  established  Busey  Bros.'  Bank, 
at  Urbana,  which  he  withdrew  from  in  1879,  in  or- 
der to  give  more  of  his  attention  to  his  extensive 
farming  interests  and  bis  lands  which  were  scattered 
throughout  this  county,  and  of  which  he  has  quite 
an  area  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska  devoted  to  stock- 
raising. 

In  the  spring  of  1877  Mr.  B.  was  elected  Supervisor 
of  Urbana  Township,  and  that  same  year  was  chosen 
to  represent  his  county  in  the  Legislature.  He  is 
a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Democratic  party,  and 
has  often  been  urged  to  allow  his  name  to  be  placed 
before  the  people  as  their  candidate  for  Congress. 
He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  benevo- 


814 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


lent  enterprises,  and  has  been  generous  in  contrib- 
uting his  time  and  money  for  the-  building  up  of 
his  township  and  county. 

The  Busey  family  residence  is  a  fine  modern 
structure,  pleasantly  located,  and  its  inmates  are 
surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of 
life.  Mrs.  Busey  is  connected  with  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  is  a  lady  highly  esteemed  for  her  ex- 
cellent qualities  of  character. 


GE  W.  GRISWOLD,  Supervisor  of 
Harwood  Township,  is  a  well-to-do  farmer 
operating  160  acres  of  land  on  section  17. 
He  may  be  pardoned  for  priding  himself  upon  his 
"Yankee"  blood,  as  it  has  been  the  means  of  mak- 
ing him  one  of  the  most  prosperous,  thorough  and 
energetic  tillers  of  the  soil,  who  came  to  the  West 
in  their  young  manhood  and  resolved  to  make 
their  mark. 

The  early  home  of  Mr.  Griswold  was  in  the  thriv- 
ing little  town  of  Sharon,  Litchfield  Co.,  Conn., 
where  his  birth  took  place  on  the  12th  of  August, 
183G.  He  was  the  first  child  of  Francis  W.  and 
Eunice  (Surdam)  Griswold,  the  former  a  native  of 
New  York  and  the  latter  of  Connecticut.  The  year 
following  the  birth  of  our  subject,  his  father,  tak- 
ing his  family  and  household  goods  with  him,  pro- 
ceeded to  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y.,  and  located  on  a 
farm,  where  he  engaged  in  agriculture  until  1852. 
He  was  a  man  wide  awake  to  what  was  going  on 
around  him,  and  when  he  heard  of  the  tide  of  em- 
igration setting  toward  the  central  portion  of  this 
State,  he  determined  to  join  the  caravan,  and  see 
what  there  was  for  him  in  the  larger  fields  of  the 
less  thoroughly  cultivated  West.  He  located  first 
in  Kendall  County,  this  State,  but  five  years  later 
moved  into  Peoria  County,  taking  possession  of  a 
farm  in  Elm  wood  Township,  near  the  now  flourish- 
ing city  of  Peoria.  There  our  subject  remained 
under  the  parental  roof  until  the  winter  of  1859. 
Being  then  twenty-three  years  of  age,  he  concluded 
that  it  was  high  time  to  begin  the  establishment  of 
a  home  of  his  own.  He  took  the  first  important 
step  toward  the  accomplishment  of  this  end  on  the 
28th  of  December  following,  being  united  in  mar- 


riage with  Lucy,  eldest  child  of  Joseph  and  Ann 
(Enzer)  Cox,  natives  of  England,  who  emigrated 
to  this  country  early  in  life,  and  located  '•»  Peoria, 
III.,  during  its  early  settlement. 

After  their  marriage,  the  young  people  took  up 
their  residence  on  a  small  farm  in  Brimfield  Town- 
ship, where  they  remained  three  years,  but  not  be- 
ing quite  satisfied  with  the  results,  returned  to  a 
farm  in  Elm  wood  Township,  which  they  occupied 
for  twelve  years  thereafter.  In  the  meantime  Mr. 
Griswold  had  been  prospered,  and  accumulated 
quite  a  little  sum  of  0101163-  with  a  fine  assortment 
of  farm  implements.  Believfng,  however,  he  could 
do  still  better  by  removal  to  this  county,  he  dis- 
posed of  his  property  in  Peoria  County,  and  em- 
barked in  a  like  enterprise'  in  this  county.  Purchas- 
ing 160  acres  of  wild  land  in  flarwood  Township. 
he  first  provided  a  suitable  shelter  for  his  familj-, 
and  soon  afterward  entered  vigorously  upon  the 
tilling  of  the  new  soil.  The  results  of  his  labor 
have  been  eminently  satisfactory ^and  the  traveler 
passing  through  Harwood  Township  acknowledges 
there  is  scarcely  a  more  desirable  homestead  there 
than  that  of  George  W.  Griswold.  A  view  of  the 
place  is  to  be  seen  on  another  page.  The  greater 
portion  of  the  land  has  been  devoted  to  the  raising 
of  grain,  and  of  late  years  Mr.  G.  has  given  much 
attention  to  the  breeding  of  Norman  horses,  of 
which  he  intends  to  make  a  specialty  in  the  future. 

Mr.  G.  is  strongly  Republican  in  politics,  and 
keeps  himself  well  posted  upon  current  events. 
Having  abandoned  the  greater  part  of  his  farm 
labors  with  the  exception  of  the  department  spoken 
of,  he  has  abundant  time,  for  reading  and  argument, 
and  while  never  offensive  in  the  expression  of  his 
views,  takes  genuine  delight  in  bringing  up  strong 
reasons  in  support  of  them.  He  was  elected  Super- 
visor on  the  People's  Ticket,  and  h<is  filled  the 
offices  of  Commissioner  of  Highways  and  School 
Director  for  several  years,  the  duties  of  which  he 
has  discharged  with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfac- 
tion to  his  constituents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Griswold  became  the  parents  of 
three  children:  The  eldest  daughter,  Julia,  died  in 
1873,  when  twelve  years  of  age;  Elz'a  W.  and 
Blanche  are  at  home  with  their  parents.  The  son 
Elza,  has  the  chief  management  of  his  father's  farm, 

: *~l' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


815, 


and  is  a  promising  young  member  of  a  more  than 
ordinarily  intelligent  community. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Francis  W.  Griswold. 
after  the  death  of  his  wife  came  to  this  county,  and 
made  his  home  with  his  son  until  his  death,  which 
took  place  in  1885.  According  to  his  wish,  his 
remains  were  taken  back  to  Peoria  County. 


OUIS-  BOG  ART  COLE.  This  gentleman 
since  1865  has  been  identified  with  the  busi- 
ness  interests  of  Rantoiil,  and  to  his  energy 
and  enterprise  the  town  is  largely  indebted  for  the 
extent  of  its  business  transactions,  and  the  reputa- 
tion it  has  gained  as  a  desirable  locality  for  those 
who  are  indisposed  to  be  idle.  Mr.  Cole  represents 
the  agricultural  implement  trade,  and  is  extensively 
engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  grain,  while  at  the 
same  time  giving  much  of  his  time  and  attention 
to  the  breeding  of  Percheron  horses.  Of  the  lat- 
ter he  has  some  fine  animals,  and  is  building  up 
quite  a  reputation  in  this  line  throughout  Central 
Illinois. 

Mr.  Cole  is  a  native  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada, 
and  was  born  June  14,  1827.  He  is  the  son  of 
Conrad  B.  Cole,  who  was  born  in  the  same  local ity, 
and  who  after  reaching  manhood  married  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Kennady,  of  Vermont,  her  birthplace  be- 
ing near  St.  Albans.  Her  parents  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Canada,  where  she  met  Conrad  B.  Cole, 
and  where,  after  her  marriage  to  him  she  spent  the 
remainder  of  her  life.  The  father  of  our  subject 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  also  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. The  ten  children  of  the  parental  household 
consisted  of  five  sons  and  five  daughters;  two  of 
the  sons  are  now  deceased.  The  paternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Barnard  Cole  by  name,  was 
born  in  the  Moha\rk  Valley,  in  New  York  State,  be- 
ing the  son  of  Daniel  Cole,  a  native  of  what  was 
then  Little  York,  but  now  included  in  New  York 
City.  The  family  were  originally  from  Holland. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch,  who  was  the  eldest 
child  of  his  parents,  passed  his  childhood  and  youth 
near  his  birthplace,  and  when  nineteen  years  old 
spent  two  seasons  upon  the  lakes  as  a  sailor.  Then, 
concluding  that  terra  firma  would  suit  him  better, 


he  remained  on  land  and  learned  the  millwright's 
trade,  which  he  pursued  in  the  State  of  New  York 
until  the  spring  of  1 855.  For  ten  years  afterward 
he  was  a  resident  of  Wolverton,  Canada,  whence 
he  came  to  this  county  in  1865.  lie  engaged  first 
as  a  contractor  and  builder,  which  he  followed  un- 
til 1871,  and  then  began  dealing  in  lumber  and 
grain.  His  yard  and  its  contents,  including  a  flour- 
ing-mill,  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1872,  the  whole 
involving  a  loss  of  $7,300.  He  recovered  from 
this  disaster  as  soon  as  possible,  and  resumed  the 
grain  and  coal  trade,  by  degrees  adding  agricult- 
ural implements,  and  now  carries  a  full  line  _of 
everything  required  by  the  modern  farmer.  Be- 
sides Jus  stock  and  town  property -he  owns  a  good 
farm  in  Rautonl  Township,  the  proceeds  of  which 
yield  him  a  handsome  sum  annually. 

Mr.  Cole  began  dealing  in  fine  horses  in  1879. 
He  has  now  thirty-seven  head,  nearly  all  Percher- 
ons,  models  of  beauty  and  symmetry,  and  embrac- 
ing some  of  the  finest  animals  of  the  kind  in  Cen- 
tral Illinois.  At  the  head  of  his  stables  is  the  cel- 
ebrated horse  "  Monarch,"  imported  from  France 
by  Timothy  Slattery  in  1880.  and  which  took  the 
second  prize  at  the  horse  show  in  Chicago  in  1881. 
He  is  one  of  the  finest  horses  in  Champaign  County, 
and  is  valued  at  a  high  figure. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Cole  took  place  in  the 
spring  of  1856,  when  he  was  united  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Hinchelwood,  who  was  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Hinchel- 
wood. who  emigrated  from  that  country  with  their 
family  in  1845,  and  are  now  residents  of  Ontario. 
Mrs.  Cole  departed  this  life  after  becoming  the 
mother  of  one  daughter,  Elizabeth  A.,  who  is  now 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Little,  of  Rantoul.  The  pres- 
ent wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
in  1862,  was  formerly  Miss  Isabelle  Honej'inan,  of 
Kirkcaldy,  Scotland,  who  came  to  the  United  States 
with  her  parents  when  a  little  girl.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  have  been  ny  children. 

Our  subject  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Gen.  W  infield  Scott,  and  since  exercising  the  right 
of  suffrage  has  been  the  stanch  supporter  of  Re- 
publican principles.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace 
two  terms,  and  has  served  as  Collector  of  Rantoul 
Township  two  terms.  He  keeps  himself  well  posted 


816 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


upon  current  events,  and  no  man  in  the  township 
feels  greater  satisfaction  in  contemplating  its  prog- 
ress and  general  welfare  than  he.  Mr.  Cole  iden- 
tified himself  with  the  Masons  in  Canada  in  Octo- 
ber, 1 858,  and  since  that  time  has  been  a  valued 
member  of  the  fraternity.  As  the  friend  of  law, 
order  and  progress,  he  is  filling  his  niche  in  life 
worthily,  and  building  for  himself  a  good  record. 


ft^  R.  EDWIN  A.  KRATZ.  The  gentleman 
whose  history  we  briefly  note  in  the  fol- 
lowing lines  is  a  worthy  member  of  the 
medical  profession  of  Champaign  County, 
having  been  located  in  the  city  of  the  same  name 
for  a  period  of  twenty  years.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  by  a  course  of 
close  study  and  extensive  reading  has  thoroughly 
fitted  himself  for  his  chosen  profession.  Since 
commencing  his  practice  in  this  vicinity  his  skill 
and  judgment  have  uniformly  commended  him  to 
the  people  and  the  result-  has  been  profitable  both 
in  a  financial  and  social  sense. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Plumsteadville,  Bucks 
Co.,  Pa.,  where  he  was  born  July  12,  1844.  He  is 
the  sou  of  Henry  and  Annie  (Stover)  Kratz,  also 
natives  of  the  Keystone  State.  Henry  Kratz  pur- 
sued the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  became  the 
father  of  a  family  of  twelve  children,  five  now  de- 
ceased. Those  surviving  are  Annetta,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania; Henry  S.,  of  Ft.  Worth,  Tex.;  Jordan  H.,of 
Greenwood,  Del. ;  Catherine,  of  Danboro,  Pa. ;  Reu- 
ben S.,  on  the  old  homestead,  and  Feinando,  of  Dan- 
boro. The  mother  departed  this  life  March  15, 1887, 
when  seventy-two  years  old.  The  father  is  still  liv- 
ing. For  the  last  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  he  has 
been  known  as  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  pros- 
perous farmers  in  Bucks  County.  His  father,  Phillip, 
was  born  on  the  old  homestead  at  Plumsteadville. 
His  grandfather,  also  Phillip,  spelled  his  name  with 
an  "  F."  The  family  descended  from  the  Swiss  and 
the  first  representatives  in  this  country  located  in 
Eastern  Pennsylvania  in  about  1707. 

Dr.  Kratz  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  remained  until  twenty  years  of  age.  At  the 
early  age  of  sixteen  he  commenced  teaching  a  pri- 


vate  school  in  his  native  town,  and  in  the  fall-of 
1862  had  charge  of  the  public  school  in  Springfield, 
Bucks  County.  lie  was  also  Secretary  of  the 
Teachers'  Association  in  Springfield  Township.  In 
1864,  toward  the  close  of  the  late  war  and  before 
he  had  reached  his  majority,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  A, 
198th  Pa.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  was  clerk  temporarily  at 
brigade  headquarters.  He  engaged  in  the  battle  at 
Preble's  Farm,  Va.,  Boydstown  Plank  Road,  and 
was  at  the  capture  of  Ft  Steadman  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  At  the  battle  of  Dunwiddie  Court 
House  he  was  shot  through  the  chest  and  in  the  left 
arm  below  the  elbow,  also  in  the  right  arm  above 
the  elbow.  He  lay  in  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Hospital, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  for  eight  weeks,  and  was  unfit 
for  duty  for  three  and  one-half  months.  In  fact, 
he  has  never  since  been  a  well  man,  and  is  now  un- 
able to  ride  on  horseback  and  unfitted  for  manual 
labor.  As  soon  as  able -to  return  home  he  received 
his  honorable  discharge  on  account  of  disability. 

After  the  war.  in  1866,  and  when  but  twenty-two 
years  old,  young  Kratz  started  for  the  West,  lie 
stopped  in  Ohio  for  about  one  year  and  then  came 
to  this  county  and  commenced  the  study  of  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  Mills,  in  Champaign.  He  entered 
upon  a  course  of  lectures  at  the  University  of 
Michigan,  after  which  he  returned  to  his  native 
State  and  attended  lectures  in  the  University  of 
PeniiS3-lvania  at  Philadelphia,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated on  the  19th  of  March,  1869.  After  receiving 
his  diploma  he  returned  to  the  West  and  commenced  • 
practice  in  Champaign.  He  belongs  to  the  County, 
State  and  Central  Illinois  Medical  Societies,  and  was 
one  of  the  Directors  of  the  public  library,  being 
Secretary  of  the  Board  until  in  1876,  when  it  was 
turned  over  to  the  city.  After  that  he  was  still 
retained  as  a  Director.  He  was  elected  City  Clerk 
of  Champaign  in  1881,  serving  four  years,  and  was 
Supervisor  of  the  township  during  1884—85.  Po- 
litically he  is  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  Socially  he  belongs  to  the  Masons,  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  the  K.  of  P.  and  the  G.  A.  R.,  in  the  lat- 
ter of  which  he  is  Commander.  He  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Militia  in  1877,  and  the  following 
year  was  promoted  to  Assistant  Surgeon  of  the 
regiment.  In  1871  the  Doctor  was  appointed  Pen- 
sion Examiner  for  the  district,  which  he  held  until 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


817   -  > 


1885,  when  he  was  dropped  to  be  again  appointed 
in  188(i.     He  is  now  .Secretary  of  the  Board. 

Dr.  Kratz  was  married  in  1884,  to  Mrs.  Annie 
Beidler,  of  Champaign,  and  the  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin C.  Bradley,  of  Versailles,  Ky.  Of  their  union 
there  has  been  born  one  son,  Alonxo  P.  Besides 
the  pleasant  residence  on  West  Clark  street.  Dr.  K. 
is  the  owner  of  valuable  town  lots,  and  lias  dis- 
tinguished himself  as  much  in  a  business  capacity 
as  in  his  profession. 


\OBKRT  DAVIS  became  a  resident  of  Ma- 
homet Township  in  the  spring  of  1871,  set- 
tling upon  section  13,  where  he  has  since 
ved.  His  homestead  consists  of  332  acres 
of  fine  farming  land,  all  improved,  and  upon  which 
he  has  erected  a  convenient  and  substantial  dwelling 
and  all  other  requisite  farm  buildings,  a  view  of 
which  is  shown  on  another  page.  He  has  been 
prosperous  in  his  agricultural  operations  and  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  representative  men  of  the  farm- 
ing and  business  community. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  James  and  Mary  (Mc- 
Cullum)  Davis  (see  sketch  of  James  Davis).  He 
was  born  in  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  Oct.  17,  1842,  and 
after  pursuing  his  primary  studies  in  the  common 
schools  completed  them  in  the  High  School  at  Dan- 
ville. Since  fourteen  years  of  age  he  has  lived  on 
a  farm,  and  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  was 
twenty-two.  He  first  started  in  business  for  him- 
self in  Hensley  Township,  where  he  carried  on 
farming  four  years,  and  then  purchased  a  part  of 
his  present  homestead.  He  was  married  in  Ma- 
homet Township,  Oct.  19,  1864,  to  Miss  Elvira  B. 
Scott,  a  native  of  this  township,  and  the  daughter 
of  Judge  F.  L.  Scott,  who  died  in  Mahomet  Town- 
ship, Nov.  13,  1878.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Davis 
before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Julia  A.  Herriott, 
and  she  departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Mahomet 
Township.  Jan.  16,  1882.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  be- 
came the  parents  of  five  children,  namely,  Wiley, 
Thomas,  Julia  B.,  Mary  M.  and  Charles.  Wiley 
and  Julia  B.  are  the  only  surviving  children.  The 
others  died  in  infancy.  The  wife  and  mother  de- 
parted this  life  Jan.  18,  lH7d. 


Mr.  Davis  was  married  to  his  present  wife,  who 
was  formerly  Miss  Sarah  G.  Little,  in  Urbana,  Sept. 
14,  1876.  This  lady  is  the  daughter  of  Leavitt  C. 
and  Lucy  (Webster)  Little,  natives  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. After  marriage  her  parents  located  in  Mc- 
Kean  County,  Pa.,  where  they  spent  the  remainder 
of  their  days.  Mr.  Little  was  engaged  in  farming 
and  surveying.  Mrs.  Lucy  J.  Little  was  first  mar- 
ried to  Philip  Webster,  by  whom  she  had  two  chil- 
dren— Charles  D.  and  Philip  L.  The  four  children 
of  the  parental  household  were  Ellen,  John  S., 
Susan  and  Sarah  G.  Mrs.  D.  was  born  in  McKean 
County,  Pa.,  Sept.  22,  1843,  and  by  her  marriage 
with  our  subject  became  the  mother  of  three  chil- 
dren— Fannie  D.,  Earnest  L.  and  Jay  R. 

Mr.  Davis,  politically,  is  a  reliable  Republican, 
and  a  man  greatly  esteemed  among  his  fellow- 
townsmen,  who  have  intrusted  him  with  the  various 
minor  offices  of  the  township.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  Mahomet  Lodge  No.  220, 
and  with  his  wife  is  prominently  connected  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 


AMES  K.  ICE,  druggist  at  Gifford,  possesses 
the  following  interesting  history:  The  first 
representative  of  the  family  in  this  country 
was  the  great-great-grandfather  of  our  sub- 

^ — -—•' 

ject,  Frederick  Ice,  who  emigrated  from  Prussia, 
and  settled  in  Eastern  Virginia  long  before  the 
Revolutionary  War.  He  lived  to  the  good  old  age 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  years,  and  died  in 
Marion  County,  W.  Va.  Among  his  sons  was 
Adam,  the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  who 
was  born  in  Marion  County,  W.  Va.,  spent  his  en- 
tire lil'c  in  his  native  State,  and  died  in  1850,  when 
ninety -eight  years  of  age.  He  married  Miss  Bay- 
les,  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion,  and  the}' 
became  the  parents  of  five  children,  viz.,  Polly, 
Rolla,  Elizabeth,  Margaret  and  William  B.  The 
great-grandmother  died  in  1851,  aged  ninety-three. 
Their  son  Rollo,  who  was  born  in  Marion  County, 
W.  Va.,  in  1796,  was  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject. He  also  spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native 
State,  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  and 
after  a  creditable  record  as  a  citizen  and  business 


f 


'818 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


man,  rested  from  his  labors  in  1870.  He  married 
Miss  Rachel  Hayes,  a  native  of  his  own  county, 
who  was  born  in  17H8  and  died  in  1878.  Their 
family  of  seven  children  grew  to  man  and  woman- 
hood, and  were  named  respectively  Oliver  P., 
Fielding  R.,  Henry  M.,  Elizabeth,  Adam  II.,  Rolla 
E.  and  Phebe.  The  latter  two  were  twins.  Of 
these  children,  the  eldest,  Oliver  P.,  was  the  father 
of  our  subject. 

Oliver  P.  Ice  was  also  born  in  Marion  County, 
W.  Va..  his  birth  taking  place  May  15,  1821.  His 
younger  days  were  passed  under  the  home  roof, 
and  when  nineteen  years  old  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Sarah  Dent,  in  January,  1840,  and  they  set- 
tled on  a  farm  of  500  acres  given  him  by  his  father, 
and  located  in  his  native  county.  After  occupying 
this  several  years  they  crossed  the  Mississippi  into 
Iowa,  but  after  a  year  returned  to  the  Old  Domin- 
ion and  once  more  established  themselves  near  the 
old  homestead,  where  they  remained  twelve  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1 800  Oliver  P.  Ice  came  with  his 
family  to  this  county,  and  after  spending  one  year 
at  Urbaiia  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Ur- 
bana  Township,  which  he  afterward  doubled,  and 
occupied  until  the  spring  of  1880.  He  then  sold 
out  and  moved  to  Texas,  where  he  lives  at  present 
and  is  extensively  engaged  in  stock-raising. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  Oct.  9,  1821, 
and  departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her  husband 
in  Marion  County,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  18,  1851.  Her 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  family  burying- 
ground  on  the  old  homestead  in  that  county.  The 
parental  family  included  six  children,  namely,  Ze- 
rilda,  George  R.,  James,  of  our  sketch,  Bathsheba, 
Charlotte  and  Sarah  E.  The  maternal  grandfather 
of  our  subject  was  Dudley  E.  Dent,  who  was  born 
near  Morgantown,  W.  Va.,  and  passed  his  days 
mostly  in  that  neighborhood.  He  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  War  of  1812,  took  part  in  the  engage- 
ment at  Hampton  Roads,  and  was  in  the  en- 
gagement with  the  British  at  North  Point,  near 
Baltimore.  He  met  his  death  by  drowning  in  the 
Kanawha  River.  AV.  Va.,in  1844:  The  maiden  name 
of  his  wife  was  Mahala  Berkshire,  who  was  born 
near  Morgautown,  Va.,and  died  in  1884.  They  were 
the  parents  of  twelve  children — George  AAr.,  Maria, 
Alpheus  E..  James  A'.,  Sarah  Ann,  Cornelius  B.,Ze- 


1 


rilda  D..  Anara,  Marmaduke,  Margaret,  Dudley  E. 
and  Richard  M.  Three  of  their  boys,  James,  Alpheus 
and  Richard,  served  in  the  Confederate  army  and 
were  killed  during  the  Rebellion.  Marmaduke  and 
Dudley  E.  fought  in  the  Union  army  and  both 
came  home  disabled  for  life.  Our  subject's  great- 
grandfather Dent,  a  native  of  Eastou,  Va.,  served 
all  through  the  Revolutionary  War  as  Captain. 
After  the  independence  of  the  Colonists  had  been 
established  he  settled  near  Morgantown,  together 
with  quite  a  number  of  his  old  company,  and  died 
there  in  the  midst  of  his  friends. 

James  K.  Ice,  like  all  of  his  family  from  his 
great-grandfather  down,  was  born  in  West  Virginia, 
his  first  introduction  to  life  being  on  the  8th  of 
April,  1 844.  He  was  deprived  of  the  affectionate 
care  of  his  mother  when  a  lad  seven  years  of  age, 
and  was  the  third  of  six  children  born  to  his  par- 
ents. Only  two  now  remain  of  the  family,  himself 
and  his  sister  Zerilda.  In  due  time  his  father  was 
married  the  second  time,  and  James  K.  remained 
in  his  native  State  until  sixteen  years  old,  then,  in 
company  with  his  father  and  stepmother,  came  by 
steamboat  to  Cincinnati  and  thence  by  rail  to  Ur- 
bana,  111.,  lauding  in  this  county  in  the  spring  of 
1800.  He  continued  under  the  parental  roof  four 
years  thereafter,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy  J.  Butcher, 
Sept.  20,  1863.  His  wife  is  the  daughter  of  AVill- 
iam  J.  and  Marinda  (Ullom)  Butcher,  who  are  now 
deceased. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ice  located  on 
a  tract  of  land  in  Urbaua  Township,  and  thence 
removed  to  a  farm  in  Marshall  County,  which  our 
subject  operated  some  time  for  his  uncle,  Enoch 
Dent.  Afterward  he  rented  land  in  another  part 
of  Marshall  County  until  the  spring  of  1865,  when 
he  went  into  Putnam  County,  111.,  and  pursued 
farming  there,  coming  thence  to  Champaign  in 
1870.  His  first  location  here  was  in  Compromise 
Township,  where  he  operated  on  eighty  acres  for 
two  years,  and  then  purchased  160  acres  on  section 
30.  After  residing  there  a  few  years  he  purchased 
the  farm  of  his  father  in  Compromise  Township, 
which  he  occupied  until  the  spring  of  1882.  This 
he  afterward  sold  and  purchased  104  acres  of  good 
land  in  Vermilion  County,  where  he  lived  five 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


819 


years.  He  then  determined  to  change  his  location 
and  occupation,  and  accordingly  rented  his  farm, 
and  purchasing  the  stock  and  fixtures  of  James  M. 
Morse,  at  Gifford,  removed  hither  and  embarked 
in  the  drug  trade.  He  has  made  a  good  beginning 
and  his  friends  predict  his  entire  success.  He  keeps 
a  well-selected  stock  of  goods,  and  his  courteous 
manner  to  his  customers  is  securing  for  him  the 
patronage  of  the  best  people  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Ice  has  always  taken  an  intelligent  interest 
in  matters  of  local  importance,  and  at  the  polls 
casts  his  vote  and  influence  in  favor  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ice  have  become  the 
parents  of  ten  children — Hortense,  David  W.,  Will- 
iam II.  Meldora,  Eugenie  (deceased),  Marinda, 
Oliver  S.,  Laura,  Nellie  and  Constance. 


WEEKS  DODGE,  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  highly  respected  citizens  of  Ran- 
toul, came  to  this  vicinity  in  the  spring  of 
1856,  and  purchased  1,000  acres  of  wild 

**^--* 

prairie  land,  which  he  began  to  improve,  and  upon 
which  he  spent  some  15,000  in  fitting  the  soil  for 
the  raising  of  winter  wheat.  This,  however,  proved 
an  unfortunate  investment,  and  together  with  his 
ill-health,  induced  him  to  abandon  farming  and 
take  up  his  residence  in  liantoul,  where  he  estab- 
lished a  drug-store,  which  he  carried  on  successfully 
for  about  eight  or  nine  years.  Subsequently  he 
opened  a  land-office,  and  during  a  business  of  four 
years'  standing  had  operated  in  50,000  acres,  the 
commissions  from  which  yielded  him  quite  a  little 
fortune.  In  1873  he  retired  from  active  business, 
and  is  now  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  labors,  sur- 
rounded by  all  the  comforts  and  many  of  the"  lux- 
uries of  life.  In  addition  to  his  town  property  he 
owns  a  good  farm  not  far  from  the  limits,  embrac- 
ing 235  acres  of  valuable  land,  which  he  rents  for  a 
stated  sum  annually. 

Mr.  Dodge  for  many  years  has  been  prominent 
in  the  affairs  of  Rantoul  Township,  representing  it 
as  Supervisor  on  the  County  Board,  and  for  a 
period  of  seven  years  was  Assessor,  at  the  time 
when  the  one  township  comprised  an  area  equal  to 
four.  Under  his  excellent  manngement  the  expense 


of  this  amounted  to  but  $13.50.  Subsequently, 
after  the  organization  of  Rantoul  Township  proper, 
its  other  territory  being  laid  off  into  Ludlow, 
Ilarwood  and  Rantoul,  he  assisted  in  its  organ- 
ization, took  an  active  part  in  the  erection  of  the 
first  and  second  school  buildings,  and  was  Director 
for  many  years.  He  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
seven  years.  He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Jackson. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  near  Whites- 
town,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  on  the  21st  of  November, 
1808.  His  father,  John  Dodge,  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  was  born  July  7,  1776,  three  days  after 
the  declaration  of  American  independence,  and 
died  of  old  age  at  his  home  in  Twinsburg,  Ohio,  in 
his  seventy-ninth  3'ear.  In  early  manhood  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Hannah  Weeks,  a  native  of  Com  fret, 
Conn.,  their  wedding  taking  place  in  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.,  in  1800.  The  Weeks  family  was 
noted  for  its  intellect  and  learning,  the  male  mem- 
bers following  professions  generally.  The  family 
originated  in  England,  and  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers  of  New  England.  The  maternal  grandpar- 
ents of  our  subject  removed  from  Connecticut  to  • 
New  York  while  young  people,  and  soon  after  .their 
marriage.  Grandfather  Dodge  served  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary War,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill.  He  had  been  married  but  a  short 
time  before  his  enlistment,  and  his  wife  was  married 
four  times  afterward,  becoming  the  mother  of  sev- 
enteen children. 

The  family  of  John  Dodge,  Sr.,  and  his  wife  in- 
cluded ten  children,  of  whom  all  lived  to  mature 
years,  and  five  are  still  surviving.  The  youngest 
is  seventy-two  years  old.  The  mother  died  when 
forty-two  years  of  age.  The  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy removed  with  his  parents  from  his  native 
State  to  Portage  County,  Ohio-,  when  a  boy  of  ten 
years,  where  he  completed  a  good,  common-school 
education,  attending  three  months  after  he  was 
twenty  years  old.  Under  the  careful  training  of 
his  father  he  also  became  a  practical  farmer.  He 
remained  under  the  home  roof  until  twenty  years 
old  before  he  ventured  to  begin  the  establishment 
of  a  home  for  himself,  but  in  the  meantime  had 
taken  good  care  of  his  earnings,  and  was  now  ready 
to  engage  in  farming  for  himself.  Among  his  fern- 


T 


820 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


inine  acquaintances  was  Miss  Susan  Bissell,  a  lady 
of  fine  abilities  and  excellent  education,  who  had 
for  several  years  been  engaged  in  teaching,  and  her 
he  chose  for  his  life  companion,  their  wedding  tak- 
ing place  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  Aug. 
21,  1834.  They  began  life  together  on  a  farm, 
and  fifteen  years  later  Mr.  Dodge  had  acquired 
sufficient  means  to  engage  in  merchandising,  which 
he  believed  would  suit  him  better  than  the  further 
pursuance  of  farm  life.  In  passing  it  may  be 
proper  to  note  the  fact  that  a  large  portion  of  his 
capital  was  accumulated  by  the  labor  of  his  hands, 
much  of  the  time  at  fifty  cents  per  day.  Mr. 
Dodge  opened  his  first  store  in  the  little  town  of 
Twinsburg  on  the  Western  Reserve  in  Ohio,  which 
he  operated  successfully  for  a  period  of  seven 
years,  after  which  he  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in 
the  Prairie  State. 

Of  the  six  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dodge  three 
died  in  infancy  ;  Orris  B.  is  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  agricultural  implements  at  Dixon,  in 
which  he  has  amassed  a  moderate  fortune  ;  Susan  J. 
is  the  wife  of  M.  J.  Beard,  of  Rantoul  ;  Mary  M.  is 
the  wife  of  A.  P.  Neal,  a  druggist  of  the  latter- 
named  place.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dodge  were  connected 
with  the  Congregational  Church,  of  which  Mr. 
Dodge  has  filled  the  office  of  Deacon  for  several 
years. 

Mrs.  Susan  (Bissell)  Dodge,  after  an  illness  of 
several  years,  closed  her  eyes  upon  the  scenes  of 
earth  May  f  1,  1873.  She  was  a  lady  of  most  ad- 
mirable qualities,  a  devout  member  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church,  and  the  center  of  a  large  circle  of 
friends,  whose  sorrow  at  her  death  was  evinced  in 
many  ways,  and  especially  by  the  large  attendance 
at  her  funeral.  In  her  home  life  and  with  her 
family  she  was  the  same  kind  friend  and  counselor, 
setting  an  example  worthy  of  imitation  by  her  chil- 
dren, and  uniformly  proving  the  sympathizer  of 
her  husband  in  his  difficulties  and  rejoicing  in  his 
prosperity. 


F.    BEARDSLEY,    who    is    well 
known  in  the  business  community  of  Cham- 
paign, deals  in  real  estate,  bonds  and  mort- 
gages, and  is  one  of  the  important  factors  of  the 


solid  interests  of  this  section.  He  is  a  native  of 
the  wealthy  and  populous  State  of  Ohio,  his  birth 
having  taken  place  in  that  State  on  the  26th  of 
May,  1827.  His  parents  were  John  and  Mary 
(Fitch)  Beardslcy,  natives  respectively  of  Stratford 
and  New  Haven,  Conn.  His  father  was  born  Sept. 
26,  1792,  and  his  grandfather,  John  Beardsley,  Sr., 
a  native  of  the  same  town  as  his  son,  was  born  Feb. 
16,  1757.  The  first  representative  of  the  family  in 
this  country  emigrated  from  England  in  1C?5,  fif- 
teen years  after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims.  It 
is  believed  their  native  place  was  Stratford-on- 
Avon,  near  the  home  of  Shakespeare.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  War  six  years,  and  lost  his  hearing 
at  the  battle  of  Stony  Point  by  the  bursting  of  a 
cannon  near  him.  He  died  at  Stratford,  April  2, 
1802,  having  been  the  father  of  five  children, 
nearly  all  of  whom  lived  to  an  advanced  age. 

John  Beardsley,  Jr.,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
during  his  early  life  learned  the  trade  of  cabinet- 
maker at  which  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of 
seven  years,  and  which  he  pursued  until  his  removal 
to  Ohio.  He  emigrated  from  his  native  State  to 
Ohio  in  the  pioneer  clays,  settling  in  Knox  County, 
Milford  Township,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers, where  he  outlived  all  of  his  brother  set- 
tlers. His  life  was  long  and  full  of  interesting  in- 
cidents. After  leaving  his  native  State  he  first 
went  to  South  Carolina,  where  he  spent  one  winter 
and  afterward  made  three  trips  to  Ohio,  making  the 
first  and  second  journeys  on  foot.  He  first  entered 
160  acres  of  Government  land,  which  subsequently 
became  the  principal  part  of  his  farm,  and  upon 
which  he  resided  for  sixty-four  years.  He  was 
married  on  the  9th  of  September,  1822,  in  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  to  Miss  Mary  Fitch.  Upon  the  third 
trip  to  Ohio  he  was  accompanied  by  his  bride,  and 
they  made  the  journey  with  one  horse,  which  hauled 
their  entire  outfit.  Upon  one  occasion  when  on 
the  edge  of  a  precipice  the  animal  suddenly  took  a 
notion  to  go  backward.  The  occupants  of  the 
wagon  had  just  time  to  spring  to  the  ground  when 
horse  and  vehicle  rolled  over  to  the  bottom. 
Neither,  however,  were  seriously  damaged,  and  by 
the  assistance  of  a  company  of  mountaineers,  who 
;  quickly  gathered  at  the  scene,  they  were  soon  hauled 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


821 


up  In  the  ro:i(l  mid  the  journey  resumed.  John 
Beardsley  became  :i  man  of  note  in  his  adopted 
State  and  held  several  local  offices  of  responsibility,  | 
the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  with  conscicn-  j 
tious  fidelity.  Originally  he  was  a  Whig  in  politics, 
an  ardent  admirer  of  Henry  Clay,  and  with  other 
anti-slavery  members  of  his  party  naturally  gravi- 
tated into  the  Republican  ranks  when  the  old  party  j 
\v;is,  abandoned.  He  became  connected  with  the 
Congregational  Church  in  his  youth,  and  was  often 
an  interested  listener  to  the  remarkable  discourses 
of  Dr.  Nathaniel  W.  Taylor,  Lymau  Beecher  and 
Lorenzo  Dow.  Mr.  Beardsley  himself  was  a  lay 
speaker  of  rare  sweetness  and  power.  After  a  long 
and  worthy  life,  distinguished  by  temperance  and 
kindliness  of  heart,  he  closed  his  eyes  to  earthly 
scenes  after  having  made  a  good  record,  and  with 
the  personal  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew 
him.  His  death  occurred  Feb.  24,  1887. 

The  record  of  the  children  of  John  and   Mary 
(Fitch)  Beardsley  is  as  follows:    Charles,  a  resident 
of    Burlington,   Iowa,  is    Fourth    Auditor   of   the 
United  States,  having  served  eight  j'ears,  receiving   ! 
his  first  appointment  under  the  Hayes  administra-    I 
tion;  Henry   is  practicing  law  at  Clarks,  Merrick 
Co.,  Neb.;  Mary,  Mrs.  Craven,  lives  in  Milverton, 
Ohio:  two  children  of  the  family  died  some  years 
ago — Elizabeth,  at  the  age  of  forty-eight,  and  Me- 
lissa, at  thirty. 

George  F.  Beardsley  was  reared  to  farming  pur- 
suits, received  his  education  in  the  pioneer  schools 
of  the  Buckeye  State,  and  upon  reaching  manhood 
commenced  farming  on  his  own  account,  which  he 
carried  on  in  Ohio  until  1867.  He  then  removed 
to  this  State,  and  locating  in  the  city  of  Champaign, 
established  his  present  business.  He  enlisted,  in 
1 864,  in  the  National  Guards,  doing  military  serv- 
ice around  Petersburg  and  in  the  meantime  engasj- 

o  o    o 

ing  in  several  skirmishes  with  the  enemy.  After 
the  close  of  the  war  he  located  in  Champaign,  and 
since  that  time  has  been  successfully  engaged  in  real 
estate  and  loans. 

Mr.  Beardsley  inherited  in  a  large  degree  the 
resolution  and  energy  of  his  honored  father,  and 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Knox  County, 
Ohio,  for  a  number  of  years,  in  the  meantime  also 
serving  as  Postmaster  under  President  Buchanan. 


Since  coming  to  this  locality  he  has  identified  him- 
self with  all  its  interests,  both  business  and  educa- 
tional, serving  as  member  of  the  City  Council  for 
eight  years  and  being  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  since  1879.  For  the  past  eighteen  years 
he  has  been  a  Deacon  of  the  Congregational  Church. 
He  was  first  President  of  the  Champaign  Sugar  and 
Glucose  Company,  is  a  Director  and  stockholder 
in  the  Champaign  National  Bank,  President  of  the 
Champaign  Tile  Factory,  has  a  half  interest  in  the 
Laniard  <fe  Beardsley  Block  and  is  otherwise  con- 
nected with  the  various  enterprises  of  the  city. 

The  marriage  of  George  F.  Beardsley  and  Miss 
Martha  Mahan  was  celebrated  in  Knox  County, 
on  the  10th  of  August,  1854.  Mrs.  B.  is  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Martha  Mahan,  natives  of 
New  York  State.  Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject 
there  have,  been  four  children,  of  whom  three  are 
living:  Henry  M.  married  Miss  Marietta  Davis, 
and  lives  in  Kansas  City;  they  have  two  children  — 
Ella  and  George.  This  son  is  practicing  law  in 
Kansas  City,  Anna  is  at  home  with  her  parents  ; 
John  is  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  Sophomore  class 
of  the  Illinois  State  University.  The  family  resi- 
dence is  located  on  University  avenue.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  B.  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
and  are  held  in  the  highest  respect  wherever  known. 
Politically  our  subject  casts  his  vote  in  support  of 
Republican  principles. 


DAVARD  S.  OBENCHAIN,  who  is  well 
known  in  Compromise  Township  as  a  thrifty 
and  prosperous  farmer,  owns  a  good  home- 
stead on  section  20,  embracing  240  acres  of  land, 
finely  improved,  with  a  good  residence  and  other 
ample  farm  buildings,  of  which  he  took  possession 
in  1872.  He  is  of  Southern  birth  and  parentage, 
and  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in  Botetourt 
County,  Va.,  Oct  17,  1832.  His  parents,  John 
and  Sarah  (Stair)  Obenchain,  were  also  natives  of 
the  Old  Dominion,  where  they  lived  until  seven 
years  after  the  birth  of  their  son  Edward.  In  183!) 
the  family  removed  to  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind., 
where  the  father  followed  farming  until  l,S(it). 
Thence  he  removed  into  the  city  of  La  Fayette, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


where  his  death  occurred  in  the  fall  of  1863,  when 
he  was  seventy-five  years  old. 

John  Obenchain  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
dying  in  1843,  and  leaving  fourteen  children,  all 
of  whom  grew  to  man  and  womanhood.  His  sec- 
ond wife,  before  her  marriage  to  Mr.  O.,  was  Mrs. 
.Sarah  (Timberlake)  Johnson.  She  survived  her 
husband  about  one  year.  Of  this  union  there  were 
no  children.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  man 
of  much  ability,  possessing  decided  views  upon 
matters  of  general  interest.  He  was  an  active 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
all  his  life  a  teetotaler,  being  a  member  of  the  first 
temperance  society  in  the  United  States,  the  Wash- 
ingtonian. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  w.is  the  eleventh  child 
born  to  his  parents.  The  family  presented  a  re- 
markably fine  picture  of  health  and  strength,  each 
of  the  boys  attaining  a  height  of  over  six  feet. 
Edward  S.  was  seven  years  old  when  the  family  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  where  his  primary  studies  were 
conducted  in  a  log  cabin  school-house,  and  where 
he  took  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to  acquire 
useful  information.  He  was  fond  of  his  books  and 
then,  as  now,  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities. 
lie  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  was  then  married,  Aug.  10, 
1854,  to  Miss  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Elizabeth  (Anderson)  Miller.  Mrs.  O.  was  born 
in  Indiana,  Aug.  18,  1835. 

Two  years  after  their  marriage  the  young  people 
migrated  to  Illinois,  and  located  first  in  Macon 
County,  removing  thence  the  following  spring  to 
Piatt  County,  where  Mr.  O.  followed  farming  until 
1802.  Hu  then  returned  to  Macou  County,  and  in 
1872  removed  to  Champaign  County,  locating 
upon  his  present  farm.  It  was  then  but  a  tract  of 
unimproved  land.  With  the  energy  and  industry 
which  have  formed  the  basis  of  his  success  in  life 
he  set  about  the  improvement  of  his  purchase,  and 
now  has  it  all  enclosed,  laid  off  in  convenient  fields 
for  pasturage  and  the  raising  of  grain  and  stock. 
During  the  warm  season  he  operates  a  steam  thresh- 
ing-machine, which  he  purchased  in  1884. 

Of  the  twelve  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Obenchain  five  were  taken  from  the  home  circle  in 
infancy.  Of  the  survivors  the  record  is  as  follows: 


Abraham  L.  married  Allie  Johnson,  and  is  teaching 
school  at  Burr  Oak  in  Ford  County;  Ida  M.  is  the 
wife  of  Fin  ley  Fowler,  of  Summit,  Cook  County; 
Erne  J..  Charles  A.,  Maude  I.,  John  A.  and  Hattie 
E.  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

.Air.  O.  upon  first  becoming  a  voter  identified 
himself  with  the  Republican  party,  but  is  now  inde- 
pendent, aiming  to  support  the  men  whom  he  consid- 
ers best  fitted  for  the  positions  they  desire  to  fill.  He 
has  served  as  Road  Commissioner  in  his  township  for 
many  years,  and  as  a  member  of  the  School  Board. 
He  has  no  desire  for  official  preferment,  having 
sufficient  business  of  his  own  to  engross  his  whole 
time  and  attention.  In  addition  to  his  farming  in- 
terests he  operates  in  grain  at  Pcnfield  as  junior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Bear  &  Obenchain.  So- 
cially he  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  at  Gifford. 


HARLES  GLOVER,  engaged  as  a  baker  and 
confectioner  in  Champaign,  is  a  native  of 
Dover,  England,  where  he  was  born  in 
1830.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Susannah 
(George)  Glover,  natives  of  the  same  country, 
where  they  spent  their  entire  lives,  and  reared  a 
family  of  five  children.  Of  these  four  are  now  liv- 
ing. John  Glover  was  employed  as  a  mail  coach- 
man from  Dover  to  London. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  the  only  one  of  the 
family  who  came  to  the  United  States,  arrived  here 
in  1  853,  first  locating  in  New  York  City.  He  had 
served  his  apprenticeship  at  his  present  business  in 
England,  at  which  he  was  employed  in  New  York 
City  for  three  years  after  landing.  From  there  he 
came  to  Chicago  and  thence  to  Champaign,  where 
he  was  first  employed  as  a  cook  at  the  National 
House,  and  afterward  in  the  same  capacity  at  the 
Doaue  House.  He  then  started  a  bakery  on  Neal 
street,  which  he  conducted  for  six  months,  when  he 
sold  out,  and  for  the  following  nine  years  was 
employed  in  expressing  and  draying.  In  1863  he 
left  his  team  to  serve  in  defense  of  his  adopted 
country,  and  enlisted'in  the  135th  Illinois  Infantry, 
serving  six  months.  After  retiring  from  the  army 
he  resumed  the  business  which  he  had  abandoned 
for  the  life  of  a  soldier,  and  which  he  sold  out  later. 


T 


t 

T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


823 


Afterward  Mr.  Glover  was  connected  with  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  until  1.S72.  In  the  meantime 
he  returned  to  his  native  country  and  spent  some 
time  in  the  city  of  London,  being]  absent  four 
months. 

In  1X72  Mr.  Kl<>\  cr  purchased  an  interest  in  his 
present  business  which  was  established  by  Hamlin 
&  Patterson.  It  was  operated  under  the  firm  name 
of  Patterson  &  Glover  for  two  years,  when  our 
subject  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner,  con- 
ducting the  business  some  years,  when  he  sold  out 
and  purchased  the  bakery  of  George  R.  Ruger, 
which  he  removed  to  his  old  stand,  and  in  which 
he  continued  until  1881.  Besides  his  thriving  trade 
and  stock  in  town,  he  owns  a  snug  farm  of  forty 
acres  just  outside  the  city  limits. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Martha  Marshall,  a  native  of  Ireland,  Sept.  9,  1856- 
They  have  no  children  of  their  own,  but  have  sup- 
plied the  place  of  father  and  mother  to  an  adopted 
son,  Charles  H.  They  are  members  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Congregational  Church,  and  politically 
Mr.  G.  is  an  ardent  Republican.  He  is  a  self-made 
man  in  evei'y  respect,  and  his  present  possessions 
have  been  accumulated  by  his  own  industry  and 
economy.  His  establishment  gives  employment  to 
four  men,  and  is  conducted  upon  thorough  busi- 
ness principles. 


MOORE,  A.  M.,  Superintendent  of  West 
Side  public  schools,  at  Champaign,  111.,  was 
born  near  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  May  27,1844. 
He  prepared  for  college  in  the  public  and 
private  schools  of  Pittsburgh,  and  entered  Franklin 
College,  New  Athens,  Ohio,  in  1859,  graduating 
therefrom  in  1863,  receiving  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
Afterward  the  degree  of  A.  M.  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  his  Alma  Mater. 

Mr.  Moore  entered  the  Western  Theological 
Seminary  after  graduating,  and  pursued  a  literary 
course  for  two  years,  at  which  time  he  married  and 
began  teaching  in  the  graded  schools.  He  has 
taught,  continuously  since  at  Uniontown,  Pa., 
Dwight,  Charleston,  and  Polo,  111.,  one  year  at  the 
latter  place,  and  has  been  at  Champaign  since  1880. 


He  is  a  gentleman  and  a  ripe  scholar,  and  as  an 
educator  stands  in  the  first  rank.  lie  has  been 
married  twice. 

Mr.  Moore's  ancestors  came  to  this  country  dur- 
ing the  religious  persecutions  in  England.  His 
great-grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution- 
ary War.  He  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  has 
the  characteristics  of  both  races.  He  is  in  the 
prime  of  life,  and  his  future  career  is  very  prom- 
ising. 


WILLIAM  B.  SIMS,  of  Urbana,  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  throughout 
this  county  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
medical  profession.  He  began  practice  in 
this  county  in  the  early  part  of  1870,  at  St.  Joseph, 
where  he  remained  until  1883,  and  then  took  up 
his  residence  in  Urbana,  which  has  since  been  his 
home,  and  whose  people  have  learned  to  respect 
him  for  his  natural  talents  and  the  fidelity  with 
which  he  has  attended  upon  those  requiring  the 
exercise  of  his  professional  judgment  and  skill. 

Dr.  Sims  is  a  native  of  Blount  County,  E.  Tenn., 
and  was  born  April  14,  1836.  His  parents  were 
William  G.  and  Mary  E.  (Cusick)  Sims,  who  were 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  and  of  whose  marriage 
there  were  born  twelve  children.  Of  these  only 
seven  are  now  living — Joseph,  Martha  J.,  Cather- 
ine, Elizabeth,  William  B.,  David  M.  and  Mary  E. 
In  1840  the  parents  of  our  subject  removed  with 
their  family  to  Edgar  County,  111.,  being  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  that  region.  The  elder  Sims 
purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land  in  the  Wabash 
Valley,  and  built  a  log  cabin  18x20  feet,  which 
consisted  of  one  room  only,  with  a  fireplace  running 
across  one  end,  and  with  one  window  on  each  side 
of  it.  This  log  cabin  remained  the  residence  of 
the  family  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  then 
replaced  by  a  more  modern  structure,  built  of 
hewed  logs  and  weatherboarded.  The  father  of  our 
subject  cleared  the  heavy  timber  from  eighty  acres, 
and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  pioneer 
home  which  he  had  thus  established.  His  death 
occurred  in  1867,  twenty-two  years  after  that  of 
his  wife,  who  died  in  1845. 

The  first  representatives  of  the  Sims'  family  in 


-I 


824 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


this  country  emigrated  from  Ireland  at  an  early 
day,  settling  in  East  Tennessee.  Among  these  was 
James,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  who  served 
at*  a  solder  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  lived  to 
the  age  of  one  hundred  and  ten  years,  his  hair  then 
being  only  slightly  gray.  That  of  his  son,  Will- 
iam G.,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  nearly  as 
dark  at  the  time  of  his  death  as  it  was  when  he  was 
in  his  prime.  The  life  of  the  latter  was  particularly 
active,  and  he  was  distinguished  as  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability  and  enterprise.  For  a  period 
of  twenty-four  years,  while  living  in  Tennessee,  he 
drove  a  six-horse  team  to  and  from  Baltimore  and 
New  Orleans  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  managing  the  six 
animals  with  one  line,  riding  the  left  wheel  horse. 
After  coming  to  Illinois  he  kept  a  number  of  hogs 
and  cattle,  which  ran  in  the  woods,  the  former 
feeding  on  acorns  and  beech-nuts,  by  which  they 
were  sufficiently  fattened  for  table  use.  In  case  hay 
gave  out  during  the  spring  season,  when  the  bass- 
wood  trees  began  to  bud,  a  tree  was  cut  down  for 
the  cattle  to  brouse  upon. 

Our  subject  passed  his  early  childhood  amid 
these  primitive  scenes,  in  the  meantime  attending 
the  subscription  schools  from  the  time  he  was  four 
years  old.  When  thirteen  years  of  age  young  Sims 
left  the  farm  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker, 
which  he  followed  fifteen  years.  Upon  the  out- 
break of  the  late  war  he  proffered  his  services  as 
a  Union  soldier,  enlisting  in  the  4th  Illinois  Cav- 
alry, and  secured  the  commission  as  Corporal, 
serving  until  18G4.  lie  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Ft.  Donelson,  and  was  afterward  detailed  for  de- 
tached service  in  the  Quartermaster's  department 
until  within  the  last  nine  months,  when  he  held  the 
position  of  Chief  Saddler  for  his  regiment.  In 
1804  he  was  transferred  to  the  hospital  service  as 
Ward  Master,  having  charge  of  three  hospitals  at 
Natchez,  Miss.,  which  responsible  position  he  held 
until  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Our  subject  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in 
McLean  County,  111.,  in  1866,  and  in  the  winter  of 
1869-70  attended  a  course  of  lectures  at  Rush 
Medical  College,  Chicago.  He  began  the  practice 
of  his  profession  at  St.  Joseph,  this  county,  in  the 
early  part  of  1870,  where  he  built  up  an  extensive 
and  lucrative  business.  Afterward  he  attended  the 


Louisville  Medical  College,  whence  he  graduated  in 
1878.  Five  years  later  he  removed  toUrbana,  and 
since  1 883  has  been  a  resident  and  practitioner  of 
this  city.  In  the  meantime  he  was  the  pharmacist 
for  E.  M.  &  W.  M.  Nolton,  of  Urbana,  until  the  1st 
of  January,  1877.  He  also  carried  on  a  drug-store 
at  St.  Joseph  from  1875  to  1877,  in  which  latter 
year  he  sold  out. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Sims  took  place  in  1855,  the 
lad}"  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Sarah  J..  daughter  of 
Joseph  Medley,  of  Vigo,  Ind.  Of  this  union  there 
have  been  born  eight  children,  of  whom  the  record 
is  as  follows:  Samuel  N.  is  a  practicing  physician 
of  St.  Joseph,  this  county ;  Joseph  M.,  a  resident  of 
Veedcrsburg,  Ind,  is  agent  for  the  I.,  B.  <fe  W., 
C.,  B.  &  W.,  and  St.  Louis  Narrow  Gauge  Railroad  ; 
William  F.,  of  May  view,  this  county,  is  engaged  in 
blacksmithing;  David  M.,  an  engineer,  resides  in 
Brazil,  Ind.;  George  E.  is  farming  in  Cimarron, 
Kan.;  Charles  B.,  residing  in  Urbana,  is  a  telegraph 
operator  for  the  I.,  B.  &  W.  R.  R. ;  Sadie  and  Oriu 
B.  are  at  home  with  their  parents.  The  attractive 
family  residence  is  pleasantly  located  on  East 
Green  street,  and  the  office  of  the  Doctor  is  in 
Tearman's  Block,  on  Main  street.  Our  subject  is 
Republican  in  politics,  and  belongs  to  the  Cham- 
paign County  and  Illinois  Central  Medical  Socie- 
ties. 


J"~  EREMIAH  N.  REYNOLDS,  of  the  firm  of 
Condit   &    Reynolds,    dealers    in    farm  im- 
plements and  furniture,  is,  with  his  partner 
'    conducting  a  lively  trade  at  Rantoul,  and  is 
considered  one  of  the  important  factors  in  the  busi- 
ness community.     He  passed  his  early  years  among 
the  hills  of  Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  near  the  little 
town  of  Cambridge,  where    his    birth    took    place 
Nov.   15,  1848.     His  parents.  Jeremiah  and  Julia 
(Rollins)   Reynolds,    were    natives  respectively  of 
Pennsylvania  and   Ohio,  the  Keystone    State  also 
producing  his  grandfather,  John  Reynolds,  who  was 
of  German  .descent. 

The  father  of  our  subject  during  earl}'  manhood 
removed  from  Pennsylvania  to  Ohio,  being  among 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  region,  where  he  re- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


825 


niained  the  balance  of  his  life,  resting  finally  from 
his  labors  in  1884.  The  wife  and  mother  is  still 
living.  Their  offspring  consisted  of  ten  children, 
eight  sons  and  two  daughters,  all,  with  one  excep- 
tion, still  living.  Jeremiah  N.,  of  our  sketch,  who 
wa.-  the  sixth  child,  remained  on  the  farm  with  his 
brothers  and  sisters  until  in  1870,  when  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  Then,  desirous  of  scekr 
ing  his  fortunes  elsewhere,  he  came  to  this  county 
and  located  on  a  farm  in  Rantoul  Township,  whence 
he  removed,  in  1884,  to  Rantoul,  and  established  a 
meat  market.  This  he  abandoned  a  year  later  to 
engage  in  his  present  business.  The  firm  carries  a 
full  line  of  farm  implements,  including  binders  and 
mowers,  besides  several  varieties  of  road  vehicles. 
Their  straightforward  methods  of  doing  business 
have  commended  them  to  the  public  generally  and 
thcj'  are  building  up  a  solid  and  steadily  increasing 
patronage. 

After  becoming  satisfied  that  he  could  maintain 
a  family  in  a  manner  becoming  his  station  in  life, 
Mr.  Reynolds  was  married,  in  1877,  to  Miss  Juliet 
Thayer,  of  Rantoul,  and  they  established  them- 
selves in  a  snug  little  home  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  city.  Mrs.  R.  is  a  native  of  New  York  State, 
and  came  with  her  parents  to  this  count}',  where  the 
latter  still  reside.  The  only  child  born  to  our  sub- 
ject and  wife,  a  daughter,  died  in  infancy. 

Besides  his  interest  in  the  business  to  which  he 
gives  his  close  attention,  Mr.  Reynolds  is  the  owner 
of  a  good  farm  outside  of  the  town  limits,  which 
embraces  eighty  acres  under  a  good  state  of  culti- 
vation and  which  is  operated  by  his  brother.  He 
is  a  general  favorite  among  his  fellow-townsmen 
and  a  worthy  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  Both  lie 
and  his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  Rantoul. 


H.  SWAIM,  one  of  the  prosperous 
farmers  of  St.  Joseph  Township,  owns  a  fine 
estate  embracing  120  acres  of  valuable  land 
located  on  section  29.  He  was  born  in  Parke 
County,  Ind.,  near  Rockville,  March  23,  1828.  His 
grandfather  was  Michael  Swaim,  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  who  with  his  wife,  left  his  native  State 


for  the  Western  frontier  in  1819,  and  was  among 
the  early  settlers  of  Indiana.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  nine  children,  all  of  whom  grew  to  ma- 
turity. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Jehu  B.  Swaim,  was 
born  in  North  Carolina  in  1803,  and  removed  with 
his  parents  to  Indiana,  where  he  married  Mrs.  Nancy 
(Johnson)  White.  She  was  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
who  had  removed  to  Indiana  with  her  parents  when 
a  young  girl.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Swaim  set- 
tled in  Parke  County,  Ind.,  where  he  became  owner 
of  an  extensive  tract  of  land  containing  600  acres. 
He  carried  on  a  successful  farming  business  and 
was  one  of  the  principal  stock-growers  in  that  sec- 
tion of  country.  When  George  H.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  the 
home  circle  was  broken  by  the  death  of  his  beloved 
mother.  She  left  a  family  of  eight  children,  three 
boys  and  five  girls,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living. 
She  also  had  two  children  by  her  former  husband, 
Mr.  White. 

George  H.  Swaim,  the  third  child  of  his  parents, 
passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  on  his  father's  farm, 
remaining  there  until  his  marriage  with  Miss  Eli/a- 
beth  C.  Jones,  in  1855.  Mrs.  S.  was  the  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  Jones,  and  was  born  in  Foun- 
tain County,  Ind.,  Aug.  30,  1834.  When  ten  years 
of  age  she  removed  with  her  parents  to  Vermilion 
County,  111.,  where  she  was  educated  and  grew  to 
womanhood.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Swaim  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Parke  County,  Ind.,  until  the 
autumn  of  1866,  when  he  removed  to  Champaign 
County,  111.,  with  his  family,  locating  upon  his 
present  farm.  The  residence  and  .other  buildings 
were  erected  by  Mr.  Swaim,  and  are  all  excellent 
and  well  appointed,  admirably  adapted  to  farming 
and  stock-raising,  in  which  Mr.  S.  has  been  success- 
fully engaged.  He  has  always  interested  himself 
in  the  welfare  of  his  community  and  has  served 
nine  years  as  School  Director. 

On  the  24th  of  February,  1886,  their  happy 
home  was  darkened  by  the  shadow  of  death.  The 
Master  had  called  the  beloved  wife  and  mother  to 
another  home,  where,  when  all  are  gathered  in, 
there  shall  be  no  more  parting.  Mrs.  Swaim  had 
been  for  thirty  years  a  devoted  Christian,  and 
passed  to  her  reward  triumphing  in  the  faith  of 


T 


'I      826 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


Jesus  Christ.  She  was  the  mother  of  the  following 
chiMren :  Addie  T.,  the  wife  of  J.  C.  Watson,  :i 
resident  of  Champaign;  Amelia  J.,  residing  at 
home;  Wither  J.,  Mary  A.,  Sophronia  E.,  Sarah  A.; 
Minnie,  who  died  in  infancy;  Lenie  F.  and  Alta. 
Mr.  Swaim  and  his  wife  were  both  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  of  Muneie,  111.,  but  the  family  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  attending  the  Unite'!  Brethren 
Church,  there  being  no  Baptist  Church  near  their 
home. 


OL.  S.  T.  BUSEY,  banker,  and  Mayor  of 
Urbana,  is  a  native  of  Greencastle,  Ind., 
where  he  was  born  Nov.  16,  1835.  He  is 
the  son  of  Matthew  W.  and  Elizabeth  (Bush) 
Bnsey,  both  natives  of  Shelby  Count}',  Ky.  The 
father  of  our  subject  removed  to  Indiana  in  1812, 
being  among  the  earl}-  pioneers  of  that  region,  and 
from  there  carnc  to  this  State  with  his  family  in 
April,  1836.  A  few  months  previously  he  had  pur- 
chased the  land  on  a  part  of  which  now  stands  the 
elegant  residence  of  his  son,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  The  primitive  dwelling  was  in  existence 
until  a  few  years  ago.  when  it  gave  way  to  the 
modern  improvements. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  here  Matthew  W.  Busey  be- 
came prominent  in  local  affairs.  While  in  Indiana 
he  had  been  commissioned  Colonel  of  the  State 
Militia  and  in  a  few  years  after  his  arrival  here  was 
appointed  to  a  similar  position  in  the  State  Militia 
of  Illinois.  On  "general  muster"  day  he  was  con- 
spicuous by  his  military  bearing  and  glittering  uni- 
form. Besides  occupying  various  minor  positions 
in  Champaign  County  he  became  Associate  Judge, 
and  in  1840  was  elected  to  represent  his  district 
in  the  Legislature,  and  was  his  own  successor,  serv- 
ing two  terms,  during  the  latter  of  which  occurred 
the  Mormon  War.  Col.  Busey  was  heartily  in 
sympathy  with  Gov.  Ford  in  his  efforts  to  eliminate' 
that  infamy  from  the  Slate,  and  voted  for  each 
measure  having  that  object  in  view.  He  was  active 
in  the  establishment  of  railroads,  and  mainly  instru- 
mental in  securing  the  county  seat  at  Urbana.  In 
the  meantime  he  gave  all  necessary  attention  to  his 
farms  and  lands,  and  attained  quite  a  reputation  as 
a  breeder  of  fine  stock.  lie  departed  this  life  Dec. 


18.  18f)2,  having  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances.  In 
religion  he  abided  by  the  precepts  of  the  Golden 
'Rule,  and  politically  was  an  ardent  Jacksonian 
Democrat. 

The  land  which  Col.  Matthew  Busey  had  secured 
during  his  early  settlement  here  aggregated  1,000 
acres,  upon  which  is  at  present  located  a  large  part 
of  the  city  of  Champaign,  and  also  the  State  Uni- 
versity. The  mother  of  our  subject  survived  her 
husband  twenty-eight  years,  and  died  in  1880,  at 
the  home  of  her  son,  Col.  S.  T.  Busey,  after  hav- 
ing arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-nine 
years.  The  eight  children  who  comprised  the  par- 
ental household  are  all  living,  as  follows :  Simeon 
II.,  John  S. ;  Mary  C.,  wife  of  John  C.  Kirkpatrick ; 
Louisa  J.,  widow  of  W.  H.  Romine;  Col.  Samuel 
T. ;  Sarah,  wife  of  Judge  J.  W.  Sim  ;  Elizabeth,  Mrs. 
Allen  McClain,  and  Matthew  1).  At  the  time  of 
the  mother's  death  they  all  were  located  within 
sight  of  the  old  homestead.  John  S.  now  resides 
in  Medicine  Lodge,  Kan. 

The  father  of  our  subject  "was  a  gentleman  of 
fine  persona)  appearance,  standing  six  feet,  two  and 
one-half  inches  in  his  stocking  feet.  His  father, 
Samuel,  removed  from  North  Carolina  to  Kentucky 
in  company  with  Daniel  Boone,  of  whom  he  was  an 
own  cousin.  It  is  supposed  that  Samuel  Busey  was 
born  in  Virginia.  He,  too,  was  of  unusual  stature, 
being  six  feet,  seven  and  one-half  inches.  The 
family  descended  from  Scotch  ancestry,  and  tradi- 
tion has  it  that  Paul  Busey,  the  Scotch  giant,  was 
one  of  their  ancestors.  They  not  only  inherited 
magnificent  physical  constitutions  but  those  quali- 
ties of  character  for  which  the  Scottish  nation  has 
been  especially  noted.  They  were  carefully  trained 
to  principles  of  honor  and  honesty,  which  were  cal- 
culated to  preserve  in  each  generation  the  qualities 
which  have  constituted  them  honest  men  and  good 
citizens. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  reared  to  farming 
pursuits,  in  the  meantime  receiving"  a  common- 
school  and  seminary  education.  He  remained  under 
the  home  roof  until  twenty-two  years  of  age.  then 
started  out  for  himself  by  engaging  in  mercan- 
tile business  at  Urbana,  which  he  continued  for  live 
years.  He  sold  out  in  1802  to  enter  the  service' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


827 


of  his  country,  and  assist  in  the  preservation  of  the 
I'nion.  At  his  own  expense  he  raised  a  company  of 
100  men  at  Urbana,  of  which  he  was  elected  Cap-  ; 
tain,  and  which  was  merged  into  the  7Cth  Illinois 
Infantry.  At  the  organization  of  the  regiment  he 
received  the  commission  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  and 
in  May  following  was  promoted  Colonel.  He 
served  three  years  in  the  army,  and  at  the  battle  of 
Ft.  Blakesley,  in  Alabama,  was  wounded  in  the  right 
eye  by  the  bursting  of  a  shell,  from  the  effects 
of  which  he  was  blind  for  fifteen  years.  At  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg  he  held  the  extreme  left,  his 
line  being  the  most  advanced  and  nearest  the  rebel  ' 
camp.  He  was  the  first  Union  officer  to  enter  the 
city  of  Jackson  during  its  siege,  and  after  its 
evacuation  received  the  thanks  of  its  inhabitants 
for  suppressing  the  destruction  by  fire,  which  had 
been  started  in  the  city.  When  one  of  his  men  was 
captured,  through  his  active  efforts  he  was  liberated 
inside  of  a  week.  For  his  courage  and  uniform 
kindness  in  the  treatment  of  his  subordinates,  he 
was  a  general  favorite  both  with  them  and  his  su- 
perior officers,  and  made  for  himself  a  military 
record  which  he  may  justly  view  with  pride. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Col.  Busey  returned  to 
Urbana,  and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits  until  the 
fall  of  1867,  when,  in  company  with  his  brother  S. 
H.,  he  organized  Busey  Bros.'  Bank.  Subsequently 
he  purchased  the  interest  of  his  brother  and  as- 
sociated with  him  his  nephew,  M.  W.  Busey,  and 
the  institution  is  now  known  as  Busey's  Bank.  He 
erected  the  present  bank  building  in  1872.  In  the 
meantime,  however,  he  conducted  his  farming  in- 
terests until  1886,  and  then  turned  them  over  to 
the  charge  of  tenants.  His  landed  possessions  in- 
clude 9,000  acres.  1,000  of  which  are  in  Illinois. 

Col.  Busey  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  E.  Bowen,on  the  25th  of  December,  1877,  at 
Delphi,  Ind.  Mrs.  B.  is  the  daughter  of  Abner 
lioucn,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Carroll  County,  lud. 
Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there  have  been 
born  three  children — Marietta,  Bertha  T.  and 
Charles  B.  Col.  Busey  is  Democratic  in  politics, 
and  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  and  the  G.  A.  R.  He  is  one  of  the  rep- 
resentative men  of  Champaign  County,  and  has 
been  foremost  in  encouraging  every  enterprise  cal- 


ciliated  to  advance  its  welfare  and  prosperity.  He 
was  elected  Mayor  of  Urbana  in  1879,  which  posi- 
tion he  has  held  since  that  time.  As  a  business  man, 
a  citizen,  and  socially,  he  is  widely  and  favorably 
known,  and  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


ANIEL  CUSHMAN.  The  subject  of  this 
history,  who  since  1870  has  been  a  highly 
respected  resident  of  Champaign  Town- 
ship, emigrated  from  the  Green  Mountain 
State  when  a  young  man,  after  his  marriage.  He 
was  born  in  Windham  County,  Jan.  3,  1832,  and 
was  the  son  of  Silas  Cushman,  also  a  native  of 
Windham  County,  Vt.  His  grandfather,  Barnabas 
Cushman,  was  born  in  Hardwick,  Mass.,  and  fol- 
lowed the  sea  in  the  merchant  service  during  the 
early  years  of  his  life.  He  afterward  located  in 
Windham  County,  Vt.,  where  he  cleared  a  farm 
from  the  wilderness,  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  da3's.  There  Silas  Cushman,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits.  He  in- 
herited a  part  of  his  father's  homestead,  purchased 
the  interest  of  the  other  heirs,  and  took  up  his 
abode  there  until  his  death.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Cordelia  lias- 
kins,  also  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  by  her  mar- 
riage with  Silas  Cushman  became  the  mother  of 
five  children,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  third 
son. 

Daniel  Cushman  was  reared  under  the  home 
roof,  and  assisted  his  father  in  clearing  the  timber 
land  and  tilling  the  soil,  remaining  in  his  native 
county  until  twenty  years  of  age.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  also  employed  himself  working  by  the 
day,  in  hay  time,  receiving  fift3r-eight  cents  for  a 
day's  work.  As  he  grew  older  he  commanded  bet- 
ter wages,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  received 
$100  for  six  months'  work,  which  was  considered  a 
great  price  at  that  time.  He  had  been  trained  to 
habits  of  economy,  and  saved  what  he  could  of  his 
earnings,  so  that  soon  after  his  marriage  ho  was  en- 
abled to  purchase  a  small  farm  near  Wilmington, 
Vt.,  which  he  occupied  until  1870.  In  the  spring 
of  that  year  he  sold  out,  and  coming  to  Illinois  ' 


*-+ 


828 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1 


purchased  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies. This  is  a  fine  body  of  land,  situated  within 
half  a  mile  of  the  city  of  Champaign.  Aside  from 
general  farming  he  is  engaged  in  the  breeding  of 
Norman  and  Percheron  horses,  Short-horn  cattle 
and  Poland-China  hogs.  The  farm  in  all  its  ap- 
pointments is  one  of  the  .most  attractive  spots  in 
the  township,  everything  about  the  premises  being 
kept  in  good  repair.  Mr.  Cushman  has  evinced  his 
enterprise  in  every  direction,  and  has  contributed 
largely  toward  the  development  and  progress  of 
Champaign  Township. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Miss  Cynthia 
Adams  took  place  in  Wilmington,  Vt.,  on  the  3d 
of  November,  1853.  Mrs.  C.  was  born  in  that 
city  Nov.  3,  1835,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Ira 
and  Betsey  (Livermore)  Adams.  Of  this  union 
there  were  born  two  children — Gilbert  L.  and  Flor- 
ence M.  Mrs.  Cynthia  Cushman  departed  this  life 
in  Wilmington,  Vt,,  -Sept.  22,  I860.  The  second 
wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was.  married  on  the 
6th  of  March,  1862,  was  Miss  Martha  A.,  daughter 
of  Jason  B.  Burton,  of  Vermont,  and  granddaugh- 
ter of  Isaac  Burton,  who  was  one  of  the  early  pio- 
neers of  Bennington  County,  that  State.  She  was 
born  in  Manchester,  Dec.  16,  1840.  Her  father  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  a  man  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  his  county,  serving  for  a  number  of 
years  as  Deputy  Sheriff.  .He  spent  his  entire  life 
in  his  native  county,  and  died  there  in  about  1864. 
He  marrried  in  early  life  Miss  Martha  Boynton, 
who  was  a  native  of  Vermont. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cushman  became  the  parents  of 
one  child,  a  daughter,  Elsie  L.,  who  was  born  July 
26,  1873,  and  died  May  1,  1885.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  and  Mr.  C.,  politically,  is  a  strong 
Republican. 

DANIEL  MYERS,  deceased.  The  history 
of  our  country,  whose  early  settlement, 
because  comparatively  recent,  has  been 
brought  down  very  closely  to  us,  we  fond- 
ly imagine  has  produced  more  and  better  exam- 
ples of  substantial  worth  and  genuine  nobility  than 
any  other  under  the  sun.  Many  of  the  early  emi- 
grants to  the  land  of  freedom  settled  lirst  in  Penn- 


sylvania, and  from  that  grand  old  State  have  sprung 
some  of  the  most  admirable  characters  which  it  is 
the  delight  of  the  historian  to  portray.  Among 
these  may  be  truly  classed,  as  an  example  of  true 
manhood,  the  gentleman  whose  name  stands  at  the 
head  of  .this  sketch. 

Daniel  Myers  was  born  near  Mercersburg,  Frank- 
lin Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  5th  of  December,  1839.  His 
father,  John  F.  Myers,  a  farmer  by  occcupation, 
and  also  a  product  of  the  Keystone  State,  was  a 
resident  of  Franklin  County  until  1865,  when  he 
resolved  to  change  his  location,  and  proceeding 
northwestward  came  into  the  Prairie  State.  He 
settled  in  Fulton  County,  and  in  time  became  the 
possessor  of  two  farms,  which  he  carried  on  suc- 
cessfully until  a  few  years  before  his  death,  which 
took  place  in  Bushnell,  111.,  April  1,  1886.  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  marriage 
was  Miss  Mary  Miller,  was  born  and  spent  her  en- 
tire life  in  Penns3'lvania,  having  died  in  Franklin 
County  before  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Illi- 
nois. 

Our  subject  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
county,  and  received  the  common-school  advantages 
of  those  days,  remaining  with  his  parents  until  he 
had  formed  domestic  ties  of  his  own.  He  then 
rented  a  tract  of  land  near  the  homestead,  which 
the  young  couple  occupied  until  coming  to  this 
State  with  his  father.  Here  Mr.  Myers  located  in 
Peoria  County,  and  operated  on  rented  land  two 
years  afterward.  Thence  he  removed  to  his  father's 
farm  in  Fulton  County,  which  he  occupied  until 
1870,  and  then  became  a  resident  of  Rantoul 
Township,  purchasing  the  farm  which  his  family 
now  occupies.  He  survived  thirteen  years  after 
this  removal,  and  became  the  center  of  a  large  cir- 
cle of  warm  friends,  whose  deepest  respect  he  had 
gained  by  his  upright  course  as  a  man,  and  his 
valuable  qualities  as- an  enterprising,  industrious 
and  intelligent  member  of  the  community.  His 
death  occurred  Dec.  18,  1883,  in  the  midst  of  his 
sorrowing  family,  and  regretted  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  name  is  held  in  kindly  remembrance  as 
one  who  has  left  a  good  record  of  an  honorable  and 
worthy  life,  the  best  heritage  which  a  man  can  be- 
queath to  his  children. 

The  marriage  of  Daniel  Myers  and  Miss  Hannah 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


831    -  i 


Divelbiss  took  place  in  Mercersburg.  Pa.,  Feb.  23, 
I860.  Mrs.  M.,  like  her  husband,  was  also  a  native 
of  Franklin  County,  and  the  daughter  of  Leonard 
and  Catherine  (Tahnan)  Divelbiss,  natives  respect- 
ively of  Franklin  and  Adams  Counties,  Pa.  The 
maternal  grandfather,  Jacob  D.,  was  a  native  of 
Fulton  County,  Pa.  There  also  he  vas  married, 
and  reared  a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daughters, 
most  of  whom  located  on  farms  in  that  vicinity, 
where  he  spent  his  entire  life.  Leonard,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  M.,also  died  in  Pennsylvania.  Her  mother 
was  the  daughter  of  John  Talman,  a  native  of 
Adams  County,  Pa.,  and  the  representative  of  a 
well-known  and  highly  respected  family  in  that 
region. 

Of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  there 
were  born  five  children — Libby  S.,  Delevan  M., 
William  H.,  Hattie  M.  and  Edna  O.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Myers  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  about  1872.  Mr.  M.  was  active  in  religious 
matters  during  his  lifetime,  and  the  faithful  wife, 
who  survives  him,  still  adheres  to  her  early  faith. 
The  homestead  comprises  160  acres  of  land  on  sec- 
tion 5,  which  has  been  wisely  and  judiciously  cul- 
tivated, producing  some  of  the  best  crops  of  this 
section,  and  is  supplied  with  a  good  residence  and 
other  necessary  farm  buildings.  The  place  presents 
a  picture  of  neatnesss  and  taste,  which  is  looked 
upon  with  admiration  by  all  who  pass  by  it,  and  is 
recognized  as  the  home  of  intelligence  and  thrift. 


ffiACOB  A.  BELLINGER.  The  subject  of 
the  following  sketch,  whose  portrait  is  given 
in  this  connection,  was  born  in  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  near  Little  Falls,  Hea'kimer  Co..  N. 
Y.,  Feb.  17,  1838.  He  is  the  son  of  Andrew  and 
Catherine  (House)  Bellinger,  who  were  both  born 
near  the  birthplace  of  their  son  and  were  of  Ger- 
man ancestry.  After  marriage  they  settled  in  their 
native  county,  where  they  lived  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  thence  removed  to  a  farm  in  Oswego 
County.  From  there  they  went  to  Fayetteville, 
near  Seneca,  and  in  the  spring  of  1855  came  West- 
ward to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Newcomb  Township, 
this  count}',  where  the  father  died  in  the  fall  of 


W 


that  year.  Tlie  mother's  demise  occurred  in  Hens- 
ley  Township,  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  187C. 

The  parental  household  of  our  subject  included 
twelve  children,  six  boys  and  six  girls,  of  whom 
seven  still  survive.  Jacob  A.  was  the  youngest 
son  and  the  tenth  child  of  the  family.  His  educa- 
tion was  quite  limited,  not  being  able  to  attend 
school  on  account  of  ill-health.  He  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  parents  in  1855,  and  since  that  time 
has  been  a  resident  of  this  county.  lie  has  followed 
farming  all  his  life,  and  during  his  residence  of 
over  thirty  years  in  this  locality  has  fully  established 
himself  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  who 
•know  him.  He  was  married  in  1863,  and  for  thir- 
teen years  thereafter  carried  on  farming  in  Hensley 
Township.  In  December,  1877,  he  removed  to 
Mahomet  Township,  locating  on  section  14,  where 
he  had  purchased  231£  acres,  and  which  he  has 
been  industrious!}7  engaged  in  cultivating  and  im- 
proving since  that  time.  He  has  also  added  to  his 
original  purchase  so  that  he  now  has  524  acres,  453 
of  which  are  in  a  tillable  condition.  Upon  this  he 
has  a  substantial  and  convenient  farm  dwelling,  a 
good  barn  and  all  other  necessary  buildings.  Every- 
thing about  the  premises  is  in  good  shape  and  well 
cared  for  and  displays  on  every  hand  the  industry 
and  forethought  of  its  proprietor. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  married 
in  Mahomet  Township,  Sept.  9,  1 863,  was  formerly 
Miss  Ellen  J.  Scott,  a  native  of  Mahomet  Town- 
ship, born  Dec.  17,  1842.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Judge  Fielding  L.  and  Julia  A.  (Herriott)  Scott, 
both  natives  of  Kentucky.  They  emigrated  from 
the  Blue  Grass  region  to  Vermilion  County,  this 
State,  and  soon  afterward  came  to  Champaign 
County,  locating  on  section  14,  Mahomet  Town- 
ship, where  Mr.  B.  now  lives.  The  father  died  at 
his  home  Nov.  13,  1878,  and  'the  mother  in  Ma- 
homet Village,  Jan.  16,  1882.  Their  ten  children 
comprise  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom 
Mrs.  B.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  eighth  in  order  of 
birth.  She  remained  under -the  parental  roof  until 
her  marriage,  receiving  careful  home  training  and 
a  fair  education.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bellinger  are  the 
parents  of  two  daughters — Norah  K.  and  Rosa  L. 

Our  subject  while  living  in  Hensley  Township 
served  as  Supervisor  one  year.  He  has  also  occu- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


pied  the  minor  offices  within  the.  gift  of  the  people 
of  Mahomet  Township.  He  is  Republican  in  poli- 
tics, and  with  his  wife  and  daughters,  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  takes  a 
genuine  interest  in  educational  and  religious  mat- 
ters and  is  the  stanch  supporter  of  every  measure 
calculated  to  benefit  his  township  and  community. 


i 


,-ILLIAM  TAYLOR  BROWN  was  born  in 
Union  County,  Ind.,  on  the  2d  of  January, 
1847,  and  was  the  second  in  a  family  of 
five  children  belonging  to  Isaac  and  Margaret 
(Coffin)  Brown.  His  father  was  the  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Sarah  Brown,  of  Indiana,  and  his  mother, 
the  daughter  of  Elijah  Coffin,  of  Ohio. 

The  father  of  our  subject  remained  on  his  farm 
in  Indiana  until  about  1859,  when  William  was  a 
lad  of  twelve  years.  He  then  gathered  together 
his  family  and  household  goods,  and  crossing  over 
the  line  into  the  Prairie  State,  located  in  Ford 
County,  where  lie  afterward  purchased  a  farm  of 
1  GO  acres  northeast  of  Paxton.  This  was  partially 
improved,  and  he  occupied  it  until  about  1868, 
when  he  sold  out  and  purchased  1 60  acres  on  sec- 
tion 29,  in  Hnrwood  Township,  this  county.  Here 
he  remained  until  1872,  and  again  selling  out  took 
up  his  abode  in  Vermilion  County,  where  he  fol- 
lowed butchering  for  a  time,  and  then  resumed 
farming  in  Rantoul  Township,  where  he  now  re- 
sides. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old, 
farming  in  partnership  with  his  father.  This  not 
proving  very  remunerative,  he  concluded  to  en- 
gage in  agriculture  alone,  and  for  this  purpose 
rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Harwood  Township.  He 
also  purchased  an  interest  in  the  estate  of  his  wife's 
mother,  which  lies  undivided  in  the  widow's  hands 
during  her  lifetime,  but  which  she  does  not  occupy 
at  present.  Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Laura  Stewart,  of  Harwood,  their  wed- 
ding occurring  at  her  home  Feb.  18,  1877.  Mrs. 
Brown  is  the  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Shank) 
Stewart,  of  Ohio,  who  removed  to  Illinois  before 


the  birth  of  their  daughter,  which  occurred  in  Ed- 
gar County  in  1858.  Charles  Stewart  was  called 
from  earth  when  most  needed  by  his  family  of  lit- 
tle ones,  but  the  mother  with  commendable  fore- 
sight, managed  well  and  kept  her  children  together. 
Mr.  Stewart  was  a  man  of  high  character  and  ster- 
ling integrity,  and  was  recognized  as  a  valued  and 
useful  citizen  who  could  be  illy  spared  from  a  com- 
munity. The  only  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown 
is  a  daughter,  Mary  Maude,  born  Sept.  9,  1881. 

Our  subject  has  steadily  declined  to  become  an 
office-holder,  hut  frequently  serves  his  township  in 
the  position  of  School  Director,  and  in  other  local 
offices  which  require  a  man  of  wise  judgment  and 
irreproachable  honesty.  In  politics  he  is  Repub- 
lican, and  has  frequently  been  a  delegate  to  the 
various  conventions  in  his  county.  Mrs.  Brown 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
1886,  and  is  in  all  respects  a  lady  eminently  fitted 
to  be  the  wife  and  companion  of  such  a  man  as  her 
husband. 


J^/OSEPHH.  STA"! 
ty,   and  the  se( 
I    Sarah  Stayton, 
'    father  in  St.  Jo; 


<jf /  OSEPH  H.  STAYTON,  a  native  of  this  coun- 
second  son  of  David  B.  and 
was  born  on  the  farm  of  his 
Joseph  Township,  Jan.  7,  1856. 
David  Stayton  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Cham- 
paign County,  to  which  he  came  from  his  native 
State  of  Kentucky  in  about  1830  with  his  father,  a 
sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Joseph  H.  Stayton  attended  the  district  school  in 
his  boyhood,  and  at  an  early  age  commenced  as- 
sisting his  parents  around  the  homestead,  upon 
which  he  remained  until  after  reaching  his  majority. 
One  of  the  most  important  events  of  his  life  was 
his  marriage  with  Miss  Laura  A.,  eldest  daughter 
of  John  and  Catherine  Birdzell,  which  took  place 
in  the  spring  of  1876. 

After  marriage,  the  3'oung  people  continued  on 
the  farm  of  Mr.  Stayton,  the  elder,  until  Joseph  II. 
purchased  his  present  homestead  on  section  Ifi,  St. 
Joseph  Township.  This  comprises  seventy-eight 
acres  of  finely  cultivated  land,  with  a  neat  and  sub- 
stantial residence,  a  good  barn,  and  other  necessary 
out-buildings.  The  land  is  principally  devoted  to 
the  raising  of  corn  and  wheat,  to  which  it  seems 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


833 


admirably  adapted.  The  stock  is  of  good  grades 
and  well  oared  for,  and  besides  his  land,  the  prop- 
erty of  our  subject  includes  a  fine  assortment  of 
valuable  farm  machinery. 

The  four  children  of  Joseph  II.  and  Mrs.  Launi 
A.  Stay  ton  were  named  respectively  John  D., 
James  W..  Beatrice  E.  and  Gracie  May.  They 
form  a  bright  quartette  of  whom  the  parents  may 
well  be  proud.  Mr.  Stay  ton  is  still  a  young  man, 
of  whom  much  is  expected  in  the  future.  He  was 
elected  Commissioner  of  Highways  in  the  spring  of 
1884,  and  in  this  as  well  as  other  responsible  posi- 
tions, has  proved  himself  eminently  worth}'  of  the 
confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow-citizens. 


'NDREW  J.  PRICKET,  who  first  opened 
his  eyes  in  the  Buckeye  State,  Jan.  8, 1828, 
passed  his  early  years  among-  the  hills  of 
Brown  County,  upon  the  farm  of  his  par- 
ents, James  and  Almira  Pricket,  who  were  also  na- 
tives of  Ohio.  They  remained  there  ten  years 
after  the  birth  of  our  subject,  then  migrated  to  this 
State  and  lived  for  a  number  of  years  in  Vermilion 
County,  when  the  plans  of  the  family  were  mate- 
rially changed  by  the  death  of  the  father,  which 
took  place  in  1835.  The  bereaved  wife  was  thus 
left  with  two  children,  and  afterward  made  her 
home  in  Vermilion  and  Champaign  Counties,  sur- 
viving until  seventy-one  years  of  age,  and  died  at 
the  home  of  her  daughter  in  Livingston  County,  111. 
Andrew  J.,  of  our  sketch,  grew  to  manhood  in 
Vermilion  County,  and  then  began  to  lay  his  plans 
for  the  future,  first  taking  imto  himself  a  wife  and 
helpmeet,  namely,  Miss  Charlotte  Webb,  who  was  a 
native  of  Ohio,  but  at  the  time  of  their  marriage  a 
resident  of  Danville.  Mr.  Pricket  and  his  bride 
located  first  on  a  farm  in  Vermilion  County,  where 
they  remained  until  the  spring  of  18G4,  and  then 
came  to  this  county.  Our  subject  selected  a  tract 
of  land  lying  on  section  32,  in  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship, which  consisted  of  eighty  acres  antl  which  he 
has  now  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation. 
The  labor  of  twenty  years  has  certainly  not  been 
in  vain,  and  the  change  which  he  has  effected  from 


the  first  condition  of  his  property  indicates  how 
well  his  time  has  been  employed,  and  should  cer- 
tainly be  considered  by  him  a  rich  reward  for  his 
industry. 

Mr.  Pricket  has  a  fine  family  of  four  children  : 
John  M.,  Andrew;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Frank 
Thompson,  and  Scott,  who  is  at  home  with  his  par- 
ents. Mr.  Pricket,  since  exercising  the  rights  of 
an  American  citizen,  has  uniformly  voted  with  the 
Democratic  party,  and  is  a  man  whose  opinions  are 
generally  respected. 


ffl  OHN  W.  SOMERS,  cashier  of  the  Exchange 
Bank  of  St.  Joseph,  is  still  comparatively  a 
young  man  and  a  native  of  this  county,  hav- 
ing been  born  in  the  township  which  bears 
his  name,  Oct.  5,  1852.  He  is  the  eldest  son  of 
Waitman  and  Mary  (Young)  Somers,  the  father  a 
native  of  North  Carolina  and  born  in  1821.  The 
latter  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents  in  the 
pioneer  days,  and  with  them  was  among  the  first 
settlers  of  Somer  Township.  Here  he  grew  to  man- 
hood, and  was  then  employed  for  a  number  of 
years  as  Deputy  County  Surveyor.  He  married 
Miss  Mary  Young,  and  settled  down  on  a  farm  on 
section  22.  where  he  lived  and  labored  until  his 
death,  which  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1866. 
The  mother  still  survives,  making  her  home  with 
her  children  in  Somer  Township.  The  parental 
household  consisted  of  six  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, five  still  living. 

.  The  subject  of  this  narration  was  the  second  child 
of  his  parents,  and  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth 
after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons,  on  the  home- 
stead in  his  native  township.  He  received  the*  or- 
dinary district  school  advantages,  and  remained 
under  the  home  roof  until  he  had  developed  into 
manhood.  Upon  starting  out  in  life  for  himself, 
he  repaired  to  Urbana,  where  he  was  employed  as  a 
clerk  by  Dr.  J.  T.  Miller,  who  was  engaged  in  the 
grain  trade,  and  with  whom  he  remained  four  years. 
Thence  he  removed  to  St.  Joseph,  becoming  the 
clerk  and  book-keeper  of  John  A.  Meyers,  also  a 
grain-dealer,  with  whom  he  remained  twelve  months. 
Soon  afterward,  in  company  with  V.  B.  Swearinger 


834 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  John  J.  Woodin,  he  engaged  in  the  grain,  lum- 
ber and  coal  trade,  the  firm  being  Swearinger, 
Woodin  <fe  Co.,  and  they  continued  together  until 
1884.  They  then  dissolved  by  mutual  consent, 
and  a  few  months  later  Mr.  Somers  accepted  his 
present  position. 

The  Exchange  Bank  of  St.  Joseph  was  organized 
by  S.  T.  and  M.  W.  Busey,  of  Urbana,  and  has  be- 
come almost  indispensable  to  the  citizens-  of  this 
section  of  the  county. 


•«+•«- 


RANCIS  KLMORE  PINKERTON,  editor 
and  proprietor  of  the  Rantoul  weekly  Press, 
was  born  in  Tremont,  Schuylkill  Co.,  Pa., 
Dec.  20,  1852.  His  grandfather,  George  Pinker- 
ton,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  was  a  gentleman  of  ex- 
cellent education,  and  varied  his  mechanical  labors 
frequently  by  teaching  school,  which  he  followed 
mostly  during  the  winter  seasons.  He  died  in 
1873,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  seventy-five  years. 
His  son,  who  was  afterward  familiarly  known  as 
Col.  Cyrus  Levi  Pinkerton,  was  reared  in  Tremont, 
where  after  reaching  years  of  manhood  he  followed 
in  the  footsteps  of  his  father  as  a  teacher,  but  in- 
stead of  taking  up  manual  labor,  inclined  to  the 
study  of  law,  in  the  practice  of  which  he  became 
proficient,  and  which  he  followed  for  a  period  of 
twenty-five  years. 

The  father  of  our  subject  possessed  a  keen  eye 
to  business,  and  began  speculating  by  the  purchase 
of  Black  Creek  lands  in  his  native  county,  which 
he  disposed  of  at  a  good  price,  at  the.  same  time 
also  engaging  in  the  lumber  trade  and  dealing  in 
general  merchandise.  Unfortunately,  however,  he 
lost  all  of  his  property,  and  in  his  last  years  was 
not  permitted  to  enjoy  the  fruit  of  his  labors. 
Politically,  he  was  a  stanch  Republican  and  occu- 
pied a  seat  in  the  State  Legislature  for  »  period  of 
two  years.  During  the  war  he  was  appointed  a 
Colonel  in  the  State  Militia  by  Gov.  Curtin.  He 
married,  in  early  manhood,  Miss  Fanny  All  Singer, 
who  was  a  native  of  Halifax,  Dauphin  Co.,  Pa. 
Both  parents  finally  came  West,  and  died  in  Ran- 
toul, this  county.- 

Mr.  Pinkerton  of  this  sketch,  attended  the  schools 


of  his  native  town  both  day  and  evening,  and  re- 
mained a  resident  there  until  he  was  eighteen  years 
of  age.  When  sixteen  years  old  he  entered  the 
office  of  the  Tremont  News  to  learn  the  "  art  pre- 
servative," and  three  j'ears  later  finished  his  trade 
.at  Plymouth,  Pa.  A  year  later  he  established  a 
paper  called  the  Nicholson  Examiner,  with  which 
he  remained  connected  until  the  summer  of  1874, 
then  coming  West  he  became  editor  of  the  Rantoul 
Journal  for  two  and  one-half  years.  He  afterward 
purchased  this  paper,  which  he  consolidated  with 
the  Rantoul  News  and  named  the  Rantoulian,  car- 
rying it  on  in  partnership  with  H.  E.  Bullock  for 
two  years.  He  then  purchased' the  interest  of  his 
partner,  and  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  its 
present  style.  The  offici'  outfit  is  creditable  to  the 
intelligence  of  its  proprietor  and  includes  a  cylin- 
der power  press,  with  the  other  appointments  of  a 
first-class  job  printing  establishment.  The  Press 
is  independent  in  politics,  and  has  a  large  local  cir- 
culation. 

Mr.  Pinkerton  casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  his  paper  has  much  to  do  in  shaping  the 
politics  of  this  section.  He  is  recognized  among 
his  associates  as  a  man  of  ability  and  good  judg- 
ment, having  served  as  a  member  of  the  County 
Central  Committee.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Illinois 
State  Press  Association,  and  being  a  practical 
printer  is  identified  with  the  Joliet  Typographical 
Union.  He  was  married,  in  October,  1881,  to  Miss 
Mollie  Bois,  who  was  born  in  Rantoul,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  J.  J.  and  Lucy  Bois,  of  whom  a  sketch 
will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work.  The'  little 
family  includes  two  children — Charles  and  Francis. 


?ELIX  G.  SEYMOUR,  of  Scott  Township,  is 
favorably  known  as  one  of  its  intelligent 
farmers  and  substantial  citizens.  He  is  a 
native  of  Hampshire  County,  now  W.  Va.,  and  was 
born  Dec.  1,  1824.  His  parents,  Garrett  and  Sarah 
(McNeil)  Seymour,  were  natives  of  West  Virginia, 
in  which  State  they  remained  after  their  marriage, 
and  where  the  mother  died  early  in  life.  Garrett 
Seymour  afterward  removed  to  Indiana,  where  he 
remained  a  resident  of  Tippecanoe  County  for 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


835 


about  nine  years.  Thence  he  removed  to  Ross 
County,  Ohio,  where  his  death  took  place  in  1848. 
The  seven  children  of  the  household  included  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was 
the  youngest. 

Felix  G.  Seymour  was  about  ten  years  of  age 
when  the  family  removed  to  Indiana,  and  remained 
in  Tippecanoe  County  for  eight  years  following. 
He  then  returned  to  the  vicinity  of  his  old  home  in 
Virginia,  and  for  two  years  lived  with  an  uncle  in 
Hardy  County.  From  there  he  proceeded  to  Ross 
Count}7,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  driving  cattle 
and  farm  work,  and  where  he  continued  to  live 
until  1 863.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  started  for 
the  West  with  his  wife  and  five  children,  and  com- 
ing into  Champaign  Count}'  located  in  Scott 
Township.  In  company  with  his  uncle,  R.  R.  Sey- 
mour, who  is  now  deceased,  he  purchased  about 
1,000  acres  of  laud,  900  of  which  he  yet  owns.  The 
greater  part  of  this  was  improved  and  under  a 
good  state  of  cultivation.  Our  subject  erected  a 
comfortable  farm  dwelling,  and  has  all  necessary 
out-buildings  for  the  shelter  of  stock,  the  storage  of 
grain,  and  the  carrying  on  of  agriculture  after  the 
most  modern  and  improved  methods.  He  has  been 
uniformly  successful  in  his  undertakings  since  com- 
ing to  Illinois,  and  is  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  an  enterprising  and  prosperous  community. 

The  marriage  of  Felix  G.  Seymour  and  Miss 
Catherine  J.  Parker  took  place  in  Ross  County, 
Ohio,  Feb.  24,  1852.  Mrs.  S.  was  a  native  of  that 
county,  born  Dec.  26,  1832,  and  the  daughter  of 
Richard  and  Nancy  (Dill)  Parker,  natives  respect- 
ively of  West  Virginia  and  Ohio.  They  settled  in 
Ross  County  after  their  marriage,  where  they  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sey- 
mour became  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely, 
Sarah  J.,  Parker,  Margaret  E.,  Catherine,  Virginia 
and  Nancy  T.  Sarah  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin 
White,  and  is  a  resident  of  Seymour,  111.;  Parker 
married  Miss  Amanda  Slider,  and  is  farming  in 
Scott  Township,  this  county ;  Catherine  died  Oct. 
30,  1874,  when  fourteen  years  old;  Virginia  died 
May  10,  1864,  aged  eighteen  months;  Nancy  P. 
resides  at  home  with  her  father.  Mrs.  Catherine  J. 
Seymour  departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Scott 
Township,  Nov.  9,  1807.  She  was  a  lady  highly 


respected   in    the  community,  and   a    member    in 
good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Mr.  Seymour  since  coming  to  this  county  has 
been  prominent  in  local  affairs,  holding  the  offices 
of  Supervisor,  School  Treasurer  and  Director  for 
many  years.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Meth- 
odist Church,  to  the  support  of  which  he  has  con- 
tributed liberally  and  cheerfully.  In  earlier  years, 
politically,  he  was  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  old 
Whig  party,  but  upon  its  abandonment  gave  his 
support  to  Democratic  principles.  He  has  all  his 
life  been  engaged  in  fanning,  and  of  late  years  has 
given  much  attention  to  the  breeding  of  fine  stock. 


,,.„  BEL  R.  SEYMOUR,  the  proprietor  of  240 
LJ|    acres  of  valuable   prairie   land   and    forty 


acres  of  timber  on  section  17,  Scott  Town- 
ship, is  a  fine  representative  of  the  pros- 
perous element  of  this  county,  who  by  his  own 
industry  and  enterprise  has  built  up  a  fine  home- 
stead and  secured  a  competency  for  his  later  years. 
He  is  a  native  of  Hampshire  County,  Va.,  born 
Dec.  2,  1815.  and  the  son  of  Garrett  and  Sally 
(McNeil)  Seymour.  His  parents  were  both  natives 
of  Hardy  County,  now  W.  Va.,  where  they  were 
married  and  first  located.  Afterward  they  removed 
to  Hampshire  County,  where  the  mother  died  in 
about  1825.  The  father  afterward  removed  to 
Tippecauoe  County,  Ind.,  where  he  lived  about  ten 
years  and  then  became  a  resident  of  Ross  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  died  in  1848.  The  six  children  of 
the  parental  household  included  four  sons  and  two 
daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  third  child. 
Abel  Seymour  removed  with  his  father  to  Tip- 
pecanoe County,  Ind.,  and  in  1 839  to  Ross  County, 
Ohio.  In  the  latter  place  he  was  engaged  in  herd- 
ing and  driving  cattle  until  1848.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  and  from  there  in 
1856,  to  Urbana,  where  he  lived  two  years,  then 
returned  to  Fayette  County,  of  which  he  remained 
a  resident  until  1862.  That  year  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois, purchased  a  farm  in  Cumberland  County,  and 
lived  there  until  the  fall  of  I860.  He.  afterward 
rented  land  in  Piatt  County  until  1SHD,  when  he  1 


T 


836 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


came  to  this  county  and   located   in  Scott  Town- 
ship, of  which  he  has  since  been  a  resident. 

The  marriage  of  Abel  R.  Seymour  and  Miss  Jean 
Dill  was  celebrated  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  par- 
ents in  Ross  County.  Ohio,  May  13,  1840.  Mrs.  S. 
is  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Ann  (Gregory)  Dill, 
who  were  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  lo- 
cated in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  soon  after  their  mar- 
riage, became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  who 
lived  to  mature  years,  and  there  spent  the  remain- 
der of  their  lives.  Of  the  seven  sons  and  three 
daughters  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dill,  the  wife  of 
our  subject  was  the  fifth  child.  Mrs.  Seymour  was 
born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  22,  1812.  Of 
her  union  with  our.  subject  there  have  been  born 
eight  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows: 
William  D.  married  Miss  Kate  E.  Ruffner,  and  is 
farming  in  Scott  Township;  Annie  became  the  wife 
of  Joseph  H.  Bradley,  and  died  in  Hillsboro,  Ohio; 
Abel  married  Miss  Sciota  A.  Renick,  and  resides 
in  Seymour,  111.;  Sally  J.  married  Abel  S.  Scott,  a 
farmer  of  Scott  Township;  Robert  G.  married  Miss 
Rhoda  Bartlett,  and  is  a  resident  of  Denver,  Col. ; 
Richard  F.  is  at  home  with  his  parents;  John  J. 
married  Miss  Corinne  Howell,  a  cousin  of  the  au- 
tor,  W.  D.  Howell,  and  resides  in  Quincy,  Cal. ; 
Absalom  J.  is  in  Nevada. 

Abel  Seymour,  Jr.,  during  the  late  war  enlisted 
as  a  Union  soldier  in  the  60th  Ohio  Infantry,  and 
served  in  the  army  for  fourtean  months.  He  was 
captured  at  Harper's  Ferry  in  September,  1862, 
but  soon  afterward  paroled  and  went  with  his  regi- 
ment to  Chicago,  where  they  were  discharged.  The 
year  following  he  re-enlisted  in  the  1st  Ohio  Cav- 
alry, and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  In 
1854  our  subject,  in  company  with  three  other 
gentlemen,  took  a  trip  to  England  and  Scotland 
in  the  interest  of  the  Clinton  and  Fayette  Counties 
Importing  Company,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing 
Short-horn  cattle.  He  was  gone  about  two  months, 
the  journey  proving  a  source  of  both  pleasure  and 
profit. 

Mi-.  S.  has  been  quite  prominently  connected  with 
township  affairs,  holding  the  minor  offices,  and  po- 
litically is  a  Democrat.  Mrs.  Seymour  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Swedenborgian  Church.  In  1861  slu> 
was  chosen  President  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  at 


Washington  Court  Ho'use,  in  Ohio,  and  shortly 
after  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Lauding  was  sent  to 
Camp  Dennison  in  charge  of  supplies.  She  is  a 
lady  of  great  benevolence  and  kindness,  and  gave 
much  of  her  time  during  the  war  in  preparing  nec- 
essaries for  the  wounded  soldiers,  large  consign- 
ments of  which  were  frequently  sent  from  the 
North  to  the  various  hospitals  where  the  soldiers 
were  suffering  from  illness  or  wounds. 


McCABE,  of  Hanvood  Township,  \\.-is 
I  born  in  County  Monaghan,  Ireland,  June  24, 
1828,  and  was  the  third  child  of  James  and 
Bridget  (Trainor)  McCabe,  natives  of  the 
same  county  and  who  spent  their  entire  lives  there. 
Our  subject  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  amid 
the  rural  scenes  of  his  native  county.  By  the  time 
he  was  twenty-  one  years  of  age  he  had  saved  a 
little  money  which  he  intended  to  expend  in  seek- 
ing a  country  whose  advantages  were  eminently 
greater  than  those  of  his  own  land.  At  the  outset 
he  met  with  a  dire  misfortune  by  falling  into  the 
hands  of  sharpers,  who  robbed  him  and  left  him 
stranded  among  strangers  and  without  means  in  the 
city  of  Dumfries,  Scotland.  Being  too  proud  to 
return  home  he  joined  the  British  Navy  and  fol- 
lowed the  life  of  a  sailor  for  over  six  years.  Hali- 
fax and  the  West  Indies  were  the  principal  rendez- 
vous, and  his  ship,  belonging  to  the  Admiralty, 
was  privileged  to  cruise  along  .the  North  American 
coast,  Young  McCabe  became  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  nature  of  the  fishery  troubles  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  and 
distinctly  remembers  the  incidents  connected  with 
the  capture  of  the  "Cardinal  Knight"  by  the  En- 
glish cruiser,  and  the  division  of  the  spoils,  in  which 
he  received  four  shillings  and  sixpence  for  his  share. 
Commodore  Perry's  fleet  soon  afterward  put  in  an 
appearance  which  resulted  in  the  adjustment  of 
difficulties,  after  which  hostilities  ceased. 

Mr.  McCabe  relates  many  interesting  incidents 
of  his  experience  in  the  naval  service.  After  a 
time  spent  in  the  waters  of  the  West  Indies  they 
left,  and  touched  land  but  little  for  several  months 
thereafter,  and  in  February,  1853,  encountered  one 


' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


837 


: 

4 


of  the  severest  gales  ever  known  on  the  Gulf  of 
St.  Lawrence.  The  life  boats,  which  were  lashed 
to  the  rigging  forty  feet  above  the  deck,  were  car- 
ried away  by  the  spray  from  the  heavy  sea  which 
followed.  After  almost  superhuman  exertions  by 
the  soldiers  and  sailors  the  ship  was  finally  brought 
into  harbor  safely,  and  continued  operating  along 
the  coast  of  the  Atlantic  until  the  outbreak  of  the 
Crimean  War.  All  the  vessels  of  the  English  navy 
were  then  called  into  requisition  to  take  sides  against 
the  Czar  in  his  conflict  with  the  Ottoman  Empire. 
Here  and  on  the  way  to  the  Baltic  our  subject  en- 
countered many  thrilling  scenes.  lie  spent  a  sea- 
son there,  doing  much  service,  when  he  came  to 
America. 

Mr.  McCabe  landed  in  New  York  City  on  the 
22d  of  December,  1854,  and  soon  afterward  went 
over  into  Pennsylvania  and  be<;an  work  on  a  farm 
near  the  Delaware  Breakwater.  We  soon  find  him 
running  as  a  steamboatman  on  the  Monongahela 
River.  Afterward  he  turned  his  steps  westward, 
but  returned  to  Pittsburgh,  where  he  worked  in  a 
brickyard  first,  and  then  started  out  on  a  peddling 
tour.  Upon  one  of  his  excursions  he  visited  Mas- 
sillon,  Ohio,  where  his  feet  were  so  severely  frozen 
that  he  suffered  a  loss  of  three  of  his  toes.  The 
following  spring  he  returned  to  his  old  run  on  the 
Luzerne  from  Pittsburgh  to  Brownsville,  and  while 
on  the  river  the  engine  of  the  boat  exploded  and 
he  was  naturally  "  laid  off."  In  the  fall  of  1857 
he  started  down  the  Ohio  to  Louisville,  and  from 
there  to  Memphis,  after  which  he  went  up  the 
White  River  to  Napoleon,  Ark.,  in  the  meantime 
buying  and  selling  merchandise  as  before.  At  this 
last  place  while  unloading  an  iron  boiler  he  was 
severely  injured  in  the  back.  Upon  recovering 
from  this  he  proceeded  to  St.  Louis,  and  soon  after- 
ward came  to  Illinois  and  engaged  as  a  form  laborer. 
He  soon  rented  a  tract  of  land  and  began  farming 
for  himself. 

On  the  5th  of  August,  185U,  our  subject  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ann  Spencer,  of  Mt. 
Hope  Township,  McLean  County.  Mrs.  McCabe 
was  the  sixth  of  a  family  of  eight  children  born  to 
Richard  and  Bridget  (Cavanaugh)  Spencer,  natives 
of  Ireland,  who  emigrated  to  America  at  an  early 
day,  and  coming  to  this  State  located  first  at  Mc- 


Lean  Station.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCabe  went  South, 
where  he  followed  ditching  until  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war.  This  project,  however,  fell  through,  and 
Mr.  McCabe  finally  decided  to  return  to  McLean 
County,  and  was  only  $5  richer  than  when  he  set 
out.  The  following  year  he  and  his  wife  engaged 
to  work  for  a  fanner,  his  salary  to  be  $14  per  month 
and  hers  to  be  $6.  They  were  thus  engaged  eleven 
months,  saving  every  penny  they  could,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  this  time  rented  a  tract  of  land,  and 
began  fanning  for  themselves.  They  followed  ag- 
riculture two  years  near  McLean  Station,  and  thence 
removed  to  a  farm  in  Logan  County  which  they 
occupied  four  years.  While  in  the  latter  place  two 
children  were  born — James  R.  and  John  F. 

The  first  entrance  of  our  subject  into  Champaign 
County  took  place  in  the  spring  of  18C9,  when  he 
purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  Harwood  Township, 
where  he  soon  erected  a  house.  He  increased  his 
landed  interests  after  the  second  year  by  the  pur- 
chase of  120  acres.  Mr.  McCabe  met  with  a  severe 
accident  in  tlie  spring  of  1885,  being  kicked  by  a 
horse  and  one  leg  broken.  He  lay  upon  the  ground 
helpless  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  five 
in  the  evening  before  he  was  found  and  taken  home, 
enduring  suffering  that  can  better  be  imagined  than 
described.  From  the  shock  to  his  system  he  has 
not  yet  fully  recovered,  and  it  was  only  by  the  most 
judicious  care  that  his  life  was  saved. 


W.  OBRYANT,  a  native  of  the  southwest- 
ern part  of  this  county,  was  born  April  5, 
1843,  and  is  the  son  of  John  C.  Obryant,  of 
Virginia,  who  first  drew  breath  in  the  rural  districts 
of  old  Virginia  in  1811.  His  grandfather,  Holcomb 
Obryant,  was  of  Irish  descent,  and  the  first  rep- 
resentatives of  the  family  in  this  country  located  in 
Virginia  and  became  the  progenitors  of  a  nu- 
merous family.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
Eliza  Drullinger.  a  native  of  Ohio.  Of  her  marriage 
with  John  C.  Obryant  there  were  born  two  sons 
and  eight  daughters,  seven  of  whom  lived  to 
mature  years,  married  and  settled  in  homes  of 


t 


838 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


their  own.  The  mother  is  still  surviving,  making  her 
home  with  her  children,  and  enjoying  remarkably 
good  health  for  a  lady  seventy-two  years  of  age. 

The  subject  of  this  history  spent  a  part  of  his 
early  life  in  Vermilion  County,  but  attained  his 
majority  in  this  count}'.  During  the  progress  of  the 
late  war  he  enlisted  in  Co.  K,  125th  111.  Vol.  Inf., 
and  followed  the  fortunes  of  a  soldier  until  the  close, 
taking  part  in  many  of  its  important  battles,  name- 
Iv,  Perryville,  Ky.,  Chickamauga  and  Mission 
Ridge,  besides  meeting  the  enemy  in  various  skir- 
mishes and  experiencing  many  hairbreadth  escapes. 
He  wound  up  his  military  career  by  joining  the 
army  of  Gen.  Sherman  in  its  march  from  Atlanta 
to  the  sea,  going  through  the  Carolinas  and  being 
at  the  battle  of  Bentonville,  whence  they  moved  on 
to  Richmond  and  from  there  to  Washington  to  the 
final  grand  review,  after  the  surrender  of  Lee's 
army.  Here  Mr.  Obryant,  with  those  of  his  com- 
rades who  remained  alive  after  their  terrible  ex- 
periences, was  honorably  discharged  and  subse- 
quently paid  off  at  Chicago. 

Our  subject,  after  once  more  becoming  a  civilian, 
returned  to  Vermilion  County,  where  he  remained 
until  the  spring  of  1866.  He  then  made  his  way  to 
St.  Joseph  Township,  where  he  began  farming,  hav- 
ing in  view  the  establishment  of  domestic  ties  and 
a  home  of  his  own.  The  lady  destined  to  become 
the  sharer  of  his  fortunes  was  Miss  Mary  Ltidwick, 
to  whom  he  was  married  Feb.  17,  1869,  in  St.  Jo- 
seph Township.  Mrs.  Obryant  is  a  native  of  Indi- 
ana, born  near  La  Fayette,  and  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Eveline  Ludwick,  natives  of  Maryland 
and  Virginia,  respectively.  After  marriage  the 
young  people  settled  near  what  is  now  Mayview, 
where  Mr.  Obryant  rented  a  tract  of  land  for  a 
term  of  five  years.  He  continued  there  prosper- 
ously, and  wh^n  his  lease  had  expired  purchased 
ninety  acres  of  land  near  the  farm  of  Isaac  Leas, 
which  is  now  known  as  the  Leas  Farm.  Our  sub- 
ject occupied  this  ten  years,  then  sold  out  and  took 
possession  of  his  homestead.  Here  he  has  operated 
after  the  theory  of  Horace  Greeley,rthat  a  small 
amount  of  land  well  cultivated  is  more  profitable 
than  a  larger  area  partially  neglected.  He  has  but 
eighty  acres,  but  has  brought  it  to  a  fine  and  fertile 
condition,  built  a  good  residence  and  barn,  and' has 


excellent  grades  of  Short-horn  cattle,  together  with 
hogs  and  horses  of  no  mean  degree. 

The  household  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Obryant  now  in- 
cludes three  bright  children — Frank  E.,  Anna  May 
and  W.  Roy.  The  parents  are  members  in  good 
standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  St. 
Joseph,  in  which  Mr.  Obryant  has  officiated  as 
Steward  and  Trustee  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
has  been  continuously  identified  with  the  Sunday- 
school,  in  which  he  has  always  maintained  an  active 
and  kindly  interest. 


EZRA  DICKERSON,  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive farmers  of  Champaign  County,  occu- 
pies 640  acres  in  Compromise  Township,  on 
section  19,  of  which  he  took  possession  in  1867. 
He  came  here  with  a  determination  to  establish  a 
permanent  home  and  become  identified  with  the 
best  citizens  of  this  county.  With  comparatively 
little  effort  he  has  been  assigned  to  his  rightful  po- 
sition as  a  representative  business  man  and  mem- 
ber of  the  community,  enjoying  in  a  marked 
degree  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
citizens.  As  a  farmer  he  has  been  unusually  suc- 
cessful, and  in  the  township  has  identified  himself 
with  its  most  important  interests.  He  commenced 
life  as  a  carpenter  at  $10  per  month,  and  was  after- 
ward variously  employed  until  he  had  saved  $300 
in  money,  with  which  he  purchased  a  sawmill  and 
established  himself  in  the  lumber  trade,  from  the 
proceeds  of  which  business  he  purchased  the  farm 
that  formed  the  basis  of  his  fine  property. 

Mr.  Dickerson  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County, 
Ind.,  born  July  13,  1834.  His  parents,  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Carroll)  Dickerson,  natives  of  Ohio, 
after  marriage  removed  to  Indiana,  and  located 
among  the  early  pioneers  of  Franklin  County.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  which 
business  he  followed  until  1853,  when  he  removed 
to  Hendricks  County,  Ind.,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing until  retiring  from  the  active  labors  of  life. 
His  death  occurred  in  that  county  in  1872,  when 
seventy-two  years  old.  Mrs.  Dickerson  still  sur- 
vives and  is  now  a  resident  of  Sheldon,  III.  The 
parental  household  included  four  children,  who  are 


I  If 

<£ 


f. 

t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


841 


located  as  follows:  Clarinda,  the  wife  of  Daniel 
Chirk,  resides  in  Hendricks  Count}'.  Ind. ;  Jane 
married  William  Brundidge,  a  resident  of  Kansas; 
Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Frank  Hereford,  lives  in  Lincoln, 
111. 

Our  subject  was  the  second  child  and  the  only  son 
of  his  father's  family.  He  learned  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter  in  his  youth,  which  he  followed  in  Frank- 
lin and  Hendricks  Counties,  Ind.,  until  he  engaged 
in  the  lumber  trade.  After  coming  to  this  county 
he  purchased  640  acres  of  unbroken  prairie,  includ- 
ing section  19,  which  he  has  transformed  into  a 
beautiful  and  desirable  homestead.  He  was  one  of 
the  seven  men  chiefly  interested  in  building  the 
Havana,  Rautoul  &  Eastern  Railroad,  his  associates 
in  this  enterprise  being  B.  J.  Gifford,  G.  D.  Pen- 
field,  John  Penfield,  Milo  Dewey,  Robert  Fisher 
and  H.  E.  Bullock.  They  afterward  associated 
with  them  Lewis  Stewart,  of  Piano,  111.  Mr.  Dick- 
erson  superintended  the  laying  of  thirty-five  miles 
of  track,  as  well  as  the  building  of  several  bridges. 
After  the  completion  of  the  road  he  officiated  as 
conductor,  having  charge  of  a  train  four  years. 
During  the  construction  of  the  road  he  contracted 
for  a  large  number  of  ties  and  much  other  material, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  important  factors  in  the 
whole  enterprise.  Upon  severing  his  connection 
with  the  railroad,  and  after  an  absence  of  six  years, 
he  returned  to  his  farm  and  has  since  devoted 
his  time  and  attention  to  its  improvement.  The 
land  is  drained  with  1,300  rods  of  tile,  and 
the  residence,  which  was  erected  in  1 883-84,  is  a 
commodious  structure,  two  stories  in  height,  being 
finely  finished,  and  altogether  is  one  of  the  best  farm 
dwellings  in  that  part  of  the  county.  In  1884,  for 
the  purpose  of  draining  his  own  land,  he  established 
a  tile  manufactory,  and  the  business  proving  profit- 
able he  has  continued  it,  making  extensive  ship- 
ments to  various  parts  of  this  and  other  counties. 
His  fields,  which  are  conveniently  laid  out  and 
neatly  (enced,  are  finely  adapted  both  for  pasturage 
and  grain-raising,  being  chiefly  devoted  to  the  latter. 
The  full  page  view  of  his  farm,  which  we  present 
in  this  connection,  gives  one  an  excellent  idea  of 
its  extent  and  the  splendid  family  residence,  its 
surroundings,  his  factory  and  other  buildings. 

The   lady    who   has   presided    with  great  dignity 


and  amiability  over  the  household  of  our  subject 
for  a  period  of  twenty-four  years,  was  formerly 
Miss  Elizabeth  Wiley,  a  native  of  Hendricks  Coun- 
ty, Ind.,  and  the  daughter  of  Alfred  and -Susan 
Wiley,  natives  of  Guilford  County,  N.  C.  They 
took  up  their  abode  in  Hendricks  Count}',  Ind.,  in 
1834,  during  the  pioneer  days.  The  children  now 
living  of  Ezra  and  Mrs.  Dickerson,  are  two  daugh- 
ters, Florence  and  Effie.  A  little  son,  Charlie,  died 
•  when  two  years  of  age.  Florence,  in  August,  1881, 
became  the  wife  of  David  Stephens;  she  is  now  the 
wife  of  Walter  M.  Dickey,  a  resident  of  Chicago, 
and  dealer  in  fine  trotting  horses;  she  has  a  son  by 
her  first  husband.  Our  subject  politically  affiliates 
with  the  Democratic  party,  and  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  substantial  men  of  his  township. 


B.  SMITH,  of  the  firm  of  J.  B.  Smith  &  Co., 
dealers  in  boots  and  shoes  at  No.  59  Neal 
street,  Champaign,  located  here  in  the  fall  of 
1854.  He  is  possessessed  of  those  principles 
and  traits  of  character  which  have  constituted  him 
an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen,  the  encourager 
of  morality  and  education,  and  which  have  made 
him  universally  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  Aug. 
7,  1832,  and  is  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Eliza  (Porter) 
Smith,  natives  of  Philadelphia.  Jacob  Smith  was  an 
extensive  furniture  manufacturer  in  that  city,  and 
also  in  Kentucky,  and  left  the  latter  State  for  Illi- 
nois in  October,  1851.  lie  settled  in  McLean 
County  and  lived  -a  retired  life  in  the  city  of 
Bloomington  until  his  decease  in  1875,  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  The  mother  died  the  following  year, 
aged  eiglity-four,  being  one  year  younger  than  her 
husband.  Both  parents  were  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  Of  their  seven  children  five  are 
still  living,  namely,  Thomas  M.,  of  Missouri;  R.  P.; 
Mrs.  Cochran,  of  Bloomington,  111.;  Mrs.  Noel,  of 
Missouri,  and  J.  B.,  our  subject.  Jacob  Smith,  Sr., 
during  the  early  part  of  his  life  v^as  a  stanch  ad- 
herent of  the  old  Whig  party,  and  after  its  abandon- 
ment affiliated  with  the  Republicans,  casting  one 


T 


t 


842 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  was  a 
distant  relative  and  who  afterward  visited  him  at 
his  home  in  Bloomington. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  attended  school  in 
his  native  State  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  complet- 
ing hi;;  studies  at  Danville  College.  He  then  en- 
gaged  as  clerk  in  a  store  at  Richmond,  and  was  thus 
occupied  until  the  family  removed  to  Illinois.  In 
the  spring  of  1854  he  engaged  in  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Urbana,  remaining  only  a  brief  time,  how- 
ever, as  in  the  fall  of  that  same  year  he  put  up  a 
store  on  Main  street  in  Champaign,  in  which  he 
continued  business  in  connection  with  that  at  Ur- 
bana.  His  partner,  J.  W.  Hill,  managed  the  Cham- 
paign branch.  In  1859  Mr.  .Smith  sold  out  and 
returned  to  Bloomingtou,  engaging  in  the  same 
business  until  1801,  and  until  after  the  opening 
of  the  late  war.  He  then  started  out  as  a  sutler  of 
the  8th  Missouri  Regiment,  but  his  health  failing 
in  the  course  of  a  few  months  he  returned  once 
more  to  Bloomiugton. 

In  the  spring  of  1862  Mr.  Smith  went  to  Chicago, 
and  engaging  in  the  fancy  and  dry-goods  trade, 
remained  there  until  the  great  fire  in  October,  1871. 
After  this  disaster  he  again  returned  to  Blooming- 
ton,  and  in  company  with  his  brother,  Robert  T., 
opened  a  wholesale  and  retail  boot  and  shoe  busi- 
ness, which  they  conducted  one  year,  and  then  our 
subject  returned  to  Chicago  and  became  connected 
with  the  firm  of  Eddy,  Harvey  &  Co.,  wholesale 
dealers  in  boots  and  shoes  and  hats  and  caps.  He 
remained  with  the  firm  until  their  failure  in  1882. 
He  afterward  engaged  again  with  his  brother  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  business  in  Bloomington,  where  they 
remained  until  February,  1887,  when  Mr.  Smith 
removed  to  Champaign  and  established  his  present 
business. 

On  i1  subject  was  married,  in  1855,  to  Miss  Mary 
J.  Howse,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of 
David  Howse,  who  settled  in  Champaign  County 
in  1854.  The  father  of  Mrs.  S.  was  also  engaged 
in  the  boot  and  shoe  business  while  in  Ohio,  but 
after  coining  to  Illinois  followed  farming  and  car- 
ried on  a  nursery.  He  departed  this  life  in  Cham- 
paign in  1882.  The  family  of  Mr.  Ilowse  included 
six  children,  namely,  Mrs.  Smith;  Mrs.  Mulligan, 
of  Dakota;  Mrs.  Hill;  David  B.,  Bell  and  Kossuth. 


The  latter  four  reside  in  Champaign  County.     Mrs. 
Howse  died  in  Champaign  in  185G. 

Air.  Smith  is  independent  in  politics,  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  with  his  excellent 
wife  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 


LIAS  RUSSELL  first  drew  breath  among  the 
hills  of  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  to  which 
State  his  father  had  removed  from  his  na- 
tive State  of  Virginia  with  his  parents  when  a  boy. 
The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  John  Russell  by 
name,  was  born  in  the  Old  Dominion,  being  the  off- 
spring of  a  family  who  traced  their  ancestry  from 
England,  and  whose  first  representatives  in 'this 
country  located  in  Virginia  in  the  Colonial  days. 
They  were  agriculturists,  and  became  noted  for 
their  thrift  and  prosperity. 

John  Russell  married  early  in  life  and  became 
the  father  of  a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daughters. 
Among  these  'was  Joseph  A.,  who  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  when  a  boy  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Ohio,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  married  Miss 
Jemima  C.  Eckhart,  and  became  the  father  of  Elias, 
of  our  sketch. 

The  Eckhart  family  was  originally  from  Ger- 
many, and  its  later  representatives  became  promi- 
nent in  the  early  settlement  of  Ohio.  Joseph  Rus- 
sell after  his  marriage  located  with  his  young  wife 
in  Fairfield  County,  where  he  opened  up  a  tarm 
and  remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
the  winter  of  1881,  after  he  had  arrived  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  The  wife  and  mother  still  survives, 
making  her  home  near  Lithopolis.  The  parental 
household  included  two  sons  and  four  daughters, 
of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  Daniel,  the  eldest, 
married  and  settled  in  Shelby  County,  111.;  Eliza- 
beth is  the  wife  of  Daniel  Stnmpf,  of  the  same 
county;  Maria  married  William  Stumpf;  Elias,  of 
our  sketch,  was  the  fourth  child ;  Mary  became  the 
wife  of  Wilkinson  Clark,  of  Fairfield  County,  Ohio, 
and  Sarah  married  Calvin  Poor. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  years  in  Fairfield 
County,  Ohio,  passing  his  winters  in  attendance  at 
the  district  schools,  and  assisting  in  the  labors  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


843 


the  farm  until  his  marriage.  This  event  took  place 
when  he  was  in  his  twenty-third  year,  in  September, 
I860,  his  chosen  bride  being'  Miss  Nancy  M.,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Effie  (Drake)  Whitzel,  of  Fair- 
field  County,  Ohio.  In  the  fall  of  1861  Mr.  nnd 
Mrs.  Russell  came  into  Shelby  County,  111.,  where 
they  took  up  their  residence  for  a  year.  They  were 
not  qiiite  satisfied  with  that  locality  and  migrated 
into  Champaign  Count}',  locating  first  in  Stan  ton 
Township,  Here  our  subject  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock-raising  and  cultivated  annually  a  large 
area  of  corn  and  wheat.  Finally,  in  1881,  he  se- 
cured possession  of  eighty  acres  of  land  on  section 
10,  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  where  lie  permanently 
located  and  which  has  since  been  his  home.  He  has 
been  willing  to  labor  for  the  good  things  of  life, 
and  his  industry  has  been  amply  rewarded.  Him- 
self and  family  are  enjoying  all  the  comforts  which 
could  be  reasonably  wished  for,  and  possess  in  a 
marked  degree  the  esteem  and  respect  of  their 
neighbors. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell  have  become  the  parents  of 
two  children  only  —  Frank  S.,  and  an  infant  who 
died  unnamed.  Mr.  R.  since  coming  to  this  town- 
ship has  served  as  School  Trustee  and  Treasurer. 
Commissioner  of  Highways,  and  in  other  positions 
where  he  has  been  of  decided  assistance  in  local 
matters.  He  is  esteemed  as  a  man  of  excellent 
judgment,  and  his  honesty  has  never  been  ques- 
tioned. Since  becoming  a  voter  he  has  upheld  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  yjarty. 


t 


IDGAR  W.  PUTNAM,  junior  member  of 
the  well-known  firm  of  Putnam  Bros.,  carry- 
ing on  an  extensive  trade  in  agricultural  im- 
plements and  general  merchandise  at  Penfield,  was 
born  in  East  Douglas,  Worcester  Co.,  Mass.,  June 
3,  1857,  and  was  eight  years  of  age  when  the  fam- 
ily migrated  to  Illinois.  His  primary  education 
was  conducted  in  the  common  schools,  afterward 
being  continued  in  the  High  School  at  Champaign 
upon  coming  to  this  county.  He  has  inherited  the 
business  talents  of  his  father,  and  possesses  the 
sound  sense  required  by  the  practical  financier.  He 
remained  a  member  of  the  parental  household  until 


1882,  then  came  to  Penfield  and  associated  him- 
self in  partnership  with  Thomas  J.  Campbell,  with 
whom  he  operated  under  the  style  of  Campbell  cfe 
Putnam  until  1884.  Then  by  the  withdrawal  of 
Mr.  Campbell  the  firm  became  Putnam  Bros. 

On  the  I Oth  of  October,  1875,  Mr.  Putnam  was 
united  in  marriage  with  the  lady  of  his  choice,  Miss 
Mary  M.  McLeod.  who  was  born  in  Vermilion 
County,  this  State,  in  1857.  The  father  of  Mrs. 
Putnam  served  as  a  Union  soldier  in  the  late  war, 
and  yielded  up  his  life  on  the  battle-field,  in  Mis- 
souri. The  mother  is  yet  living.  The  only  child 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  is  a  son— Lewis  Watkins.  Mr. 
Putnam,  politically,  supports  the  principles  of  the 
Democratic  party;  and  officiates  in  Penfield  as 
Notary  Public.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Gene- 
vieve  Lodge  No.  ICO.  K.  of  P. 

~^-    --•*•*-    •— - 


JONATHAN  SMITH.  The  English  born  resi- 
dent of  Ayers  Township  form  no  unimpor- 
tant class  of  its  population.  Numbers  of 
them  came  here  twenty  years  ago  or  more 
and  by  their  sturdy  industry  and  substantial  char- 
acter have  assisted  in  building  up  the  community 
both  in  a  moral  and  an  agricultural  point  of  view, 
and  have  been  among  the  most  reliable  citizens  and 
business  men.  Of  this  class  Mr.  Smith  of  our 
sketch  is  no  unworthy  representative.  He  took 
possession  of  his  present  farm  on  section  17  in  1883, 
since  which  time  he  has  labored  industriously  to 
improve  the  quality  of  the  soil,  and  while  success- 
fully prosecuting  his  chosen  calling  as  an  agricult- 
urist, has  by  his  honesty  and  frugality  established 
himself  in  the  respect  of  the  entire  community. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  our  subject  were 
spent  in  Yorkshire,  England,  where  he  first  opened 
his  eyes  to  the  light  on  the  20th  of  November, 
1847.  His  parents  were  Francis  and  Mary  (Hugill) 
Smith.  The  mother  died  when  he  was  but  five 
years  old.  He  lived  at  home  until  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  and  then  sailed  with  his  young  wife 
from  Liverpool  to  the  United  States.  The  father 
is  still  living  in  England. 

After  landing  in  New  York  City  Jonathan  Smith 
at  once  proceeded  westward  to  Morgan  County. 


t 


844 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


this  State,  where  he  worked  by  the  week  at  his 
trade  of  blacksmithing,  which  he  had  learned  of 
his  father  in  the  old  country.  He  followed  this  for 
twelve  years  thereafter  and  obtained  an  enviable 
reputation  as  a  skillful  and  reliable  workman. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  was,  in  her  girlhood, 
Miss  Anna  M.  Tunstill.  She  is  a  native  of  the 
same  county  in  England  as  her  husband,  is  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (Bond)  Tunstill,  and 
was  born  in  January,  1845.  Her  parents  arc  still 
living,  remaining  in  their  native  country.  The  six 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  were  named  re- 
spectively, Rose  Ann,  John  F.,  Jonathan  H.,  Will- 
iam H.,  Mary  E.  and  David  G.  They  form  a  bright 
and  intelligent  group  of  which  the  parents  may 
well  be  proud.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  members 
in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
at  Broadlands.  Mr.  S.,  after  becoming  an  Ameri- 
can citizen,  identified  himself  with  the  Republican 
party.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Homer  Lodge 
No.  252,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


/,..,  J.BERT  G.  PORTERFIKLD  is  the  yonng- 
LJI    est  son  of  Samuel  and  Nancy  (Davis)  Por- 


terficld,  and  a  native  of  Armstrong  Coiin- 
ty,  Pa.,  where  his  birth  took  place  on  the 
4th  of  September,  1 848.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm 
in  the  Keystone  State,  receiving  a  common-school 
education,  and  in  18G3  emigrated  with  his  parents 
to  Illinois,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a  resident 
of  this  county.  In  the  spring  of  18G7,  although 
but  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  rented  a  tract  of 
land  in  Raymond  Township  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account.  Three  years  later  he  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  unimproved  land  on  section 
9,  which  is  included  in  his  present  homestead.  The 
whole  now  comprises  120  acres,  which  he  has  care- 
fully cultivated  and  improved,  and  where,  in  1883, 
he  erected  a  fine  barn  thirty-four  feet  square,  and 
furnished  with  all  the  necessary  conveniences  re- 
quired by  the  modern  and  progressive  farmer.  He 
is  now  building  a  residence,  which  when  completed 
will  probably  be  one  of  the  finest  in  this  county. 


A  lithographic  view  of   it  is  presented   on   another 
page. 

The  family  of  our  subject  consists  of  his  wife 
and  four  sons — William  W.,  Samuel  H.,  Marcus  J. 
and  Arthur  T.  His  marriage  took  place  on  the 
;!2d  of  February,  1872.  Mrs.  Porterfield,  formerly 
Miss  Eliza  J.  Tucker,  was  born  in  Clermont  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  April  25,  184(5.  Her  parents  were  Nelson 
and  Sarah  (Gaskin)  Tucker,  both  now  deceased. 
She  received  a  good  education,  and  for  some  time 
before  her  marriage  was  a  popular  teacher  in  the 
schools  of  Champaign  County.  She  is  a  valued 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  a 
lady  possessing  many  excellent  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart.  Our  subject,  politically,  affiliates  with 
the  Republican  party,  and  has  served  one  term  as 
Township  Assessor. 


JOSEPH  T.  KELLEY,  who  has  distinguished 
himself  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  residents 
of  Harwood  Township,  was  born  in  Rock- 
ingham  County,  Va.,  May  14,  1809.  He  was 
the  youngest  of  fourteen  children,  the  offspring  of 
Abram  and  Sarah  (Burgess)  Kclley,  the  former  of 
Irish  birth  and  the  latter  supposed  to  have  been 
born  in  Germany.  On  account  of  the  Irish  Re- 
bellion, Abram  Kelley  became  an  exile  from  his  na- 
tive land  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolutionary 
War.  Two  of  his  brothers  escaped  witli  him,  and 
upon  reaching  this  country,  Abram  enlisted  upon 
the  side  of  the  Colonists,  serving  at  first  for  one 
year  and  afterward  becoming  the  substitute  for  his 
two  brothers,  both  of  whom  had  been  drafted,  and 
in  this  capacity  serving  two  years.  After  the  in- 
dependence of  the  Colonists,  he  located  for  a  time 
in  Virginia,  and  in  1810  removed  to  Ohio,  his  wife 
dying  the  same  year.  He  served  his  adopted  coun- 
try again  during  the  War  of  1812.  During  this 
time  his  family  lived  in  Rockaway  County,  Ohio. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  years  our  subject  for  five 
years  became  a  member  of  the  family  of  Joseph 
Vance,  who  owned  a  farm  in  Champaign  County, 
Ohio,  and  was  a  member  of  Congress.  He  had  on- 
joyed  the  confidence  of  his  employer  and  had  also 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


=4* 

845     t  ] 


ingratiated  himself  into  the  affections  of  his  em- 
ployer's ^niece,  Miss  Sarah,  eldest  daughter  of  John 
W.  and  Margaret  (Lemon)  Vance  of  Virginia. 
They  were  married  Nov.  *J,  1830,  and  at  once  set 
out  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  farther  West. 
They  proceeded  on  horseback  and  reached  Danville, 
this  State,  where  were  located  the  salt  worksljelong- 
ing  to  the  father  of  Mrs.  Kellcy.  His  wife  having 
died  he  was  without  a  housekeeper,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  Mr.  Kelley  and  his  wife  to  be- 
come inmates  of  his  home,  when  they  arrived  there 
March  20,  1831.  Three  years  later  Mr.  Vance 
went  West  to  fight  the  Indians,  Mr.  Kelle}'  remain- 
ing at  home,  taking  general  supervision  of  the  salt 
works.  The  war  with  Mexico,  in  1846,  again  stirred 
his  patriotism,  but  the  ranks  being  full  he  could 
not  enlist.  Concluding  he  might  as  well  use  the 
plowshare  as  the  sword,  he  purchased  300  acres  of 
prairie  land  in  Vance  Township,  Vermilion  County. 
111.,  and  entered  upon  the  work  of  improving  it. 
About  four  years  later  he  sold  out,  and  removed  to 
St.  Joseph,  this  county,  and  rented  a  farm.  Shortly 
afterward  the  owner  of  this  died  and  Mr.  Kelley 
purchased  the  land  and  occupied  it  until  1866.  In 
January  of  that  year  his  wife  died,  and  for  the 
time  he  gave  up  farming,  rented  his  land,  and  in 
1867  sold  out  to  his  son  John  W. 

Of  the  nine  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kelley  only  four  survive,  namely,  John  W., 
James,  Margaret  and  J.  Duncan.  The  deceased 
are  David  V.,  Mary  J.,  William,  Martha  and  Sarah. 
John  W.,  in  1875,  sold  the  farm  and  removed  to 
Denver,  Col.,'  where  he  is  in  the  employ  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  Railroad  Company;  he  married  Miss 
Caroline  Lisha,  of  Homer,  this  State.  James  is  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  trade  and  also  a  dealer  in  live 
stock  at  Boulder,  Col.  His  first  wife  was  Miss 
Carrie  Knox,  who  died  in  1876.  He  then  married 
Alice,  daughter  of  Judge  Slaughter,  of  Colorado. 
Margaret  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  II.  .Shreve,  a  grain 
dealer  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.  Duncan  married  Miss 
Jennie  Carnp,  of  this  county,  and  is  employed  as  a 
book-keeper  in  the  Assessor's  office  in  Denver,  Col. 

Mr.  Kelley  was  again  married,  Dec.  24,  1868,  to 
Mrs.  Patience  (Neal)  Bullock,  daughter  of  Edmund 
and  Sarah  (Davis)  Neal,  and  widow  of  Morgan  L. 
Bullock.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Maine,  hut 


soon  after  their  marriage  removed,  to  Greene  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  located  on  a  farm.  While  living- 
there.  Patience  was  born  to  them,  Jan.  17,  1816. 
Mr.  Bullock,  her  former  husband,  was  a  native  of 
Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.  He  was  a  well  educated 
man  and  taught  school  considerably  in  his  younger 
years.  He  was  a  practical  carpenter  and  builder, 
but  finally  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  After 
farming  at  different  places,  they  moved  upon  the 
homestead  of  her  parents  to  care  for  them  in  their 
declining  years.  Nine  years  later  the  mother  died, 
and  the  father  in  1867.  They  then  came  to  Har- 
wood  Township,  and  Mr.  B.  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  land  on  section  33,  and  moved  his  family  into 
a  small  house  which  stood  upon  it.  Soon  afterward 
on  one  long-to-be-remembered  morning  they  were 
appalled  by  the  discovery  of  flames  in  the  prairie 
grass  around  them  and  were  obliged  to  take  the 
best  means  for  escaping  with  their  lives.  The  fire 
swept  everything  before  it  until  reaching  the  hay 
field  where  Mr.  Bullock  and  his  sons  and  hired  help 
were  at  work.  They  soon  found  their  efforts  fu- 
tile in  endeavoring  to  save  the  hay  and  started  to- 
ward the  house,  in  the  direction  of  which  the  wind 
was  already  blowing.  By  the  time  they  reached  it 
the  fire  had  already  communicated  with  the  barn, 
and  they  barely  saved  the  horses  by  leading  them 
out  with  the  harness  on.  This  accomplished,  the 
house  was  discovered  to,  be  on  fire,  and  the  only 
thing  which  they  could  remove  before  it  was  con- 
sumed was  a  chest  of  tools  and  the  money  con- 
cealed in  it.  The  men  lost  their  hats  and  coats  and 
the  women  all  their  wearing  apparel  except  that 
they  had  on.  They  then  attached  the  horses  to  the 
wagon  which  they  had  succeeded  in  saving,  and 
took  up  their  abode  in  a  hotel  until  they  could  put 
up  a  small  house.  The  fire  occurred  Oct.  10,  1860, 
and  they  took  possession  of  the  new  house  in  De- 
cember following. 

In  December,  1865,  the  husband  and  father  was 
called  from  earth.  His  widow  remained  upon  the 
farm  until  her  marriage  with  our  subject.  During 
the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kelley  at  St.  Joseph, 
Mr.  Kelley  kept  hotel  from  1849  to  1864,  and 
often  entertained  Abraham  Lincoln  and  David  Da- 
vis, who.  were  holding  District  Court  through  this 
section  of  the  State  and  when  going  that  way  al- 


T 


<  ,     846 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ways  stopped  fit  the  "Kelley  House."  JMr.  Kelley 
still  preserves  the  old  arm  chair  in  which  Mr.  Lin- 
coln used  to  sit  and  tell  stories  while  Mr.  Davis 
would  lie  on  the  floor  and  enjoy  them.  This  chair 
is  an  old-fashioned  one  with  wide  rockers  and  a 
buffalo  cushion,  and  was  the  especial  favorite  of  the 
lamented  President. 

Mr.  Kelley  was  the  first  Postmaster  at  St.  Joseph, 
which  position  he  held  for  a  period  of  ten  years. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  hale  and 
hearty  old  man,  well  preserved  and  active  as  many 
men  twenty  years  his  junior.  He  is  respected  by  the 
entire  community,  and  is  one  of  the  most  familiar 
figures  to  be  seen  about  the  house  and  garden, 
where  he  spends  the  greater  part  of  the  time,  de- 
lighting in  viewing  the  growth  and  maturing  of 
vegetation.  Mrs  Kelley  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church. 


t 


ENRY  REESE,  .a  highly  respected  member 
of  the  fanning  community  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  has  successfully  operated  on  a 
valuable  body  of  land  on  section  10  since  the 
spring  of  1857.  He  is  a  fine  illustration  of  the  self- 
made  man,  who  from  a  modest  beginning  has 
worked  his  own  way  up  in  the  world  to  a  good  posi- 
tion socially  and  financially  among  his  fellow-citi- 
zens, and  by  his  straightforward  and  upright  life 
has  secured  their  kindly  regard  and  confidence. 

The  first  recollections  of  our  subject  are  of  his 
father's  farm  in  Washington  County,  Pa.,  where  he 
played  when  a  boy,  and  where  he  first  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light,  July  10,  1829.  He  comes  of  ex- 
cellent Welsh  ancestry,  which  was  first  represented 
in  this  country  in  the  Colonial  days,  and  whose  de- 
scendants, settling  in  Pennsylvania,  reared  families 
of  sons  and  daughters  who  formed  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  farming  element  of  that  region.  Thomas 
Reese,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Anna,  daughter  of  William  and  Rebecca 
Sunderland,  of  English  descent.  After  marriage 
they  located  permanently  in  Washington  County, 
where  they  built  up  a  good  record  as  parents, 
friends  and  citizens.  They  reared  their  children 
to  habits  of  industry,  and  passed  to  their  final  rest 


near  the  place  where  they  first  joined  hands  to- 
gether for  the  journey  of  life.  They  never  became 
wealthy,  but  were  able  to  provide  comfortably  for 
their  ten  children  until  they  were  old  enough  to  go 
out  into  the  world  and  take  care  of  themselves. 
These  all  lived  to  mature  years,  were  married,  and 
nine  of  them  still  survive. 

The  subject  of  this  narration  was  the  second 
son  and  child  of  his  parents,  and  passed  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  on  the  homestead  in  the  Keystone 
State  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons  of 
that  period.  As  soon  as  old  enough  his  services  were 
utilized  on  the  farm,  while  a  brief  period  each  win- 
ter was  spent  in  the  district  schools.  Later  he  be- 
gan earning  a  little  extra  money  by  working  for 
the  neighbors  in  his  vicinity,  and  finally  drifted 
into  the  Prairie  State  and  Champaign  County.  He 
was  first  employed  in  herding  sheep  for  Silas  Clark, 
with  whom  he  remained  three  years,  after  which  he 
began  renting  land,  which  he  continued  until  pur- 
chasing his  present  farm.  This  now  includes  185 
acres  of  finely  improved  land,  lying  near  the  town 
of  St.  Joseph,  convenient  for  both  market  and 
trade.  Mr.  Reese  spent  several  years  in  tilling  the 
soil,  building  fences  and  adding  other  necessary 
improvements,  and  then  turned  his  attention  prin- 
cipally to  the  raising  of  high-grade  cattle,  in  which 
he  has  been  eminently  successful,  being  able  to  ex- 
hibit some  of  the  finest  animals  in  Central  Illinois. 

Mr.  Reese  married,  in  the  spring  of  1859,  Miss 
Catherine,  daughter  of  Moses  Argo,  Esq.,  who  was 
one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  this  county,  and  first 
established  himself  upon  a  tract  of  land  in  Cham- 
paign County,  where  among  other  children  this 
daughter  was  born,  reared  and  educated.  Of  this 
marriage  there  were  born  six  children.  The  eldest, 
Samantha,  became  the  wife  of  Alfred  Cole ;  the 
others  are  William  F.,  Addie,  Jennie,  Lyman  and 
Oran  B. 

Mrs.  Reese  departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her 
husband,  Feb.  15,  1880.  Mr.  Reese  was  a  second 
time  married,  at  Urbana,  April  10,  1884,  to  .Miss 
Emma, -the  daughter  of  Levi  and  Leanna  (Hay- 
mons)  Feaster.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  tun 
children— Pearl,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy  un- 
named. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reese  are  members  of  the  Christian 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


847 


Church  at  St.  Joseph,  to  the  support  of  which  they 
have  always  contributed  liberally,  and  in  which  our 
subject  has  served  as  Trustee  for  several  years. 
They  enjoy  the  friendship  and  respect  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  their  home 
forms  a  pleasant  resort  for  the  best  people  of  St. 
Joseph  Township,  who  have  learned  to  esteem  the 
worthy  proprietor  and  his  wife  for  their  excellent 
qualities  as  neighbors,  friends  and  citizens. 


OURTLAND  BROWN,  who  was  present  at 
the  organization  of  Harwood  Township,  was 
elected  its  first  Clerk  and  served  acceptably 
for  four  years  from  1870.  In  the  meantime,  and 
for  twelve  years  thereafter,  he  was  employed  as  a 
teacher  in  this  locality.  After  an  interval  of  seven 
years  he  is  now  holding  the  office  of  Township 
Clerk  again,  and  in  other  respects  is  prominent 
among  the  local  affairs  of  his  community.  He  is  a 
gentleman  of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence, 
keeping  himself  well  posted  upon  current  events,  is 
a  stanch  Republican  politically,  and  an  ardent  ad- 
mirer of  the  late  John  A.  Logan,  in  honor  of  whom 
his  youngest  son  is  named.  He  is  thoroughly  alive 
to  all  the  political  movements  of  the  day,  but  takes 
greater  pleasure  in  his  favorite  occupation,  that  of 
farming  and  stock-raising,  in  which  he  displays  a 
good  degree  of  skill.  He  has  been  well  educated 

O  O 

and  at  one  time  fitted  himself  for  a  telegraph  oper- 
ator, but  abandoned  the  idea  on  account  of  the 
confinement  involved  in  following  that  calling. 

The  real  estate  of  Mr.  Brown  consists  of  a  good 
farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section  20,  where  he  has 
put  up  good  buildings  and  fences,  and  makes  a  spe- 
cialty of  breeding  Percheron  horses  and  Poland- 
China  hogs.  While  giving  due  attention  to  his 
personal  concerns  he  has  always  been  ready  to  con- 
tribute of  his  time  and  means  for  the  upbuilding  of 
worth}'  enterprises  and  the  establishment  of  schools 
and  churches.  He  has  been  President  of  the  Town- 
ship Sunday-School  organization  since  its  inception, 
and  Superintendent  nearly  every  year  since  he  was 
married. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Union  County,  Ind., 
where  he  was  born  Nov.  28,  1842,  and  is  the  eldest 


child  of  Isaac  J.  and  Margaret  E.  (Coffin)  Brown. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  the  son  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Brown)  Brown,  also  natives  of 
the  Old  Dominion  and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits. 
William  Brown  was  an  uncle  of  Gen.  Burnside, 
whose  mother  was  Mr.  Brown's  sister.  Isaac 
Brown,  in  1850,  removed  from  Indiana  to  Ford 
County,  this  State,  where  he  purchased  land  and 
followed  farming  ten  years.  Thence  he  came  to 
this  county  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  29,  Harwood  Township.  He  was  not  con- 
tented with  farm  life  alone  but  took  up  butchering, 
and  was  at  various  times  enga.ged  as  a  stock  bu3'er, 
which  latter  occupation  involved  frequent  removals 
from  one  place  to  another.  At  present  he  resides 
in  Rantoul  Township,  where  he  follows  farming 
alone. 

Courtland  Brown  remained  a  member  of  his 
father's  household  until  reaching  manhood,  and 
Oct.  16.  1870,  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Rebecca  Payton.  She  is  the  daughter  of  John  H. 
and  Temperance  Payton,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Their  first  home  was 
located  on  section  29,  in  Harwood  Township, 
where  our  subject  owned  sixty  acres  of  land,  which 
they  occupied  thirteen  years,  bringing  it  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  then  sold  out  and  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  on  section  20.  where  he  has 
since  remained.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown 
were  Cora  May,  who  is  now  deceased  ;  Carl  Franklin, 
also  deceased;  Charles  Vernam  and  John  William, 
his  twin  brother,  are  both  deceased ;  the  youngest 
is  Lloyd  Logan. 


OHN  S.  McELWKE.  The  father  of  this 
gentleman,  Carson  J.  McElwee  by  name, 
became  a  resident  of  this  county  in  the 
spring  of  1856,  to  which  he  had  removed 
with  his  family  from  near  Covington,  the  county 
seat  of  Fountain  County,  Ind.  Among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  household  was  John  S.,  of  our  sketch, 
who  was  born  in  the  above  mentioned  locality  Sept. 
11,  1848.  His  mother  was  formerly-  Miss  Eliza 
J.  Buchanan,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  removed  with 
her  husband  to  Indiana  during  the  pioneer  days. 


.  .  848 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


She  died  in  Champaign  County.  The  father  re- 
mained in  this  county  until  the  spring  of  1876  and 
then  crossed  the  Mississippi  and  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Kansas,  where  he  still  lives.  The  chil- 
dren of  the  household  included  four  sons  and  six 
daughters,  of  whom  only  three  survive,  one  brother 
and  two  sisters,  namely,  John  S.,  L.  C.  and  Elmira  A. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  eight  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  became  residents  of  this  county. 
He  attended  school  and  grew  to  manhood  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  choosing  from  among  its  maidens 
for  his  wife,  Miss  Sarah  E.  Stayton,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  the  spring  of  1871.  Mrs.  McE.  is  the 
daughter  of  David  B.  and  Sarah  (Bartley)  Stayton, 
and  by  her  union  with  our  subject  became  the 
mother  of  three  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  those  living  are  Sarah.J.  and  David  C.  After 
marriage  Mr.  McElwee  located  upon  a  farm  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  -where  he  has  since  remained  en- 
gaged in  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  agriculture,  and 
fulfilling  all  the  obligations  of  an  honest  man  and  a 
good  citizen. 


t 


<j|/ACOB  M.  OCHELTREE,  Station  Agent  at 
Homer,  operating  in  the  interest  of  the  Wa- 
bash  Road,  is  a  native  of  Marshall  County, 
Ind.,  where  he  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the 
light  Dec.  20,  1846.  He  is  the  son  of  John  R.  and 
Rebecca  A.  (Martin)  Ocheltree,  the  former  a  native 
of  the  Old  Dominion  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  who  was  born  March  22, 
1817,  began  farming  early  in  life  in  Virginia,  but 
in  1  860  came  to  the  West  and  locating  in  this 
county  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Homer. 
In  1877  he  sold  out  and  embarked  in  the  furniture 
trade.  His  parents  removed  from  Virginia  to  Ohio 
when  he  was  quite  young  and  from  there  to  Mar- 
shall County,  Ind.,  in  1845. 

John  Ocheltree  first  established  himself  on  a  tim- 
ber tract  in  the  latter  State,  whence  he  removed,  in 
1852,  to  Illinois,  locating  first  in  Vermilion  County. 
There  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  and  followed 
farming  until  coming  into  this  State.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Marshall  County,  Ind.,  in  1842,  to  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  who  was  born  in  Scioto 


County,  Ohio,  July  14,  1823.  She  also  is  living, 
and  both  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  the  father 
is  Trustee.  Politically  he  affiliates  with  the  Repub- 
lican party.  The  parental  family  included  nine 
children:  John  A.  married  Miss  Rose  E.  Coffee; 
Rhoda  .1.  died  in  1864,  when  twenty  years  of  age; 
Jacob  M.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  child;  Hor- 
tense  A.  married  Mr.  J.  R.  Shaffer,  and  is  now  de- 
ceased;  Martha  E.  is  the  wife  of  S.  W.  Thompson; 
Gilson  S.  married  Miss  Lucy  Warner,  who  is  now 
deceased;  Gilbert  B.  married  Miss  Ida  Driscol; 
Mary  J.  is  deceased;  Benjamin  N.,  the  youngest 
son,  is  now  about  twenty-one  years  of  age. 

Our  subject  pursued  his  early  studies  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  first  in  his  native  county  and  after- 
ward at  Homer,  of  which  his  parents  became  resi- 
dents in  1852.  After  leaving  school  he  was  vari- 
ously employed  until  the  6th  of  October,  1870, 
when  there  transpired  one  of  the  most  important 
events  of  his  life,  namely,  his-  marriage  with  Miss 
Phebe  O.  Gilliland,  which  took  place  at  the  home 
of  the  bride's  mother  in  Van  Wert  County,  Ohio. 
Mrs.  Ocheltree  was  born  in  the  latterrnamed  county, 
March  25,  1850,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Gordon 
and  Margaret  Gilliland,  who  located  after  their 
marriage  in  Van  Wert  County,  among  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  that  region.  Her  father,  who  was  born 
in  1800,  followed  farming  there  all  his  life,  and  died 
in  1864,  upon  the  comfortable  homestead  which  he 
had  established.  The  mother,  who  was  born  Dec. 
3,  1811,  still  survives  and  makes  her  home  there, 
being  now  nearly  seventy-six  years  of  age.  Both 
parents  were  worthy  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  Their  nine  children  were  named  respect- 
tively,  Ahnira,  Ann  Eliza,  Amanda,  Susan,  Joseph- 
ine, Harriet,  Thaddeus  S.,  Oscar  (deceased),  and 
Phebe,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  The  four  children 
who  came  to  the  household  of  our  subject  and  his 
wife  were  born  as  follows:  Mabel  G.,  Aug.  15, 
1871;  Clifford  E.,  Jan.  20,  1874;  Jessie  A.,  Nov. 
21,  1875,  and  Gordon  R.,  March  6,  1879.  The  lat- 
ter only  lived  a  little  over  a  mouth,  dying  on  the 
17th  of  April  following. 

Mr.  Ocheltree  is  numbered  among  the  represent- 
ative citizens  of  the  town,  having  held  the  office 
of  School  Treasurer  twelve  years  in  succession,  and 


^m 

I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


851 


i 


being  honored  with  other  important  trusts  by  his 
fellow-townsmen.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  active 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in 
which  Mr.  O.  has  been  a  Sunday-school  Superin- 
tendent for  several  years  and  is  now  a  teacher. 
Politically  he  is  a  true  blue  Republican.  He  has 
occupied  his  present  position  as  Station  Agent  for 
a  period  of  twenty  years,  at  the  same  time  attend- 
ing to  the  express  business  and  operating  the  tele- 
graph. His  course  has  been  that  of  an  industrious 
and  useful  citizen,  and  he  has  received  his  reward  in 
the  esteem  and  respect  of  the  whole  community. 


WILLIAM  P.  PUTNAM.  The  history  of 
this  gentleman,  whose  portrait  is  presented 
on  the  opposite  page,  is  that  of  a  man  who 
was  pleasant  in  his  family,  respected  by  his  com- 
munity, and  esteemed  most  highly  by  those  who 
knew  him  best.  He  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn., 
March  10,  1828,  and  was  a  descendant  of  the  fa- 
mous Israel -Putnam  of  Revolutionary  fame.  His 
parents,  Silas  and  Sarah  (Ludden)  Putnam,  were 
natives  respectively  of  Connecticut  and  Maine. 
Their  marriage  took  place  in  the  latter  State, 
whence  they  removed  shortly  afterward  to  Con- 
necticut, and  from  there,  seven  or  eight  years  later, 
to  Sutton,  Mass.,  where  the  father  spent  the  bal- 
ance of  his  life,  which  terminated  in  1866.  The 
mother  is  still  living  and  a  resident  of  White 
County,  Ind.  The  eight  children  of  the  parental 
household  were  Syra,  Anuette,  William  P.,  Walter 
T.,  Rosetta  A.  who  died  in  infancy,  Ada  J.,  Lydia 
R.  and  Sarah  R. 

Mr.  Putnam  in  early  life  learned  the  trade  of  a 
millwright,  following  the  same  until  about  1859. 
The  next  important  event  in  his  life  was  his  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Minerva  Harris,  which  took  place 
April  14,  1850.  Mrs.  Putnam  is  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  and  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Nov. 
24,  1822.  Her  parents,  Solomon  and  Elmira  (Har- 
ris) Harris,  were  natives  of  Rhode  Island.  Solo- 
mon Harris  was  born  March  18,  1787,  and  during 
his  boyhood  became  a  resident  of  the  Empire  State, 
in  which  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He 
was  bred  to  farming  pursuits,  which  he  followed 


with  success,  and  became  a  man  of  influence  in 
Wayne  County,  assisting  especially  in  building  up 
his  township,  where,  in  due  time,  he  established  a 
permanent  homestead,  and  where  his  death  occurred 
Oct.  11,  1828,  while  he  was  yet  in  the  prime  of 
life.  His  wife,  Elmira,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Put- 
nam, who  was  bom  April  24,  1793,  survived  her 
husband  less  than  a  year,  passing  over  the  river  on 
the  27th  of  August,  1829.  They  were  married 
May  9,  1813,  and  became  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren, whom  they  named  respectively,  Daniel, 
Nancy,  Susan,  Minerva  and  Lorinda.  The  young- 
est child  and  daughter  died  when  about  twenty-five 
years  of  age.  The  others  were  scattered  through 
different  States  in  the  Union.  Mrs.  Putnam  spent 
her  childhood  and  youth  at  the  home  of  her  Aunt 
Lapham,  and  became  an  expert  in  housewifely 
duties,  receiving  careful  training  and  the  best 
school  advantages  of  that  locality  in  those  days. 
She  was  naturally  bright,  and  became  well  fitted 
for  the  duties  of  the  future,  and  to  be  the  wife  of 
such  a  man  as  William  P.  Putnam.  » 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Putnam  after  their  marriage,  re- 
sided for  a  time  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  in  1864 
removed  to  Illinois,  settling  in  what  is  now  Ogden 
Township,  Champaign  County,  where  Mr.  Putnam 
purchased  a  half  section  of  raw  prairie  land,  which 
he  improved  and  to  which  he  afterward  added  160 
acres.  He  did  not  live,  however,  to  carry  out  his 
plans  in  reference  to  a  home  in  the  Prairie  State, 
his  death  occurring  six  years  later,  in  February, 
1870,  when  he  was  in  the  prime  of  life  and  the 
midst  of  his  usefulness.  He  had  wisely  improved 
his  time,  however,  while  life  and  strength  were 
given,  and  besides  enclosing  his  land  with  substan- 
tial fences,  had  put  up  a  good  set  of  frame  build- 
ings. The  dwelling  with  its  appurtenances  stood 
on  a  rise  of  ground,  and  could  be  seen  from  a  long 
distance,  presenting  with  its  surroundings  the  ap- 
pearance of  an  embryo  village.  Mi\  Putnam  had 
also  gained  quite  a  reputation  as  a  stock  breeder 
and  dealer,  to  which  he  was  turning  his  attention 
and  had  been  very  successful.  The  year  preceding 
his  death  he  drew  plans  for  a  commodious  barn, 
which  he  intended  furnishing  with  all  modern  con- 
veniences. After  his  decease  Mrs.  Putnam  exerted 
herself  to  carry  out  the  intentions  of  her  husband, 


1* 

'I  852 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


erecting  the  barn  which  he  had  in  contemplation, 
and  the  beautiful  and  commodious  dwelling.  Upon 
this  there  have  been  expended  thousands  of  dollars, 
and  it  is  in  all  respects  a  model  residence,  includ- 
ing the  latest  conveniences  within,  and  the  best 
skill  of  the  architect  in  its  finishing,  both  within 
and  without.  It  stands  in  the  midst  of  ample 
grounds,  and  challenges  comparison  with  any 
structure  of  the  kind  in  Champaign  County.  The 
out-buildings  are  amply  adapted  to  the  storing  of 
grain  and  the  shelter  of  stock,  and  the  farm  imple- 
ments and  machinery  are  of  the  best  description, 
and  of  a  character  compatible  with  the  carrying  on 
of  an  extensive  country  estate.  The  land  belong- 
ing to  this  stretches  away  over  an  area  of  480  acres, 
and  stands  as  a  silent  monument  built  up  by  the 
hand  of  thrift  and  industry.  It  is  also  being  per- 
petuated by  a  lady  who  possesses  more  than  ordin- 
ary ability.  Mrs.  Putnam  administered  on  the  es- 
tate, settling  up  the  business  to  the  entire  satisfac- 
tion of  the  family,  and  was  highly  complimented 
by 'the  Court  for  the  promptness  and  good  judg- 
ment which  distinguished  her  as  executrix. 

William  Putnam  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the 
Democratic  party,  and  although  at  all  times  recog- 
nized ns  a  leader  whose  opinions,  given  with  delib- 
eration and  forethought,  were  accordingly  of  value, 
he  never  sought  office,  preferring  to  give  his  entire 
attention  to  his  private  affairs.  He  was  remark- 
ably temperate  in  his  habits,  having  no  use  for  in- 
toxicating liquors  or  tobacco,  and  was  consequently 
always  in  possession  of  his  naturally  clear  head 
and  determined  disposition.  He  seldom  failed  in 
whatever  he  earnestly  set  about,  pursuing  it  reso- 
lutely and  with  indomitable  industry,  his  most  pe- 
culiar characteristic,  and  generally  his  efforts  were 
crowned  with  success. 

Our  subject  and  his  estimable  lady  lived  together 
harmoniously  for  a  period  of  twenty  years.  Their 
wedded  life  was  blest  by  the  advent  of  five  chil- 
dren, whose  births  occurred  as  follows:  George  W., 
May  3.  1852;  Henry  F.,  May  2,  1854;  Edgar  W., 
June  3.  1857;  Nettie,  Oct.  29,  1859;  FredS.,  Sept. 
5,  1862.  They  constitute  a  fine  family  group,  are 
all  living  and  married.  They  have  largely  inher- 
ited the  intelligence  of  their  gifted  parents,  and 
their  periodical  visits  to  the  homestead  constitute 


a  bright  episode  in  the  life  of  their  widowed 
mother.  Like  her,  they  are  living  worthily,  and 
enjoy  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  hosts  of  friends. 


OHN  T.  FREEMAN.  The  pioneer  farmers 
are  slowly  but  surely  passing  away,  and  their 
sons  are  looked  upon  to  supply  their  places. 
Among  the  latter  is  the  subject  of  this  his- 
tory, whose  father,  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
came  to  this  State  in  1830,  and  in  early  life  learned 
to  hold  the  plow,  to  plant,  sow,  and  to  gather  in 
the  harvest.  Our  subject  is  a  native  of  this  State, 
and  has  made  his  mark  as  a  citizen  of  worth  in  the 
community,  and  as  an  enterprising  farmer.  In  the 
spring  of  1880,  when  looking  around  at  the  land  in 
Homer  Township,  he  selected  a  tract  of  180  acres 
on  section  29,  and  at  once  began  to  make  improve- 
ments. The  former  dwelling  in  due  time  was  re- 
placed by  a  beautiful  residence,  and  under  his  wise 
manipulation  the  land  which  had  been  indifferent 
has  now  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion. In  due  time  there  were  brought  to  it  a 
number  of  specimens  of  fine  stock,  which  number 
has  been  increased,  and  the  quality  thereof  im- 
proved to  such  an  extent  that  Mr.  Freeman  is 
accredited  with  being  one  of  the  most  skillful  stock- 
growers  of  this  vicinity. 

The  birth  of  John  T.  Freeman  took  place  in 
Champaign  County  on  his  father's  farm  in  Ogden 
Township,  July  25,  1854.  He  is  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Nancy  (Redman)  Freeman,  and  both  parents 
were  born  in  1826.  They  are  still  living,  and  re- 
side in  Ogden  Township.  Our  subject,  as  will  be 
seen,  is  still  a  young  man.  He  remained  with  his 
parents  until  after  reaching  his  majority,  and  after 
returning  from  his  trip  to  the  farther  West,  before 
locating  on  his  present  farm  secured  a  partner  and 
helpmeet.  This  lad}'  was  Miss  Jennie  B.  Silkey,  a 
native  of  New  Comerstown,  Ohio,  and  born  Aug. 
14,  1858.  Her  parents,  John  P.  and  Mary  (Mc- 
Man)  Silkey,  were  natives  respectively  of  New  Jer- 
sey and  Pennsylvania.  Her  father,  who  was  born 
in  1825,  is  still  living,  and  a  resident  of  Urbana. 
He  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  but  is  now  retired  from 
active  labor.  The  wife  and  mother,  who  was  born 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


853 


in  1  X2!),  departed  this  life  ;it  her  home  in  Sidney, 
in  1875.  The  six  children  of  the  parental  house- 
hold were  Thomas  K.,  Joseph  B.,  Fremont,  Jennie 
B.,  Charles  M.  and  Annie. 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Freeman  located  upon  the  farm 
which  they  now  occupy  soon  after  their  marriage. 
They  have  one  child,  a  son,  Roy  C.  Their  home 
is  a  pleasant  resort  for  numbers  of  friends,  and  they 
are  surrounded  by  the  comforts  of  life.  Mr.  F.  in 
his  farming  and  business  transactions  displays  good 
judgment  and  enterprise,  and  is  contributing  his  full 
quota  to  the  agricultural  interests  of  this  section. 
His  political  sympathies  are  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  he  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  all  matters 
relating  to  the  welfare  of  his  county.  He  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  1886, 
and  is  now  a  member  of  Ogden  Lodge  No  754,  and 
Homer  Chapter,  at  Homer,  111. 

The  parental  family  of  our  subject  included  six 
children,  recorded  as  follows:  Mary  M.  is  the  wife 
of  Isaac  Hixenbangh;  Edmond  R.  married  Miss 
Lillie  Mathews;  John  T.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the 
third  child;  James  J.  married  Miss  Flora  E.  Yount; 
William  H.  and  Martha  yielded  up  their  lives  in 
childhood,  and  were  laid  to  rest  by  their  sorrowing 
parents  in  the  quiet  country  burying-ground. 


J' JONATHAN    N.  HOAVSER,   who  for    many 
years  has  been  prominent  in  the  agricultural 
]    affairs  of  St.  Joseph  Township,  is  a  native 
'    of  the  wealthy  and  populous  State  of  Ohio, 
his    birth    taking    place    near    Felicity,    Clermont 
County,  Oct.  1C,  1821.     The  Howser  family  orig- 
inated in  Germany,  from  which  they  emigrated  in 
the  Colonial  days,  the  first  representatives  in  this 
country  settling,  it  is  believed,  in  Mainland,  near 
the  sea  coast. 

Abraham  Howser,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  born  across  the  water,  and  emigrating  from  his 
native  Germany,  located  in  Hagerstown,  Md., 
whence  he  removed  to  Kentucky.  He  was  mar- 
ried and  reared  a  family,  and  died  while  on  a  visit 
to  Ohio  after  arriving  at  a  good  old  age.  His  son, 
Christopher,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  and  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Blue  Grass 


regions,  but  subsequently  removed  to  Ohio,  where 
he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Hoover,  of  Clermont 
County,  where  they  settled  on  a  farm  and  lived  in 
a  modest  way,  laboring  industriously  to  establish  a 
home,  and  provide  as  well  as  they  could  for  their 
children.  The  efforts  of  Christopher  Howser  met 
with  remarkable  success,  considering  the  fact  that 
he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  at  the  be- 
ginning, and  before  his  death  he  had  become  the 
owner  of  1 ,000  acres  of  land.  He  had  also  en- 
gaged extensively  in  stock-raising.  One  of  the  at- 
tractive features  of  the  homestead  was  a  large  fruit 
orchard,  containing  fifty  choice  varieties  of  fruits 
which  flourish  so  well  in  the  soil  of  the  Buckeye 
State. 

Christopher  Howser  and  his  wife  became  the  par- 
ents of  seven  sons  and  three  daughtersvall  of  whom 
lived  to  mature  years,  and  seven  married  and 
reared  families.  Jonathan  N.  of  our  sketch,  was 
the  eldest  of  the  family.  He  received  the  advan- 
tages of  a  common-school  education,  and  after  the 
fashion  of  the  youth  of  those  days,  began  early  in 
life  to  lay  his  plans  for  the  future.  One  of  the  im- 
portant steps  in  this  direction  was  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1843,  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet J.  Dillman,  who  was  a  native  of  Brown  Coun- 
ty, Ohio.  They  became  the  parents  of  six  children, 
five  of  whom  were  born  in  the  Buckeye  State.  In 
the  fall  of  1856,  Mr.  Howser  with  his  family,  turned 
his  steps  westward,  and  located  in  this  county. 
He  remained  here,  however,  but  a  year  this  time 
when  he  went  back  to  Ohio,  where  he  staid  until  the 
fall  of  1860.  He  then  returned  to  Illinois  and  lo- 
cated upon  his  present  farm  on  section  31,  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  where  he  has  since  remained  in- 
dustriously tilling  the  soil  and  meeting  with  a  rich 
reward  for  his  labors.  From  240  acres  of  wild 
prairie,  he  has  improved  a  fine  homestead,  and  pro- 
vided liberally  for  his  children,  the  most  of  whom 
are  settled  comfortably  in  homes  of  their  own. 
During  the  years  of  his  first  labors  in  this  county, 
Mr.  Howser  turned  his  attention  largely  to  the 
raising  of  hogs,  in  which  he  met  with  rare  success, 
but  later  has  taken  to  the;  feeding  of  cattle,  large 
numbers  of  which  he  fattens  and  ships  each  winter. 

The  children  born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife 
were,  Eliza  C..  now  the  wife  of  John  II.  Hudson; 


854 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


Leonidas  II.,  Hubert  C.  ;  Martha  J.,  the  wife  of  J.  D. 
Laughlin,  and  Christopher  Lincoln;  a  little  daugh- 
ter named  Caroline  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Howser 
has  been  quite  prominently  identified  with  local 
affairs,  serving  as  Commissioner  of  Highways  three 
years,  and  for  some  time  was  School  Director  in 
his  district.  He  was  a  Whig  during  the  existence 
of  the  old  party,  but  after  its  abandonment,  heart- 
ily endorsed  the  principles  of  the  Republicans,  with 
which  he  still  continues.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  How- 
ser are  members  of  the  Olive  Christian  Church,  in 
which  our  subject  has  served  as  Deacon,  and  been 
prominent  among  the'  counsels  of  his  brethren  since 
becoming  identified  with  them. 


t 


1  BNER  F.  LEAS,  one  of  the  peaceful  and 
law-abiding  citizens  of  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship. pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  his  way 
on  a  good  farm  on  section  9,  drew  his  first 
breath  near  the  city  of  Covington,  Fountain  Co., 
Ind.,  Oct.  6,  1838.  In  looking  back  over  his  fam- 
ily history  we  find  that  his  grandfather,  Daniel 
Leas,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  emigrated 
to  Ohio  with  his  family  when  his  son  George,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  was  a  boy.  The  first  repre- 
sentatives of  the  family  in  the  United  States  came 
over  from  Germany  and  located  in  the  Keystone 
State  during  its  early  settlement.  His  grandfather, 
Daniel,  was  the  first  of  whom  we  have  any  clear 
account.  He  grew  to  manhood  among  the  Alle- 
ghanies,  and  became  the  father  of  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  all  of  whom  became  men  and  women. 
George,  the  eldest,  ivas  married  in  Ohio,  and  thence 
removed  to  Indiana.  His  wife,  Lydia,  was  the 
daughter  of  Abner  Crane,  whose  family  removed 
from  New  York  to  Ohio  in  the  pioneer  days.  They 
traced  their  ancestry  _back  to  England.  George  Leas 
was  a  potter  by  trade,  which  business  he  followed 
in  Fountain  County,  Ind.,  successfully  for  some 
time,  and  subsequently  took  up  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  retiring  from  active  labor.  He  was  born 
in  about  1801,  and  lived  to  be  seventy  -six  years  of 
age.  His  aged  partner  still  survives,  now  nearly 
eighty  yenrs  old,  making  her  home  in  the  place 
where  they  lived  together  so  many  years.  Of  her 


ten   children,  eight  grew  to  mature    years  and  four 
are  still  living. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  the  fifth  child  of  his 
parents,  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  county,  and 
received  the  advantages  of  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. After  reaching  his  majority  he  left  the 
parental  roof,  and  coming  into  this  county  located 
on  1GO  acres  of  land,  entered  by  his  father  on  sec- 
tion 9,  in  St.  Joseph  Township.  He  kept  bachelor's 
hall  several  years,  and  in  addition  to  the  cultivation 
of  his  land  began  raising  hogs  and  cattle,  the  pro- 
ceeds of  which  yielded  him  generous  returns,  and 
from  which  he  in  fact  made  the  most  of  his  money. 
When  a  little  over  twenty -eight  years  of  age,  March 
13,  1867,  he  was  married,  choosing  for  his  wife 
Miss  Lydia  E.,  third  daughter  of  Israel  and  Hannah 
Patton,  who  came  from  Tennessee  and  located  in 
Vermilion  County  during  its  early  settlement.  Our 
subject  and  his  young  wife  went  to  housekeeping  in 
a  structure  which  he  had  previously  built,  but 
which,  in  187(i,  was  replaced  by  a  fine,  two-story 
residence.  This  is  erected  after  the  modern  style 
of  architecture,  and  is  beautifully  located  on  a  rise 
of  ground  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  surround- 
ing country.  The  barn  and  other  outbuildings  are 
in  keeping  with  the  residence,  providing  all  con- 
veniences for  the  shelter  of  stock  and  the  storing 
of  grain.  In  the  rear  is  an  orchard  of  choice  apple 
trees,  and  the  grounds  around  the  dwelling  are  em- 
bellished by  shade  trees,  and  those  which  bear  the 
finer  fruits,  such  as  cherries,  peaches,  etc. 

Mr.  Leas  has  invested  his  surplus  capital  in  more 
land,  and  besides  the  home  farm  owns  280  acres  on 
section  3,  all  under  the  plow,  neatly  fenced,  and 
3'ielding  in  abundance  the  choicest  products  of  the 
Prairie  State. 

Of  the  union  of  our  subject  and  his  wife  there 
were  born  five  children,  only  two  '  now  living — 
Charles  V.  and  Myrtie  M.  The  wife  and  mother 
died  at  her  home  in  January,  1885.  The  second 
marriage  of  Mr.  Leas  took  place  Jan.  13,  1887,  the 
lady  being  Miss  Lettie  Stevens,  who  was  a  native 
of  Ohio,  born  in  Clermont  Count}-,  and  became  M 
resident"  of  $his  locality  in  1S65.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  James  A.  and  Millie  Stevens,  natives 
of  •Vermont  and  Ohio  respectively. 

Mr.  Leas  has  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  his 


i 

i 


-•*- 

855 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


township  since  cuiuing  here,  and  was  among  the 
Bret*  who  assisted  in  organizing  a  drainage  system 
for  the  State,  during  which  time  he  officiated  as 
Commissioner  of  St.  Joseph  Township.  lie  has 
been  interested  in  the  moral  and  educational  wel- 
fare of  his  community,  and  assisted  in  organizing 
the  Christian  Church  at  Prairie  Hope,  of  which  he 
is  one  of  the  Deacons,  and  has  taken  great  interest 
in  the  advancement  of  the  Sabbath-school. 


BENJAMIN  E.  COFFEEN,  of  Homer  Town- 
ship, is  the  son  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
this  county,  who  opened  the  first  store  of 
general  merchandise  in  this  section.  This 
was  Michael  D.  Coffeen,  well  and  favorably  known 
among  the  earlier  residents  of  Champaign  County. 
He  was  born  in  the  Empire  State  Aug.  17,  1813, 
and  died  in  this  county  Oct.  14,  1882.  He  fol- 
lowed merchandising  the  greater  part  of  his  life. 
Ili«  earlier  years  were  spent  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  and  when  fourteen 
years  of  age  he  was  employed  in  the  manufactur- 
ing of  fanning-mills  until  eighteen,  and  then  en- 
tered the  store  of  James  Growendyke  at  Eugene, 
in  Vermillioii  County,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  un- 
til reaching  his  majority. 

Mr.  Growendyke  and  Mr.  Coffeen  entered  into 
partnership  in  general  merchandising  in  18  '4,  in 
what  is  known  as  Old  Homer,  Mr.  Coffeen  con- 
ducting the  business.  He  remained  the  partner  of 
Mr.  Growendyke  up  to  1854,  when  he  formed  a  part- 
nership witli  Samuel  Growendyke,  which  he  con- 
tinued until  1860.  In  the  meantime  he  had  made 
the  most  of  his  Opportunities,  and  being  possessed 
of  more  than  ordinary  ability  was  entrusted  with 
many  of  the  local  offices,  finally  being  elected  Pro- 
bate Judge.  His  business  was  managed  with  ex- 
cellent judgment  and  foresight  and  he  accumulated 
a  fair  competency.  He  was  one  of  the  principal 
organizers  of  Homer  Township,  and  located  the 
site  of  the  village,  a  mile  from  the  old  town.  In 
early  life  he  voted  with  the  Whig  party,  and  after- 
ward identified  himself  with  the  Republicans.  He 
was  a  grunt  admirer  of  the  principles  of  the  Ma- 


sonic  fraternity,  being  a  member  in  good  standing 
of  this  and  also  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss 
Mary  Elliott,  daughter  of  Asa  Elliott,  and  born  in 
1817.  She  became  the  wife  of  Michael  D.  Coffeen 
in  1836,  and  departed  this  life  twelve  years  later, 
in  1848.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  six  chil- 
dren, viz.,  Michael,  Caroline,  Emeline,  Benjamin, 
Mary  and  Asa.  Mr.  Coffeen  for  his  second  wife 
married  Miss  Helen  M.  Lyons,  in  1852.  This  lady 
was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  came  to  Illinois  with- her 
parents  when  quite  young.  Of  her  union  with 
Michael  D.  Coffeen  there  were  born  eight  children, 
William,  Ellen,  Ida,  Dollie,  Lacey,  Frank,  Nettie 
and  Michael.  The  latter  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Coffeen  of  this  sketch  passed  his  early  years 
occupied  in  farm  pursuits,  and  remained  a  member 
of  his  father's  household  until  his  marriage.  The 
maiden  of  his  choice  was  Miss  Harriet  Smythe.  who 
was  born  Dec.  10;  1849,  in  Greencastle,  Ind.,  and 
became  the  wife  of  our  subject  March  10,  1870. 
Her  parents,  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  (Sill)  Smythe, 
were  natives  respectively  of  Georgia  and  Kentucky, 
the  father  born  in  1804,  and  the  mother  in  1807. 
At  an  early  day  they  removed  to  Greencastle,  Ind., 
where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  the 
mother  passing  away  in  1858,  and  the  father  two 
years  later,  in  1860.  Ebenezer  Smythe  was  a  Doug- 
las Democrat  in  politics,  and  an  old-school  Presby- 
terian in  religion.  He  was  a  man  of  decided  views 
and  fearless  in  the  expression  of  them.  The  mother 
belonged  to  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  The 
nine  children  born  to  this  household  all  lived  to 
mature  years.  They  were  named  respectively, 
Statira  Clay,  George  V.,  Ebonezer  YV.,  Ulysses  T., 
Gonsalvo  C'.,  Bettie,  Mary,  Itoxa  and  Harriet.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Coffeen  have  no  children. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  comprises  twenty 
acres  of  choice  land,  upon  the  pleasantest  part  of 
which  stands  a  fine  dwelling  in  the  midst  of  choice' 
shade  trees  and  shrubbery,  with  a  good  barn  and 
adjacent  out-buildings;  he  also  owns  sixty-five  acres 
near  Sidney,  111.  The  farm  stock  and  machinery 
are  well  cared  for,  and  everything  auout  the  prem- 
ises is  kept  in  good  shape,  giving  to  the  homestead 
a  general  air  of  neatness  and  comfort.  Mr.  C.  has 
always  taken  an  intelligent  interest  in  local  affairs, 


T 


856 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


and  has  held  the  ofiice  of  Assessor^for  the  last  five 
years.  He  is  a  member'of^tbe  Masonic  fraternity. 
Homer  Lodge  No.  94,  and  Republican  in  politics. 
Mrs.  C.,  a  lady  of  great  intelligence,  having  her  own 
views  uponjnatters  and^things  iirgcncr.il,  does  not 
agree  with  herjiusband  politically,  being  a  decided 
Democrat.  She  became  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  1869,  with  which  she  has  since  been  con- 
nected. 


ANFORD  REYNOLDS,  a  farmer  of  Har- 
wood  Township,  was  born  Dec.  27,  1833, 
in  Bedford,  Westchester  Co.,  N.  Y.  He 
was  the  sixth  child  in  a  family  of  seven, 
bom  to  Enoch  and  Maria  (Reynolds)  Reynolds, 
both  of  the  same  name  but  not  related  to  each 
other  before  marriage.  The  parents  of.  Enoch 
Reynolds  were  James  and  Abigail  (Knapp)  Rey- 
nolds, natives  of  Connecticut.  They  were  married 
Oct.  18,  1786.  Abigail  was  born  Oct.  10,  1765, 
and  died  Nov.  3,  1831.  The  names  of  their  chil- 
nren  were/  Stephen,  Ezekiel,  James,  Josiah,  Silas, 
Nezer,  Enoch,  Abigail,  Reuben,^Rachel,r_Hanford, 
Lockwood,  Joseph,  Sarah  and  Amanda,  all  of  whom 
live  in  South  Salem,  N.  Y.  Enoch  Reynolds,  one 
of  these  children,  was  the  father  of  our  subject. 
James  Reynolds  enlisted  in  the  Revolutionary  War, 
near  its  close,  and^served  for  nine  months.  Maria 
was  the^daughter  of  Nathan ic-1^  Reynolds  and  Mrs. 
Hannah  (Todd)  Cooly,  natives  of  Connecticut. 
Nathaniel  Reynolds  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  ^Revo- 
lutionary War,  serving  most  of  the  time  until  its 
close.  He  was  captured  by  the  British,  aud^held 
prisoner  for  three  years,  during  which  time  he 
worked  at  the  tailor's  trade,  and  received  excellent 
wages  for  his  services.  He  drew  a  pension  until 
the  time  of  his.death.  His  children  were  Nezer, 
Enos,  Timothy,  Deborah  and  Nathaniel,  all  born 
in  Greenwich,  Conn.  Enoch  Reynolds  lived  on  one 
farm  in  Westchester^  County,  N.  Y.,  for  half  a 
century.  He  reared  and  educated  his  family  and 
made  his  home  in  that  place  until  his  death. 

llanford  Reynolds  undertook  to  learn  the  trade 
of  a  carpenter  when  about  seventeen  years  of  age, 
but  on  account  of  ill-health  was  obliged  to  relin- 


quish  it  during  his  first  year.  He  then  attended 
the  Union  Academy  (New  York),  where  he  applied 
himself  diligently  to  his  studies  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  taught  school  for  two  winters.  Seeking 
a  wider  field  for  advancement  in  life,  he  went  to 
New  York  City,  and  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  the 
Knickerbocker  Association,  where  he  remained  al- 
most a  year.  He  next  took  a  position  in  a  whole- 
sale paint-store.  This  proved  so  hurtful  to  his 
health  that  he  was  obliged  to  give  it  up  at  once. 
He  then  invested  in  a  chain  and  compass,  and  came 
West  as  a  survej'or.  His  first  work  was  done  at 
Geneseo,  Henry  Co.,  111.,  where  he  was  appointed 
Deputy  County  Surveyor.  His  health  improved, 
and  he  held  this  position  for  two  years,  when  he 
again  made  a  change,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
nursery  business  in  Missouri  and  Illinois  for  the 
next  two  years.  He  then  engaged  in  farming  with 
a  brother  residing  in  Knox  County,  with  whom 
he  remained  one  year.  March  28,  1862,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Susan  A.  Roberts,  the  eldest  child  of 
Jesse  D.  and  Louise  (Kirk)  Roberts,  natives  of  In- 
diana, where  Mrs.  Reynolds  was  born  Feb.  11,  1843. 

Our  subject,  after  marriage,  bought  eighty  acres 
of  wild  land  in  the  northern  part  of  Knox  County, 
111.,  and  spent  five  years  improving  and  cultivat- 
ing it,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to  this  county, 
and  bought  all  of  section  14.  Harwood  Township, 
where  he  now  lives.  He  has  built  a  pleasant  home, 
and  his  farm  land  is  all  under  excellent  cultivation. 

Mr.  Reynolds  was  the  leader  in  the  organization 
of  the  township,  and  wrote  and  circulated  the  peti- 
tions, after  which  he  presented  them  for  acceptance 
and  approval.  He  was  elected  the  first  Supervisor 
of  the  township,  and  has  once  since  held  the  same 
position.  He  was  largely  instrumental  in  forming 
the  excellent  system  of  the  division  of  the  town- 
ship into  the  school  districts,  and  has  served  as 
School  Trustee  for  fifteen  years.  He  is  public 
spirited,  and  has  been  identified  with  all  the  best 
progressive  movements  in  the  community.  He  is 
warmly  interested  in  politics,  and  is  a  stanch  sup- 
porter of  the  Republican  party.  Mr.  Reynolds 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 
They  have  had  a  family  of  six  children,  one  of 
whom  is  deceased,  Morris  M.  The  others  are  Amelia. 
Charles  A.,  William  II.,  Chester  Garfield  and  John  ' 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


857 


J.  Amelia  is  married  to  J.  \V.  II.  Remley,  of 
Chillrcothe,  Ohio.  The  others  are  living  at  home 
with  their  parents.  Mr.  Reynolds  has  paid  some 
attention  to  stock-raising  in  the  carrying  on  of  his 
farm,  and  intends  in  the  future  to  increase  his  busi- 
ness in  that  direction.  Besides  other  stock  he 
raises  Norman  horses  and  Poland-China  hogs. 

The  following  is  the  genealogical  table  of  Mr. 
Reynolds'  family:  The  maternal  great-grandfather 
of  Ilanford  Reynolds  was  Nathaniel  Reynolds,  the 
names  of  whose  children  were,  Jared,  Benjamin, 
Ferris,  Ezra.,  Samantha  and  Sarah.  Hanford's  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  also  Nathaniel  Reynolds,  was 
born  Feb.  22,  1754,  anl  died  Sept.  21,  1843.  He 
married  Hannah  (Todd)  Cooley,  Oct.  15,  1778. 
The  names  of  their  children  were  Deborah,  Nathan- 
iel, Lydia,  Abraham,  Betsy,  Sarah,  Hannah,  Enoch, 
Alvah,  George,  Maria  and  Benjamin. 


1  LLEN  M.  SADORUS.  As  the  representa- 
tive of  a  prominent  family,  which  came 
into  this  county  in  the  pioneer  days,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  deserves  more  than 
a  passing  notice.  He  was  born  March  13,  1821,  in 
Rush  Count}',  Ind.,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Mary  (Titus)  Sadorus,  natives  of  Pennsylvania 
His  parents  removed  to  Indiana  soon  after  their 
marriage,  and  from  there  to  this  county  in  1824, 
settling  at  Sadorus  Grove,  on  the  Okaw  River. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  spent  his  boyhood 
and  youth  tilling  the  soil,  until  about  twenty  years 
of  age,  when  he  started  out  to  do  for  himself.  He 
entered  the  employ  of  a  boating  company  on  the 
Wabash  River.  His  first  trip  was  to  the  Crescent 
City,  where  he  remained  a  couple  of  weeks  and  then 
went  up  the  Red  River  to  Shreveport.  He  worked 
there  in  a  sawmill  about  six  months,  and  then  en- 
tered the  surveying  corps  in  the  State  of  Texas. 
He  afterward  returned  to  his  home  in  Illinois,  and 
in  1843,  with  an  ox-team  he  started  to  Iowa  for 
the  purpose  of  entering  land  and  farming,  and  after- 
ward was  engaged  in  the  building  of  Ft.  DCS 
Moines,  being  one  of  the  first  to  inaugurate  this 
work.  He  remained  in  that  vicinity  two  years, 


then   returned  to  Illinois  and   took  charge  of  his 
father's  farm  for  the  five  years  following. 

In  the  spring  of  1846  Mr.  S.  was  married  to  Miss 
Margaret  Hamilton,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Cook)  Hamilton,  natives  of  Indiana. 
In  1850  he  decided  upon  a  change  of  location  and 
took  his  family  in  a  wagon,  proceeding  to  St.  Louis, 
from  there  to  New  Orleans  and  thence  to  Texas, 
and  near  San  Antonio  exchanged  his  horses  for  an 
ox-teanj,  and  pushed  on  through  Old  Mexico,  fight- 
ing the  Indians  along  the  way  to  prevenl  their 
ravages.  Upon  arriving  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Gila  River,  Mr.  S.  and  one  of  his  men  went  forward 
to  find  Capt.  Brant  who,  they  had  been  informed, 
had  a  force  of  men  and  a  small  boat,  which  was 
used  as  a  ferry  in  crossing  the  Colorado.  Upon 
reaching  the  point  they  could  find  neither  the  party 
nor  the  boat,  and  following  the  river  a  short  dis- 
tance, came  to  an  Indian  camp.  There  they  found 
the  boat  and  bargained  for  its  use  by  paying  in 
blankets  and  trinkets.  After  they  had  taken  over 
one  load  the  Indians  took  the  boat  away  from  them 
and  compelled  them  to  make  rafts  and  swim  their 
stock  over.  In  this  way  they  got  across,  but  lost  a 
number  of  cattle  and  mules  by  drowning.  When 
they  reached  the  opposite  bank  they  found  the 
Captain  and  his  men  dead  on  the  shore.  This  was 
their  first  intimation  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians. 
Following  this  company  was  the  Oatman  family  in 
a  train  from  Illinois,  who  were  attacked  by  these 
Indians.  The  father  and  mother  with  two  or  three 
children  were  killed,  and  Olive  and  Mary  Oatman 
taken  prisoners.  Mary  died  soon  afterward,  but 
Olive  remained  in  captivit}'  for  about  five  years, 
and  was  then  returned  to  the  whites.  One  of  her 
brothers  was  left  for  dead,  but  was  afterward  picked 
up  and  taken  care  of  by  some  members  of  the  train 
with  which  Mr.  Sadorus  was  traveling. 

Our  subject  and  his  companions  reached  San 
Diego  in  the  fall  of  1847,  and  there  a  little  daughter 
was  added  to  the  family.  As  soon  as  the  mother 
was  able  to  travel,  the  family  moved  onward  to  the 
mines,  where  our  subject  took  his  pick  and  began 
searching  for  the  yellow  ore  and  followed  thu  occu- 
pation of  a  miner  for  two  years,  the  proceeds  of  his 
labor  being  a  snug  little  fortune.  He  went  into 
Buttu  County,  Gal.,  and  unfortunately  invested  all 


•t 


858 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


his  money  in  live  stock,  which4he  afterward  lost  by 
high  waters.  The  water  rose  to  the  eaves  of  their 
house  and  the  family  were  thankful  to  escape 
with  their  lives.  When  .Mr.  S.  saw  the  flood  ap- 
proaching he  rapidly  caulked  his  wagon-box,  and 
with  it  and  the  aid  of  his  horses,  transferred  his 
family  to  dry  ground,  where  he  left  them -to  return 
for  the  household  goods.  As  they  left  1  he  Island  a 
grisly  bear  attacked  them,  and  they  were  forced  to 
tight  it  off  with  the  paddles  of  the  boak  After 
much  labor  they  effected  the  removal  of  their  goods. 
Mr.  Sadorus  moved  up  the  valley  of  the  Sacra- 
mento, where  he  once  more  embarked  in  stock- 
raising  together  with  farming,  and  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  period  of  ten  years.  At  the  end  of 
this  time,  during  which  he  had  been  quite  prosper- 
ous, the  country  was  again  flooded  and  the  second 
time  he  experienced  great  loss  in  the  drowning  of 
nearly  all  of  his  stock.  The  animals  which  escaped 
died  for  want  of  grass,  during  the  drouth  which 
followed.  Mr.  Sadorus,  now  disgusted  with  life  in 
that  region,  proceeded  to  Nevada,  and  settled  in 
Humboldt  County,  where  he  lived  until  the  fall  of 
1867.  On  the  22d  of  September,  that  year,  his 
wife  passed  from  the  troubles  of  this  life.  Their 
five  children,  Mary  Jane,  Melissa  Ann,  Sarah  Fran- 
ces, John  H.  and  Charles  W.  are  still  living.  Three 
of  these  were  born  while  the  family  resided  on 
Rock  Creek  in  California.  While  residents  there  a 
wholesale  massacre  of  the  watte  settlers  was  under- 
taken by  the  Indians  who  had  lie- fore  been  considered 
perfectly  peaceful.  The  first  intimation  of  danger 
was  an  attack  on  .Tom  Allen,  who  had  gone  up  the 
creek  after  a  broken-down  wagon  and  taken  a  little 
pet  Indian  boy  with  him  for  company  Allen  was 
killed,  but  the  boy  escaped  and  ran  to  the  bottom 
of  a  hill,  where  Mrs.  Hecox  lived.  The  little  In- 
dian caught  up  her  little  boy  and  ran  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  Mrs.  H.  and  her  baby.  Another  son 
and  two  grown  daughters  were  up  the  creek  hunt- 
ing berries,  and  they  were  all  three  killed.  Mr. 
Sadorus  and  his  family  miraculously  escaped,  and 
he  with  a  posse  of  men  ran  down  from  the  valley, 
buried  the  dead  and  then  followed  on  after  the  In- 
dians. They  killed  more  than  fifty  of  them,  and 
materially  crippled  the  tribe,  so  that  but  few  more 
murders  occurred.  Mr.  Hecox  was  away  from 


home  during  the  massacre  of  his  family,  and  they 
were  taken  into  the  family  of  Mr.  Sadorus,  where 
they  were  prepared  for  burial  by  his  family.  The 
poor  mother  never  recovered  from  the  shock,  but 
died  a  maniac  some  time  afterward. 

.Mr.  Sadorus  still  lives  in  the  far  West,  having 
his  eldest  son  with  him.  He  is  a  well  preserved 
man  for  his  age,  and  possesses  the  vim  and  energy 
of  a  man  twenty  years  younger.  'He  still  owns  the 
old  homestead  in  this  county,  and  160  acres  011  sec- 
tion 13,  in  Sadorus  Township.  At  this  writing 
(June  18,  1887,)  he  is  visiting  his  brothers,  William 
and  Henry  in  Sadorus,  and  expects  to  return  to 
Illinois  after  a  time,  to  remain  permanently,  and 
spend  his  remaining  years  among  his  old  friends. 
Although  never  paying  much  attention  to  politics, 
whenever  near  the  poles  at  election  times,  he  has 
substantially  indicated  his  sympathy  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Democratic  party.  The  thrilling  ex- 
periences of  his  life  would  make  a  volume  if  writ- ' 
ten  in  detail. 


II  AMES  W.  HUMRICHHOUSE  is  familiarly 
known  throughout  the  southeastern  portion 
of  Champaign  County  as  proprietor  of  Fail- 
Land  Farm,  which  lies  two  and  one-half 
miles  south  of  Homer,  on  section  29,  and  includes 
320  acres  of  some  of  the  finest  farming  land  in  that 
locality.  Mr.  H.,  who.  was  born  in  Verniillion 
County,  Ind.,  Aug.  28,  1844,  took  possession  of 
this 'fine  estate  in  1882,  first  purchasing  240  acres 
to  which  he  afterward  added  eighty  acres,  and  now 
the  place  is  mainly  devoted  to  the  breeding  and 
feeding  of  tine  cattle,  hogs  and  draft  horses.  The 
latter  are  mostly  of  the  Belgian  breed  and  in  this 
department  Mr.  Humrichhouse  has  acquired  an  en- 
viable reputation. 

Our  subject,  James  W.,  is  the  sou  of  George 
and  Lydia  (Grace)  Humrichhouse.  His  father  was 
born  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean  during  the  voyage  of 
his  parents  from  Germany  to  the  United  States,  in 
1817.  He  is  still  living,  making  his  home  in  Edgar 
County,  111.  The  greater  part  of  his  life  has  been 
spent  as  a  farmer  and  blacksmith.  The  immediate 

•> 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


859 


ancestors  of  the  family  are  of  pure  German  blood. 
( ;  corgi;  Ilmnrichhouse,  after  becoming  an  American 
citi/.en  and  obtaining  the  right  of  suft'rage,  cast  his 
lot  politically  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  re- 
ligiousty  became  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  The  wife  and  mother, __  formerly  Miss 
Lydia  Grace,  was  born  in  1822,  in  Indiana,  and 
still  remains  the  companion  of  her  husband.  Their 
family  included  eight  children,  recorded  as  follows: 
John  W.,  who  married  Miss  Rachel  Brokaw;  James 
W.,  of  our  sketch,  is  the  second  son  and  child ; 
Mary  C.  became  the  wife  of  A.  B.  Cogshall; 
Amanda  is  now  Mrs.  C.  Hopkins;  George  R.  mar-  j 
ried  Miss  Edna  Arnold;  Sarah  J.  is  unmarried; 
Margaret  A.  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Acklin ;  Jasper 
G.  was  the  youngest  born.  The  brothers  and  sis- 
ters of  Mr.  George  Humrichhouse  were  named  re- 
spectively, John,  Jacob,  Mary,  Elizabeth,  Susan, 
Daniel,  Eli,  Charlotte  and  Caroline. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Illinois  in 
1 864,  during  the  progress  of  the  late  war.  Directly 
afterward  he  enlisted  in  the  150th  Illinois  Infantry 
as  a  private,  and  was  afterward  promoted  Corporal. 
He  did  not  see  very  much  active  service  but  ful- 
filled all  the  duties  required  of  him,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  war  received  his  honorable  discharge, 
being  mustered  out  at  Atlanta.  Ga.,  in  1860.  He 
then  returned  to  his  home  in  Illinois  and  a  year 
later  went  to  Kansas,  and,  after  a  few  months,  he 
returned  to  Illinois  and  located  in  Warren  County, 
where  he  met  the  lady  who  was  destined  to  become 
the  sharer  of  his  home  and  fortunes.  This  was 
Miss  Priscilla  Grace, a  native  of  that  county,  where 
she  was  born  March  2,  1843.  Their  marriage  took 
place  on  the  28th  of  March,  1807.  Mrs.  H.  is  the 
daughter  of  James  II.  and  Elizabeth  (Lyons)  Grace, 
who  were  both  natives  of  Indiana.  James  Grace 
was  born  in  1817,  and  is  now  a  wealthy  and  promi- 
nent farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Warren  County. 
His  wife,  Elizabeth,  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1821, 
and  departed  this  life  at  her  home  in  Warren 
County  in  1840.  Mr.  Grace  was  afterward  married 
to  Miss  Agatha  Lyons, Who  only  lived  a  few  years. 
He  then  married  Miss  Amanda  Overman.  Of  the 
first  marriage  there  were  born  three  children — Solo- 
mon, Priscilla  and  John  W.  The  oldest  son  during 
the  late  war  received  the  commission  of  Second 


Lieutenant  in  the  14th  Illinois  Infantry,  and  died 
after  being  in  the  service  one  year.  John  W.  mar- 
ried Miss  Lovina  Lupher.  Of  the  second  marriage 
there  were  born  six  children,  three  of  whom  died 
in  childhood — Jessie,  Mary  and  Elizabeth.  The 
third  wife  became  the  mother  of  two  children — 
Olive  B.  and  Erma. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  llumrichhouse, 
four  in  number,  were  born  as  follows:  George  E., 
Sept.  7,  1868;  William  P.,  Sept.  5,  1870;  Stella  F., 
April  5,  1874;  Dollie  G.,  Feb.  4,  1878.  Mr.  II.  is 
Democratic  in  politics  and  a  worthy  member  of  the 
G.  A.  R.,  Post  No.  263.  He  is  highly  respected  by 
his  fellow-citizens,  and  is  considered  an  important 
factor  of  the  business  and  agricultural  community 
of  his  section. 

A  lithographic  view  of  his  residence  is  shown  on 
another  page  in  this  AI.IUM. 


RANG  IS  M.  HOSS,  one  of  the  sons  of  an 
honored  pioneer  of  St.  Joseph  Township, 
first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in  this 
county  on  the  farm  of  his  father,  Feb.  1',),  1857. 
The  latter,  Christopher  Hoss,  a  native  of  Brown 
County,  Ohio,  was  born  Sept.  19,  1822,  and  died  in 
Champaign  County,  March  10,  1872.  He  became 
a  resident  of  this  county  in  1836,  and  married  Miss 
Serena  Hayden,  whose  family  had  also  removed 
from  the  Buckeye  State  at  an  early  day.  The 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  Daniel  Hoss  by  name, 
was  of  German  descent  and  parentage.  The  first 
representatives  of  the  family  in  this  country  settled 
first  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  and  were  numbered 
among  the  most  important  members  of  the  agri- 
cultural community. 

Christopher  and  Serena  Hoss  had  a  family  of 
eight  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows: 
John  W.  is  a  resident  of  Kansas;  Amanda  J.  be- 
came the  wife  of  L.  S.  Drullinger,  and  Mary  E. 
married  H.  P.  Drullinger,  of  Nebraska;  Francis 
M.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  fourth  child;  Daniel  T. 
is  farming  in  St.  Joseph  Township;  Eliza  is  the 
wife  of  George  Knapp,  of  Aububon  County,  Iowa; 
Charles  C.  is  a  resident  of  St.  Joseph;  the  youngest 
died  in  infancy. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  homestead  of  his 


T 


t. 


860 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


father  and  commenced  his  education  in  the  district 
schools,  afterward  taking  a  course  in  the  public 
schools  at  St.  Joseph.  He  was  orphaned  by  the 
death  of  his  parents  when  about  fifteen  years  of  age. 
His  father,  however,  had  been  prosperous,  and  left 
an  estate  including  440  acres  of  land,  from  which 
our  subject  received  his  portion  upon  attaining  his 
majority.  He  was  married,  March  13,  1879,  to 
Miss  Charlotte,  the  second  daughter  of  A.  J.  and 
Until  Bowers,  of  St.  Joseph  Township.  The  young 
people  located  on  their  present  homestead  on  sec- 
tion 11,  where  they  have  since  resided,  and  where 
our  subject  has  brought  about  admirable  improve- 
ments. The  farm  embraces  eighty  acres,  thor- 
oughly drained  with  tile,  neatly  fenced,  and  fur- 
nished with  all  other  necessary  improvements  con- 
stituting the  first-class  modern  homestead.  With 
the  exception  of  the  house  all  the  buildings  were 
put  up  by  our  subject.  His  land  has  been  chiefly 
devoted  to  general  farming,  although  he  has  given 
considerable  attenton  to  stock-raising.  His  house- 
hold includes  four  children — Lorin,  Delia,  Walter 
and  Ruthie  M. 

Mr.  Moss  has  maintained  a  proper  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  community,  serving  as  School  Di- 
rector and  otherwise  identifying  himself  with  the 
interests  of  the  people,  lie  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  Church  of  St.  Joseph,  in 
which  Mr.  II.  has  been  Deacon  for  some  time,  lie 
is  a  stanch  Republican,  politically,  casting  his  first 
presidential  vote  for  James  A.  Garfleld. 


-* 4*4* ^ 

R.  McKINNEY,  M.  D.,  a  medical  practi- 
tioner of  Gifford,  has  been  a  resident  of 
this  county  since  the  spring  of  1878,  when 
he  located  in  Ogden  Township  and  con- 
tinued the  practice  of  his  profession  which  had 
been  begun  several  years  before.  He  has  been  an 
extensive  reader  and  a  close  student,  and  is  a  credit 
to  his  profession  in  all  respects.  Dr.  McKinney  is 
a  native  of  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  his  birth  taking 
place  April  15,  1837.  His  father  died  when  he  was 
about  six  months  old,  and  the  mother  with  her  two 
children  removed  to  Logan  County,  where  she  pur- 
chased a  small  tract  of  land  and  superintended  the 


Operations  of  the  farm.  In  183'J  she  married  Israel 
Downing. 

Our  subject  spent  his  younger  days  mostly  on 
the  farm  and  pursued  his  primary  studies  during 
the  winter  in  the  district  schools.  When  fourteen 
years  of  age  his  mother  and  stepfather  moved  to 
Delaware  County,  Ind.,  and  two  years  later  young 
McKinney  engaged  in  teaching,  which  he  followed 
during  the  winter  seasons  while  the  farm  received 
his  attention  in  the  summer.  In  the  meantime  he 
employed  his  leisure  time  in  acquiring  useful 
knowledge.  In  1855  he  entered  the  university  at 
Ilartsville.  Ind.,  with  the  intention  of  still  further 
perfecting  himself  as  a  teacher.  Just  before  be- 
coming of  age,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Hannah,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Ruth  (Stone- 
cipher)  Thornburg,  their  wedding  taking  place  at 
the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  on  St.  Valentine's 
Day,  1858. 

After  this  event  our  subject  continued  to  employ 
his  time  as  before,  in  the  meantime  taking  up  the 
study  of  medicine  until  1863.  The  Civil  War  be- 
ing then  in  progress  he  enlisted  in  Co.  G,  9th  Ind. 
Vol.  Cav.,  and  served  until  the  close,  most  of  the 
time  as  Hospital  Steward.  After  retiring  from  the 
army  lie  entered  the  Medical  College  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  where  he  spent  a  year,  and  began  the  practice 
of  his  chosen  profession.  He  afterward  took  up  his 
residence  at  Barbara  Mills,  and  in  the  fall  of  1872 
attended  a  course  of  lectures  in  Miami  Medical 
College.  His  residence  in  this  county  dates  from 
the  spring  of  1868,  when  he  located  in  Ogden 
Township  and  continued  his  practice  up  to  and 
during  the  winter  of  1877.  With  the  intention  of 
keeping  pace  with  the  progress  of  his  brethren  in 
the  profession,  he  again  supplemented  his  knowl- 
edge by  a  course  of  lectures  at  Indianapolis,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1878.  Soon 
afterward  he  moved  into  the  village  of  Gifford, 
with  the  interests  of  whose  people  he  has  since  been 
identified.  lie  now  enjoys  an  extensive  practice, 
together  with  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  pat- 
rons. 

Dr.  McKinney  lias  been  connected  with  the 
Champaign  County  Medical  Society  since  its  organ- 
ization and  was  at  one  time  President;  he  also  be- 
longs to  the  Illinois  Medical  Society,  and  socially  1 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


861 


is  a  member  of  the  I.  ().  O.  F.  The-  Doctor  and 
.Mrs.  McKinney  united  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Chin-en1  at  Gifford  in  about  1880,  and  our  sub- 
ject is  numbered  among  the  reliable  voters  of  the 
Republican  party.  Of  his  marriage  there  were  born 
four  children,  viz.,  Thomas,  Dora,  James  and  Ira. 

Thomas  McKinney,  the  eldest  son  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Delaware  County,  Ind.,  Nov.  29,  1859. 
He  pursued  his  first  studies  in  the  district  schools 
of  Ogden  Township  and  later  entered  the  Urbana 
High  School.  He  was  a  studious  boy,  ambitious  to 
excel,  and  after  graduating  from  High  School  was 
prepared  for  a  course  in  the  State  University  at 
Normal,  111.  He  afterward  taught  school  and  em- 
ployed his  leisure  time  in  the  study  of  medicine 
under  the  instruction  of  his  father.  In  1880  he 
entered  Rush  Medical  College  at  Chicago,  and 
graduating  in  1883,  returned  home  and  became  the 
partner  of  his  father.  His  marriage  with  Miss  Lot- 
tie Hickey  was  celebrated  on  the  26th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1885,  and  they  have  one  child,  ,-i  daughter,  Lila. 
He  is  a  worthy  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
belonging  to  Pera  Lodge  No.  574,  and  became  a 
Knight  of  Pjthias  in  1887. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Thomas  McKinney, 
was  boru  in-  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  in  1812.  He 
spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native  county,  being  there 
reared  and  married,  and  there  passed  to  his  final 
rest,  his  death  taking  place  while  he  was  still  a 
young  man,  in  1837.  The  mother,  Elizabeth  (Rec- 
tor) McKinney,  also  a  native  of  Shelby  County, 
Ohio,  was  the  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Nancy  Rec- 
tor. She  died  in  1871,  and  was  buried  at  Pilot  in 
Vermilion  County,  this  State.  The  sons  of  her  first 
marriage  were  D.  -It.,  of  our  sketch,  and  James  M. 
Of  her  second  marriage,  there  were  three  children, 
namely,  Daniel  D.,  Samuel  and  Jonathan.  The 
father  of  the  latter,  Israel  Downing,  died  in  Dela- 
ware Count}',  Ind.,  in  1856.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  also  Thomas  McKinney,  was  a  native 
of  Ireland,  who  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
when  a  young  man,  and  located  in  Shell)}'  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  reared  a  family,  all  of  whom  became 
well-to-do  citizens  and  valued  members  of  the  com- 
munity. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  McKinney,  Jonathan  Thorn- 
burg,  wlin  was  born  in  Tennessee,  emigrated  to 


Delaware  County,  Ind.,  during  the  early  history  of 
that  section,  and  after  bravely  fulfilling  his  mission 
as  a  pioneer,  closed  his  .eyes  upon  the  scenes  of 
earth  on  the  homestead  on  which  he  had  labored 
diligently  many -years  to  establish  and  provide  his 
family  with  the  comforts  of  life.  His  wife,  Ruth, 
was  also  a  native  of  Tennessee.  They  were  mar- 
ried there  and  made  the  journey  from  that  State  to 
Indiana  overland  with  teams.  She  is  still  living 
and  a  resident  of  New  Burlington,  Ind.,  having  ar- 
rived at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years. 


RS.  ELIZABETH  SWEARINGEN,  widow 
of  the  late  Thomas  Swearingen,  a  well-re- 
membered citizen  of  this  township,  is  now 
hostess  of  the  Swearingen  House  of  St. 
Joseph.  This  little  hotel  has  been  for  several 
years  successfully  conducted  by  Mrs.  Swearingen 
and  her  daughter  Minnie,  and  under  their  excellent 
supervision  has  won  an  enviable  reputation  for  the 
neatness  and  comfort  of  all  its  appointments,  and 
the  hospitality  of  its  hostess. 

Mrs.  Swearingen  was  born  in  Kentucky  near 
Maysville,  April  4,  1827,  and  when  an  infant  re- 
moved with  her  parents  to  Champaign  County. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  Hiram  ani  Jane  (Swearin- 
gen) Rankin.  The  Rankin  family  is  well  known 
among  the  pioneers  of  this  county.  They  were  the 
descendants  of  several  old  Kentucky  families,  who 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  that  State  when 
it  was  a  wilderness.  Both  of  her  parents  died  in 
St.  Joseph  Township.  Mrs.  Sweariugen  had  the 
advantage  only  of  the  common  schools  in  which  to 
receive  her  education,  but  she  possesses  much  na- 
tive business  capacity  with  a  clear  intellect  and 
good  judgment,  all  of  which  have  been  developed 
and  brought  into  play  by  circumstances. 

In  1846  she  was  married  to  Thomas  Swearingen, 
a  resident  of  St.  Joseph  Township.  He  was  like- 
wise a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  was  born  in  1820. 
When  a  mere  lad  he  removed  with  his  mother 
from  their  native  State  to  Champaign  County, 
where  she  settled  in  what  is  now  St.  Joseph,  and 
there  reared  her  family.  Thomas  received  a  com- 
mon-school education,  and  after  his  marriage  en- 


f 


! ,  i    862 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


gaged  in  general  fanning  two  miles  sou tlieast  of  the 
town  of  .St.  Joseph,  lie  was  industrious  and  en- 
terprising, and  carried  on  a  successful  business  un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  Aug.  31,  1872.  His 
widow  was  left  with  four  children,  all  of  whom 
were  girls,  and  quite  young  at  the  time  of  their 
father's  death.  Mrs.  Swearingen  bravely  assumed 
the  position  of  head  of  the  family,  educating  her 
daughters  and  conducting  the  farm,  where  she  re- 
mained until  the  marriage  of  all  her  daughters  ex- 
cept the  youngest.  Her  children  are  as  follows: 
Jennie,  the  wife  of  James  Duree;  Melvina,  the  wife 
of  Frank  Robbing;  Callie,  the  wife  of  William  Mor- 
rison, a  resident  of  Ogden  Township,  and  Minnie 
E.,  an  accomplished  young  lady,  the  companion 
and  assistant  of  her  mother. 

In  the  winter  of  1880  Mrs.  Swearingen  left  the 
farm  and  removed  to  St.  Joseph,  where  she  has 
since  resided.  In  the  following  year  she  purchased 
what  was  then  called  the  St.  Joseph  Hotel,  and 
took  possession  in  the  autumn  of  1883,  thoroughly 
refitting  the  house  and  putting  it  in  good  order. 
She  has  been  successful  in  her  enterprise,  clearing 
off  the  indebtedness  in  making  the  purchase,  and 
also  receives  a  good  income  from  her  farm,  which 
she  rents. 


PARK,  of  Urbana,  who  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  throughout  Cham- 
paign County,  has  been  a  resident  here  for 
a  period  of  over  thirty-five  years,  and  probably 
has  done  more  than  most  men  in  building  up  and 
improving  one  of  the  finest  sections  in  the  Prairie 
State.  In  earlier  days  he  was  an  extensive  land- 
owner, and  is  now  the  proprietor  of  400  acres  under 
a  fine  state  of  cultivation.  He  is  singularly  modest 
and  retiring  in  disposition,  and  although  many  a 
time  proffered  important  offices  in  the  county,  has 
uniformly  declined  to  be  made  conspicuous  in  this 
manner,  although  he  has  been  one  of  the  first  in 
the  establishment  of  schools  and  the  encouragement 
of  every  enterprise  calculated  to  advance  its  wel- 
fare both  morally  and  financially.  He  has  always 
lived  with  an  aim  and  object  in  life,  and  that  was 


to  perform  a  good  act  as  he  had  the  opportunity, 
and  to  accomplish  what  he  could  in  the  compara- 
tively short  space  of  time  allotted  to  a  human  life. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  born  in  York 
County,  Pa.,  Dec.  19,  1812.  He  is  the  son  of 
Elihu  and  Elspy  (Lamon)  Park,  natives  of  the 
same  count}'  as  their  son.  The  grandfather,  Will- 
iam Park,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of  Lancaster  County, 
Fa.,  where  he  became  an  extensive  farmer  and 
miller,  erecting,  in  177(5,  a  large  building  in  which 
he  carried  on  the  milling  business  the  greater  part 
of  his  life.  The  great-great-great-grandmother  of 
William  Park,  our  subject,  emigrated  with  her  par- 
ents from  England  in  company  with  William  Penu, 
and  settled  with  him  in  Philadelphia.  The  Parks 
are  of  Scotch  ancestry,  but  the.  other  side  of  the 
family  descended  from  the  Welsh  and  Irish.  'Elihu, 
the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  Aug.  8,  1780. 
and,  like  his  father  before  him,  followed  farming 
and  milling  all  his  life  in  the  township  where  he  was 
born.  He  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  being  over  seven- 
ty-five  years,  and  died  July  22,  1802.  The  parental 
household  included  fourteen  children,  of  whom  only 
two  are  now  living. 

William  Park,  Jr.,  was  the  second  child  of  his 
father's  family  and  his  brother,  Joseph,  now  living 
at  Urbana,  the  fourth.  The  parents  were  both 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  whose 
doctrines  they  faithfully  reared  their  offspring,  and 
the  father  of  our  subject,  being  a  wealthy  and  in- 
fluentual  citizen,  held  many  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility.  Our  subject  spent  his  younger  days 
at  school  and  recalls  the  fact  that  his  education 
was  conducted  under  the  instruction  of  twenty-two 
teachers  in  succession,  all  being  of  Irish  or  Scotch 
nationality.  His  school  days  commenced  when  he 
was  seven  years  old,  the  temple  of  learning  being 
a  log  cabin,  and  his  studies  were  carried  on  in 
seven  of  these  successively. .  He  attended  school 
winters  until  nineteen  years  old  and  the  balance  of 
the  year  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  and  in  the 
mill,  also  learning  the  trades  of  carpenter  and  mill- 
wright. In  1832,  after  working  on  a  farm  live 
months,  at  $7  per  month,  he  left  his  native  State 
with  the  large  sum  of  $47. 50  in  his  pocket.  His 
first  destination  was  Miami  County.  Ohio,  where  he 
commenced  his  labors  as  a  millwright  and  after- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


863    -  k] 


ward  operated  a  sawmill.  He  finally  routed  a  mill 
in  Greene  County,  that  State,  the  construction  of 
which  he  had  superintended,  and  operated  this  four 
years  on  shares,  making  $3,000  during  that  time. 
He  afterward  lost  this  and  $5,000  besides  within  the 
space  of  three  months,  by  buying  wheat  for  which  he 
paid  $1.40  per  bushel,  grinding  it  into  flour  and 
hauling  it  to  Dayton,  where  he  was  unable  to  get 
transportation  at  that  season  of  the  year.  Being 
obliged  to  hold  it  the  price  went  down  and  resulted 
in  this  heavy  loss.  That  was  in  1837.  Mr.  Park 
recovered  from  this  calamity  as  best  he  could  and 
wasted  no  time  in  bewailing  his  misfortune.  A 
few  months  afterward  he  began  the  operation  of  a 
distillery  which  he  ran  for  two  years  and  then  sold 
out.  In  1840  he  rented  another  mill,  and  put  up  a 
sawmill  and  distillery,  operating  the  three  jointly 
for  a  period  of  three  years,  and  again  lost  heavily. 
Mr.  Park  after  this  disaster  as  before  got  up  and 
went  at  it  again.  He  formed  a  partnership  with  an 
old  Quaker  and  they  operated  in  company  a  grist 
and  saw  mill,  making  $900  in  two  years.  Our  sub- 
ject then  resumed  his  former  trade  as  a-millwright 
and  carpenter,  and  employed  from  fifteen  to  twenty- 
one  men,  summer  and  winter,  for  three  years  follow- 
ing. At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  had  all  his 
debts  paid  and  $1,300  besides.  In  1848  he  built  a 
woolen  factor}'  in  the  same  county,  which  gave  em- 
ployment to  fifteen  hands.  This  he  run  on  shares 
for  eighteen  months  and  sunk  $6,300.  He  then 
concluded  to  leave  the  Buckeye  State  and  came  to 
Urbana,  this  county,  with  $207.  After  he  had  set- 
tled down  and  decided  upon  his  future  course  he 
had  $100  in  his  pocket.  He  first  purchased  a  log 
house  for  which  he  paid  $50  down,  and  began  cast- 
ing about  for  the  erection  of  a  steam  sawmill.  He 
talked  the  matter  over  with  the  people  of  this 
vicinity,  who  admired  his  courage  and  resolution, 
and  loaned  him  $800  for  three  years  at  six  per  cent. 
He  obtained  $1 ,800  worth  of  machinery  from  Pow- 
ell, of  Cincinnati,  on  trust,  putting  in  a  twenty-two- 
horse  power  engine,  and  thus,  in  1849,  established 
the  first  steam  power  in  Champaign  County.  This 
mill  he  operated  for  six  years.  He  built  his  first 
gristmill  at  Urbana  in  1852.  to  which  he  made  an 
addition  four  years  later.  lie  also  put  up  a  machine- 
shop  and  foundry  for  J.  N.  Wilson,  who  became 


engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  reapers  and  mowers. 
This  proved  too  large  an  elephant  on  Mr.  Wilson's 
hands,  and  he  solicited  Mr.  Park  to  take  hold  of  it, 
from  which  the  latter  suffered  a  loss  of  $7,000  on 
account  of  the  destruction  of  the  mill  by  fire. 

In  1857  a  company  of  gentlemen  visited  Urbana, 
having  in  view  the  erection  of  a  woolen  factory. 
Mr.  Park  furnished  them  the  building  and  machin- 
ery, which  afterward  fell  into  his  hands  and  he,  in 
company  with  Messrs.  Clappand  Gear,  operated  the 
same  successfully  for  three  years.  He  then  sold  his 
interest  in  this  and  also  his  gristmill.  In  the  mean- 
time, in  1854,  Mr.  Park  had  put  up  a  sawmill  on 
the  Sangamon  River  which,  in  company  with  J.  T. 
Phillips,  he  operated  for  two  years.  During  that 
time  also  A.  T.  Marshall  erected  a  sawmill  at  Park- 
ville.  Our  subject  became  his  security  for  the  ma- 
chinery and  as  a  natural  consequence  was  obliged 
to  take  the  mill  for  pay.  This  he  rented  for  four 
years  and  then  put  up  a  gristmill  adjacent.  Both 
mills  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1860. 

After  this  disaster,  from  which  Mr.  Park  recov- 
ered as  manfully  as  before,  he  went  to  Sidney, 
where  he  put  up  a  grist  and  sawmill  which  together 
cost  $2 1 ,000.  These  he  operated  for  eighteen  months 
and  then  they  also  were  destroyed  by  fire.  He 
erected  a  sawmill  immediately  upon  the  same  ground 
and  when  completed,  in  the  space  of  nine  years  fol- 
lowing, sawed  the  timber  from  700  acres  of  land, 
Each  eighty  acres  made  1,250,000  feet  of  lumber. 
Becoming  encouraged  by  the.se  results  he  put  up  a 
brick  flouring-mill  at  Sidney  at  a  cost  of  $25,000 
and  a  warehouse  for  one-fifth  of  that  sum.  He 
retained  possession  of  the  warehouse  five  years  and 
then  sold  it  at  its  original  cost.  He  still  owns  the 
flouring-mill.  These  experiences  in  the  life  of  Mr. 
Park  are  given  chiefly  to  encourage  young  men  by" 
showing  them  that  a  man  can  rise  from  nothing, 
.  as  he  has  done  four  times,  besides  losing  heavily  by 
fire,  and  $35,000  of  bad  accounts,  mostly  security. 

In  the  meantime,  amidst  the  press  of  business  and 
the  calamities  and  prosperity  which  succeeded  each 
other,  he  found  time  for  the  formation  of  marital 
and  domestic  ties,  and  in  the  summer  of  1836  was 
united  in  ma:riage  with  Miss  Margaret  Haynes,  of 
Greene  County,  Ohio.  Of  the  union  there  were 
born  two  children:  Jennie,  Mrs.  Jaques,  of  Urbana, 


I 


4  ,   8(14 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


lias  three  children — William,  Minnie  and  Robert; 
David  E.  Park,  who  is  fanning  in  Sidney  Township, 
married  Miss  Mary  Mansfield,  and  they  have  one 
child,  William,  named  after  his  grandfather.  ID 
1863  Mr.  Park  purchased  a  one-half  interest  in  the 
street  railroad  running  from  Urbana  to  Champaign, 
at  which  time  he  assumed  its  management  and  has 
since  continued  it.  Politically  he  is  a  warm  sup- 
porter of  the  Republican  partly,  and  socially  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  The  beautiful  and  com- 
modious family  residence  is  situated  at  the  corner 
of  Beach  and  Birch  streets,  Urbana,  where  our  sub- 
ject find  his  wife  extend  a  generous  hospitality  to 
the  warm  friends  and  acquaintances  whom  they 
have  made  during  their  long  residence  here.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  P.  religiously  are  connected  with  the 
Universalist  Church. 


OSEPH  GORDON,  who -spent  his  early  years 
'•in  a  home  beyond  the  sea"  in  County 
Wexford,  Ireland,  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  with  his  parents  when  ten  years  old. 
They  first  settled  near  Aurora,  111.,  and  he  removed 
with  them  to  this  county.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  one 
of  the  finest  farms  in  Compromise  Township,  which 
he  opened  up  from  the  uncultivated  prairie.  His 
first  purchase  consisted  of  eighty  acres,  the  money 
to  buy  which  he  earned  with  his  own  hands  as  a 
farm  laborer.  To  this  he  subsequently  added,  and 
is  now  in  possession  of  an  unincumbered  property 
of  400  acres.  His  farm  is  supplied  with  excellent 
buildings  and  all  the  machinery  required  by  the 
modern  agriculturist. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  in  County 
Wexford,  Ireland,  July  31,  1846.  He  is  the  son 
of  John  and  Mary  (Whelan)  Gordon,  natives  of 
the  same  county,  the  former  born  in  1815.  He 
pursued  farming  in  his  native  isle  until  1857;  and 
on  the  5th  of  February  set  sail  from  Liverpool  for 
the  United  States,  landing  in  New  York  City  after 
a  voyage  of  seven  weeks  and  three  days.  He  at 
once  proceeded  westward  to  Aurora,  this  State, 
where  he  commenced  working  on  a  farm  by  the 
month,  and  was  thus  employed  for  about  eleven 
years.  In  1868  he  purchased  '200  acres  of  wild 


prairie  land  in  Compromise  Township,  and  with  his 
family  took  possession  of  it  the  following  spring. 
He  has  been  greatly  prospered  in  his  farming  oper- 
ations and  fortunate  in  his  investments,  and  has 
now  an  area  of  800  acres  of  fine  farming  land,  with 
good  buildings.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were 
married  in  their  native  county  in  1845,  and  there 
were  born  ten  children,  viz.,  Joseph,  Bernard, 
Nicholas,  Charles,  Thomas,  Anastasia,  Anna  and 
Mary.  Two  infants  died  unnamed.  The  paternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  Joseph  Gordon,  wa> 
also  of  Irish  birth  and  parentage,  and  spent  his  en- 
tire life  in  his  native  land. 

The  subject  of  this  history,  the  eldest  of  his 
father's  family,  was  a  boy  of  ten  years  when  his 
parents  crossed  the  Atlantic.  He  remained  under 
the  home  roof,  receiving  a  limited  education  and 
assisting  his  father  until  his  marriage,  which  took 
place  on  the  3d  of  February,  1874,  with  Miss  Ellen 
McQuade.  Mrs.  Gordon  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Catherine  (Mylon)  McQuade,  natives  of  Ire- 
land. The  former  was  a  native  of  Limerick  Coun- 
ty, and  emigrated  to  America  in  early  life.  The 
mother,  who  was  formerty  Miss  Catherine  Mylon, 
was  born  in  King's  County,.  Ireland,  and  came  with 
her  parents  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
woman  twenty  years  of  age.  Of  her  union  with 
Thomas  McQuade  there  were  born  two  children 
only,  Ellen,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  and  a  son, 
Thomas.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gordon, 
eight  in  number,  were  as  follows :  Charles,'Thomas, 
Joseph,  Catherine,  Mary  E.,  Anna  E..  and  two'in- 
fants  who  died  unnamed.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Penfield  Catholic  Church,  and 
Mr.  G.  politically  is  a  Democrat. 


;ILLIAM  HEWERDINE.  The  subject  of 
this  history ,"who  is  essentially  a  self-made 
man,"commenced  his  struggle  with  the  world 
at  the  early  age  of  ten  years,  when  he  set  out  to 
earn  his  own  living.  Thus  thrown  upon  his  own 
resources  he  soon  acquired  that  habit  "of  self-de- 
pendence which  has  been  the  "jsecret  of  hisjsuccess 
in  life.  He  soon  learned  that  the  surest  prop  to 
lean  upon  was  his  own  strong  hands  and  resolute 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


will,  and  those  he  put  in  force  to  the  best  of  his 
ability  until  he  began  to  realize  the  happy  results 
of  his  exertions. 

Our  subject's  birthplace  was  across  the  sea  in 
Lincolnshire,  England,  and  the  date  thereof  March 
21,  1828.  His  parents,  AVilliam  and  Ann  (Garten) 
Hewerdine,  were  natives  of  the  same  shire,  where 
they  were  reared,  married  and  spent  their  entire 
lives.  Six  of  their  children  emigrated  to  the  united 
States.  Thomas,  the  eldest,  lives  in  East  Bend 
Township,  Champaign  County;  our  subject  was  the 
second  son ;  Robert  is  a  resident  of  Rantoul  Town- 
ship; Joseph,  of  Condit  Township;  Charlotte  mar- 
ried Fred  Ackerman,  who  is  farming  in  Rantoul 
Township;  George  resides  in  Condit  Township. 

When  William  Hewerdine  started  out  to  do  for 
himself,  for  the  first  six  months  he  received  noth- 
ing but  his  board.  Afterward  he  was  paid  two  sov- 
ereigns for  one  year's  work.  The  second  year,  as 
his  usefulness  increased,  his  wages  were  raised,  until 
upon  arriving  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years, 
he  was  paid  £10  per  year  and  his  board.  About 
this  time  he  commenced  working  on  the  railroad 
in  process  of  construction  from  London  to  York. 
The  next  year  while  still  employed  there  a  sand 
bank  caved  in,  and  he  came  veiy  near  being  buried 
alive,  but  fortunately  escaped  with  only  a  broken 
leg.  After  recovering  the  use  of  his  limb  he  re- 
sumed work  and  continued  until  the  road  was  com- 
pleted through  Derbyshire. 

Our  subject  remained  a  resident  of  England  until 
185(!,  and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  set  sail  from 
Liverpool  for  the  United  States.  After  a  tedious 
voyage'  cf  seven  weeks  he  landed  in  New  York, 
with  just  money  enough  to  pay  his  fare  to  Toronto, 
Canada,  where  he  desired  to  go.  After  arriving 
there  he  secured  employment  in  a  brickyard  dur- 
ing the  following  summer,  and  in  the  fall  (tame 
to  the  States  and  located  in  Tippccanoe  County, 
Ind.,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm  for  one  year  at 
$13  per  month.  This  was  increased  the  following 
year  to  $14,  and  the  third  year  he  received  $15,  be- 
ing employed  by  the  same  man  three  years.  The 
year  following  he  worked  for  the  man's  brother.  In 
I860  he  left  Tippecanoe  County,  and  coming  to 
tin's  State  commenced  work  by  the  month  in  Condit 
Township,  this  county.  One  year  later  he  rented 


land  there  which  lie  cultivated  three  years  with 
success,  and  was  then  enabled  to  purchase  a  tract 
of  eighty  acres  of  wild  land,  which  is  now  included 
in  his  present  farm.  He  built  a  house  as  soon  as 
practicable,  and  proceeded  with  the  improvement 
of  his  land,  adding  to  it  as  time  passed  and  his 
means  justified.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  240  acres, 
and  has  erected  a  substantial  set  of  farm  buildings. 
The  land  is  all  enclosed  with  neat  fencing,  and 
yields  in  abundance  the  best  crops  of  the  Prairie 
State. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  with  Mrs.  Nancy  J. 
Hire,  was  celebrated  on  the  15th  of  June,  1805,  at 
the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  in  East  Bend 
Township,  Champaign  County.  Mrs.  H.  was  born 
near  Jeffersonville,  Fayette  Co.,  Ohio,  Oct.  14, 
1841,  and  is  the  daughter  of  William  Jcft'reis,  of 
that  same  county.  Of  this  union  there  were  three 
children,  two  girls  and  a  boy.  Her  paternal  grand- 
father, Isaac  Jeffreis,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and 
emigrated  to  Ohio  in  the  pioneer  days,  being 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Fayette  County; 
he  then  moved  to  Missouri,  where  he  died.  There 
his  son  William  and  the  other  children  were 
reared  to  become  worthy  citizens.  After  reaching 
manhood  William  removed  to  Illinois,  in  I860,  and 
located  in  East  Bend  Township,  Champaign  Coun- 
ty, .where  his  death  took  place  in  November,  1 803. 
In  early  manhood  he  had  married  Miss  Ruth  John- 
son, who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  whose 
father,  William  Johnson,  a  native  of  Maryland, 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  The  father 
of  the  latter  is  supposed  to  have  been  born  in  En- 
gland; he  spent  his  last  days  in  Ohio.  William 
Johnson  finally  came  to  the  West.  He  received  a 
pension  during  the  last  years  of  his  life,  and  died  in 
East  Bend  Township,  this  county,  when  one  hun- 
dred and  four  years  of  age.  His  daughter,  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  H.,  is  still  living  with  the  latter. 

Mrs.  Hewerdine  has  been  twice  -married.  Her 
first  husband,  Ama/iah  Hire,  was  born  in  Fayette 
County,  Ohio,  and  after  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Rebellion  became  a  soldier  of  the  Union  army,  en- 
listing in  the  90th  Ohio  Infantry,  and  died  in  the 
service  near  Mnrfreesboro,  Tenn.,  in  1863.  Of  this 
union  there  was  born  one  child,  a  son,  William  W., 
who  is  now  married  and  fanning  in  Condit  Town- 


*-•-«- 

'  •    866 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


ship.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  consistent 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
held  in  high  respect  by  all  who  know  them. 


t 


UTLER  E.  HAMILTON,  managerTof  the 
lumber  business  at  Penfleld,  which  is  con- 
ducted by  his  brother,  John  M.  Hamilton,  is 
a  native  of  Hampshire  County,  Mass.,  where  his 
birth  occurred  April  22,  1830.  His  parents,  David 
and  Abigail  (Meacham)  Hamilton,  were  also  natives 
of  the  Bay  State.  The  father  is  now  deceased ;  the 
mother  still  survives,  and  is  a  resident  of  Rautoul. 
Our  subject  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  re- 
ceived a  eommon-scool  education,  continuing  a  resi- 
dent of  his  native  county  until  reaching  his  major- 
ity. He  then  became  clerk  in  a  store  at  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
mercantile  business.  In  1856  he  engaged  as  a 
traveling  salesman  for  a  wooden  and  willow  ware 
house,  being  one  of  the  first  drummers  in  the 
United  States,  which  class  now  numbers  many 
thousands.  He  subsequently  dealt  in  notions  and 
later  in  druggists'  sundries,  remaining  on  the  road 
almost  continuously  for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 
His  travels  extended  over  the  States  of  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  and  as  far  South  as  Charleston,  S.  C. 

In  the  meantime  the  residence  of  Mr.  Hamilton 
was  Brooklyn,  and  during  the  time  he  was  in  that 
city  and  the  metropolis,  New  York,  ground  which 
had  been  laid  off  into  lots  advanced  from  &50  to 
118,000.  Mr.  II.,  although  distinguished  from  his 
early  youth  as  a  person  of  forethought,  omitted  to 
avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  thus  make  a 
fortune  He  remained  a  resident  of  the  Empire 
State  until  1870.  then  coming  West  located  first  in 
Rantoul  among  the  pioneer  settlers,  whence  he  aft- 
erward removed  to  Penfield,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. 

During  his  residence  in  New  York  State  Mr. 
Hamilton  met  and  married  Miss  Celia  J.  Higgins, 
their  wedding  taking  place  in  June.  1858.  Mrs.  II. 
was  born  in  Halifax,  N.  S.,  in  1838,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  Higgins,  who  re- 
moved from  her  native  Province  to  Brooklyn  when 
Celia  was  but  two  years  old.  Of  this  marriage 


there  were  born  three  children,  two  now  living — 
Franklin  IX.  of  Rantoul,  and  Edward  L.,  at  home 
with  his  parents. 

Mr.  Hamilton  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Gen.  Winfield  Scott,  the  Whig  candidate,  in  1852. 
Since  the  abandonment  of  the  old  party  he  has 
voted  independently.  He  was  reared  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  of  which  his  parents  were  members  in 
Brooklyn,  and  for  twelve  years  was  connected  with 
Plymouth  Church,  presided  over  by  the  late  Henry- 
Ward  Beecher.  In  1866  Mr.  Hamilton  became 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  has  since  given  his  earnest 
support  to  that  denomination. 


EFFERSON  R.  PLACE  owns  a  fine  farm  of 
120  acres  on  section  36,  Sidney  Township, 
nearly  all  of  which  is  under  good  cultiva- 
tion. He  was  born  in  Delaware  County, 
Ohio,  Jan.  2,  1835,  and  is  the  son  of 'Reuben  and 
Jemima  (Point)  Place,  the  former  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  They  after- 
ward removed  to  Greene  County,  Ind.,  where  they 
purchased  a  farm  and  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
lives. 

Jefferson  R.  Place  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and 
his  education  was  necessarily  limited  to  such  as 
he  could  acquire  from  practical  life,  and  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  old  log  cabin  school-house  of  Ohio. 
In  1859  he  was  married,  in  Indiana,  to  Miss  Polly 
J.  Carney.  Her  parents,  both  of  whom  are  now 
dead,  were  natives  of  North  Carolina.  Jan.  13, 
1872,  Mrs.  Place  died,  leaving  no  children.  Our 
subject  was  again  united  in  marriage,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Henrietta  Cash,  the  daughter 
of  John  and  Celia  (Gibson)  Cash,  residents  of  Sid- 
ney Township.  Of  this  union  there  are  three  chil- 
dren— William  E.,  Mary  E.  and  Chester. 

The. parents  of  Mr.  Place  reared  the  following 
family :  Caroline,  Philip,  Vancla,  Nancy,  Alexan- 
der, Martin,  Jefferson  R..  Amy,  John  L.,  Emma 
and  Emeline;  the  two  latter  were  twins,  one  of 
whom  died  in  infancy.  The  family  of  his  present 
wife's  parents  comprised  five  children  (see  sketch 
of  John  Cash).  In  the  family  of  his  -first  wife's 

-»-* 


.t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


867 


parents  there  were  nine  children — William,  Sally, 
Sherwood,  Eunice  and  Hannah  (twins),  Rochella, 
Polly  A.  (deceased).  Absalom,  and  one  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Mr.  Place  is  a  man  of  good  business  ability,  and 
is  actively  engaged  in  the  supervision  of  his  farm, 
which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
His  home  is  pleasant  and  hospitable,  and  all  the  ap- 
pointments of  his  place  are  in  excellent  order.  His 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which 
she  takes  an  active  interest  as  far  as  her  family  du- 
ties will  permit.  In  politics  Mr.  Place  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


R.  L.  K.  LAMB,  one  of  the  popular  young 
physicians  of  Tolono,  has  the  largest  and 
most  lucrative  practice  in  the  southern 
part  of  this  county.  He  is  a  native  of 
Ohio  County,  Ind.,  born  Oct.  15,  1849,  and  the 
son  of  Dr.  James  and  Sarah  Ann  (Carnine)  Lamb. 
The  mother  departed  this  life  at  Tolono,  111.,  in 
December,  1885.  The  father  is  still  living,  and  a 
resident  of  Aurora,  Ind.,  where  he  has  practiced 
his  profession  since  1865.  There  were  four  chil- 
dren in  the  family,  two  still  living,  our  subject,  and 
his  sister  Caerella,  the  wife  of  Frederick  Treon,  M. 
D.,  who  holds  a  Government  position,  located  at 
Crow  Creek  Agency,  Ind.  Ter. 

The  subject  of  this  history  grew  to  manhood  in 
his  native  State,  pursuing  his  primary  studies  in  the 
common  schools  and  afterward  entering  upon  a  lit- 
erary course  in  Hanover  College.  At  an  early  age 
he  commenced  the  study  of  inedicine  with  his 
father  as  preceptor,  and  in  1871-72  attended  the 
Ohio  Medical  College  at  Cincinnati.  At  the  expir- 
ation of  this  time,  although  but  twenty-two  years 
of  age  he  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
his  native,  town,  where  he  continued  successfully 
for  a  period  of  three  years.  Wishing  to  gain  a  still 
better  knowledge  of  his  profession  he  took  another 
term  in  the  Ohio  Medical  College,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  1876.  He  next  located  at  Rising  Sun,  Ind., 
where  he  remained  three  years,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1879  came  to  Tolono,  where  he  has  since  resided, 
lie  became  the  partner  of  Byron  Burns  in  1886,  and 
in  connection  with  his  practice  conducted  a  trade 


in  drugs,  groceries  and  jewelry.  His  professional 
associate  is  Dr.  C.  M.  Craig,  and  they  operate  to- 
gether under  the  firm  style  of  Lamb  and  Craig. 

Dr.  Lamb  was  married,  Dec.  27,  1882,  to  Miss 
Catherine  M.  Graham,  a  native  of  Richland,  Ind, 
and  the  daughter  of  Dr.  A.  E.  Graham,  of  Rush 
County,  Ind.  Mrs.  Lamb  completed  her  education 
in  the  University  at  Bloomington,  Ind.,  and  per- 
fected herself  in  music  at  Xenia,  Ohio.  She  is  a 
lady  of  fine  accomplishments,  and  a  favorite  in  the 
social  circles  of  Tolono.  They  have  one  son, 
James  Graham,  who  was  born  Dec.  23,  1883.  Dr. 
Lamb  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  Republican  princi- 
ples, and  takes  an  active  interest  in  all  matters  per- 
taining to  the  intellectual  and  moral  welfare  of  his 
community.  He  is  the  oldest  physician  in  active 
practice  at  Tolono,  and  has  built  up  a  large  patron- 
age in  this  section  of  the  county. 


OBERT  HEWERDINE,  the  proprietor  of 
200  acres  of  finely  cultivated  land  on  sec- 
tions 17  and  18,  Rantoul  Township,  was 
n  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  in  1833. 
His  father,  William  Hewerdine,  was  a  native  of  the 
same  shire,  where  he  married,  and  reared  a  large 
familv,  following  the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  He 
was  possessed  of  limited  means,  and  at  an  early  age 
the  children  went  from  home  to  work.  Our  subject 
when  six  years  old  couwnenced  thus  to  assist  in  the 
support  of  the  family.  He  was  too  small  to  be  of 
great  service  to  anyone,  and  only  earned  three- 
pence per  day.  He  made  his  home  with  his  par- 
ents until  twelve  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to 
work  for  a  butcher.  The  first  year  he  received  ten 
shillings  and  his  board.  The  second  year  twenty 
shillings,  and  the  third  year  thirty-five  shillings  and 
his  board. 

Mr.  Hewerdine  continued  to  work  by  the  year  in 
England,  the  last  two  years  being  occupied  as  a 
railroad  laborer,  until  starting  for  the  United  States 
in  1856.  After  a  tedious  sea  voyage  he  landed  in 
New  York  City,  whence  he  proceeded  to  Toronto, 
Canada,  and  after  three  months  spent  there  re- 
turned to  the  States,  and  proceeded  westward  until 
he  reached  Indiana.  Going  into  Tippecanoe 


i 

'  •   868 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


County  he  engaged  to  work  for  the  Meharry 
family,  various  members  of  which  are  now  located 
in  different  parts  of  Champaign  County.  He  re- 
mained with  them  until  1860,  then  came  to  this 
county,  and  in  due  time  rented  a  tract  of  land  in 
company  with  two  brothers,  where  they  engaged  in 
farming  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war. 

Our  subject,  naturally  of  an  observant  nature, 
had  watched  with  interest  the  passing  events  in 
this  country  with  the  character  and  customs  of  its 
people.  The  longer  he  lived  here  the  more  he  re- 
solved to  identify  himself  with  its  institutions  and 
interests.  Accordingly,  soon  after  the  first  call  for 
troops  to  assist  in  the  preservation  of  the  Union  he 
set  aside  his  personal  plans  and  interests,  and  became 
a  member  of  Co.  I,"2i>th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  marching  with 
his  regiment  to  the  scene  of  conflict.  He  entered 
with  courage  upon  the  life  of  a  soldier,  resolved  to 
bear  with  fortitude  whatever  hardships  were  allotted 
him.  His  regiment  was  under  the  command  of  Col. 

O 

Coler,  and  he  participated  with  his  comrades  in  the 
battles  of  Pea  Ridge,  Corinth,  Perrysville,  Stone 
River,  Chickamauga,  Mission  Ridge,  and  all  the  en- 
gagements from  Chattanooga  to  Atlanta,  being 
present  at  the  siege  and  capture  of  the  latter  city. 
He  encountered  many  hairbreadth  escapes,  and  at 
the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge  was  wounded  and  re- 
ported in  the  dispatches  mortally  hurt.  He  recov- 
ered, not  long  after,  however,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  service  received  his  honorable  dis- 
charge and  was  mustered  out  with  his  comrades. 

Soon  afterward  our  subject  returned  home  and 
took  up  the  broken  thread  of  life  which  he  had 
dropped  to  enter  the  army.  His  first  work  was  a 
job  of  cutting  corn,  for  which  he  received  ninety- 
five  cents  per  day,  and  after  this  was  finished  he 
worked  by  the  month  two  years  afterward.  By  close 
economy  he  now  managed  to  save  a  sum  of  money 
sufficient  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land,  about 
one-half  of  which  had  been  broken,  and  upon 
which  stood  a  small  house.  He  at  once  energeti- 
cally engaged  in  its  improvement,  and  in  due  time 
began  to  enjoy  the  rewards  of  industry.  What  was 
once  a  tract  of  land  given  to  the  growth  of  wild  grass, 
and  swept  each  year  with  destructive  prairie  fires, 
now  yields  in  abundance  the  choicest  products  cul- 
tivated by  the  farmers  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Hewerdine 


has  added  to  his  original  purchase,  and  has  all  but 
sixty  acres  of  his  large  farm  either  in  pasture  or 
grain  fields.  The  place  is  supplied  with  good  build- 
ings, and  well  equipped  with  the  most  practical 
farm  machinery.  In  politics  Mr.  II.  is  Republican. 
A  lithographic  view  of  the  residence  and  sur- 
roundings of  Mr.  Hewerdine  is  shown  elsewhere  in 
this  work. 


TEPHEN  L.  TOMPKINS  is  the  owner  of 
a  quarter  of  section  17,  Harwood  Township, 
which  comprises  a  body  of  choice  land,  and 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  It  was 
but  partly  improved  when  it  came  into  his  posses- 
sion, and  he  has  fitted  it  up  with  fences  and  neat 
buildings,  planted  an  appk'  orchard,  and  also  trees 
of  finer  fruits,  and  has  in  all  respects  one  of  the 
pleasantest  homesteads  in  Harwood  Township.  He 
has  a  splendid  assortment  of  stock  and  good  ma- 
chinery, all  well  cared  for,  and  everything  about 
the  premises  is  a  credit  to  the  proprietor. 

Mr.  Tompkins  was  born  in  Clermont  County, 
Ohio,  April  5,  1845.  He  is  the  second  child  of 
Nicholas  W.  and  Nackey  (Stephenson)  Tompkins, 
and  his  father,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  the  son  of 
Jonathan  and  Rebecca  Tompkins,  who  were  natives 
of  the  same  State  and  born  there  while  it  was  a 
Territory.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  was  the  daughter  of  Lemuel  and 
Florence  (Abraham)  Stephenson.  The  former  was 
a  native  of  Delaware  and  moved  to  Pennsylvania 
when  a  young  man,  and  there  married.  His  wife 
was  a  native  of  that  State.  After  his  marriage 
Nicholas  Tompkins  located  in  Clermont  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  had  formerly  engaged  in  farming, 
and  took  up  mercantile  pursuits  at  Point  Isabelle, 
where  he  remained  until  the  close  of  his  life,.  Dec. 
10,  1867.  His  widow  is  still-  living  on  the  old 
homestead,  at  the  latter-named  place. 

The  boyhood  of  our  subject  was  spent  in  the 
rural  districts  and  his  education  secured  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  that  period.  He  had  reached  his 
majority  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death  and  was 
appointed  administrator  of  the  estate.  He  con- 
tinued with  his  mother  five  or  six  years  later,  until 
their  property  affairs  had  been  adjusted  satisfactor- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


- 


869 


ily,  and  then  started  for  the  West  to  seek  his  fortune. 
Upon  arriving  in  Central  Illinois  he  purchased 
eighty  aeres  of  parti}'  improved  land  in  Stanton 
Township,  this  county,  of  which  he  took  possession 
and  began  its  improvement.  Two  years  later  he 
sold  out  and  secured  possession  of  the  land  em- 
braced in  his  present  homestead. 

Mr.  Tompkins'  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  E.  Be- 
sore  took  place  at  her  brother  -George's  residence, 
in  Urbana,  Sept.  16,  1875.  His  wife  was  the 
youngest  child  of  John  and  Mary  (Mouu)  Besore, 
whose  offspring  were  twelve  in  number.  Her  par- 
ents spent  the  earlier  part  of  their  lives  in  the  ag- 
ricultural districts  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  where 
Mr  Besore  was  recognized  as  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability  and  of  high  Christian  character. 
He  and  his  estimable  wife  have  both  passed  to 
their  long  home.  The  two  eldest  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Tompkins  are  Minnie  May  and  Edmund 
Karl.  The  baby,  who  has  but  just  learned  to  know 
her  name,  is  called  Lutie  Orvalean. 

In  regard  to  political  affairs  Mr.  Tompkins  avails 
himself  of  the  rights  of  the  free  American  citizen 
and  votes  independently,  aiming  to  give  his  support 
to  the  best  man.  He  has  steadily  declined  becom- 
ingan  office-seeker,  although  upon  various  occasions 
having  been  elected  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
Town  Clerk  or  Treasurer,  maintaining  that  he  could 
serve  his  fellow-citizens  fully  as  well  by  his  vote 
and  his  influence  as  in  the  more  conspicuous  posi- 
tions in  which  they  would  have  placed  him.  In 
State  and  National  affairs  his  sympathies  are  de- 
cidedly with  the  Democratic  party.  Mrs.  Tompkins, 
a  lady  of  much  worth  and  amiability,  is  a  valued 
member  of  the  Christian  Church. 


^f  AMES  II.  HODAM,  born-  in  Gallia  County, 
Ohio,  Aug.  15,  1841,  was  the  eldest  of  five 
children  born  to  Adam  D.  and  Eliza  Ellen 
(Grant)  Hodam.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  Nicholas  County,  W.  Va.,  and  the  son  of  John 
and  Phebe  (Mouse)  Hodam,  also  of  the  Old  Do- 
minion, and  among  the  most  worthy  people  of  the 
agricultural  districts.  John  Hodam  served  in  the 


War  of  1812,  and  his  father  in  the  Revolution;  the 
latter  was  a  German  by  birth.  The  mother  be- 
fore marriage,  was  Miss  Eliza  Ellen  Grant,  of  Ohio, 
and  was  the  daughter  of  David  and  Mary  (Boggs) 
Grant.  David  Grant  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  who 
descended  from  Scottish  ancestry,  and  his  wife, 
Mary,  was  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Ellen  Boggs, 
natives  of  Ireland.  Adam  Hodam,  who  was  a. 
farmer,  was 'also  deeply  religious,  and  occupied  his 
leisure  time  as  a  local  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  family  settled  in  what  is 
now  Roane  County,  W.  Va.,  in  1843,  and  the  father 
still  resides  there.  The  wife  and  mother  departed 
this  life  Nov.  13,  1885. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  spent  his  younger 
years  in  assisting  to  clear  his  father's  land,  but 
when  fourteen  years  of  age  was  employed  as  mail 
carrier  between  Zachville  and  Spencer,  a  distance 
of  twenty-eight  miles,  which  he  made  on  horseback. 
His  salary  was  $75  per  annum,  but  the  money  paid 
out  for  the  same  service  now  aggregates  $3,000. 
He  was  thus  employed  until  the  commencement  of 
the  Civil  War.  His  native  State  was  largely  Dem- 
ocratic, but  the  opposition  was  also  very  strong, 
especially  in  the  western  part  of  the  State,  Roane 
County  having  a  small  Whig  majority.  When  the 
question  of  secession  arose,  in  the  spring  of  1861, 
young  Hodam  went  with  his  State,  and  joined  the 
rebel  army.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  C,  17th  Va.  Vol. 
Cav.,  being  mustered  in  Aug.  28,  1861,  and  was  on 
duty  in  the  mountain  regions  several  months.  A 
year  later  his  regiment  was  attached  to  the  brigade 
of  Gen.  Albert  G.  Jenkins,  and  took  part  in  a  raid 
through  West  Virginia  and  Ohio.  They  soon  re- 
turned, however,  and  joined  the  Confederate  forces 
under  Gen;  Loring  in  the  Kenawha  Valley. 

In  May,  1863-,  this  brigade  was  transferred  to 
the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  participated  in  the 
capture  of  Winchester  and  the  route  of  Gen.  Tv- 
ler's  force  at  Martinsburg.  Company  C  was  soon 
afterward  ordered  to  report  to  Gen.  John  B.  Gor- 
don, at  Gettysburg,  and  acted  as  the  advance  in 
the  march  on  the  cities  of  York  and  Wrightsville. 
At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  his  horse  was  shot  and 
he  was  stunned  by  the  concussion  of  a  shell.  After 
recovering,  he  participated  in  many  cavalry  skir- 
mishes on  the  retreat  of  Gen.  Lee  through  Virginia.  ' 


1 


870 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


•H. 


After  the  defeat  of  the  Confederate  forces  at  Cloys' 
Farm  in  May,  1864,  the  brigade  assisted  in  the  pur- 
suit of  Gen.  Hunter  and  his  command  into  West 
Virginia.  Our  subject  was  with  Earley  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Monocacy  Junction.  Md.,  where  every  field 
officer  of  the  regiment  was  killed  or  wounded.  He 
assisted  in  the  pursuit  of  Cook's  command  to  the 
Potomac,  in  which  fight  many  of  the  associates  of 
his  boyhood  days,  then  engaged  as  Federal  sol- 
diers, were  captured.  Mr.  Hodam  also  saw  the 
brave  Gen.  Mulligan,  of  Chicago,  tenderly  carried 
from  the  field  to  a  house  near  by  to  die.  A  few 
days  afterward  he  was  sent  by  Gen.  McCausland 
with  a  body  of  infantry,  to  take  McCoy's  Ford  on 
the  Potomac.  They  captured  the  Federal  pickets 
at  daybreak,  but  were  attacked  by  the  cavalry, 
which,  however,  they  kept  at  bay  until  assistance 
arrived.  They  then  pushed  the  enemy  back  toward 
Hagerstown,  and  circling  around  Hunter's  army, 
entered  Chainbersburg  the  next  morning.  After  a 
few  shots  and  a  short  parley,  the  town  was  fired  by 
Harry  Gilmore's  Maryland  batallion.  Though  the 
Southern  people  had  suffered  much  from  the  out- 
rages of  Northern  soldiery,  yet  the  victorious 
troops  here  were  moved  with  pity  for  the  defense- 
less women  and  children,  and  Mr.  Hodam  with 
some  of  his  comrades,  assisted  many  of  these  to 
places  of  safety,  and  saved  for  them  what  property 
they  could  from  the  devouring  element.  In  the 
battle  at  New  Creek.  Va.,  Mr.  Hodam  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  thigh  by  a  minie  ball,  and  was 
sent  to  the  hospital  at  Staunton.  Here  he  received 
his  only  furlough  during  the  war.  Before  really 
able  he  insisted  upon  returning  to  duty,  and  in  the 
absence  of  officers  who  had  been  killed  or  disabled, 
assumed  command  of  his  company  in  which  he  had 
already  been  promoted  First  Sergeant.  During  the 
skirmish  at  Liberty  Mills,  Dec.  '24,  1864,  in  a  hand- 
to-hand  encounter  with  a  Federal  trooper,  Mr. 
Hodam  received  a  severe  sabre  cut  in  the  right 
side,  but  stuck  to  his  saddle  and  captured  his  an- 
tagonist. 

The  division  to  which  the  regiment  of  our  sub- 
ject belonged  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Five  Forks. 
The  sufferings  and  privations  that   man  and  beast 
endured  in  that  retreat  no   tongue  can  tell.     Mr. 
'  '   Hodain  saw  his  brave  comrades  one  by  one  drop- 


ping by  the  wayside,  starved,  sick  or  wounded,  to 
die  or  be  captured  by  the  advancing  hosts  of  Grant. 
The  last  fight  of  importance  that  he  took  part  in 
was  near  Farmville.  The  day  following,  at  10 
o'clock,  Gen.  Lee  had  crossed  the  Appomattox,  the 
17th  Regiment  bringing  up  the  rear  with  orders 
to  burn  the  bridge  at  Farmville.  Sergt.  Hodam 
had  deployed  his  company  as  skirmishers  near  the 
bridge,  and  the  enemy  were  pouring  down  the  hill 
upon  them  on  every  hand.  Feeling  that  they 
must  escape,  they  started  for  the  bridge,  but  when 
near,  it  burst  out  in  flames.  The  Federals  seeing 
the  situation,  set  forward  with  exultant  yells  to 
capture  the  rebels,  and  Sergt.  Hodam  shouted  to 
his  comrades  that  they  must  either  swim,  drown  or 
surrender.  Mr.  Hodain  himself  preferred  the 
former,  and  the  whole  company  plunged  over  the 
steep  bank,  and  to  their  joy  found  the  water  only 
up  to  the  horses'  breasts,  and  they  succeeded  in  get- 
ting safely  across.  The  Federals  were  close  enough 
to  cut  them  off,  but  in  their  humanity  let  them  go. 
Gen.  Lee's  surrender  occurred  soon  afterward. 
Brigades  had  been  reduced  to  regiments  in  num- 
bers, regiments  to  a  mere  handful,  and  companies 
blotted  out  entirely.  Of  the  ninety-two  men  and 
officers  forming  Company  C,  not  a  private  was  left, 
the  only  men  surviving  being  Sergt.  Hodam  and  a 
Corporal. 

After  an  absence  of  nearly  four  years,  Mr.  Ho- 
dam returned  to  his  home,  arriving  there  May  17, 
1865.  He  was  without  the  means  to  buy  himself  a 
suit  of  clothes,  but  declares  that  among  his  warmest 
friends  were  the  boys  in  blue,  many  of  vyhom  he 
had  met  in  battle  and  on  the  skirmish  line.  Ow- 
ing to  the  reconstruction  laws  in  the  South,  our 
subject  determined  on  coming  North,  and  when  he 
came  into  this  State  possessed  a  cash  capital  of 
$2.25.  By  hard  work  and  honest  means,  he  has 
secured  a  good  home  of  160  acres,  and  is  sur- 
rounded with  all  the  comforts  of  life.  Tholigh  liv- 
ing in  a  strong  Republican  township,  he  has  held 
his  share  of  local  offices.  He  feels  proud  that 
among  his  strongest  friends  and  supporters  arc  tin- 
men who  went  to  the  front  in  defense  of  our  coun- 
try's Hag,  that  Hag  that  now  knows  no  North,  no 
South,  but  for  which  the  boys  who  wore  the  blue 
and  gray  will  rally  and  guard  from  foeman's  touch.  ' 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


871   <  . 


Mr.  Hodain  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Htirsh- 
barger  in  the  winter  of  1868.  She  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Anna  (Weiiger)  Harshbarger, 
natives  of  Augusta  County,  Va.,  and  was  born  in 
184 4.  Our  subject  and  wife  reside  on  section  21, 
Harwood  Township.  They  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  but  four  of  whom  are  now  living, 
namely,  Robert  M.,  Joseph  A.,  Anna  E.  and  Cor- 
delia H.  Mr.  Hodam  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
His  estimable  wife  belongs  to  the  Mennonite  Church. 


jp77>REDERICK  SCHOENBERGER.  Thisgen- 
r-to'i  tleman,  as  a  partner  of  William  Foos,  of 
Springfield,  Ohio,  has  charge  of  nearly 
4,000  acres  of  land,  embracing  sections  G,  7,  8.  18 
and  19,  Brown  Township,  and  is  conducting  one  of 
the  largest  stock  farms  along  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
The  ranch  accommodates  about  600  head  of  cattle, 
forty  head  of  horses  and  mules;  and  the  firm  fat- 
tens about  500  head  of  hogs  annually.  Our  sub- 
ject is  well  fitted  for  the  important  interests  of 
which  he  now  has  charge,  both  by  birth,  training 
and  education,  being  the  son  of  a  well-to-do  Penn- 
sylvania farmer,  Frederick  Schoenberger,  Sr.,  who 
was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  married  to  Miss 
Lydia  Whitman,  of  York  County,  Pa.,  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  latter  county,  where  the  subject  of 
our  sketch  was  born.  The  parents  spent  the  greater 
part  of  their  lives  in  York  County,  and  there,  when 
they  had  ceased  from  their  earthly  labors,  their  re- 
mains were  laid  to  rest. 

The  parental  family  consisted  of  six  sons  and 
seven  daughters,  Frederick  of  our  sketch  being  the 
seventh  child.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  in  York 
County,  Jan.  22,  1827,  and  passed  his  boyhood  and 
youth  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons,  at- 
tending school  during  the  winter  season  and  mak- 
ing himself  as  useful  about  the  farm  in  summer  as 
his  age  and  size  permitted.  When  eighteen  years 
old  he  commenced  serving  an  apprenticeship  to  the 
tanner's  trade  and  afterward  worked  as  a  '-jour" 
at  this  in  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  until  after  reach- 
ing his  majority.  He  visited  Clarke  County,  Ohio, 


first  in  the  fall  of  1848,  and  the  following  year  en- 
tered into  partnership  with  his  uncle,  Baltzer 
Schoenberger,  who  was  engaged  in  the  tanning 
business,  and  with  whom  he  operated  three  years. 
Our  subject  then  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness, but  soon  afterward  purchased  it  back  entire, 
continuing  it  until  about  1861.  He  then  withdrew 
entirely,  disposing  of  his  property  to  other  parties, 
and  engaged  in  farming,  also  running  a  threshing- 
machine  until  1864. 

Mr.  S.  now  decided  to  change  his  location,  and 
setting  his  face  toward  the  Prairie  State,  came  to 
this  county,  and  finding  in  Brown  Township  a  lo- 
cation which  pleased  him,  proceeded  at  once  to  ar- 
range for  settling  permanently.  That  same  year 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Foos,  and  soon 
made  arrangements  for  their  present  extensive 
stock  farming.  The  residence  of  our  subject  is  lo- 
cated on  section  8,  where  there  is  a  fine  house  with 
beautiful  surroundings,  and  a  few  representatives  of 
the  choice  stock  which  range  at  will  over  the  larger 
domain  of  the  farm  proper.  In  this  retreat  Mr. 
Schoenberger,  with  his  family  about  him,  gleans 
much  enjoyment  from  life,  and  is  rated  as  a  fail- 
representative  of  the  farming  community. 

Our  subject  before  leaving  Ohio  was  married  in 
Clarke  County,  March  2,  1856,  to  Miss  Emily, 
daughter  of  Wailes  and  Nancy  (Foos)  Aldrich, 
who  was  born  in  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  25, 
1831.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the 
mother  of  Ohio,  to  which  latter  State  they  emi- 
grated soon  after  their  marriage,  locating  in  Clarke 
County,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  The  household  circle  included  two  children 
only,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  brother  of  Mrs. 
S.,  William  Aldrich,  is  still  a  resident  of  Ohio.  Of 
the  two  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick  Schoen- 
berger, by  name.  William  J.  and  Ida  A.,  the  former, 
in  May,  1881,  married  Miss  Ida  Foos,  of  Cham- 
paign, and  is  engaged  in  business  at  Springfield, 
111. ;  Ida  A.  became  the  wife  of  William  C.  Brickey, 
and  died  at  the  home  of  her  husband  in  Clarke 
County,  Ohio,  Jan.  14,  1879.  Her  daughter,  Ida 
S.,  resides  with  her  grandparents,  our  subject  and 
wife. 

Mr.  Schoenberger.  although  full  of  business, 
never  having  time  to  be  idle,  has  represented 


872 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Brown  Township  in  the  Board  of  Supervisors  and 
officiated  as  School  Director.  Politically  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican,  and  fearlessly  upholds  the  princi- 
ples in  which  he  sincerely  believes.  Mrs.  S.  is  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  a 
lady  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  her. 


i 


&HOMAS  J.  WOODIN,  junior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Ream  &  Woodin,  manufacturers  of 
drain-tile  at  St.  .Joseph,  represents  with  his 
partner  one  of  the  most  important  industries  in 
that  section,  which  was  established  by  Mr.  Ream  in 
the  spring  of  1880.  Our  subject  became  connected 
with  the  enterprise  in  1882.  The  equipments  of 
the  works  are  after  the  latest  improved  patterns,  and 
the  drying  is  carried  on  by  the  most  popular  meth- 
od, namely,  that  of  air  instead  of  heat.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  industry  the  firm  is  also  engaged  in 
the  breeding  of  Norman  and  Belgian  horses,  and 
has  now  in  its  possession  six  fine  stallions  of  late 
importation,  which  are  destined  to  make  their  mark 
among  the  fine  horses  of  Champaign  County. 

Mr.  Woodin  is  a  native  of  Vermilion  County, 
this  State,  born  near  what  was  formerly  known  as 
Butler's  Point,  but  is  now  Catlin,  Sept.  l(j,  1841. 
His  parents,  Elmore  and  Rebecca  Woodin,  were 
natives  respectively  of  Ne.v  York  and  Ohio,  and 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Vermilion 
County.  They  located  on  a  tract  of  uncultivated 
land,  from  which  the  father  built  up  a  good  home- 
stead, where  he  lived  and  labored  until  called  to 
his  eternal  rest,  in  the  spring  of  1858.  The  mother 
survived  him  for  a  period  of  twenty-two  years,  her 
death  taking  place  in  1880,  at  the  home  of  her  son 
in  St.  Joseph.  Of  the  eightchildren  born  to  the  par- 
ents three  only  survive,  two  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter, residents  of  St.  Joseph. 

Our  subject  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  in 
Vermilion  County,  where  he  began  and  completed 
his  education.'  He  remained  with  his  mother  until 
after  her  second  marriage,  and  when  a  youth  of 
nineteen  years  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union 
army,  becoming  a  member  of  Co.  E,  51st  111.  Vol. 
Inf.,  his  regiment  being  assigned  to  the  Army  of 


the  Mississippi,  and  stationed  first  at  Cairo,  111., 
then  took  part  in  the  battle  of  New  Madrid  in  Mis- 
souri, and  thence  proceeded  to  Memphis,  Tenn., 
whence  they  were  ordered  back  to  Corinth,  assist- 
ing in  the  capture  of  that  city,  and  from  there  re- 
traced their  steps  again  to  Alabama,  then  to  Mur- 
freesboro  and  Chattanooga,  meeting  the  enemy  at 
each  point.  'During  a  charge  at  Mud  Creek  young 
Woodin  was  shot  'through  the  ankle  by  a  minie 
ball,  making  a  very  painful  wound,  and  by  reason 
of  which  he  was  confined  to  the  hospital  eleven 
months.  Upon  his  recovery  the  war  was  practically 
ended,  and  he  received  his  honorable  discharge  in 
June,  1865,  at  Springfield,  111. 

After  being  transferred  from  a  soldier  to  a  civil- 
ian Mr.  Woodin  took  up  his  abode  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  first  en- 
gaged in  farming,  and  then  became  connected  with 
his  brother  in  the  grain  business  until  1867,  when  he 
added  the  shipping  of  stock,,  hogs  and  cattle,  which 
he  found  quite  profitable,  and  which  he  still  pur- 
sues. In  1875  Mr.  Woodin  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Carrie  A.,  the  daughter  of  Jonathan 
Hunt,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Champaign  County, 
the  wedding  ceremony  taking  place  in  Prairie  Hope 
Church.  The  offspring  of  this  union  was  three 
sous — Walter  L.,  Earl  B.  and  Ernest  C. 

Mr.  W.  was  one  of  the  members  of  the  first  Town 
Board  of  St.  Joseph,  and  has  served  as  Director  of 
the  Village  School  Board,  while  his  clear  head  and 
good  judgment  are  often  called  into  requisition  by 
his  fellow-townsmen  in  discussing  the  measures 
which  shall  result  in  the  most  good  to  the  greatest 
number. 


S.  CORLIS  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres 
of  highly  cultivated  land  located  on  sec- 
tion 25,  Sidney  Township.  He  was  born 
in  Upper  Canada,  Dec.  19,  1839,  and  is  the  son  of 
Abraham  W.  and  Elizabeth  (Shaw)  Corlis.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  New  York  State,  but  re-, 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Canada  when  but  ten 
years  of  age.  About  the  year  1850  our  subject's 
father  removed  with  his  family  to  Michigan. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  1862,  Mr.  W.  S.  Corlis 
enlisted  in  Co.  A,  3d  Mich.   Vol.   Inf.,  and   served 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


873 


three  years  in  the  War  of  . the  Rebellion.  He  was 
lirst  a  member*  of  the  3d  Corps,  but  after  Gen. 
tirant  had  been  made  Commander  of  the  Army  of 
the  \Vest  he  was  removed  to  the  2d  Corps  under 
(•en.  Hancock.  He  fought  bravely  in  the  battle  of 
Seven  Pines,  ;ho  second  Bull  Run  engagement,  the 
battles  of  Fredericksbtirg,  Cliaucellorsville.  Gettys- 
burg- and  the  Wilderness.  At  the  close  of  the  war 
he  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  City  Point,  Va., 
and  returned  to  Michigan,  where  he  remained  six 
months,  and  then  removed  to  Champaign  County, 
where  he  has  remained  until  the  present  time. 

Mr.  Carlis  was  married  in  Vermilion  County, 
111.,  Oct.  8,  I860,  to  Miss  M.  J.  Peters,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Sylvanus  and  Catherine  (Burton)  Peters. 
Her  parents  were  natives  of  Ohio.  Her  mother 
died  in  Indiana  and  her  father  in  Urbaua,  this 
county.  Mr.  Corlis  and  his  wife  have  six  children, 
viz.,  Don,  born  Aug.  25,  1869;  Walter,  March  1, 
«1871;  Mary,  Dec.  8,  1873;  Alta,  Dec.  5,1875; 
Fred,  Oct.  4,  1877;  Norah,  June  1,  1884.  His  res- 
idence and  farm  'buildings  are  both  comfortable 
and  elegant,  as  will  be  seen  by  examining  the  litho- 
graphic view  which  is  shown  on  another  page  of 
this  work.  Mr.  Corlis  has  become  identified  with 
the  interests  of  the  place ;  has  held  the  office  of 
School  Director,  and  in  politics  sympathizes  with 
the  Republican  party. 


ALLEN  SHAVER,  a  law-abiding- 
citizen,  and  a  gentleman  duly  respected  by 
his  neighbors  and  acquaintances,  located  on 
section  1C,  Rantoul  Township,  in  1880.  He  has  been 
a  resident,  however,  of  the  Prairie  State  since  1  805, 
coming  here  with  his  father  from  Indiana.  His 
birthplace  was  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  and  the  date 
thereof  Aug.  3,  1844.  He  is  the  son  of  Philip 
Shaver,  who  was  born  in  Warren  County,  Ohio, 
Sept.  5,  1814,  and  whose  parents  were  of  German 
birth  and  ancestry.  The  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject emigrated  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
man,  and  settled  in  Ohio  during  its  early  coloniza- 
tion, lie  there  married  and  raised  a  family,  among 
whom  was  Philip,  the  father  of  our  subject,  who 


passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Warren  County. 
After  reaching  manhood  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  K.  Bailey.  Her  father,  William  Bailey,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of 
the  Buckeye  State,  and  made  his  location  in  Clin- 
ton County.  Philip  Shaver,  soon  after  removing 
from  his  native  county,  resided  in  Shelby  and  Lo- 
gan Counties  until  1801,  then  crossed  over  the  line 
into  Indiana,  and  settled  on  a  farm  which  he  had 
purchased  in  Noble  County.  After  a  residence 
there  of  six  years,  he  came  to  this  State,  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  laud  in  Logan  County,  and  im- 
proved a  farm,  building  up  a  good  homestead, 
where  he  died  June  8,  1879.  His  wife,  the  mother 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  departed  this 
life  at  their  home  in  Logan  County,  this  State,  Oct. 
2,  1875. 

Edgar  A.  Shaver  atttended  the  district  schools 
in  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  and  when  old  enough  as- 
sisted his  father  on  the  farm.  He  removed  with 
the  family  to  Indiana  in  1861,  and  four  years  later 
commenced  working  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  He 
was  a  natural  mechanic,  and  handled  tools  with  so 
much  ease  and  readiness  that  he  received  wages 
from  the  first.  In  company  with  his  brother  he 
afterward  purchased  eighty  acres  of  wild  land  in 
Logan  County,  and  while  working  at  his  trade  also 
superintended  the  improvement  of  his  land.  He 
continued  thus  occupied  in  Logan  County  until 
becoming  a  resident  of  Champaign  County  in  1880. 
That  same  year  he  purchased  the  farm  of  which  he 
is  the  proprietor,  and  which  comprises  160  acres  of 
land  with  a  good  residence,  and  all  other  needful 
buildings.  He  raises  grain  and  stock  principally, 
and  the  land  also  supplies  all  the  produce  required 
for  the  household.  He  has  an  excellent  wife,  and 
five  bright  children  complete  the  happiness  of  the 
household.  These  are  Elmer  A.,  Thomas  Albert, 
Charles  Edgar,  Elonzo  Dow  and  Claudius.  Mrs. 
Shaver,  formerly  Miss  Melissa  J.  Dalbow,  is  a  na- 
tive of  this  State,  born  in  Pike  County,  March  21, 
1856.  Her  father,  Isaac  Dalbow,  a  native  of  New 
Jersey,  came  to  Illinois  during  the  early  settlement 
of  Pike  County,  where  he  located  and  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  The  maiden  name  of  his  wife 
was  Eliza  Mustard.  She  was  born  in  Virginia,  is 
still  living,  and  a  resident  of  Pike  County. 


i 


874 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shaver  presents  the 
typical  picture  of  a  peaceful  farm  house,  whose  in- 
mates are  surrounded  by  nil  the  comforts  of  life. 
They  are  training  their  children  to  habits  of  indus- 
try and  those  principles  of  virtue  and  honor  which 
are  the  sure  foundation  of  good  citizenship,  and 
which  will  secure  for  them  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  their  community,  and  a  good  financial  standing 
in  life.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  connected 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  188:.,  of 
which  they  remain  consistent  members. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mr.  Shaver,  eight  in 
number,  are  recorded  as  follows:  John  W.  was 
born  May  27,  1842;  Frances  B.,  Aug.  22,  1846; 
Elizabeth  A.,  May  4,  1848;  Thomas  E.,  born  Dec. 
17,  1849,  died  Oct.  25,  1878;  Philip  W.  was  born 
Jan.  10,  1852;  Nancy  J.,  Sept.  12,  1854;  Mary  M., 
Dec.  14,  1856;  Amy  A.,  born  Aug.  5,  1860,  died 
Aug.  17,  1880;  Nancy,  who  was  born  in  1854,  died 
in  1886. 


S.  WATERS.  The  career  of  this  gentle- 
man possesses  more  than  ordinary  interest 
to  the  reflective  mind,  as  it  presents  a 
forcible  illustration  of  the  result  of  enterprise  and 
industry  and  a  steady,  undeviating  course  through 
rain  and  shine.  Mr.  Waters  started  out  in  life  with 
no  capital  but  his  strong  hands  and  determined 
will.  He  was  willing  to  live  within  his  income  at 
the  start  and  has  adhered  to  this  rule  all  his  life. 
He  commenced  in  an  extremely  modest  manner,  oc- 
cupying at  first  a  small  house  with  a  few  acres  of 
land,  but  gradually  made  his  way  upward  until  now 
we  see  him  in  possession  of  an  elegant  residence 
occupying  one  of  the  most  beautiful  sites  in  Stan- 
ton  Township.  It  is  on  a  rise  of  ground  which 
commands  a  view  of  the  country  for  miles  around. 
The  dwelling  and  its  adjacent  buildings  stand  back 
from  the  public  road  and  a  beautiful  driveway 
winds  around,  bordered  on  each  side  with  handsome 
shade  trees.  The  ground  is  otherwise  embellished 
with  shrubs  and  flowers,  and  the  fields  surrounding 
form  a  picture  extremely  beautiful  to  look  upon. 


The  land  is  finely  improved  and  the  live  stock  of 
the  farm  includes  the  better  grades  of  horses,  cattle 
and  hogs.  One  important  feature  of  the  homestead 
is  the  fine  fruit  orchard  which  provides  the  family 
and  many  of  their  friends  with  good  things  to  eat 
the  year  around.  It  has  taken  many  years  to  per- 
fect the  homestead  as  it  at  present  appears,  and  the 
proprietor  may  be  pardoned  if  he  views  with  pride 
and  satisfaction  the  result  of  his  labors.  The  estate, 
a  view  of  which  we  give  in  this  connection,  lies  on 
the  southwest  quarter  of  section  7,  and  about  five 
miles  from  the  little  village  of  Thomasboro,  the 
chief  shipping  and  trading  point  of  that  locality. 

The  subject  of  this  histoiy  is  a  native  of  Berk- 
shire County,  Mass.,  where  he  drew  his  first  breath 
Feb.  11,1826.  His  early  days  were  spent  011  the 
farm,  where  he  gained  a  good  acquaintance  with 
the  various  departments  of  agriculture  and  received 
the  advantages  of  the  common  schools.  When  six- 
teen years  of  age  he  left  the  parental  roof  to  learn 
the  blacksmith's  trade  at  Otis,  Mass.  This  occupied 
his  time  for  six  years  and  he  then  set  up  in  business 
for  himself.  After  conducting  his  shop  at  Otis 
nineteen  years,  he  determined  to  change  his  location 
and  occupation,  and  selling  out  came  to  this  State 
and  for  the  following  four  years  rented  land  and 
carried  on  farming.  In  1870  he  purchased  256 
acres  of  wild  prairie  and  at  once  set  about  its  culti- 
vation and  improvement.  The  first  year  he  broke 
and  fenced  about  forty  acres  and  built  a  small 
house  into  which  he  moved  his  family.  From  that 
time  his  course  has  been  one  of  prosperity,  and 
while  building  up  a  permanent  and  beautiful  home- 
stead he  has  at  the  same  time  secured  the  good- 
will and  esteem  of  his  neighbors  and  fellow-citi- 
zens. The  work  of  such  a  man  is  not  merely  con- 
fined to  his  own  estate  or  to  his  own  interests,  but 
has  its  effect  throughout  the  whole  township,  con- 
tributing to  build  up  and  maintain  its  reputation  as 
the  abiding-place  of  an  intelligent  and  enterprising 
community.  By  his  successful  management  of  his 
farm  he  has,  as  it  were,  painted  a  bright  picture  on 
the  landscape  which  gives  pleasure  to  all  who  look 
upon  it  and  is  a  silent  witness  of  what  refined  taste 
and  ingenuity  may  accomplish. 

The  lady  who  has  presided  with  dignity  and 
grace  over  the  home  of  our  subject  for  a  period  of 


T 


•  ^^mw^ 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

877    t 


OVIT  thirty-five  years,  was  in  her  girlhood  Miss 
Elizabeth  Hak'3',  to  whom  he  was  married  on  the 
1-2 th  of  October,  1H49,  in  Blandford,  Mass.  Mrs. 
Waters  was  born  in  Blandford,  Ilampden  Co.,  Mass., 
in  1825.  and  is  the  daughter  of  Tucker  M.  and 
Hannah  (Watson)  .Haley,  natives  of  Rhode  Island. 
The  parental  household  included  three  children: 
Elizabeth,  Mrs.  W. ;  Henry  A.,  who  married  Annett 
Fenn,  and  is  a  practicing  physician  of  this  county, 
and  Jennie  A.,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Waters,  of  New 
York  City.  Henry  and  Jennie  are  twins.  Tucker 
Haley  departed  this  life  at  his  home  in  Somer 
Township,  this  county,  in  September,  1870,  and  the 
wife  and  mother  over  a  year  later,  Jan.  12,  1872. 
The  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Waters,  Jeffrey  and  Han- 
nah (Babcock)  Haley,  were  natives  of  Rhode  Island, 
whence  they  removed  to  Massachusetts  at  an  early 
day  where  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 
The  former  died  in  1828.  The  grandmother  sur- 
vived her  husband  for  about  twenty-four  years,  her 
death  taking  place  in  August,  1852.  The  family 
is  of  English  descent. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Levi  Waters,  who  was 
born  in  Massachusetts,  moved  to  New  York,  where 
lie  lived  for  twenty  years.  He  was  married  in  early- 
life  to  Miss  Lucmda  Twining,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  six  children,  as  follows:  Lyman  T.,  who 
married  Miss  Jane  Sheppard,  and  they  are  residents 
of  Copenhagen,  N.  Y. ;  W.  S.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the 
second  son;  Joseph,  who  married  Miss  Jennie  Haley, 
and  is  living  in  New  York  Cit}T;  Robert,  who  mar- 
ried early  in  life  and  his  first  wife  died  shortly 
afterward ;  he  was  then  married  to  Miss  Mollie 
Leach,-  and  they  are  living  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio; 
Nelson,  who  first  married  Miss  Emma  McBurney, 
of  Peterboro,  Ontario.  She  died  in  1882,  and  he 
was  then  married  to  Mrs.  Bell,  of  Paxton,  111.; 
they  are  living  in  Marshall  County,  Kan.  Henry 
died  when  five  years  of  age%  The  Waters  family  is 
also  of  English  ancestry.  The  paternal  grandpar- 
ents of  our  subject  were  natives  of  Rhode  Island, 
but  after  ward  removed  to  Massachusetts,  where  they 
spent  their  last  years. 

The  five  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waters  are  re- 
corded as  follows:  Henry  N.,  who  was  born  Nov. 
30,  1851,  died  Aug.  9,  1878;  Howard  W.  was  born 
Nov.  26,  1853;  Myron  L.,  March  13,  1856 ;  Ella  E., 


May  3,  1861 ;  Jessie  L.,  Jan.  6,  1872.  The  living 
children  are  all  at  home,  the  boys  assisting  their 
father  in  carrying  on  the  farm.  Mrs.  Waters  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Wa- 
ters is  a  decided  Republican  in  politics,  as  is  the 
whole  family. 


JOSEPH  II.  LOGAN,  now  a  farmer  and 
stock-grower,  located  on  section  31,  Sidney 
Township,  was  one  of  the  gallant  soldiers 
ready  to  respond  to  the  call  of  his  country 

•^^^-' 

to  lay  down  his  life  if  required  in  the  defense  of 
the  "old  flag."  He  was  born  in  Carroll  County, 
Ohio,  Jan.  27,  1840,  and  is  the  son  of  J.  M.  and 
Elizabeth  (Hixon)  Logan. 

In  the  spring  of  1867  Joseph's  father,  who  had 
lived  for  some  time  in  Indiana,  moved  to  Kansas, 
where  he  remained  until  1874,  when,  not  feeling 
satisfied  with  his  surroundings,  he  came  to  Cham- 
paign County,  and  remained  through  one  winter 
with  his  son  Joseph  H.  In  the  following  spring  he 
returned  to  Indiana  and  remained  there  one  year, 
then  moved  to  Wayne  County,  111.,  where  he  is 
now  living  in  comfort  and  ease  as  a  retired  farmer. 

Joseph  H.  Logan  came  to  Illinois  in  1866,  when 
a  young  man,  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  railroad 
land,  which  he  broke  and  cultivated  until  1871. 
He  then  sold  and  purchased  his  present  place,  com- 
prising eighty  acresof  valuable  land  all  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  on  which  he  has  an  elegant 
residence  and  excellent  farm  buildings,  well  sup- 
plied with  all  the  modern  appliances  necessary  for 
systematically  conducting  farm  work.  Among  the 
representative  farm  views  given  in  this  ALIITM  may 
be  found  that  of  Mr.  Logan. 

In  December,  1863,  Mr.  Logan  enlisted  in  Co.  B, 
1st  Indiana  Heavy  Artillery,  and  served  until  Jan- 
uary, 1866.  Among  the  many  hard-fought  battles 
in  which  he  was  engaged  was  the  memorable  siege 
of  Mobile,  which  continued  throughout  nine  weary 
days  and  nights.  While  in  the  service  lie  was 
never  absent  from  his  post  except  for  a  short  time 
when  he  lay  sick  in  the  hospital  at  New  Orleans. 
Unable  to  inarch  with  his  battery  to  Ft.  Morgan 
he,  with  a  few  others,  was  left  in  charge  of  the 


f 


'.  .  878 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


camp  equi[)agc  until  the  return  of  the  regiment. 
Mr.  Logan,  like  many  others,  who  escaped  death 
on  the  battle-field,  contracted  disease  from  exposure 
and  hardship  while  in  the  army,  from  which  he  has 
never  fully  recovered,  having  been  to  some  extent 
an  invalid  since  the  close  of  the  war.  He  does  not, 
however,  regret  the  sacrifice  made  in  behalf  of  his 
country,  and  suffers  with  a  patient  resignation  the 
afflictions  which  are  the  result  of  his  army  services. 

On  the  6th  of  April.  1860,  Mr.  Logan  was  married 
to  Miss  Eliza  Ring,  the  •  daughter  of  Walter  and 
Mary  (Hoffsinger)  Ring.  She  was  born  Oct.  2, 
1849.  Her  parents  were  of  German  extraction,  and 
both  of  them  are  now  living  in  Indiana.  Mr.  Lo- 
gan and  his  wife  have  a  family  of  six  interesting 
children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  Cora  A.,  born 
March  15,  I860;  Franklin,  Jan.  11,  1 8.7 .">;  Charles, 
Dec.  10,  1877;  Effie  A.,  April  4,  1882.  A  son  and 
daughter  died  in  infancy. 

In  addition  to  the  home  place  Mr.  Logan  owns 
eighty  acres  of  highly  improved  land  on  section  29, 
and  six  acres  of  timbered  land.  He  is  a  public- 
spirited  man,  interested  in  all  the  affairs  of  the 
county,  and  has  held  the  offices  of  Road  Commis- 
sioner and  School  Director.  He  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  best  citizens  of  his  community,  and  has 
made  a  good  record  both  on  the  battle-field  and  in 
the  pursuits  of  the  peaceful  calling  which  he  now 
follows.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 


1LTON  H.  SOPER,  a  gentleman  of  educa- 
tion and  refined  tastes  who  has  made  the 
most  of  his  opportunities  in  life,  is  one  of 
the  most  highly  respected  numbers  of  the 
farming  community  of  Harwood  Township,  resid- 
ing on  section  26.  He  is  of  New  England  birth, 
having  been  born  in  Franklin  County,  Vt.,  April  2, 
1830.  He  is  the  youngest  child  of  Remember  E. 
and  Permelia  (McNall)  Soper,  also  -natives  of  the 
Green  Mountain  State.  His  mother  was  of  Irish 
descent.  Her  father,  a  Captain  in  the  English  army, 
while  in  the  service  was  sent  to  Canada,  and  subse- 
quently removed  to  Vermont,  where  he  engaged  in 
fanning  and  remained  until  his  death.  The  father 


of  Milton  H..  Remember  E..  was  a  Captain  in  the 
United  States  Army,  and  participated  in  the  War 
of  1812.  At  the  battle  of  Plattsburg,  being  in  one 
of  the  volunteer  corps,  he  was  the  means  of  saving 
the  regular  troops  from  defeat.  His  coolness  and 
bravery  inspired  his  men  with  courage  to  rush  upon 
the  enemy  and  put  them  to  flight.  Subsequently 
he  was  engaged  along  the  Canadian  bonier  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged. He  received  a  pension  for  his  services 
and  also  a  bounty  of  160  acres  of  land.  Upon  one 
occasion  while  in  the  service,  and  during  the  storm- 
ing of  the  fort  at  Plattsburg,  the  movements  of  the 
volunteer  troops  commanded  by  Capt.  Soper,  were 
so  regular  and  precise  that  the  British  mistook 
them  for  reinforcements  from  the  regular  service, 
and  withdrew  from  their  position,  abandoning  the 
attack  of  the  fort.  The  gallant  Captain,  although 
in  many  engagements  and  always  at  the  front  with 
his  men,  escaped  without  a  wound.  After  retiring 
from  the  service  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Ver- 
mont where  he  spout  several  years. 

The  father  of  our  subject  came  to  Illinois  in  the 
fall  of  1847,  settling  near  what  is  now  Waukegau. 
His  family  consisted  of  four  daughters  and  two 
sons,  viz.,  Adeline,  Julia,  Orange  P.,  Eveline,  Ra- 
chel, and  Milton  H.  of  our  sketch. 

Young  Soper  continued  under  the  parental  roof 
until  sixteen  years  old,  spending  much  of  his  time 
in  school.  He  then  entered  Waukegau  Academy, 
and  from  there  was  sent  to  Lawrence  University,  at 
Appleton,  Wis.,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  for 
two  years.  He  then  entered  the  University  of 
Michigan,  where  he  completed  his  studies  with 
much  honor  and  returned  home.  He  found  his 
father  in  ill-health  and  at  once  cancelled  an  engage- 
ment which  he  had  made  to  take  charge  of  the 
public  schools  in  Memphis,  Tcnu.  The  late  war 
being  then  in  progress  it  was  perhaps  fortunate 
that  he  was  not  permitted  to  go  South.  He  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  and  loan  business  at  Wau- 
kegan,  and  continued  with  his  father  for  the  follow- 
ing three  years.  He  had  greatly  desired  to  acquire 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  medicine,  but  sacrificed 
his  own  wishes  to  those  of  his  parents,  and  at  their 
solicitation  returned  with  them,  in  KX03,  to  his  na- 
tive State.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  :3GO  acres  in 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


879 


Franklin  County,  and  in  company  with  his  father 
followed  agriculture  for  a  period  of  four  years. 
His  father  and  mother  continued  to  reside  in  Ver- 
mont until  their  deaths,  while  Milton  II.  returned 
West. 

In  company  with  his  brother.  O.  P.,  he  went  into 
Southwest  Missouri  and  took  the  first  steps  in  the 
establishment  of  a  sheep  ranch.  They  looked  over 
the  country  and  found  a  suitable  location,  but  also 
found  that  an  ultra  Yankee  had  very  little  to  en- 
courage him  in  settling  there.  In  view  of  this  state 

O  O 

of  affairs  they  returned  to  Illinois  and  purchased 
about  560  acres  of  land  from  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company,  for  the  purpose  of  speculating. 
In  due  time  they  sold  all  but  120  acres  and  upon 
this,  in  1868,  our  subject,  who  was  then  married, 
removed  his  family.  There  has  been  a  great  change 
since  then.  The  uncultivated  prairie  has  been  trans- 
formed into  a  beautiful  farm  of  240  acres,  with  a 
handsome  modern  residence,  a  good  barn  and  all 
other  buildings  necessary  for  the  shelter  of  stock 
and  the  storage  of  grain.  The  Soper  farm  is  ac- 
knowledged by  all  to  be  one  of  the  finest  in  liar- 
wood  Township,  and  its  proprietor  is  one  of  the 
most  popular  men  in  that  locality.  His  residence 
is  finely  finished  and  furnished,  and  one  of  the  most 
interesting  features  is  the  fine  library,  to  which  the 
proprietor  often  has  recourse  in  his  leisure  hours. 
In  early  youth  his  inclhiatious  were  for  the  army 
or  navy,  and  at  one  time  he  made  all  preparations 
for  a  course  at  West  Point.  He  gave  up  his  cadet- 
ship,  however,  at  the  solicitation  of  his  mother, 
who  was  apprensive  of  the  result  of  such  a  life  for 
her  favorite  son.  She  could  not  blame  him,  how- 
ever, for  he  came  of  ancestors  remarkable  for  their 
military  prowess. 

The  lady  whom  our  subject  married  was  Miss 
Catherine  A.,  daughter  of  Elijah  and  Mary  (Nay) 
Soper,  also  of  Vermont,- but  supposed  to  have  been 
no  relative.  Their  marriage  took  place  Jan.  18, 
1862,  in  Waukegan,  111.  The  family  of  children, 
six  in  number,  born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife,  are 
as  follows :  The  eldest  daughter,  Cora  M.,  was  born 
in  Vermont.  The  others — Adrian  K.,  Arthur  M., 
Stanley  L.,  Morton  N.  and  Laura  Edith — are  natives 
of  the  Prairie  State.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  are  active 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 


our  subject  has  often  discharged  the  duties  of  the 
various  township  offices.  Politically  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


'ILLIAM  LENEVK.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch,  a  native  of  this  State,  was  born 
seven  miles  northeast  of  what  is  now  the 
flourishing  city  of  Danville,  in  September,  1832. 
He  is  the  third  child  of  John  and  Rebecca  (Newell) 
Leneve,  the  former  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the 
latter  of  Kentucky.  His  paternal  grandparents 
were  Samuel  and  Catherine  (Arlington)  Leneve, 
the  former  the  son  of  John  and  Catharine  Leneve, 
natives  of  France.  John  Leneve  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  War  under  command  of 
the  gallant  Lafayette,  and  was  killed  in  the  same 
battle  in  which  his  commander  was  wounded.  The 
grandmother  of  our  subject  was  the  daughter  of 
John  Arlington,  who  was  banished  from  Scotland 
on  account  of  his  religious  belief.  He  fled  to 
America  and  joined  with  the  Colonists  in  the  war 
against  his  persecutors,  resolved  to  "give  his  life 
and  seal  it  with  his  blood,"  if  necessary  for  the- 
cause  of  independence.  The  later  descendants  of 
the  family  were  highly  educated,  and  strictly  relig- 
ious, and  several  of  its  male  members  were  states- 
men of  marked  ability,  who  wielded  an  important 
influence  upon  the  social  and  moral  questions  of 
their  day. 

The  father  of  our  subject  with  his"  brother,  Oba- 
diah,  came  to  Illinois  in  1824,  and  located  first  in 
Vermilion  County  during  its  earliest  settlement, 
when  the  footprints  of  white  men  were  seldom  seen. 
The  journey  was  made  overland,  and  upon  arriving 
at  their  destination  they  occupied  their  wagon  as  a 
shelter  until  they  could  put  up  a  log  hut.  Both 
being  single  they  were  obliged  to  keep  house  for 
themselves,  and  the  Indians  were  their  only  neigh- 
bors. They  entered  a  large  tract  of  land  and  made 
every  preparation  to  establish  for  themselves  a  per- 
manent home.  Two  years  later  Obadiah,  who  was 
the  first  to  inaugurate  a  change  in  their  manner  of 
living,  brought  a  wife  to  the  cabin  door  who  took 
charge  of  their  domestic  affairs,  and  seeing  how 
much  better  it  was  to  have  "  women  folk"  around. 
John  in  due  time  followed  his  brother's  example. 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


li 


The  cabin  of  one  small  room  was  not  large  enough 
for  two  families,  so  the  brothers  separated,  and  there- 
after each  followed  farming  for  himself.  In  due 
time  each  family  was  augmented  by  the  birth  of 
children,  and  these,  like  their  fathers  and  mothers, 
were  at  an  early  age  inducted  into  the  experiences 
of  pioneer  life,  together  with  its  labors  and  duties. 

Our  subject  took  kindly  to  the  labor  imposed 
upon  him  and  remained  a  member  of  the  parental 
household  until  he  was  twenty-six  years  old.  He 
then  concluded  he  was  big  enough  to  look  out  for 
himself  and  also  for  another.  His  marriage  with 
Miss  Emma  Smith  took  place  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  on  the  4th  of  March,  1858.  Mrs. 
L.  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Juliet  A.  Smith, 
and  by  her  union  with  our  subject  became  the 
mother  of  two  sons,  Joseph  Perry  and  Marshal 
Ney,  both  of  whom  are  still  living.  The  latter 
married  Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
Kims,  and  is  engaged  in  farming  near  the  home- 
stead of  his  father.  The  mother  of  these  children 
passed  from  earth  on  the  1st  of  June,  1866.  She 
was  a  lady  greatly  beloved  by  her  husband  and 
friends,  by  whom  her  memory  is  held  as  the  cher- 
ished wife  and  mother  who  performed  all  her  duties 
in  life  in  a  faithful  manner  and  left  behind  her'  a 
record  of  womanly  virtues. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Aug.  22,  1867,  was  Margaret  M.  Hal  vert, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  Davis  S.  and  Rachel  (Col- 
lins) Halvert,  natives  of  Kentucky.  Her  father, 
although  fifty  years  of  age  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
late  Civil  War,  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and 
served  gallantly  for  three  years.  The  first  husband 
of  Mrs.  L.  was  William  Mills,  of  Vermilion  County, 
111.,  by  whom  she  became  the  mother  of  one  son, 
William  II.,  who  married  Miss  Ada,  daughter  of 
Elbridgeand  Minerva  Loring,  of  Vermilion  County. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mills  have  one  daughter,  Edna  V. 

Our  subject  continued  in  the  stock  business  in 
connection  with  farming  until  1875,  the  3Tear  when 
so  many  men  succumbed  to  the  hard  times  and 
parted  with  the  larger  share  of  their  possessions. 
Mr.  L.  was  carried  along  in  the  general  disaster, 
being  obliged  to  give  up  all  his  property  to  his 
creditors,  and  retained  for  himself  only  a  team  of 
horses  and  one  cow,  though  the  law,  which  provides 


for  those  who  have  met  with  like  misfortune,  would 
have  given  him  more.  In  due  time  he  was  enabled 
to  recover  his  footing  and  eventually  purchased 
back  240  acres  of  the  land  he  was  obliged  to  for- 
feit, and  begins  to  feel  that  he  is  once  more  upon 
solid  ground. 

Of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leneve, 
one  daughter,"Ernma  S.,  passed  from  earth  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years,  leaving  a  sad  vacancy  in  the 
household  circle.  Those  surviving  are  John  S.. 
San  ford  W..  Lillie  J.,  Samuel  F.,  Thomas.  Laura 
May  and  Nellie  Kay  ;  the  two  latter  are  twins.  The}' 
are  all  at  home  with  their  parents,  the  older  mem- 
bers having  received  a  good  education  and  the 
3"ounger  ones  still  pursuing  their  studies.  Our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr.  L.,  although  taking  no 
active  part  in  politics,  endorses  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party. 


ON.  JAMES  S.  WRIGHT.  The  subject  of 
this  history  has  been  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign County  for  the  long  period  of  fifty- 
six  years,  and  has  won  an  enviable  place  in 
hearts  of  its  people.  After  a  busy  and  ener- 
getic life  he  is  now  retired  from  active  labor,  and 
in  a  beautiful  home,  surrounded  by  the  comforts  of 
life,  and  the  friendship  of  his  fellow-citizens,  is  en- 
joying  the  ease  and  quiet  to  which  his  early  indus- 
try and  honorable  and  upright  course  in  life  have 
fully  entitled  him. 

Mr.  Wright  was  born  in  Highland  County,  Ohio, 
on  the  4th  of  August,  181 6,  and  came  to  Illinois  in 
1 830,  with  his  father's  family,  excepting  the  mother, 
who  had  died  five  years  previous!}"  in  Indiana. 
They  first  settled  near  Homer,  Champaign  County. 
The  father  of  our  subject,  John  B.  Wright,  was  born 
in  Virginia  in  1785,  and  in  1805  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Stephens.  They  removed  on  a  boat 
down  the  Ohio  River  to  a  point  near  Leesburg, 
where  James  S.  was  born.  In  the  same  year  they 
emigrated  to  Indiana,  locating  where  Winchi'Mci 
now  stands.  There  the  mother  died,  in  1825,  and 
the  father  in  ISO!).  The  latter  was  a  man  of  great 
force  of  character,  and  possessed  more  than  ordi- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


881 


t 


nary  ability,  being  prominent  in  the  local  affairs  of 
his  county,  and  served  in  the  State  Legislature  at 
Corydon,  the  old  capital,  from  1818  to  1824.  Here 
the  boy  James  was  raised  after  the  manner  of  most 
farmers'  sons  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  black_- 
smith-sliop,  the  latter  having  served  an  apprentice- 
ship at  this  business  in  early  manhood.  Our  sub- 
ject attended  school  three  months  each  winter, 
where  the  old  Scotch  teacher  would  vary  the  after- 
noon exercises  by  taking  a  nap,  a  drink  of  liquor, 
and  whipping  two  or  three  boys. 

The  Wright  family  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
and  the  family  of  John  1$.  consisted  of  three  sons 
— David,  James  and  John  B.,  Jr.  After  going  to 
Indiana  the  father  of  our  subject,  in  addition  to  his 
blacksmithing  and  legislative  duties,  served  as 
County  Treasurer,  and  filled  other  responsible  posi- 
tions with  credit  and  fidelity.  After  coming  to 
Illinois  they  located  in  what  was  then  called  Ver- 
milion but  is  now  Homer  Township,  Champaign 
Count}'.  Here  the  elder  Wright  purchased  160 
acres  of  land,  for  which  he  paid  $500,  and  where, 
after  years  of  industrious  labor,  he  established  a 
comfortable  homestead,  which  he  occupied  until 
a  few  years  before  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1869.  His  natural  abilities  were  soon  recognized 
by  the  people  of  this  locality,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  he  was  tacitly  acknowledged  as  a  suitable 
leader  in  the  community  and  a  man  whose  opinions 
and  word  could  be  relied  upon.  Here  he  served  as 
County  Commissioner  and  was  called  to  other  posi- 
tions of  note.  He  had  been  reared  in  the  Society 
of  Friends,  and  possessed  in  a  marked  degree  the 
simplicity  and  the  honor  which  go  hand  in  hand 
with  the  l:ves  of  the  Quakers.  The  parental  family 
consisted  of  nine  children,  of  whom  four  are  now 
living,  and  all  are  residents  of  this  county — Phebe, 
Mrs.  Way;  Rebecca,  Mrs.  Butler;  Sidna,  Mrs. 
Swearingen,  and  James  S. 

When  nineteen  years  of  age  James  S.  Wright  after 
much  persuasion  received  the  permission  of  his  father 
to  Mart  out  in  the  world  on  his  own  account.  The 
family  had  experienced  all  the  difficulties  and  pri- 
vations of  pioneer  life,  and  when  our  subject  was 
offered  the  enormous  salary  of  4>1  per  day  by  the  Illi- 
nois A-  Michigan  Canal,  he  at  once  accepted,  after 
having  hired  a  farm  hand  at  $10  per  month  to  work 


for  his  father  during  his  minority.  He  had  received 
a  practical  education  and  had  taught  school  one  win- 
ter. After  three  days'  work  on  the  canal  he  "flew" 
his  contract,  as  the  bread-making,  which  was  carried 
on  by  an  Irishman  with  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  took 
avvay  his  appetite.  He  then  secured  employment  in 
a  hotel,  where  he  became  practically  cashier  and 
treasurer,  and  remained  there  until  1837.  He  then 
returned  home,  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land, 
but  until  ready  to  take  possession  of  this  engaged 
as  clerk  in  a  store  at  Homer,  with  which,  in  con- 
nection with  book-keeping,  lie  occupied  himself  for 
five  years  following.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in 
the  pork  trade,  transporting  his  produce  down  the 
river  to  New  Orleans.  After  abandoning  this  he 
engaged  as  a  stock-dealer  at  Homer,  buying  cattle 
and  hogs,  and  feeding  and  shipping,  continuing  at 
this  for  ten  years. 

In  1855  Mr.  Wright  removed  into  the  city  of 
Champaign,  and  in  addition  to  mercantile  pursuits 
engaged  quite  extensively  in  real-estate  transac- 
tions. He  was  cashier  of  the  bank  at  Champaign 
for  three  years  after  its  organization.  He  put  up 
the  first  brick  building  in  the  city,  in  1856,  and  was 
first  and  foremost  in  every  enterprise  calculated  to 
advance  its  welfare.  He  donated  the  first  $1,000 
for  the  establishment  of  the  Illinois  Industrial 
University.  During  the  erection  of  the  building 
work  was  stopped  one  year  on  account  of  the  high 
prices  occasioned  by  the  war,  and  Mr.  Wright  in  his 
anxiety  to  see  it  completed  then  contributed  $.500 
more.  As  time  passed  on  he  became  an  extensive 
land-owner  in  this  and  adjoining  counties. 

In  1846  Mr.  Wright  was  elected  to  the  Legisla- 
ture by  fifty  majority  over  the  Democratic  candi- 
date, Col.  M.  W.  Busey.  He  met  in  this  body  such 
men  as  ex-Gov.  Kej-nolds,  U.  F.  Linder,  Gov. 
Matteson,  Judge  Joseph  Gillespie.  and  Stephen  P. 
Logan,  then  leader  of  the  House.  Lincoln  and 
David  Davis  were  there,  but  not  members.  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  during  that  term  was  elected  Senator. 
In  the  meantime  Mr.  Wright  was  also  the  incumbent 
of  the  office  of  County  Surveyor.  In  1880  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  for  four  years,  and  he 
often  refers  proudly  to  the  brains  and  talent  which 
he  found  in  the  General  Assembly  of  Illinois  thirty 
years  ago,  and  which  he  believes  superior  to  that 


1 

f 


f 


882 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  the  present  d:i  v.  IIo  lias  never  belonged  to  any 
church  or  siny  other  organization  except  temperance 
societies,  of  which  lie  joined  every  one  that  came  in 
his  way,  and  by  every  means  in  his  power  opposed 
the  manufacture  and  sale  of  spirituous  liquors. 
Mr.  Wright,  as  may  be  supposed,  is  a  stanch  sup- 
porter of  the  Republican  party,  and  has  served  two 
terms  as  Mayor  of  Champaign.  lie  was  Postmaster 
of  Homer  and  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  that  place 
and  in  Champaign. 

The  marriage  of  James  S.  Wright  and  Miss  Cath- 
erine Lander  was  celebrated  in  Homer  Township, 
this  county,  at  the  residence  of  the  bride's  parents 
Nov.  19,  1840.  Mrs.  W.  was  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Sophia  W.  Lander,  of  Kentucky,  who  removed 
from  Bourbon  County  in  1830,  and  coming  to  this 
State  and  county  settled  in  what  is  now  Homer 
Township,  near  the  farm  of  John  B.  Wright.  John 
Lander  died  seven  years  later,  in  1837,  and  his  wife 
in  1849.  Mrs  W.  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky.. 
March  26,  1823.  Upon  the  same  day  of  her  mar- 
riage with  our  subject,  her  sister  Margaret  was 
married  to  William  Elliott,  Esq.,  of  Homer,  Rev. 
William  Phillips  performing  the  joint  ceremony. 
After  remaining  the  faithful  and  affectionate  com- 
panion of  her  husband  for  a  period  of  forty-six 
years,  Mrs.  Wright  departed  this  life  Nov.  9,  1886. 
She  was  a  lady  of  great  personal  worth  and  highly 
respected  by  all  who  knew  her.  They  became  the 
parents  of  eight  children,  four  now  living — James 
C.,  Jessie  A.,  Minnie  E.  and  Katie  G.  The  family 
residence  is  located  at  No.  130  East  University  ave- 
nue, Where  its  inmates,  surrounded  by  hosts  of 
friends,  are  enjoying  all  the  comforts  of  life. 


RS.  NANCY  REID,  the  daughter  of  James 
P.  and  Catherine  (Pool)  Leedy,  and  wife  of 
C.  Reid,  and  who  is  pleasantly  situated  in 
St.  Joseph,  was  born  in  Vigo  County,  Ind., 
March  4,  1838,  and  came  to  Champaign  County 
with  her  parents.  Her  father,  a  native  of  Indiana, 
was  born  Sept.  12,  1H12,  and  the  mother,  June  14. 
1810.  Their  marriage  took  place  in  Portsmouth, 
Ohio,  in  IS.'il.  They  afterward  removed  to  Indi- 
ana, and  located  on  a  farm  in  Vigo  County,  where 


the  father  died  in  1817.  The  mother,  who  was  a 
j  Miss  Argo,  survived  her  husband  for  a  period  of 
nearly  thirty  years,  in  the  meantime  becoming  a 
resident  of  Ogden  Township  in  this  county,  where 
her  death  took  place  Dec.  22,  1875. 

Their  family  of  five  sons  and  four  daughters  is 
recorded  as  follows:  Rebecca  Jane  became  the 
wife  of  James  Purcell,  and  died  in  Vigo  Comity, 
Ind.,  in  1839,  leaving  two  children;  William  H. 
was  married,  and  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  late 
war  enlisted  in  an  Illinois  regiment  and  died  in  the 
service  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  a  year  after  his  enlist- 
ment; Elizabeth  died  when  a  child  of  seven  years; 
Nancy,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  fourth  in  order  of 
birth;  John  T.  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Helton,  who, 
after  becoming  the  mother  of  eight  children,  de- 
parted this  life  in  February,  1876;  Francis  J.  mar- 
ried Miss  Jessie  Jarrette,  and  they  are  living  in  St. 
Joseph,  this  county;  David,  who  enlisted  in  the 
26th  Illinois  Infantry,  was  wounded,  and  died  Aug. 
1 4.  1 864 ;  Augustus  died  in  the  service  of  his 
country  in  1862;  James  A.  married  Miss  Nellie 
Peters,  and  is  a  resident  of  St.  Joseph. 

Tjhe  mother  of  these  children,  after  the  death  of 
her  first  husband,  was  married  June  15,  1858.  to 
Benjamin  F.,  the  son  of  Benjamin  an.d  Esther  Argo, 
of  Pickaway  County,  Ohio.  The  death  of  Mr.  A. 
took  place  in  St.  Joseph,  Dec.  17,  1880.  Benjamin 
F.  Argo,  Sr.,  built  the  first  "rail-pen  house  "  in  the 
northern  part  of  St.  Joseph  Township,  which  he 
occupied  with  his  family  for  several  months.  His 
first  wife  was  Miss  Nancy  Lee,  of  Pickaway  County, 
Ohio,  to  whom  lie  was  married  Feb.  11,  1827.  Her 
death  took  place  in  St.  Joseph  Township  on  the  18th 
of  June,  1857. 

Mrs.  Nancy  Reid  spent  her  childhood  and  youth 
under  the  parental  roof,  receiving  a  common-school 
education  and  being  trained  in  the  duties  which 
best  fitted  her  for  a  housewife  and  a  helpmeet  to 
some  good  man.  Her  marriage  with  C.  Reid  took 
place  in  St.  Joseph  Township,^  this  county,  Aug.  7, 
1859.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  eight  children, 
two  sons  and  six  daughters,  of  whom  four  are  de- 
ceased :  Mary  C.  is  a  resident  of  Finney  County, 
Kan.:  Eflie  was  married  to  C.  W.  McMains,  Jan.  1, 
1885,  but  is  now  a  widow,  and  living  with  her  par- 
ents, her  husband  having  died  Sept.  20,  1886; 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


883 


William  and  Maggie  A.  are  at  home  with  their 
mother. 

Mr.  Reid  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  when  twenty 
years  of  age  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  land- 
ing first  in  New  York  City,  where  he  worked  one 
year  at  hlacksmithing.  which  trade  he  had  learned 
in  his  native  country.  Thence  he  went  to  Chicago, 
spent  a  year  or  so  in  the  Garden  City,  and  from 
there  came  into  this  county,  where  he  was  married, 
and  followed  his  trade  at  St.  Joseph  until  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  War.  He  then  enlisted  on  the 
2/Jth  of  August,  1861,  giving  his  time  to  his 
adopted  country  for  the  space  of  three  years,  dur- 
ing which  he  endured  cheerfully  the  hardships  of  a 
soldier's  life  and  received  his  honorable  discharge 
at  the  close  of  his  term  of  enlistment,  and  was  mus- 
tered out  at  Springfield,  111.,  in  1864,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  following  his  trade  and  has  pro- 
vided a  good  home  for  his  family  in  St.  Joseph. 

In  18K5  Mr.  Reid  crossed  the  Mississippi,  and 
going  into  Finney  County,  Kan.,  took  np  160 
acres  of  land  which  he  is  now  improving,  while  at 
the  samo  time  working  at  his  trade  in  Montezuma. 
Mr.  Reid  is  a  worthy  citizen  in  all  respects,  and  pos- 
sessed of  commendable  enterprise  and  industry. 
He  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  belongs  to  St.  Joseph  Post 
No.  220,  G.  A.  R.  He  is  also  connected  with  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  Mrs.  Reid  is  a  consistent  member  of 
the  Christian  Church.  Their  home  in  St.  Joseph  is 
pleasantly  located,  and  is  provided  with  the  con- 
veniences of  modern  life. 


ERMAN  TAULMAN.  The  subject  of  the 
following  biography  presents  the  picture  of 
a -well-preserved  old  gentleman,  healthy, 
happy  and  active,  possessed  of  a  clear  con- 
science, and  who  has  marked  over  threescore  years 
and  ten  on  the  dial  of  time.  His  birth  took  place 
near  the  city  of  New  York,  Oct.  3,  1816,  and  he  is 
the  youngest  child  of  William  and  Anna  (Hulse) 
Taulman,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York  and  the 
latter  of  Germany.  The  father  of  our  subject  was 
a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  removed  from  his  na- 


tive State  in  lcS18,  settling  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
There  his  wife  died  about  one  year  later,  and  his 
own  death  took  place  in  about  twelve  months  after 
his  wife's  decease  at  Flat  Rock,  Ind.,  to  which  he 
had  removed.  Thus  their  son  Herman  was  left  an 
orphan  at  the  tender  age  of  four  years,  and  having 
no  written  record,  has  little  knowledge  of  his  ances- 
try. After  the  death  of  his  father  he  was  bound 
out  to  Solomon  Ferris,  a  farmer  of  Hamilton  Coiin* 
ty,  Ohio,  with  whom  he  lived  until  reaching  his 
majority.  He  early  became  acquainted  with  labor, 
and  the  only  education  he  received  was  that  ob- 
tained in  the  imperfect  country  schools. 

Our  subject  upon  starting  out  in  life  for  himself 
was  fully  prepared  to  depend  upon  his  own  re- 
sources, having  no.  capital  and  no  friends  to  furnish 
him  with  such  commodity.  He  continued  at  farm 
work  until  after  his  marriage,  which  occurred  March 
25,  1839,  when  he  was  a  little  over  twenty-three 
years  of  age.  His  wife  was  Miss  Alary,  daughter 
of  Louis  and  Mary  (Clark)  Pierson,  who  were  na- 
tives of  Ohio.  -After  his  marriage  he  located  with 
his  young  wife  upon  a  tract  of  rented  land  in 
Hamilton  County,  and  for  four  or  five  years  after- 
ward followed  farming.  He  then  put  up  a  sawmill 
in  the  timber  regions  of  Hamilton  County,  and  re- 
mained a  resident  there  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years.  In  the  spring  of  1844  he  suffered  a  great 
affliction  in  the  death  of  his  wife;  she  had  become 
the  mother  of  two  sons,  William  and  John.  The 
former  married  Miss  Hester  Thornell,  and  still  lives 
in  Ohio,  where  he  owns  and  operates  the  sawmill 
built  by  his  father  years  ago.  He  has  two  chil- 
dren— John  Wesley  and  Hattie.  John  married 
Miss  Lillie  Dill,  and  they  located  on  the  farm  of 
our  subject  in  Harwood  Township,  where  they  re- 
mained until  the  death  of  the  former,  which  occurred 
in  1886.  He  left  a  wife  and  one  child. 

In  1846  our  subject  married  Miss  Annie  Davis, 
eldest  child  of  Abram  and  Elizabeth  (Morris)  Da- 
vis, natives  of  Ohio,  and  residents  of  Hamilton 
County.  Of  this  latter  marriage  there  were  born  five 
children,  namely,  Cavalier;  Adam  Lee,  now  de- 
ceased ;  Oscar  Marion,  Mary  and  Luella.  The  latter 
married  Calvin  Crane,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Ran- 
toul  Township.  The  other  surviving  children  are 
at  home  with  their  parents. 


f 


-  .    884 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


.Mr.  T.-mlman,  in  March,  IHG'J,  disposed  of  his 
interests  in  the  Buckeye  State  and  came  to  Illinois 
with  his  family.  He  had  been  fairly  prosperous  in 
tilling  the  soil  among  the  Ohio  hills,  and  in  seeking 
his  new  location,  selected  a  tract  of  320  acres  on 
the  south  half  of  section  3;!,  in  Mar  wood  Township. 
The  land  was  unimproved  and  without  fences  or 
buildings.  His  first  business  was  to  put  up  a  tene- 
ment for  his  family  and  soon  afterward  he  began 
to  break  the  sod.  He  labored  industriously  for 
several  years,  taking  advantage  of  modern  methods 
of  agriculture,  and  keeping  his  eyes  open  to  what 
was  going  on  around  him  in  the  world  generally. 
After  fencing  his  land  and  bringing  it  to  a  good 
state  of  cultivation  he  turned  his  attention  to  stock- 
raising.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  Short-horn  cattle 
and  Poland-China  hogs.  He  has  planted  an  apple 
orchard,  set  out  choice  trees  of  the  finer  fruits,- and 
as  time  and  opportunity  permitted  has  embellished 
his  homestead  in  those  ways  best  known  to  the  en- 
ergetic and  enterprising  farmer. 

Mr.  Taulinan  has  never  been  a  politician  although 
earnest  in  his  advocacy  of  the  principles  in  which 
he  believes  and  which  are  most  nearly  represented 
by  the  Democratic  party.  He  has  served  as  Road 
Commissioner  and  School  Director  for  many  years. 


/ U A N C I S  M.   LEIGH,  a  worthy  representa- 

t've  °*    one   °^  t'l°   °'('est  families  of  St. 

Joseph  Township,  was  born  in  this  town- 
ship on  the  old  homestead  of  his  father  and  upon 
which  he  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  as  he 
himself  settled  there  after  his  marriage  and  will 
probably  keep  it  in  the  possession  of  the  family. 
That  which  gave  the  feudal  estates  of  old  their 
value  aud  importance  was  the  residence  upon  them 
of  one  generation  after  another,  by  which  method 
the  family  gained  its  power,  influence  and  reputa- 
tion. 

Mr.  Leigh  was  born  Sept.  3,  1845,  and  is  the  son 
of  Henry  and  Jemima  (Fisher)  Leigh,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Virginia  respectively.  His  paternal  grand- 
parents. Levi  and  Elizabeth  (Seedeth)  Leigh,  were 
young  people  in  the  old  revolutionary  times,  and 


the  great-grandfather  Seedeth  participated  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  conflict  which  resulted  in  establishing 
the  independence  of  the  Colonies.  Henry  Leigh 
was  born  in  Virginia,  in  which  State  his  parents  had 
settled  after  their  marriage,  and  where  their  son 
was  introduced  to  the  responsibilities  of  life  Sept. 
4,  1807.  Subsequently  they  removed  to  Ohio,  set- 
tling in  Pickaway  County,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood and  married  Miss  Jemima,  the  youngest  child 
of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Petty)  Fisher.  The  Fisher 
family  were  of  German  and  Welsh  extraction,  and 
the  children  of  John  and  Elizabeth  F.,  which  in- 
cluded four  sons  and  five  daughters,  all  grew  to 
mature  years,  married,  and  settled  in  comfortable 
homes  of  their  own. 

Henry  Leigh  and  his  wife  remained  in  Pickaway 
County  until  the  spring  of  1836,  and  then  decided 
to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  Prairie  State.  Load- 
ing their  household  goods  upon  a  wagon  they  started 
overland  by  team,  part  of  their  journey  lying 
through  the  Black  Swamp  of  Indiana.  They  car- 
ried their  provisions,  camped  and  cooked  by  the 
wayside,  and  after  a  journey  of  four  weeks  ar- 
rived at  their  destination.  .Mr.  Leigh  selected  a 
tract  of  land  on  se.ction  2,  St.  Joseph  Township, 
and  proceeded  with  its  improvement  and  cultiva- 
tion, although  not  being  able  to  secure  a  title  until 
some  time  later.  The  country  at  that  time  abounded 
in  wolves,  and  their  cries,  together  with  those  of 
the  wild  geese,  often  aroused  the  settlers  to  pursue 
them.  Gradually  as  the  country  became  settled  up 
these  creatures  disappeared,  and  the  settlers'  guns 
hung  idle  for  weeks  upon  the  wooden  peg  in  the 
cabin.  The  father  of  our  subject  labored  indus- 
triously to  build -up  a  comfortable  homestead  for 
his  family  and  succeeded  admirably,  as  the  present 
farm  gives  ample  indication.  It  now  includes  120 
acres  of  valuable  land,  thoroughly  drained  with 
tile,  and  fitted  up  with  all  modern  improvements. 
The  house  and  other  farm  buildings  are  substantial 
and  comfortable,  and  finely  adapted  to  all  the  pur- 
poses of  country  life. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  pursued  his  first  studies 
in  the  pioneer  log  school-house  in  the  winter  season. 
and  as  soon  as  old  enough  his  services  were  made 
available  on  the  farm.  The  death  of  his  father 
took  place  when  Francis  M.  was  a  youth  of  four- 


T 


I-      "Y 
<    .   : 
-          •/  tF  JLLINOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


889 


toon  years,  in  the  spring  of  1801.  lie  continued 
with  his  mother  thereafter,  proving  her  main  sup- 
port and  counselor,  and  after  he  assumed  the  man- 
agement of  the  farm  the  mother  practically  retired 
from  active  labor  but  is  still  living,  making  her 
home  with  our  subject. 

Mr.  Leigh  was  married,  Nov.  14,  1867,  to  Miss 
Martha,  second  daughter  of  John  L.  and  Catherine 
Ross,  and  a  native  of  Indiana,  to  which  State  her 
parents  had  removed  after  their  marriage.  Mr. 
Leigh  brought  his  bride  to  the  old  homestead  which 
still  continues  their  residence. 

Our  subject  is  the  only  survivor  of  his  father's 
family  of  eight  children.  Two  died  in  infancy. 
The  others  lived  to  mature  years,  but  have  since 
passed  away.  They  were,  Elizabeth,  Martha  C., 
Charles  S.,  John  F.  and  Mary  A.  The  mother's 
birth  occurred  May  27,  1813.  Her  residence  on 
the  present  homestead  of  our  subject  comprises  a 
period  of  fifty  years,  and  the  changes  which  she 
has  witnessed  during  that  time  have  been  as  re- 
markable as  satisfactory  to  one  who  has  watched 
them  .with  an  observant  eye  and  rejoiced  at  every 
evidence  of  the  prosperity  of  Illinois. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  M.  Leigh 
were  nine  in  number,  three  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  others  are  John  M.,  Marion  E.,  Cath- 
erine A.v  Ivah  May,  Lola  Etta,  William  Everette. 
Mr.  Leigh  has  been'  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  his 
township  since  reaching  his  majority,  and  is  a  gen- 
tleman in  whom  his  neighbors  have  great  confidence 
as  they  have  watched  his  course  from  boyhood  up 
and  found  there  the  elements  of  a  reliable  and  sub- 
stantial manhood.  He  has  officiated  as  School 
Director,  and  with  his  estimable  wife  is  a  member 
in  good  standing  of  Prairie  Hope  Church. 


J '"JAMES    YEAZEL,  a  successful  farmer   and 
I    stock-grower  of  Homer  Township,  is  a  na- 
I    tive  of  the  Buckeye  State,  and  was  born  in 
^  )    Clarke   County,  March   2,   1817.     His  par- 
ents,  Abraham    and    Mary     (Curl)    Yeazel,    were 
both  natives  of  Virginia,  the  former  of  German  and 
the  latter   of  Scotch  ancestry.     Abraham  Yeazel, 
who  was  born  April  29,   1774,  located   in   Ohio,  in 


the  pioneer  days,  and  became  a  farmer  and  stock- 
grower  of  much  importance  in  Clarke  County  and 
vicinity.  He  departed  this  life  in  1831.  when  little 
past  his  prime,  and  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness, 
at  the  homestead  which  he  had  established  by  his 
enterprise  and  industry.  Politically,  he  was  a 
stanch  Whig,  and  served  for  a  number  of  years  as 
Justice  of,  the  Peace.  The  mother  of  our  subject, 
who  cheerfully  shared  the  fortunes  and  rejoiced  in 
the  successes  of  her  husband,  was  born  Oct.  30,1776, 
and  became  the  wife  of  Abraham  Yeazel  on  the  7th 
of  October,  1794.  The  marriage  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  fourteen  children,  and  presented  the  re- 
markable spectacle  of  an  unbroken  family  circle 
until  after  reaching  adult  years,  all  living  to  be- 
come men  and  women,  all  married,  and  rearing 
families.  They  were  named  respectively,  Mary 
A.,  Sarah,  George,  William,  David,  Jeremiah, 
Catherine,  Jacob,  Adam,  Elizabeth,  Abraham,  Sid- 
ney, .James  and  Isaac. 

The  younger  years  of  James  Yeazel's  life  were 
spent  upoij  the  farm  of  his  father  in  Ohio,  and  when 
twenty  years  of  age,  on  Sept.  7,  1837,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  M.  Spencer,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  whose  parents  were  from  the  State 
of  New  York.  The  result  of  this  union  was  twelve 
children,  who  were  named  respectively,  Jacob, 
John,  Hamilton,  William,  George,  James,  Alice, 
Abraham,  Abigail,  Matthew  L.,  Charles  and  Mary 
I.  Five  of  these  are  deceased — Jacob,  Hamilton, 
George,  James  and  Charles.  The  mother  died  at 
the  homestead,  March  9,  1867. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  June,  1872,  was  formerly  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth (Littler)  Babb.  Of  this  union  there  have  been 
born  four  children — Milton  J.,  Maria  E.,  a  son  who 
died  in  infancy  unnamed,  and  Frank.  The  chil- 
dren of  Mrs.  Yeazel  by  her  first  husband,  were  Ed- 
*  win  P.,  Alice  J.,  James  E.  and  Charles  D.  Mr. 
Babb  was  a  native  of  Hardy  County.  W.  Va., 
where  he  was  born  Nov.  10,  1826.  His  death  oc- 
curred Jan.  8,  1869,  when  in  the  forty-second 
year  of  his  age,  and  while  a  resident  of  Homer 
Township.  He  was  of  a  wealthy  family  and  was 
himself  a  good  financier.  He  was  an  extensive 
stock-grower  and  in  all  respects  a  representative 
business  man  and  citizen.  He  became  a  member 


t. 


>  890 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  when  fifteen 
years  of  age,  and  carried  out  in  his  daily  life  the 
religion  which  he  professed,  being  a  kind  husband, 
father  and  neighbor.  His  last  illness  was  of  brief  du- 
ration, being  taken  with  typhoid-pneumonia,  which 
resulted  fatally  six  days  later.  As  one  of  the 
prominent  men  in  the  early  history  of  this  county 
we  take  pleasure  in  presenting  his  portrait  in  this 
ALBUM. 

Politically,  Mr.  Babb  was  an  ardent  supporter  of 
Republican  principles,  but  only  participated  in 
politics  enough  to  cast  his  vote  at  the  regular  elec- 
tions. His  estate  embraced  1.100  acres  of  land 
lying  in  the  northern  part  of  Ogden  Township.  He 
came  to  Illinois  in  1854,  and  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Littler  three  years  later.  The  only 
daughter  born  of  this  marriage,  Mary  Alice  Jane, 
became  the  wife  of  George  W.  Helm  and  the  moth- 
er of  twin  daughters.  Mabel  Jane  and  Mary  Alice, 
who  are  at  the  present  writing  (1887)  bright  and 
interesting  children  six  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Helm, 
who  had  evinced  great  ability  as  an  artist,  died  at 
her  home  in  Sidney,  Feb.  12,  1881,  having  been 
married  less  than  a  year.  Edwin  and  Charles 
Babb,  who  are  promising  young  agriculturists,  have 
charge  of  their  father's  farm  and  are  principally 
engaged  in  the  breeding  of  fine  horses.  Edwin,  in 
1884,  married  Miss  Emma  S.  Conkey,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Harry  C.  James  E.  Babb,  a  finely 
educated  young  man,  graduated  in  law  at  Chicago 
and  is  now  a  partner  of  Judge  Fry,  a  prominent 
member  of  the  legal  profession  of  that  city. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  B.  Yeazel  was  born  in  Ohio,  Jan. 
14,  1838.  Her  parents,  Edwin  and  Margaret 
(Sterrett)  Littler,  natives  of  Ohio,  are  both  now 
deceased.  The  parental  household  numbered  six 
children,  namely,  Rachel, ^Elisha,  Elizabeth,  Mary 
A.,  Martha  and  Edwin.  Mr.  Yeazel  came  to  Illi- 
nois, in  1840  with  less  than  $1,000  in  cash.  He  has 
been  quite  prosperous,  as  evidenced  by  the  statement 
that  his  real  estate  now  includes  600  acres  of  some  of 
the  finest  farming  land  in  Central  Illinois,  provided 
with  good  improvements,  including  a  fine  brick 
residence,  a  substantial  barn  and  all  conveniences 
for  general  farming,  tog-ether  with  the  proper 
feeding  and  care  of  fine  stock.  lie  is  now  engaged 
'  in  breeding  Norman  and  Clydesdale  horses,  and 


I 


lias  a  few  sheep,  with  choice  grades  of  cattle  and 
hogs.  Although  our  subject  is  not  strong  physi- 
cally, his  natural  energy  will  not  permit  him  to  be 
idle,  and  he  is  always  busy  looking  after  the  stock 
and  generally  superintending  the  estate.  Although 
not  mixing  much  in  politics  or  religious  matters, 
he  is  the  stanch  supporter  of  Republican  principles 
and  a  believer  in  the  Christian  religion.  His  por- 
trait may  be  found  on  page  830.  Mrs.  Yeazel 
when  a  young  girl  thirteen  years  of  age,  united 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  she 
has  been  a  devout  and  consistent  member  since 
that  time.  The  portrait  of  this  estimable  lady  ac- 
companies this  sketch. 


OHN  J.  MUMM,  of  Sidney  Township,  is 
the  proprietor  of  a  fine  farm  of  320  acres 
lying  on  sections  17,  18  and  20,  the  resi- 
dence, a  view  of  which  is  to  be  seen  in  this 
work,  being  on  the  latter.  The  homestead  in- 
cludes a  shapely  and  substantial  dwelling,  a  good 
barn  and  all  necessary  out-buildings,  and  is  pleas- 
antly located  and  well  drained.  The  first  purchase 
of  our  subject  in  this  townslrp  consisted  of  forty 
acres  of  uncultivated  prairie,  to  whose  extent  he 
added  as  time  passed  on  and  his  means  permitted. 
When  it  came  into  his  possession  the  greater  part 
of  his  land  had  never  been  tilled.  By  years  of  in- 
dustry he  has  brought  the  whole  to  a  fine  state  of 
cultivation,  and  besides  producing  the  ordinary 
farm  crops  in  abundance,  Mr.  M.  has  also  given 
much  attention  to  high-grade  Short-horn  cattle, 
Norman  horses,  and  Poland-China  swine. 

Our  subject  has  been  uniformly  successful  in  his 
funning  and  business  operations,  and  is  one  of  the 
important  factors  in  the  agricultural  interests  of 
this  section.  He  commenced  life  at  the  foot  of 
the  ladder,  and  is  a  forcible  illustration  of  what 
may  be  accomplished  by  resolution  and  persever- 
ance. He  emigrated  from  Holstein,  Germany,  to 
this  country  in  1854,  landing  with  a  cash  capital  of 
$5.  He  at  once  made  his  way  to  the  Prairie  State, 
and  for  two  years  afterward  was  a  resident  of  Cook 
County,  where  he  engaged  as  a  farm  laborer.  Af- 
terward he  came  into  Champaign  County,  worked 


• 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


891 


on  a  farm  for  a  time,  and  then  rented  a  tract  of 
land  which  ho  cultivated  on  shares.  He  invested 
his  savings  in  land,  and  in  due  time  found  himself 
on  the  road  to  prosperity.  He  is  now  an  impor- 
tant property  holder  in  one  of  the  richest  counties 
of  the  Prairie  State.  Every  dollar  of  his  posses- 
sions has  been  accumulated  by  his  own  industry 
and  good  judgment,  and  he  may  reasonably  regard 
his  career  with  pride  and  satisfaction. 

Mr.  Mumm  is  a  native  of  Sleswick-Holstein, 
Germany,  and  was  born  Feb.  1,  1832.  He  is  the 
son  of  William  Mumm,  a  native  of  the  same  Prov- 
ince, of  pure  German  parentage  and  ancestry. 
The  Mumm  family  is  well  and  favorably  known 
throughout  a  large  portion  of  the  Fatherland,  its 
representatives  having  been  distinguished  for  those 
substantial  and  reliable  elements  of  character  pecu- 
liar to  the  German  nationality.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Ann  Hinz. 
She  also  was  of  an  excellent  family,  and  was  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  Province  as  her  husband.  They 
remained  on  their  farm  in  Germany  until  1866, 
then,  accompanied  by  their  eldest  son,  William,  Jr., 
came  to  the  United  States,  and  located  with  him, 
first  in  Sidney  Township,  and  then  removed  to 
Philo  Township,  where  they  were  residents  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives.  The  mother  departed  this 
life  in  1870,  aged  eighty-two  years,  and  the  father 
in  1883,  aged  eighty-three.  They  were  members 
in  good  standing  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

The  subject  of  this  notice  was  the  third  son  and 
child  of  the  seven  included  in  the  parental  house- 
hold. Of  these  three  only  are  now  living.  John 
J.  remained  with  his  parents  until  starting  for  the 
United  States,  in  1854,  unaccompanied  by  any 
friend  or  relative,  and  having,  besides  a  small 
amount  of  money,  only  the  clothes  which  he  wore. 
He  soon,  however,  procured  employment,  found 
friends,  and  in  due  time  could  see  his  way  to  the 
establishment  of  a  home.  Accordingly,  on  the 
19th  of  December,  1857,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
in  Sidney  Township  to  Miss  Magdalena  Witt,  a 
native  of  the  same  Province  as  her  husband,  and 
the  daughter  of  Dulf  and  Anna  Magdalena 
(Young)  Witt,  natives  of  Germany.  They  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  in  18G4,  coining  direct- 
ry  to  this  State  and  locating  in  Sidney  Township, 


of  which  their  daughter  had  been  a  resident  since 
early  in  1857.  Here  the  father  died  in  about  1876; 
the  mother  died  in  1869  at  the  home  of  her  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Mumm. 

Our  subject  and  wife  became  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  of  whom  two,  Rimer  and  Emma, 
are  deceased ;  Anna  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Witt,  a  far- 
mer of  Sidney  Township;  John  W.  married  Miss 
Minnie  Malone.  and  they  reside  on  the  homestead ; 
Mary,  Peter  and  Henry  are  at  home.  The  family 
are  members  and  regular  attendants  of  the  Luth- 
eran Church,  of  which  our  subject  has  held  the 
various  offices.  Since  becoming  a  citizen  of  this 
country  he  has  voted  the  straight  Republican  ticket 
and  has  held  the  office  of  Road  Commissioner  in 
his  township. 


ROF.  GEORGE  E.  MORROW,  Dean  of  the 
College  of  Agriculture  and  Professor  of 
Agriculture  in  the  University  of  Illinois, 
after  occupying  the  position  of  Professor 
in  this  department  in  the  Iowa  Agricultural  College, 
changed  his  location,  in  1887,  and  accepted  the  cor- 
responding Chair  in  the  University  of  Illinois. 
Prof.  Morrow  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
being  born  near  Cincinnati,  Oct.  19,  1840,  and  is 
the  son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Espy)  Morrow.  His 
paternal  grandparents,  Jeremiah  and  Mary  (Park- 
hill)  Morrow,  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
grandparents  on  his  mother's  side  were  of  Scotch- 
Irish  descent  and  also  natives  of  the  Keystone 
State. 

Hon.  Jeremiah  Morrow  located  in  Warren  County 
on  the  Little  Miami  River  in  1798,  purchasing  640 
acres  of  land,  where  he  built  a  flouring-mill  and 
sawmill,  and  carried  on  farming  and  milling  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability,  and  tacitly  accorded  the  position 
of  leader  in  his  county  and  community,  both  so- 
cially and  politically.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
First  Constitutional  Convention  in  Ohio,  and  the 
first  and  only  Member  of  Congress  for  a  number 
of  years.  AVhile  in  the  Senate  he  was  on  most  of 
the  important  committees,  and  was  elected  Gov- 


892 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ernor  in  1822.  serving  from  that  year  until  1826. 
He  was  again  elected  to  Congress  in  1 840.  He  was 
the  first  President  of  the  Little  Miami  Railroad 
Company,  and  took  an  active  interest  in  everything 
pertaining  to  the  development  and  progress  of  his 
adopted  State.  The  canal  system  of  Ohio  was  or- 
ganized while  he  was  Governor,  and  received  his 
hearty  assistance  and  support.  He  encouraged  the 
establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools  and 
churches  and  religiously  adhered  to  Presbyterian 
doctrines.  Jeremiah  Morrow  had  a  family  of  eleven 
children,  among  whom  was  John,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  who  was  reared  and  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Ohio,  and  who  inherited  in  a  marked  de- 
gree the  talent  and  energy  of  his  father.  The 
pursuit  of  agriculture,  however,  seemed  most  con- 
genial to  his  taste  and  he  commenced  putting  his 
theories  into  practice  on  the  home  farm  where  he  has 
always  lived,  being  now  eighty-seven  years  of  age. 
The  mother  died  in  1881,  aged  eighty-two.  Both 
parents  became  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
early  in  life.  Of  tlieir  nine  children,  four  only  are 
now  living,  namely,  Lizzie,  Thomas  E.,  Josiah,  and 
George  E.  of  our  sketch. 

Prof.  Morrow  received  an  academic  education 
and  remained  at  home  with  his  parents  until  August, 

1861.  The  Civil  War  being  then   in   progress  he 
enlisted    in    Co.    C,    2d    Ohio  Vol.  Inf.     He    was 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Perry  ville,  Ky.,  in  October, 

1862,  and  afterward  captured  by  the  guerillas,  being 
held  a   prisoner,   however,   but  a  few  hours.     On 
account  of  failing  health  he  was  obliged  to  abandon 
the  service  in   July,  1863.     After   a  few  months 
spent  in  Minnesota,  he  entered  the   Law   Depart- 
ment of  Michigan  University,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1866.     He  never  practiced  law,  however, 
but  became  editor  of  the  Western  Mural,  and  sub- 
sequently of  the  Western  Farmer  until  1875.     In 
1876   he  was  elected  Professor  in   the  Iowa  State 
Agricultural  College,  which  chair  he  abandoned  to 
accept  his  present  position. 

Prof.  Morrow  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  his 
work,  and  is  prominently  connected  with  the  agri- 
cultural and  live  stock  associations  of  the  country, 
both  State  and  National.  He  frequently  delivers 
addresses  on  the  subject,  and  has  been  a  regular, and 
intelligent  correspondent  of  agricultural  journals. 


In  1879  he  made  a  trip  to  Great  Britain  on  pro- 
fessional business,  and  gained  a  good  insight  into  the 
methods  and  theories  adopted  by  the  agriculturists 
of  the  Old  World. 

The  marriage  of  Prof.  George  E.  Morrow  and 
Miss  M.  Gifford,  of  Washington  County,  N.  Y., 
took  place  in  Detroit,  Mich.,  in  1867.  Of  this 
union  there  were  born  four  children,  three  of  whom 
are  living — Minnie  M.,  Clarence  G.  and  Grace  E. 


E  OAKES,  a  prosperous  member  of 
the  farming  community  of  Ogden  Town- 
ship,  is  of  excellent  Pennsylvania  parentage, 
and  was  born  in  the  Keystone  State,  Feb.  8,  1837. 
He  is  the  son  of  Michael  and  Nancy  (Farmer) 
Oakes,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  1806,  and 
died  in  Vermilion  County,  111.,  in  1881.  He  was 
engaged  in  farming  pursuits  all  his  life,  which 
calling  he  followed  first  in  his  native  State,  then  in 
Ohio,  coming  first  to  Illinois  in  1847.  He  then 
returned  to  the  Buckeye  State,  where  he  remained 
four  years,  and  in  1851  came  back  to  Illinois,  lo- 
cating in  Clark  County.  After  a  residence  there 
of  fourteen  years  he  changed  his  location  to  Ver- 
milion County,  which  remained  his  permanent 
home.  Upon  first  exercising  the  right  of  suffrage 
he  voted  with  the  Democratic  party  but  later  sup- 
ported Republican  principles.  The  family  were  of 
German  ancestry,  and  the  mother  a  member  of  the 
Albright  Church.  Her  death  took  place  in  Indiana 
while  on  the  journey  to  Pennsylvania  in  1850.  Of 
their  five  children  the  record  is  as  follows:  George, 
of  our  sketch,  was  the  eldest;  Nancy  died  in  child- 
hood; John,  during  the  late  war  enlisted  in  the 
25th  Illinois  Infantry,  serving  from  August,  1861, 
to  January  of  the  following  year,  when  he  died 
very  suddenly  of  measles  at  Raleigh,  Mo. ;  Dan- 
iel married  Miss  .Melissa  Morrison,  and  located  in 
Vermilion  County;  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Fred- 
erick Wagner,  lives  in  Ohio. 

Our  subject  remained  with  his  parents  attending 
school  during  the  winter  seasons  and  assisting  on 
the  farm  the  balance  of  the  year  until  after  reach  - 
ing  his  majority.  Afterward  he  was  variously 
employed  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  the 


893    ,  , 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


family  then  living  in  Illinois.  In  February,  1864, 
he  enlisted  in  Co.  F,  26th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served 
eighteen  months,  mostly  in  the  Army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee. He  afterward  went  with  Sherman  through 
the  Atlanta  campaign,  being  at  the  siege  and 
capture  of  that  city  and  in  the  fight  at  Savannah, 
(la.  lie  received  his  honorable  discharge  at  the 
close  of  the  war,  turning  his  steps  homeward  in 
July,  18(55. 

The  marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  on  the 
30th  of  August,  I860,  the  maiden  of  his  choice 
being  Miss  Lydia  C.  Golden,  a  native  of  this 
county,  born  in  1843.  She  was  orphaned  when 
•but  four  years  of  age,  and  became  an  inmate  of 
the  family  of  Abraham  Yeazel,  with  whom  she 
remained  until  her  marriage,  which  took  place  at 
his  residence  in  Homer  Township.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Oakcs  became  the  parents  of  four  children  :  Ann 
M.,born  April  0,  1862,  is  the  wife  of  AubertPogue, 
and  resides  in  this  county;  Caroline,  born  Nov.  13, 
1803,  married  H.  E.  Huffman;  Nancy,  born  May 
25,  I860,  died  three  months  later,  on  the  9th  of 
•August;  Michael,  born  Aug.  15,  1871,  is  now  a 
resident  of  this  county. 

The  farm  of  our  subject  consists  of  forty-five 
acres  well  cultivated  and  cared  for,  and  the  dwell- 
ing will  compare  favorably  in  point  of  appearance, 
comfort  and  convenience  with  those  of  the  other 
prosperous  and  industrious  residents  of  Ogden 
Township. 


R.  WILLIAM  M.  RAWLINSON,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Baltimore  School  of  Dental 
Surgery,  came  to  this  State  in  the  winter 
of  1877,  becominga  resident  of  Homer,  HI., 
on  the  1  4th  of  February.  He  at  once  opened  an  ofliee 
and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession,  in  which 
he  has  met  with  more  than  ordinary  success,  build- 
iug  up  a  large  patronage  and  securing  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him.  Our  subject  is  a 
native  of  York  County,  S.  C.,  his  birth  taking  place 
Oct.  21,  1848.  His  father  was  Col.  J.  W.  Rawlin- 
son,  who  was  a  native  of  the  same  State.  He  served 
twelve  years  in  the  Legislature  of  South  Carolina, 
and  for  many  years  was  prominently  identified 
with  public  affairs  in  his  native  State.  He  was 


Democratic  in  politics  and  one  of  the  pillars  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  In  early  life  he  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  Masons,  of  vvhose  principles 
he  was  a  great  admirer  and  in  which  fraternity  he 
occupied  an  important  position.  He  was  married 
early  in  life  to  Miss  Jane  Moore,  also  a  native  of 
South  Carolina. 

Dr.  Rawliuson  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in 
York  County,  S.  C.,  and  under  the  careful  training 
of  his  excellent  parents  was  instilled  with  those 
worthy  principles  which  have  formed  the  basis  of 
his  success  in  life.  A  little  over  a  year  after  locat- 
ing in  Homer,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Virginia  West,  their  wedding  taking  place  at  the 
home  of  the  bride's  parents  on  the  26th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1878.  Mrs.  RawUnsou  was  born  in  Wiscon- 
sin in  1852,  and  of  her  union  with  our  subject  there 
were  born  three  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 

Dr.  Rawlinsou  commenced  life  without  capital 
otherwise  than  his  resolute  will  and  persevering  in- 
dustry. When  landing  in  this  village  he  had  but 
$5  in  his  poeketjand  was  obliged  to  pay  a  week's 
board  in  advance,  which  left  very  little  collateral. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  for  some  time 
afterward  and  until  he  began  to  gain  a  foothold  he 
was  obliged  to  live  most  carefully  and  economi- 
cally. His  present  status  financially  and  socially  is 
a  silent  but  forcible  witness  of  what  he  has  accom- 
plished. He  has  now  a  fine  business  and  a  comfort- 
able home  where,  with  his  family,  he  enjoys  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life,  and  no  man  is  esteemed 
more  highly  in  the  -community.  Political!}',  Dr. 
Rawlinson  is  Democratic.  He  has  occupied  va- 
rious minor  offices  in  the  town  and  is  one  of  the 
Directors  in  the  Building  and  Loan  Association 
established  in  1886,  and  of  which  he  was  one  of 
the  prime  movers,  being  represented  by  fifty  shares, 
each  share  valued  at  $100.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  since  1885,  having  passed 
the  Chapter  degrees. 

The  brothers  of  Col.  J.  W.  Rawlinson,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  Benjamin  F.,  James  M.  and  Charles 
W.,  are  all  living  in  South  Carolina,  two  engaged 
in  farming  and  one  in  mercantile  pursuits.  The 
parental  family  of  the  mother  of  Dr.  Rawlinson  in- 
cluded five  children,  the  eldest  being  the  mother  of 
our  subject;  William,  a  Captain  in  the  Confederate 


894 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


army,  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  wounded  by 
a  rirte  ball  which  he  carried  for  live  years  afterward, 
when  it  was  extracted  :  Frederick,  who  also  received 
a  Captain's  commission,  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Gainesville;  Baxter  was  a  prominent  lawyer  at 
Charlotte,  N.  C.,  and  Dorcas,  who  married  a  Mr, 
McDuncau,  and  lives  in  North  Carolina. 


'MBROSE  W.  STRONG  located  upon  his 
present  farm  on  section  17  in  St.  Joseph 
Township  soon  after  his  marriage,  in  1853, 
when  but  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  pos- 
sessed great  energy  of  character,  had  been  trained 
to  habits  of  industry  and  economy  by  his  excellent 
parents,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  property, 
which  he  has  accumulated  for  the  most  part  un- 
aided and  by  the  exercise  of  his  own  labor  and  per- 
severance. 

Mr.  Strong  was  born  in  Hancock  County,  Ohio, 
Oct.  4,  1834.  His  ancestors,  upon  first  crossing 
the  Atlantic,  settled  in  New  England,  of  which  his 
grandfather,  Cyrus  Strong,  was  a  native,  and 
whence  he  emigrated  to  Ohio  during  its  early  set- 
tlement. He  was  one  of  the  most  worthy  members 
of  the  farming  community  of  Hancock  County, 
where  he  married  Miss  Mary  Moore,  and  became 
the  father  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Sub- 
sequently, in  1833,  he  resolved  to  see  something 
of  the  farther  West,  and  coming  to  this  county 
purchased  a  small  tract  of  land  in  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship, which  he  carefully  cultivated  until  resting 
from  his  earthly  labors,  his  death  taking  place  in 
the  spring  of  1853.  The  wife  and  mother  had  de- 
parted this  life  three  years  previously.  John 
Strong  was  married  the  second  time,  to  Miss  Mary 
Hayden,  and  selling  the  first  farm  removed  to  an- 
other in  St.  Joseph  Township,  where  his  earthly 
labors  ended.  The  children  of  John  and  Mary 
(Moore)  Strong  were  Ambrose  W.  of  our  sketch, 
Permelia,  Casper  L.,  Cyrus,  Tabithu  and  Nancy  E. 
Of  these  four  are  now  surviving,  and  located  in 
tliis  county. 

Our  subject  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
until  his  early  marriage,  his  chosen  bride  being 


Miss  Martha  A.,  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah 
Peters,  who  settled  in  this  county  in  the  pioneer 
days.  Mr.  Strong's  first  business  was  to  put  up  a 
house  for  the  shelter  of  himself  and  wife,  and  they 
then  took  possession  of  the  land  destined  to  remain 
their  permanent  home.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
say  that  its  present  condition  is  in  great  contrast  to 
its  former  state.  The  soil  has  been  carefully  culti- 
vated, the  fields  are  neatly  enclosed  with  substantial 
fences,  and  the  farm  buildings  are  creditable  alike  to 
the  taste  and  good  judgment  of  the  proprietor.  Mr. 
Strong  wisely  invested  his  surplus  capital  in  addi- 
tional lands,  and  now  has  a  fine  farm  of  200  acres, 
productive  of  the  finest  crops  in  the  Prairie  State. 
He  has  been  largely  engaged  in  grain-raising,  and 
has  made  a  specialty  of  Poland-China  hogs  and  line 
horses. 

While  a  young  man  Mr.  Strong  frequently  in- 
creased his  purse  by  breaking  prairie  for  his 
neighbors,  and  spent  few  idle  hours,  his  natural 
inclinations  making  labor  pleasurable  as  well  as 
profitable.  In  1874  the  first  humble  dwelling  was 
replaced  by  a  handsome  new  residence,  which  is 
flanked  by  correspondingly  good  out-buildings.  A 
lithographic  view  of  the  place  is  shown  in  this 
work.  He  has  planted  fruit  trees  and  otherwise  em- 
bellished the  premises  after  the  manner  of  the  mod- 
ern and  progressive  farmer.  Socially  he  is  a  favorite 
among  his  townsmen,  and  is  liberal  both  in  religion 
and  politics,  aiming  to  support  the  man  best  quali- 
fied for  the  office. 


JAMES   DAVIS,  an  old  and  highly  respected 
resident  of    Mahomet  Township,    who   was 
formerly   engaged    in    farming    pursuits,    is 
now  living  in  retirement  upon  a  competency 
in  the  village  of  Mahomet.     He  is  a  native  of  New- 
ark, Ohio,  and  was  born  Nov.  14,  1811.     His  par- 
ents,   Zachariah    and    Elizabeth    (Roberts)    Davis, 
were  natives  respectively  of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  and  Mar- 
tinsburg,    Va.     They    were    married    at    Newark, 
Licking,  Co.,  Ohio,  the  mother  dying  there   Nov. 
16,  1844.     Mr.  Davis  afterward   came   to   Illinois, 
and  made  his   home  alternately  at  Champaign  and 
Danville.     He  died  in  the  latter  place  on  the  5th  of 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


895 


May,  18(15.  Their  family  of  six  children  included 
four  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  James  of 
our  sketch  was  the  eldest. 

James  Davis  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 
county  until  1.S42,  during  which  time  for  a  period 
of  thirteen  years  he  was  engaged  principally  as  a 
butcher.  In  the  year  last  mentioned  he  turned  his 
face  westward,  and  emigrating  to  Iowa  engaged 
as  a  hotel-keeper  in  Iowa  City.  He  met  with -fair 
success,  but  after  two  years  changed  his  location  to 
Wabash,  Ind.,  where  he  engaged  as  a  carpenter  and 
butcher,  and  also  in  merchandising.  In  December, 
185G,  he  left  Indiana  and  came  to  this  county, 
where  he  spent  the  winter  in  Champaign,  and  the 
following  spring  removed  to  Newcomb  Township, 
where  he  remained  five  years.  During  that  time  he 
had  acquired  a  tract  of  land,  and  removed  to  Scott 
Township.  Two  years  later  he  located  in  Mahomet, 
and  engaged  in  butchering  for  twelve  years  follow- 
ing. Since  1866  he  has  been  a  resident  of  the  vil- 
lage, most  of  the  time  engaged  actively  in  business 
until  about  1884,  when  he  retired. 

The  marriage  of  James  Davis  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Roberts  took  place  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  Oct. 
2,  1832.  Mrs.  Davis  was  a  native  of  the  latter 
State,  and  by  her  union  with  our  subject  became 
the  mother  of  one  child,  a  daughter  Lizzie,  who  is 
now  the  widow  of  John  Leslie,  and  a  resident  of 
Danville.  Mrs.  Davis  departed  this  life  Oct.  31, 
1838,  at  Newark,  Ohio.  Mr.  Davis  was  the  second 
time  married,  in  the  latter-named  place,  April  28, 
1840,  to  Miss  Mary  McCollum,  a  native  of  Fair- 
field  County,  Ohio,  and  born  Nov.  28,  1814.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  Francis  and  Margaret  (Bradley) 
McCollum,  who  were  natives  of  Ireland,  and  emi- 
grated to  America  soon  after  their  marriage.  They 
became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  six  girls  and 
four  boys.  Of  the  marriage  of  our  subject  there 
were  born  seven  children,  namely,  George,  Robert, 
Elizabeth,  Josephine,  Lucinda  A.,  Ida  and  James 
H.  George  died  in  Iowa  when  two  years  old; 
Robert  is  a  resident  of  Mahomet  Township,  and  his 
biography  appears  on  another  page  in  this  work; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Ham,  died  in  Scott 
Township,  Jan.  21,  1860;  Josephine  married  Will- 
iam F.  Scott,  who  died  in  Hensley  Township  in 
February,  1879,  and  she  afterward  became  the  wife 


of  J.  R.  Cissna;  Lucinda  died  in  Wabash,  Ind., 
when  nineteen  months  old;  Ida  died  there  also, 
aged  five  years;  James  II.  married  Miss  Agnes 
Clark,  and  is  a  resident  of  Mahomet. 

In  1852  Mr.  Davis  visited  California  via  the 
water  route,  and  was  nine  months  on  the  voyage. 
He  had  expected  to  work  in  the  mines,  but  changed 
his  plans  and  commenced  dealing  in  stock.  He 
spent  about  two  years  on  the  Pacific  Slope,  and  re- 
turned both  pleased  and  benefited  by  the  expe- 
rience. As  a  useful  and  valued  citizen  he  has  held 
a  prominent  place  in  the  affairs  of  his  township, 
serving  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  School  Director, 
Clerk  and  Highway  Commissioner.  Socially  he  is 
a  member  of-  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  with  his  family, 
enjoys  the  association  and  esteem  of  the  best  citi- 
zens in  his  community. 


JW.  SHUCK,  dealer    in    shelf-hardware,   tin- 
ware, wheel-barrows,  picture  frames,  brackets, 
sewing-machines,  looking-glasses  and   furni- 
'   tnre,  forms  an  important  factor  in  the   busi- 
ness interests  of  Urbana,   where,  since  1874,  he  has 
carried  on  a  thriving  and  profitable  trade.     He  is  a 
native  of  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  born  Jan.  24,  1839, 
and  the  son  of  Daniel  J.  and  Ellen  J.    (Herriage) 
Shuck.     His   father   was  a  native  of  Cumberland, 
Md.,  and  the  mother  of  Bedford  County,  Pa.     The 
younger  years  of  Daniel  Shuck   were  employed   in 
the  manufacture  of  wagons  and  carriages,  and  later 
he  became  foreman  of  a  tannery.    He  is  now  living 
at  Bedford  Springs,  Pa.,  aged   eighty  years.      The 
mother  is  seventy -six. 

The  household  circle  included  twelve  children, 
six  now  living.  Mary  A.  became  the  wife  of  John 
Mann,  who  is  a  contractor  and  builder  at  Lincoln, 
Neb. ;  Margaret  M.,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Filler,  is  a  resident 
of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  where  her  husband  is  occupied 
in  carpentering;  Asbury  B.  is  a  graduate  of  Clarke's 
School  of  Cincinnati,  and  is  doing  an  extensive  and 
prosperous  business  in  Urbana;  J.  W.,  of  our  sketch, 
was  the  fourth  child;  Vinton  W.  is  profitably  en- 
gaged in  the  hardware  ar.d  store  trade  of  Urbana; 
William  B.  is  a  resident  of  Bedford,  Pa.  James  H. 
was  the  third  child,  and  became  a  prominent  citizen 


89fi 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  Urbana,  where  he  resided  from  the  time  of  his 
discharge  from  the  army  until  near  the  date  of  his 
death.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  94th  Illinois  Infan- 
try, a  regiment  made  up  at  Bloomington.  In  Ur- 
bana he  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade,  and  after- 
ward in  the  furniture  business.  He  married-  Miss 
Alice  Justice,  in  Allegheny  City,  Pa.  As  a  business 
man  he  was  very  [successful.  Daniel  Shuck  is  a 
stanch  Republican  in  politics,  and  officiated  in  his 
younger  days  as  an  exhorter  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  He  was  Tax  Collector  in  1 838, 
and  greatly  interested  in  the  establishment  of 
churches  and  schools. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  spent  his  younger 
years  in  school,  during  the  winter  season,  until  fif- 
teen years  of  age.  He  then  served  an  apprentice- 
ship of  three  years  at  the  blacksmith's  trade,  but 
wishing  to  advance  still  further  on  the  road  to 
learning,  for  three  summers  following  attended 
school  and  taught  during  the  winter.  Afterward 
he  went  to  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  entered  Iron  City 
Commercial  College,  where  he  was  graduated.  He 
came  West  in  1860,  and  established  himself  as  a 
book-seller  in  Bloomington,  where  he  carried  on 
business  six  months,  and  thence  removed  to  Urbana. 
In  1861  he  was  appointed  Deputy  County  Clerk, 
in  which  office  he  continued  until  August,  1862.  The 
Civil  War  being  then  in  progress,  he  enlisted  as  a 
Union  soldier  in  Co.  B,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf,,  and  was 
in  the  service  nearly  three  years,  participating  in 
many  of  the  important  engagements  of  the  war,  and 
serving  as  Quartermaster  Sergeant.  He  was  in  the 
battle  at  Holly  Springs,  the  capture  and  siege  of 
Vicksburg  and  Mobile,  and  traveled  with  his  com- 
rades over  a  stretch  of  10,000  miles.  After  his  en- 
listment his  regiment  received  156  recruits.  They 
were  mustered  out  of  service  at  Galveston,  Tex., 
and  paid  off  at  Chicago  on  the  4th  of  August,  1865. 

Upon  his  return  home  Mr.  Shuck  was  replaced 
in  the  office  which  he  had  abandoned  to  become  a 
soldier,  and  remained  Deputy  County  Clerk  until 
1869,  when  he  was  appointed  Clerk,  to  fill  the  va- 
cancy caused  by  the  death  of  Capt.  Clarke,  and  at 
the  expiration  of  the  term  was  elected  to  the  full 
term  of  four  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time 
Mr.  Shuck  established  himself  in  the  furniture  busi- 
ness at  Urbana,  which  he  conducted  one  year.  lie 


then  purchased  the  hardware  store  of  Heisler  Bros., 
which  he  has  operated  in  connection  with  his  other 
business  until  the  present. 

Mr.  Shuck  was  married,  in  1865,  to  Miss  Julia, 
the  daughter  of  John  W.  Benner,  of  Urbana.  They 
have  two  children — Harry  M.  and  Hattie  M.  Mr. 
S.  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  has  served  as  Al- 
derman of  the  Third  Ward  and  School  Trustee. 
Besides  his  furniture  business  and  his  residence  at 
the  corner  of  Day  and  North  streets,  he  has  a  fine 
farm  of  320  acres  near  Urbana.  and  640  acres  of 
land  in  Reno  County,  Kan.  The  latter  is  devoted 
to  stock-raising.  With  his  excellent  wife,  he  is 
prominently  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  of  which  he  is  Trustee  and  Treasurer. 
The  Shuck  family  are  of  German  descent,  and  our 
subject  has  inherited  in  a  marked  degree  the  sub- 
stantial qualities  of  his  ancestors,  which  have  con- 
stituted him  a  fine  representative  of  the  business 
and  industrial  interests  of  this  section. 


<jjp^DWARD    F.    THAYER,    deceased.     .The 

&  rural  home  which  occupies  a  portion  of  sec- 
tion 6  in  Sidney  Township,  remains  as  a 
monument  to  the  thrift  and  industry  of  this  gentle- 
man, who  for  many  years  presented  to  the  people 
of  his  neighborhood  and  vicintty  an  example  wor- 
thy of  imitation  by  his  resolution  of  character  and 
his  natural  perseverance  and  industry.  lie  was 
born  in  Con  way,  Mass.,  June  2,  1826,  and  died 
March  20,  1886,  at  his  home  in  Sidney  Township. 
His  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  Lynn  Grove  Ceme- 
tery. 

The  Thayer  family  nearly  thirty  years  ago,  at- 
tracted by  tLe  superior  advantages  of  the  West, 
moved  from  Massachusetts  to  Lee  County,  111. 
After  a  residence  there  of  three  years,  they  again 
changed,  removing  to  Big  Rock,  Kane  Co.,  111. 
That  place  not  proving  satisfactory,  after  a  trial  of 
three  years,  the}7  came  to  Sidney  Township,  this 
county,  in  1864,  which  place  has  since  been  their 
permanent  residence. 

While  a  resident  of  his  native  State,  Mr.  Thayer 
was  marr.ied,  Nov.  20,  1853,  to  Miss  Luthera,  the 
daughter  of  Erastus  and  Mary  A.  (Porter)  Booth. 


••«*% 


•*-»--*• 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


899 


The  birthplace  of  Mrs.  Thayer  was  the  township  of 
Florida,  in  Berkshire  Count}',  Mass.,  and  the  date 
thereof,  Oct.  27,  1828.  She  had  ten  brothers  and 
sisters,  the  names  of  whom  were,  Mary,  Harriet, 
Nancy,  Pauline,  Acsa,  Guelma,  Fannie,  Sarah,  Try- 
phena  and  Erastus.  Mr.  Thayer  had  two  brothers 
and  one  sister — Salem,  Oscar  and  Eliza. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thayer  was 
blest  by  the  birth  of  ten  children:  Edward  E., 
born  April  28,  1855,  is  married  and  lives  in  this 
county;  Nancy^L.,  born  July  25,  1857,  is  the  wife  of 
Edward  Hay  den,  and  resides  in  Philo;  Mira  E., 
born  April  26,  1859,  is  the  wife  of  Albert  Deta- 
more,  and  resides  in  Nebraska;  Frank  II.,  born 
June  4,  18G2,  is  single  and  lives  in  Nebraska;  Otis 
T.,  born  Sept.  11,  1863,  and  married  to  Miss  Net- 
tie Davis,  also  lives  in  Nebraska;  Ernest  and  Wal- 
ter M.,  twins,  were  born  Oct.  10,  1867,  and  reside 
with  their  mother;  Sarah  A.',  born  April  22,  1861, 
died  Nov.  6,  1874,  and  Charles  C.,  born  March  6, 
1871,  died  Oct.  6,  1874;  they  are  both  buried 
beside  their  father;  Merton  E.,  born  Feb.  1,  1873, 
lives  at  home  with  his  mother,  who  is  a  most  esti- 
mable Christian  lady.  The  Thayer  estate  includes 
ninety  acres  of  highly  improved  and  fertile  land, 
constituting  the  homestead,  besides  eight}'  acres  of 
farm  land  in  Philo  Township. 

A  lithographic  portrait  of  Mr.  Edward  F.  Thayer 
is  shown  in  connection  with  this  sketch.  Although 
a  man  quiet  and  unobtrusive  in  life  and  habits,  he 
filled  worthily  his  appointed  station  in  life,  and  is 
kindly  remembered"  by  hosts  of  friends.  He  built 
up  one  of  the  homesteads  which  assist  in  the  em- 
bellishment of  Sidney  Township,  and  pursued  the 
even  tenor  of  his  way,  in  all  respects  deporting 
himself  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen. 


RS.  CATHERINE  PATTERSON,  widow 
of  John  K.  Patterson,  came  to  this  county 
in  the  pioneer  days  when  a  young  woman, 
and 'during  a  period  of  over  fifty  years,  in 
which  she  has  passed  in  and  out  among  the  people 
of  St.  Joseph  Township  and  vicinity,  she  has  been 
the  recipient  of  their  deepest  respect  and  confidence, 
possessing  those  kindly  and  generous  qualities  of 


heart  and  disposition  which  have  endeared  her  to 
hosts  of  friends  and  caused  her  to  be  widely -known 
as  a  lady  of  the  kindliest  impulses  and  the  highest 
moral  character. 

Mrs.  Patterson,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Myers)  Swearingen,  is  a  native  of  Lewis 
County,  Ky.,  born  near  Maysville,  Dec.  16,1808. 
She  removed  with  her  mother  to  this  county  in 
1835,  her  father  having  died  in  Kentucky.  The 
family  included  ten  children,  five  sons  and  five 
daughters.  Catherine,  less  than  two  years  later  be- 
came the  wife  of.  John  K.  Patterson,  who  was  born 
in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  Oct.  2,  1810,  and  was 
the  son  of  William  and  Jennie  (Kilgore)  Patterson. 
The  former  died  in  his  native  State,  when  his  son 
was  a  young  boy.  The  latter  afterward  went  to 
live  with  his  uncle,  Thomas  Kilgore,  who  gave  him 
an  interest  in  his  business,  that  of  a  cattle-dealer, 
in  which  the  youth  became  quite  proficient,  and  in- 
vested his  first  capital  in  120  acres  of  land  in  St. 
Joseph  and  Sidney  Townships. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1837,  Mr.  Patterson  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Catherine  Swearingen, 
and  they  settled  on  a  farm  one  and  one-half  miles 
southeast  of  St.  Joseph,  this  county,  where  Mr.  P. 
engaged  in  general  farming  and  became  very  suc- 
cessful. He  added  to  his  lauded  property  until  he 
became  the  owner  of  3GO  acres,  which  he  spent 
many  years  in  improving  and  embellishing,  putting 
up  handsome  and  substantial  buildings,  and  adding 
all  the  appliances  of  a  modern  country  estate.  In 
the  spring  of  1874  he  retired  from  active  labor  and 
removed  into  the  town  of  St.  Joseph,  where  his 
death  took  place  the  following  fall.  He  left  a 
wife  and  seven  children.  One  child,  Robert,  had 
died  when  thirteen  years  of  age;  Mary  M.  is  the 
wife  of  John  Caley ;  Elizabeth  married  Arthur 
Strong;  Frances  D.  is  the  wife  of  John  Dakin; 
Amanda  M.  was  married  to  Van  B.  Swearingen; 
Thomas  E.  married  Miss  Nettie  A.,  daughter  of 
Jessie  C.,  and  Elizabeth  Wood;  Otho  married  Miss 
Sadie  Wood,  of  Indiana,  and  they  reside  in  St.  Jo- 
seph Township;  John  K.  married  May  E.  Gillispi, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Gillispi,  of  St.  Joseph  Township, 
and  they  now  reside  there. 

Mrs.  Patterson  after  the  death  of  her  husband 
continued  in  St.  Joseph,  of  which  she  has  since 


f 


t. 


900 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


been  a  resident  and  is  now  in  the  seventy-ninth 
year  of  her  age.  She  is  a  complete  picture  of  the 
well-preserved,  handsome  and  healthy]old  lady,  with 
a  fine  head  of  hair  in  which  there  is  but  little  gray, 
and  still  continues  the  habits  of  industry  to  which 
she  was  trained  from  a  child,  doing  her  own  cook- 
ing and  much  of  her  housework,  in  which  she  takes 
delight  and  sets  a  fine  example  of  neatness  and 
thrift  to  many  a  younger  lady.  She  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  Church  for  over  fifty  years, 
and  has  adorned  her  profession  by  her  modest  walk 
and  conversation,  doing  good  as  she  had  opportu- 
nity and  exerting  a  happy  influence  over  all  around 
her.  She  was  very  active  and  energetic  in  her 
youth,  taking  delight  in  all  the  employments  of  tile 
farm,  a  fearless  horseback-rider,  and  engaging  with 
zest  in  all  the  pleasures  of  country  life.  Upon  one  oc- 
casion, however,  while  riding  she  was  thrown  from 
her  horse  and  sustained  dislocation  of  tlie  hip  and 
ankle,  from  which  she  still  suffers. 

Thomas  E.,  the  fifth  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pat- 
terson, was  born  Dec.  7,  1849.  and  married  Sept. 
10,  1874.  He  settled  with  his  bride  upon  a  farm, 
and  departed  this  life  in  November,  1881,  leaving 
a  wife  and  one  son,  Tlieophilus  C.  His  wife,  Mrs. 
Nettie  (Wood)  Patterson,  was  born  in  Wilmington, 
Clinton  Co.,  Ohio,  and  came  to  this  county  with  her 
parents  when  a  girl  twelve  years  of  age.  She  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof  until  her  marriage, 
and  by  her  union  with  Thomas  E.  Patterson  became 
the  mother  of  one  child  only,  a  son,  who  was  but 
an  infant  when  his  father  died.  Mr.  Patterson  was 
a  gentleman  greatly  respected  in  his  community  for 
his  sterling  worth  of  character,  his  high  moral  prin- 
ciples, and  his  value  as  a  straightforward  and  enter- 
prising citizen,  whose  place  it  will  be  hard  to  fill. 

The  Patterson  family  is  of  Irish  origin,  the  first 
representatives  in  this  country  having  settled,  it  is 
believed  in  Virginia,  and  the  later  descendants  of 
whom  have  been  widely  and  favorably  known  for 
the  enterprise  and  energy  with  which  the}'  have 
conducted  their  business  affairs,  and  the  interest 
they  have  taken  in  advancing  the  interests  of  the 
section  of  country  wherever  they  have  seen  fit  to 
establish  a  permanent  home.  Mrs.  Catherine  Patter- 
son, as  a  lady  who  has  witnessed  remarkable  changes 
during  the  period  of  a  long  and  eventful  life, 


is  tacitly  accorded  that  deference  and  respect  due 
to  one  who  has  watched  the  development  of  one 
of  the  richest  sections  of  the  Western  Continent, 
and  has  always  rejoiced  in  its  prosperit\r,  train- 
ing her  children  to  become  worthy  residents  in  a 
more  than  ordinarily  intelligent  community,  and  of 
a  State  which  has  become  great  through  the  enter- 
prise of  its  pioneers  who  inaugurated  and  taught 
their  children  to  maintain  its  phenomenal  pros- 
perity. 

A  lithographic   portrait  of  John  K.  Patterson  is 
shown  on  a  preceding  page. 


(^UILLA  PALMER,  who  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Prairie  State  nearly  fifty  years, 
coming  here  when  a  child,  is  pleasantly  lo- 
cated on  section  18,  Homer  Township, 
where  he  has  a  good  farm  embracing  105  acres  of 
land,  with  a  comfortable  residence  and  all  other 
necessary  buildings  for  the  carrying  on  of  agricult- 
ure intelligently  and  successfully.  A  view  of  the 
place  is  shown  on  another  page  of  this  work.  He 
is  a  native  of  Clarke  County,  Ohio,  born  April  30, 
1832,  and  is  the  son  of  Landon  and  Annie  (Ellis) 
Palmer,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  the 
latter  of  Kentucky.  Landon  Palmer  was  born  in 
Loudoun  County,  Va.,  in  1800,  and  died  in  Cham- 
paign County,  111.,  Oct.  21,  1865.  He  followed 
farming  all  his  life,  and  from  a  modest  capital  of 
$30  in  cash  became  possessed  of  property  worth 
$17,000,  the  accumulations  of  his  own  persever- 
ance and  industry.  His  wife,  Annie,  the  mother 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1803,  and 
died  at  her  home  in  Champaign  County  in  1862. 
The  parental  household  included  twelve  children, 
of  whom  eleven  are  now  living,  and  named  respect- 
ivel}-,  Edmund,  Ellis,  Mary  J.,  Aquilla  of  our 
sketch,  George  W.,  Elizabeth,  Milburu,  Emanuel, 
Sarah,  Andrew  J.  and  James.  Charlotte  is  de- 
ceased. 

The  subject  of  this  history  during  his  bo\-hood 
attended  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county  in 
the  winter  season,  and  during  the  summer  followed 
farm  pursuits.  The  family  removed  to  Illinois  in 
1838,  and  he  remained  a  member  of  the  parental 
.»» 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


901  ,  , 


household  until  reaching  his  majority,  in  the  mean- 
time having  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  Being 
a  natural  mechanic  he  became  an  expert  at  this 
business,  and  received  more  than  average  wages. 
In  1855  he  purchased  240  acres  of  land  in  this 
township,  upon  which  he  operated  until  1861,  then 
sold  out  a  portion  of  his  present  farm.  The  fine 
residence  and  handsome  out-buildings  which  serve 
to  embellish  the  homestead  are  largely. the  work  of 
his  own  hands,  and  that  which  he  did  not  person- 
ally perform  he  superintended,  the  result  being 
some  of  the  finest  architecture  in  this  part  of  the 
county. 

The  lady  who  lias  presided  over  the  home  of  our 
subject  for  a  period  of  over  twenty-eight  years  be- 
came his  wife  on  the  6th  of  March,  1859.  She  was 
formerly  Miss  Iluldah  H.  Clark,  born  in  Butler 
County,  Ohio,  Dec.  17,  1832,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  David  and  Jerusha  (Clark)  Clark,  natives  re- 
spectively of  New  Jersey  and  New  York.  The 
father  was  born  Sept.  27,  1789,  and  died  Sept.  22, 
1849.  The  mother,  born  Jan.  14,  1800,  died  Dec. 
2,  1835.  Their  children  were  Philiucla,  Harriett, 
Jane,  Mary,  George,  Nancy  and  Huldah  II.  After 
the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Clark  was  married  to 
Mrs.  Blackall,  formerly  a  Miss  Leach.  Of  this  mar- 
riage there  was  born  one  child,  a  sou,  Alvin,  who 
married  Miss  Brock,  and  is  now  living  in  Hamilton, 
Butler  Co.,  Ohio. 

Of  the  len  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Palmer 
the  record  is  as  follows:  Charles,  born  March  26, 
1860,  died  Oct.  23,  1874;  Landon  and  Annie  were 
twins,  born  in  1861 ;  the  latter  died  on  the  9th  of 
March,  I860;  Jerusha  was  born  Aug.  18,  1862,  and 
died  March  23  of  the  following  year;  David,  born 
Dec.  20,  1863,  died  Oct.  6,  1864 ;  Henry  C.,  born 
Dec.  19,  1864;  Albert,  June  17,  1869;  Oliver,  born 
Aug.  1,  1871,  died  April  2  of  the  following  year; 
Louami,  born  Nov.  28,  1872;  Sophia,  April  12, 
1874.  Mr.  Palmer,  politically,  is  a  straightforward 
Republican;  he  is  a  thorough  business  man,  prompt 
to  meet  his  obligations,  and  in  all  respects  possess- 
ing the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

David  Clark,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Palmer,  in  early 
life. was  a  fisherman,  but  later  engaged  in  farming. 
Ili>  curly  advantages  were  extremely  limited,  and 
he  learned  to  read  the  Bible  from  his  wife  after 


they  were  married.  The  paternal  great-grandfather 
was  an  Englishman  by  birth,  and  a  sailor  by  occu- 
pation. His  home  was  on  the  New  England  coast, 
and  while  on  board  ship  he  was  at  one  time  capt- 
ured by  the  British  and  hot  tar  poured  over  him 
in  order  to  make  him  swear  allegiance  to  the  king, 
but  he  would  not  comply  with  their  wishes.  Dur- 
ing his  absence,  and  in  the  time  of  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  his  wife  protected  her  home  from  the 
ravnges  of  the  British,  and  upon  one  occasion, 
when  they  were  trying  to  steal  her  calves,  bnckbd 
on  her  husband's  sword,  shouldered  his  gun  and 
saved  her  property. 


BRAHAM  THOMPSON,  one  of  the 'most 
enterprising  farmers  of  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship, and  a  native  of  this  State,  came  from 
St.  Clair  County  in  1857,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  his  present  farm  of  1 40  acres  located  on  sec- 
tion 25.  Here  he  has  engaged  largely  in  the  rais- 
ing of  grain  and  cattle,  the  latter  being  high  grades, 
of  which  he  has  shipped  annually  large  numbers, 
realizing  a  handsome  income.  The  farm  is  well  sup- 
plied with  all  the  machinery  required  by  the  modern 
and  progressive  agriculturist,  and  its  proprietor  has 
long  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  important  fac- 
tors in  a  community  possessing  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence  and  enterprise. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  near  the  town 
of  Highland,  111.,  Dec.  10,  18.S4,  on  the  farm  of 
his  father,  Hezekiah  Thompson,  whose  family  in- 
cluded three  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  of 
whom  Abraham  was  the  eldest.  The  family,  which 
was  originally  from  Virginia,  settled  in  Kentucky 
during  the  pioneer  days,  whence  the  grandfather, 
Abraham  Thompson,  Sr.,  removed  to  St.  Clair 
County,  111.,  in  1816.  Before  the  removal,  how- 
ever, he  had  married  in  his  native  State,  a  Miss 
Brown,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  five  daughters.  Grandfather 
Thompson  died  in  St.  Clair  County  in  about  1819. 
His  wife  survived  him  several  years,  finally  making, 
her  home  in  Fayette  County,  this  State,  where  her 
death  took  place. 

Hezekiah  Thompson,  the   father   of   our  subject, 


f 


902 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 


was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1813,  and  was  but  a  child 
of  three  years  when  his  parents  removed  to  South- 
ern Illinois.  There  he  was  reared  to  manhood  and 
began  the  establishment  of  a  home  of  his  own  by 
becoming  the  husband  of  Miss  Mary  Lcwallen,  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  from  which  State  her  parents 
had  removed  to  Illinois  when  she  was  but  a  child. 
After  his  marriage  Hezekiah  Thompson  and  his 
bride  remained  in  St.  Clair  County  until  1835,  and 
then  took  up  their  residence  in  Fayette  Count}-. 
Their  only  daughter,  Eli/.a  A.,  became  the  wife  of 
Harry  Spalding,  Superintendent  and  Master  Me- 
chanic of  bridges  on  the  Yandalia,  Torre  Haute  & 
Indianapolis  Railroad.  The  younger  son  was  named 
after  the  reigning  President,  William  Henry  Harri- 
son. 

Abraham  Thompson  passed  Ins  boyhood  and 
youth  in  Fayette  and  Bond  Counties,  being  nearly 
of  age  when  the  family  removed  to  Fayette  County. 
lie  first  received  the  advantages  of  the  common 
schools,  which  was  supplemented  by  attendance  at 
a  select  school.  He  was  a  bright  boy,  fond  of  books, 
and  when  quite  young  engaged  in  teaching,  which 
he  followed  for  some  time  afterward.  His  first  busi- 
ness venture  was  in  the  lumber  trade  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  where  he  took  charge  of  a  savmill  and 
shipped  large  quantities  of  walnut  lumber  to  dif- 
ferent points  North  and  South.  This  was  cut  from 
trees  which  grew  on  land  owned  by  him,  and  he 
followed  this  business  successfully  for  eight  years, 
and  then  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  After- 
ward he  invested  his  surplus  capital  in  a  stock  of 
general  merchandise,  including  drugs  and  groceries, 
and  in  the  space  of  three  years  had  built  up  a  good 
trade.  His  early  habits,  however,  still  clung  to  him 
and  he  did  not  feel  contented  away  from  the  farm. 
lie  accordingly  abandoned  mercantile  pursuits  and 
purchased  the  land  included  in  his  present  farm, 
which  lie  has  now  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, and  which  bears  fair  comparison  with  any- 
thing of  the  kind  in  that  section.  Here,  amid  the 
comforts  of  his  home  and  family,  he  is  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  his  labors  and  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  his  fellovv-eitizens. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried Feb.  24,  1858,  was  .formerly  Miss  Drusilla, 
daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (McNutt)  Peters, 


who  was  born  on  her  father's  homestead  in  St.  Jo- 
seph Township,  Aug.  21,  1838.  Of  this  union  there 
are  four  children — Eliza  A..  Wallace  Clark.  Sarah 
I.,  the  wife  of  N.  J.  Hradlcj',  and  Melinda,  at  honic 
with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Thompson  has  served  his  township  in  many 
positions,  covering  a  period  of  twenty  years,  as 
School  Director,  Assessor,  Collector  and  Supervisor. 
He  casts  his  vote  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
both  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are  members  of  .the 
German  Baptist  Church. 


EDWARD  T.  TELLING.  The  gentleman 
whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch  is  a  leading  member  of  the  farming 
community  of  Ayers  Township.  His  estate  em- 
braces 326  acres  of  the  most  highly  cultivated  laud 
on  section  31,  where  of  late  years  he  has  given  his 
attention  principally  to  the  breeding  of  fine  stock, 
mostly  Short-horn  cattle  of  the  best  grades.  The 
entire  farm  is  finely  located,  well  watered  and 
neatly  fenced,  and  the  buildings,  tastefully  and 
substantially  constructed,  are  as  convenient  in  their 
arrangement  as  they  are  ornamental  in  appearance, 
which  will  be  seen  by  an  examination  of  the  litho- 
graphic view  which  appears  in  this  connection. 
The  entire  premises  indicates  the  supervision  of  a 
man  more  than  ordinarily  intelligent,  who  lays  his 
plans  with  deliberation  and  executes  them  with 
decision. 

Mr.  Telling  is  one  of  the  finest  representatives  of 
an  English  farmer,  a  class  of  people  to  whom  the 
West  is  largely  indebted  for  its  present  status 
financially,  and  the  law-abiding  element  which  per- 
vades this  section  pf  country.  His  early  home 
was  across  the  sea  in  Gloucestershire,  England, 
where  his  birth  took  place  April  17,  1842.  There 
his  parents,  John  and  Hannah  (Bouton)  Telling, 
united  their  hands  and  fortunes,  reared  a  fatuity, 
and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  John  Tell- 
ing was  born  in  1795,  and  after  a  life  of  success- 
ful industry  departed  from  the  scenes  of  his  earthly 
labors  after  having  arrived  at  the  advanced  age 
of  seventy-seven  years,  in  1872.  The  mother, 
who  was  born  in  1797,  survived  her  husband 
thirteen  years,  her  decease  taking  place  in  18.-O  at 


L     -  ~"« 

I, OF  THE 

'  /  tr  • 


RESIDENCEOF  E.T.  TELLING, SEC.  31. ,(R.tt.w)  AYRESTOWNSHIP. 


RESIDENCEOF  D.R.WILSON,(PROPR.  OF  BLACK  BELL  HERD,  OFPOLAND  CHINA  SwiNE).Scc.24,  SIDNEY  TOWNSHIP. 


•4*- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


905    .  . 


1 


the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  The  children  who 
gathered  around  the  family  hearthstone  were  Isaac, 
Thomas,  William,  George,  Eliza,  a  babe  who  died 
unnamed,  IIcnTy,  Mary  A.,  John  and  Edward  T. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  youngest 
of  his  father's  family  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  variously  engaged  until  reaching  man- 
hood. His  marriage  took  place  on  the  2d  of 
April,  1868,  after. he  became  a  resident  of  Morgan 
County,  111.  His  wife,  who  was  formerly  Miss 
Sarah  F.  Taylor,  was  a  native  of  said  county,  born 
May  5,  1844,  and  the  daughter  of  George  and 
Polly  E.  (Tucker)  Taylor,  natives  of  Kentucky. 
George  Taylor  was  born  in  1805,  removed  from  his 
native  State  to  Illinois  in  1830,  followed  fanning  all 
his  life,  and  having  made  a  good  record  as  a  man  and 
citizen,  departed  this  life  Sept,  23,  1886.  He  was 
a  stanch  Union  man  during  the  war,  Republican  in 
politics,  and  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 
The  mother,  who  was  born  in  1807,  is  still  living, 
and  a  resident  of  Morgan  County,  111. 

.  Of  the  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor,  eleven 
in  number,  the  eldest  born  died  in  infancy;  Maxi- 
milia,  the  second  daughter,  became  the  wife  of 
John  Swigert;  Edward  married  Miss  Susan  Sooy; 
Benjamin  married  Miss  Sarah  Delany;  William 
married  Miss  Mary  McCane;  Casablanca  married 
Miss  Mary  Scott;  Phebe  became  the  wife  of 
George  Scott;  Sarah,  the  next'in  order  of  birth,  is 
the  wife  of  our  subject;  George  married  Miss 
Mattie  Jefferson;  John  married  Miss  Sarah  Spires; 
Shelby  married  Miss  Belle  Spires.  The  household 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Telling  comprises  a  fine  family  of 
children,,  eight  in  number,  and  born  as  follows: 
Nellie  T.,  Oct.  18,  1869;  George  W.,  July  6,  1871 ; 
John  W.,  July  27,  1873;  Annie  F.,  March  21, 1876; 
Mary  E.,  Jan.  14,  1880;  Hannah  B.,  Oct.  19,  1882; 
Edward  R.,  Oct.  3,  1885;  Albert  B.,Sept.  31,  1886. 

After  leaving  the  shores  of  his  native  country  in 
1860,  Mr.  Telling  first  landed  in  Canada,  and  eleven 
months  later  repaired  to  New  York  State.  He 
came  to  the  West  iu  the  fall  of  1864,  locating  in 
Morgan  County,  and  seven  years  later  went  to 
Sangamon  County,  where  he  staid  three  years, 
thence  went  to  Morgan  County,  and  from  there  to 
this  county,  and  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in 
Ayers  Township.  He  has  been  greatly  prospered 


in  his  farming  operations,  and  fortunate  in  his 
investments,  and  has  now  doubled  the  original 
purchase  of  land,  which  through  his  judicial  man- 
agement has  become  one  of  the  most  fertile  tracts 
in  Central  Illinois.  He  ha's  taken  a  warm  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  his  adopted  State,  and  few  private 
citizens  have  had  more  influence  in  encouraging 
every  enterprise  calculated  for  its  moral  and  finan- 
cial advancement.  He  is  one  of  the  most  influen- 
tial members  of  the  Republican  party  in  this  town- 
ship, and  is  serving  as  Commissioner. 

-^ — €-*-!* — *— 

UREEE  R.  WILSON  is  an  extensive  farm- 
er and  stock-grower,  living  on  section  24, 
Sidney  Township.  He  leals  largely  in  pure 
Poland-China  hogs,  and  exhibits  some  of 
the  handsomest  varieties  in  this  part  of  the  State. 
The  chief  of  the  herd  is  registered  in  Ohio  Herd- 
Book.  Mr.  Wilson's  son,  W.  D.  Wilson,  is  a 
partner  in  the  stock  business.  He  is  dealing  in 
Holstein  cattle  with  fnll-blood  and  high  grades. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  N. 
Y.,  March  24,  1828,  and  is  the  son  of  Dnrfec  and 
Fannie  (Campbell)  Wilson.  His  mother  was  a  na- 
tive of  Worcester  County,  Mass.,  and  his  father 
was  born  in  Leicester,  the  same  State,  Jan.  23, 1788, 
and  died  at  Colchester,  Vt.,  Oct.  17,  1850.  Their 
family  consisted  of  nine  children  :  Solomon  M. 
died  when  tvvo  years  old  ;  Eliza  A.  became  the 
wife  of  Guy  Loomis,  and  both  are  now  dead  ; 
Harriet  is  the  widow  of  Theron  B.  Chamberlain, 
and  resides  in  New  York;  Nathaniel  E.  married 
Miss  Mary  Brownwell,  and  lives  in  Colchester, 
Vt. ;  Henderson  C.  married  Miss  Mary  A.  Porter, 
and  lives  in  North  Troy,  N.  Y. ;  he  was  formerly 
a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  of  Vermont, 
having  served  one  term  in  the  Lower  and  several 
years  in  the  Upper  House;  Durfee  R.  is  the  sub- 
ject of  our  sketch;  Solon  was  killed  by  an  acci- 
dent when  seven  years  old,  and  Milon,  married 
Maria  Woolcott,  and  is  living  in  Red  Cloud,  Neb.; 
Merritt  married  Charlotte  Stemm,  and  they  reside 
in  Clinton  County,  N.  Y.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  July  24,  1838.  On  the  22d  of  July, 
1841,  her  husband  contracted  a  second  marriage, 


1 

f 


t. 


I 


006 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


with  Lydia  Safford.  at  Cambridge,  Vt..  Mrs.  Lydia 
Wilson  is  still  living,  and  is  ninety-six  years 
of  age. 

Durfee  R.,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  mar- 
ried on  the  17th  of  March,  1852,  to  Miss  Mary 
Ann  Keeble,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth (  Bruce )  Keeble.  Her  parents  were  both 
born  in  England,  and  came  from  the  State  of  Ver- 
mont to  Illinois  in  1864,  where  both  died  in  Philo 
Township. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Wilson  became  the  mother  of  four 
children:  William,  born  in  Milton,  Vt.,  Jan.  31, 

1853,  married  Miss  Emma  M.  Towner  ;    Elizabeth 
M.  A.,  born  at  Colchester,  Vt.,  July  1,  1857,  be- 
came the  wife  of  SamueljKesterson,  and  is  now  de- 
ceased; Georgie  A.  D.,  born  in  Champlain,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  29,  1859,  is  the  wife  of  William  Cash,  living 
in  this  county.     One  child  died  in  infancy. 

After  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  Mr.  Wilson 
married  again,  taking  for  his  wife  Mrs.  Mary 
(Moody)  Towner,  the  daughter  of  Simon  S.  and 
Hannah  (Colwell)  Moody.  She  was  born  in  Foun- 
tain Count}',  Ind.,  April  3,  1832.  Her  mother 
was  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  her  father  of 
Canada.  By  her  first  husband,  Mr.  William  Towner, 
she  had  seven  children.  George  W.,  born  Dec.  10, 

1854,  married    Sarah    Crosby;  Benjamin  F.,  twin 
brother  to  George,  is  blind,  which  affliction  came 
upon    him    when    he    was   nine    months  old;    Al- 
bert E.,  born  Nov.   18,  1857,  married   Miss   Alice 
Conley,  and    they  live    at    540    Warren    avenue, 
Chicago;  Clinton  S.,  born  Aug.   11,  1861,  married 
Latta  King,  and  lives  at  834  Madison  street,  Chi- 
cago; Nora  H.,  born  March  7,  1863,  is  single;  Emma 
M.,  born  Nov.  10,    1865,  is  the  wife  of  Willard  B. 
Wilson,  and  lives    in    this    township;    Walter  G., 
born    Aug.  8,    1868,   is    living    in    Chicago.     Mr. 
Towner,  the   father   of  these    children,    was   born 
Aug.  23,  1816,  at  Prairie  Town,  Ind.,  and  married 
Miss    Mary    Moody,    March  28,  1852,  in  Coving- 
ton,  Fountain  Co.,  Ind.      In  that  same    month  he 
moved   from  Indiana   to  Champaign  Count}',  111., 
where  his  death  took  place. 

Of  Mr.  Wilson's  second   marriage    there    is  one 
••child,  Theron  C.,  born   May   16,    1875.     In  Janu- 
ary, 1862,  Mr.  Wilson,  desirous  of  locating  in  the 
'  '   West,  removed  from  Champaign  Township,  Clin- 


1 


ton  Co.,  N.  Y.,  to  Philo  Township,  111.  lie  re- 
mained there  some  four  years,  actively  engaged  in 
farming  and  buying  and  selling  stock.  He  after- 
ward located  in  Crittenden  Township,  where  he 
remained  two  years,  and  then  changed  his  place  of 
residence  to  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  where  he  still  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  selling  live-stock.  He  also 
employed  part  of  his  time  at  the  carpenter's  trade 
and  in  the  sale  of  marble.  In  1870  he  left  Indi- 
ana to  locate  in  this  county  and  settled  on  the 
farm  where  he  now  resides. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  well- 
improved  land,  and  twenty  acres  of  timber  on  sec- 
tion 1,  Sidney  Township.  His  premises  are  all 
kept  in  excellent  order  and  good  repair.  He  has 
held  several  of  the  local  township  offices.  Both 
himself  and  wife  are  highly  esteemed  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  473,  at  Sidney,  111.,  Homer 
Encampment,  Homer,  111.,  and  Canton  No.  11,  at 
Danville,  111.  In  local  politics  he  is  not  influ- 
enced by  party  spirit,  but  endeavors  to  sustain  in 
office  those  whom  his  judgment  advises  him  are 
best  fitted  to  fill  the  place,  but  in  National  politics 
he  votes  the  Democratic  ticket. 

A  lithographic  view  of  the  handsome  residence 
of  Mr.  Wilson,  together  with  its  surroundings,  is 
shown  on  a  preceding  page. 


OLLIN  H.  MORSE,  Business  Manager  of  the 
Exchange  Bank  at  Gifford,  lives  with  his 
/li  'A\  mother  on  section  1 4,  in  Compromise  Town- 
^^)ship,  where  his  parents  located  in  1869. 
He  is  a  native  of  Kendall  County,  this  State,  born 
May  14,  1867,  and  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
this  county  when  but  a  year  old.  His  schooling 
was  obtained  at  Rantoul  and  Paxton  primarily, 
and  in  the  fall  of  1884  he  entered  the  State  Uni- 
versity at  Champaign.  After  finishing  the  prepara- 
tory he  entered  the  regular  course,  but  ten  weeks 
later  was  called  home  on  account  of  the  illness  of 
his  father,  which  terminated  fatally  May  6,  1887. 
Business  matters  then  demanded  his  presence  in 
connection  with  the  estate,  and  taking  charge  of  his 
father's  bank  he  assumed  its  management  and  has 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


907    ,  .) 


carried  it  on  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  satis- 
faction to  all  concerned.  Although  little  over 
twenty  years  of  age  lie  possesses  the  discretion  of 
many  a  man  older,  and  is  also  of  the  highest  moral 
character,  interested  in  religious  matters,  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  an  earnest  worker  in 
the  Sabbath-school.  He  furnishes  an  example  which 
might  be  imitated  with  profit  by  many  even  older 
than  himself,  and  by  his  upright  and  manly  course 
is  proving  a  source  of  comfort  to  his  mother  and 
pride  to  his  friends. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  James  M.  and  Eliza- 
beth J.  (Hart)  Morse.  His  father  was  for  many 
years  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  valued  citi- 
zens of  Compromise  Township.  His  birth  took 
place  in  Cazenovia,  Madison  Co.,  N.  Y.,  June  19, 
1836,  and  he  traced  his  ancestry  back  to  the  Puri- 
tans, whose  descendants  were  among  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  New  England.  He  spent  his  boyhood 
and  3'outh  in  Madison  County,  his  education  being 
completed  at  the  Oneida  Conference  Seminary,  a 
Methodist  institution  at  Cazenovia,  in  which  he 
pursued  his  studies  for  a  period  of  six  years. 
When  twenty  years  of  age  he  determined  to  seek 
his  fortunes  in  the  great  West.  He  first  went  into 
Wisconsin,  and  for  a  j'ear  was  alternately  engaged 
in  farming  and  teaching,  and  the  year  following  be- 
came a  resident  of  Kendall  County,  this  State,  where 
he  remained  until  1868,  pursuing  the  occupations  of 
farming  and  teaching,  and  some  years  later  came 
to  this  county  and  took  up  his  abode  near  what  is 
now  the  town  of  Gifford. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Morse  had  purchased  220 
acres  of  land,  and  in  the  spring  of  1869  turned  his 
whole  attention  to  its  improvement  and  cultivation. 
In  due  time  the  soil  responded  to  his  labors 'and  he 
found  himself  on  the  highway  to  prosperity.  He 
put  up  a  fine  residence  with  a  good  barn  and  all 
other  necessaiy  out-buildings,  and  when  the  home- 
stead was  complete  as  a  countrj-  residence  turned 
his  attention  more  to  strictly  business  pursuits. 
Among  these  he  purchased  a  stock  of  drugs  and 
opened  a  store  in  Gifford,  which  he  conducted 
until  January,  1887,  then  sold  out.  He  had  in  the 
meantime,  in  May,  1885,  inaugurated  an  Exchange 
Bank  at  Gifford,  the  operations  of  which  he  superin- 
tended until  obliged  to  abandon  it  on  account  of 


ill-health,  when  it  practically  passed  into  the  hands 
of  his  son  Kollin. 

The  death  of  James  M.  Morse  took  place  on  the 
6th  of  May,  1887.  During  the  years  of  his  health 
and  strength  he  was  active  and  industrious  in  his 
habits  and  regarded  among  the  most  useful  citizens 
of  Compromise  Township.  He  was  the  author  of 
many  measures  tending  to  its  welfare,  and  con- 
tributed generously  to  the  establishment  and  main- 
tenance of  religious  and  educational  institutions. 
He  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church  when 
a  youth  sixteen  years  old,  and  was  actively  con- 
nected with  it  the  balance  of  his  life,  being  one  of 
the  organizers  of  that  society  at  Gifford  and  doing 
all  in  his  power  to  encourage  and  build  up  the  so- 
ciety. His  political  influence  was  cast  in  support 
of  Republican  principles,  and  he  was  entrusted  with 
the  important  local  offices,  in  which  he  discharged 
his  duty  with  fidelity  and  with  satisfaction  to  his 
townsmen.  He  was  Postmaster  of  Gifford  for  a 
period  of  six  years  and  until  the  change  of  admin- 
istration. He  was  confined  to  his  house  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  for  a  year  and  a  half  previous  to 
his  death,  which  was  occasioned  by  partial  paralysis 
of  the  brain.  He  died  peacefully,  surrounded  by 
his  family  and  friends,  and  his  remains  were  laid  to 
rest  in  Welles  Cemeteiy. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  the  daughter  of 
Dennis  and  Elvira  (Dutton)  Hart,  and  was  born 
Jan.  9,  1838,  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.  She 
attended  the  common  schools  in  early  childhood  and 
later  the  select  schools,  remaining  a  member  of  her 
father's  family  until  her  marriage.  She  became  the 
wife  of  James  M.  Morse  on  the  10th  of  October, 
1861,  the  marriage  taking  place  at  her  home  in 
Chautauqua.  The  young  people  soon  afterward 
removed  to  Lisbon,  Kendall  Co.,  111.,  and  after  four 
years  removed  to  Sandwich,  in  DeKalb  County, 
and  from  there  two  years  later  to  Compromise 
Township.  In  the  spring  of  1869  they  took  pos- 
session of  the  present  homestead  of  the  family. 
Since  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Morse  has 
conducted  the  affairs  of  the  farm  intelligently  and 
successfully,  and  is  also  proprietor  of  the  Exchange 
Bank.  Of  her  union  with  James  Morse  there  were 
born  four  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  fol- 
lows: Hattie  M.  was  bom  Aug.  22,  1862,  and  be- 


f 


-  >    908 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1 


came  the  wife  of  William  A.  Wooldridge,  Oct.  2, 
1883;  Rollin  H.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  next;  Adel- 
bert,  born  Sept.  17,  1869,  died  the  28th  of  the  same 
month;  Jeriedinli  D.  was  born  Oct.  13,  1874.  Mrs. 
Morse  is  connected  with  the  Baptist  Church,  and  is 
a  lady  highly  esteemed  in  the  community  for  her 
rare  business  ability  and  the  admirable  manner  in 
which  she  conducts  her  business  affairs,  and  con- 
tributes in  assisting  to  elevate  'the  tone  of  society 
around  her  and  the  moral  and  religious  element  of 
the  community. 

Dennis  Hart,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Morse,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Connecticut,  born  Sept.  2,  1798.  He  was 
reared  to  farming  pursuits  by  his  father,  who  tilled 
the  soil  before  him  and  followed  agriculture  all  his 
life.  He  was  married,  Feb.  1,  1825,  to  Miss  Elvira 
Button,  and  soon  afterward  removed  from  his  na- 
tive State  to  'Chautnaqua  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
purchased  120  acres  of  timber  land  and  proceeded 
to  open  up  a  farm  in  the  wilderness.  He  cut  down 
the  forest  trees,  prepared  the  land  for  cultivation, 
.was  uniformly  successful  in  his  operations  as  a  far- 
mer and  business  man,  and  became  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  that  locality.  He  put  up  a  fine  resi- 
dence which  was  the  pride  of  that  section  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  and  rested  from  his  earthly 
labors  on  the  8th  of  September,  1868. .  The  mother 
of  Mrs.  Morse,  formerly  Miss  Elvira  Button,  was 
born  Dec.  22,  1802,  and  was  the  youngest  of  a 
family  of  five  children.  She  is  still  living,  having 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years, 
making  her  home  with  one  of  her  children  in  the 
town  of  Sherman,  N.  Y.  Her  children  were  nnmed 
Cornelia  E.,  Mary  E.,  Joseph  D.,  Henry  M.,  Eliza- 
beth J.,  Harriett  A.,  Rollin  W.  and  Abbie  M. 


ENRY  M.  MORRIS,  proprietor  of  Rantoul 
Nursery,  and  also  operating  an  extensive 
apiary,  is  pleasantly  located  on  section  2, 
_  in  Rantoul  Township,  and  is  meeting  with 
success  in  the  prosecution  of  his  chosen  calling. 
His  natural  tastes  have  seemingly  well  fitted  him 
for  these  specialties.  He  has  fifty  stands  of  bees 
and  his  nursery  includes  several  acres  of  land,  with 


all  the  appliances  necessary  to  the  successful  prose- 
cution of  his  labors.  lie  occupies  with  his  family  a 
tasteful  and  substantial  residence,  surrounded  by 
choice  shrubs  and  trees,  and  on  .all  sides  indicating 
the  cultivated  tastes  of  its  owner. 

Mr.  Morris  was  born  in  Elgin,  Kane  County,  this 
State,  Oct.  14,  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  Edwin  and 
Mary  A.  (Benson)  Morris,  the  former  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  of  Welsh  ancestry,  and  the  latter  of 
Portage  County,  Ohio.  The  parental  household 
included  eight  children,  and  the  mother  departed 
this  life  in  1856,  when  her  son,  Henry  M.,  was  a 
lad  ten  years  of  age.  The  father  is  now  making 
his  home  with  his  son,  our  subject. 

The  great-grandparents  of  Mr.  Morris  removed 
from  Connecticut  to  Ohio,  settling  in  Portage 
County  in  the  pioneer  days.  The  grandfather  was 
a  shoemaker  by  trade,  but  took  up  a  tract  of  land 
which,  with  the  assistance  of  his  sons,  he  cleared 
and  improved  into  a  good  farm,  where  he  and  his 
aged  partner  spent  the  last  years  of  their  lives  in 
comfort  and  contentment.  Their  son,  Edwin,  was 
a  youth  of  sixteen  years  when  his  parents  made 
the  journey  overland  to  Ohio.  He  was  married  in 
Portage  County  and  lived  there  until  the  spring  of 
1846,  when  he  started  with  his  family  for  the 
prairies  of  Illinois.  Their  outfit  consisted  of  a  team 
of  horses  and  a  wagon,  and  they  carried  their 
household  goods  and  provisions,  camping  out  at 
night  and  cooking  by  the  wayside.  They  located 
first  upon  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Elgin, 
which  was  then  a  small  village,  and  the  father  en- 
gaged in  teaming,  transporting  wheat  to  St.  Louis 
and  bringing  back  merchandise. 

In  the  fall  of  1846  Mr.  Morris  sent  his  family 
back  to  Ohio  while  he  crossed  the  Mississippi  for 
the  purpose  of  looking  over  the  country,  in  the 
meantime  visiting  Wisconsin,  but  finding  nothing 
desirable  returned  to  Ohio  and  purchased  land  in 
Break  Neck  Township,  Portage  County.  From 
this  the  timber  had  not  yet  been  cleared  and  be 
set  about  cutting  down  the  trees,  and  in  due  time 
had  several  acres  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
He  bought  a  number  of  cows  and  engaged  in  dairy- 
farming  until  the  spring  of  .1864,  when  he  decided 
to  once  more  try  his  fortune  in  the  West.  Coming 
to  this  county  he  engaged  in  the  liver}-  business  at 


•• 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

IT!         -7.tF 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Raiituul,  and  also  carried  on  farming-  on  a  tract  of 
Jand  outside  the  limits.  He  was  thus  engaged  until 
1  HS2,  when  he  proceeded  to  Arkansas  and  bought 
railroad  land,  where  he  opened  up  a  good  farm  and 
lived  four  years.  He  then  returned,  and  is  now  in 
business  with  his  son,  the  subject  of  our  sketch. 

Henry  M.  was  fairly  educated  in  his  youth,  his 
studies  not  being  completed  at  the  time  of  the  late 
war.  In  May,  1861,  when  but  eighteen  years  old, 
he  determined  to  go  into  the  army,  and  accordingly 
enlisted  in  Co.  D,  171st  Ohio  Vol.  Inf.,  but  was 
captured  by  Morgan,  the  raider,  during  the  sum- 
mer, and  being  paroled  returned  home.  He  after- 
ward came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents,  and  in 
February,  1865,  re-enlisted  in  Co.  G,  151st  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war.  After 
his  honorable  discharge  he  returned  to  Rantouland 
was  occupied  as  a  carpenter  until  1 870,  when  he 
engaged  in  the  hardware  trade,  and  a  year  later 
embarked  in  the  lumber  business.  In  1872  he 
opened  a  grocery  store  which  he  carried  on  two 
years,  then  sold  out  and  purchased  the  Rantoul 
Nursery  which,  in  connection  with  bee-keeping,  he 
has  carried  on  successfully  and  which  is  a  source  of 
pleasure  as  well  as  profit. 

Mr.  Morris  was  married,  Oct.  7,  1868,  to  Miss 
Harriet  N.  Myers,  who  was  born  in  Dansville,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  13,  1847,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Theresa  (Gardner)  Myers.  Of  this  union  there  are 
six  children — Charles  M.,  Ethelroy  B.,  Mabel  L., 
Keith  G.,  Helen  F.  and  Thereua  Rose.  Our  subject 
is  Republican  in  politics,  and  with  his  wife,  is  a 
member  in  good  standing  of  the  Congregational 
Church. 


AVID  PEABODY,  an  enterprising  and 
prosperous  farmer  of  St.  Joseph  Township, 
and  whose  portrait  is  presented  on  the  op- 
posite page,  is  pleasantly  located  on  sec- 
tion 13,  where  he  has  a  good  farm  of  208  acres  and 
is  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  of  life.  His  his- 
tory, briefly  narrated,  is  substantially  as  follows: 
The  Peabodys  were  originally  from  Scotland.  Our 
subject  was  born  in  Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  Sept. 
11,  1833,  and  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  New 


England,  of  which  his  grandfather.  Stephen  Pea- 
body,  was  a  native,  having  been  born  in  Massachu- 
|  setts.  From  there,  when  a  young  man,  he  removed 
to  Scottsville,  N.  Y.,  thence  to  Pennsylvania,  and 
from  there  to  Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  where  he 
permanently  located,  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days.  He  married  a  Miss  Clark,  and  they 
reared  a  family  of  three  daughters  and  four  sons. 
Among  the  latter  was  Adolphus  A.,  who  was  born 
in  New  York,  accompanied  his  father  to  Indiana 
when  a  lad  fourteen  years  old,  there  'grew  to  man- 
hood, and  married  Miss  Permelia  Lester,  who  be- 
came the  mother  of  our  subject.  Her  parents  were 
David  and  '  Sarah  ( Applebee)  Lester,  of  German 
descent. 

After  their  marriage  the  parents  of  our  subject 
remained  residents  of  Switzerland  County,  Ind., 
until  the  spring  of  1834,  then  removed  to  La  Gro, 
Wabash  Co.,  Ind.,  where  the  death  of  the  father 
took  place  in  1880,  when  he  was  seventy-eight 
years  of  age,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  1802. 
The  wife  and  mother  is  still  living,  making  her 
home  in  La  Gro,  Ind.  She  was  bom  in  1811,  and 
by  her  marriage  with  Adolphus  Peabody  became 
the  mother  of  eight  children,  five  sons  and  three 
daughters  Of  these,  one  died  in  infancy.  Sarah, 
the  wife  of  Joseph  Pratt,  is  a  resident  of  Wabash 
County,  Ind. ;  David,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  twin 
of  his  sister  Sarah ;  Hiram  is  now  deceased ;  Edward 
and  Cyrus  are  living  on  a  farm  in  Wabash  County, 
Ind. ;  Mary  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Stoops,  of  that 
county;  William  A.,  the  youngest,  is  farming  in 
La  Gro  Township,  Ind. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  David  Peabody  were 
spent  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  sons,  at- 
tending the  district  school  in  winter,  and  assisting 
his  parents  around  the  homestead  the  balance  of 
the  year.  After  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  he 
enlisted  in  Co.  G,  72d  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  followed 
the  vicissitudes  of  army  life  for  three  years.  He 
was  present  at  some  of  the  most  important  battles 
of  the  war,  namely,  Champion  Hills,  Black  River, 
and  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  where  he 
was  detailed  as  a  sharpshooter.  Afterward  he  went 
to  Nashville  and  Franklin,  Tenn.,  where  the  enemy 
was  met  and  vanquished,  and  after  various  other 
engagements  and  skirmishes,  in  which  he  was  fortu- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


in  escaping  without  a  wi.und  or  imprisonment, 
one  day  there  came  nous  of  the  final  surrender  of 
Lee's  army,  and  he  and  his  comrades  not  long  after- 
ward received  their  honorable  discharge. 

After  being  mustered  out  of  service  Mr.  Pea- 
body  returned  to  this  county  and  began  making- 
preparations  for  the  establishment  of  a  future  home. 
One  of  the  first  important  steps  was  his  marriage, 
in  1868,  to  Miss  Anna  Ilillegas,  who  was  a  native 
of  Wabash  County,  Ind.T  and  the  daughter  of  Jon- 
athan and  Mary  E.  (Brosier)  Ilillegas.  The  latter 
were  of  German  descent,"  but  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Our  subject  and  his  bride  located  not  long 
afterward  upon  the  farm  which  has  since  remained 
their  permanent  dwelling-place,  and  in  the  commu- 
nity with  whose  interests  they  have  been  identified 
for  a  period  of  nearly  twenty  years.  Upon  thjs 
Mr.  P.  has  effected  all  the  improvements  which  now 
attract  the  eye  of  the  passer-by,  and  which  consti- 
tutes one  of  the  most  desirable  homesteads  in  St. 
Joseph  Township.  The  household  circle  includes 
one  daughter  and  two  sous,  namely,  Eugene  F., 
Charles  A.  and  Mary  Bertha. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  at  St.  Joseph,  and  Mr.  P. 
belongs  to  St.  Joseph  Post  No.  220,  G.  A.  R.,  in 
which  he  takes  great  interest.  He  is  one  of  the 
valuable  factors  of  the  community  which  has  known 
him  long  and  well,  and  by  whom  he  is  held  in  the 
highest  respect.  In  politics  he  is  an  uncompro- 
mising Republican. 


R.  WILLIAM  A.  CONKEY,  one  of  the 
honored  pioneers  of  Illinois,  came  to  the 
State  with  his  parents  in  1830,  nearly  fift}'- 
seven  years  ago.  The  face  of  the  country 
at  that  time  was  vastly  different  from  the  picture 
which  it  now  presents,  and  our  subject,  in  common 
with  other  sons  of  pioneers,  is  in  possession  of  a 
rich  experienc'e  dating  over  a  long  period,  during 
which  he  has  witnessed  changes  more  strange  than 
fiction.  He  commenced  life  in  a  modest  manner, 
lias  kept  full  pace  with  the  march  of  progress  and 
civilization,  and  is  now  numbered  among  the  ex- 
tensive farmers  and  stock-growers  of  the  Prairie 


State.  His  property  embraces  400  acres  of  finely 
cultivated  land  on  section  7,  Homer  Township,  a 
part  of  which  lie  took  possession  of  in  1852.  He 
afterward  added  to  his  real  estate  as  time  passed  on 
and  his  means  accumulated,  improving  his  land  with 
shapely  and  substantial  buildings,  enclosing  the 
fields  with  fences,  and  supplying  all  the  requisites 
of  a  first-class  country  estate. 

Dr.  Conkey  is  of  New  England  birth  and  parent- 
age, having  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  in 
Franklin  County,  Mass.,  Dec.  6,  1820,  and  being 
the  son  of  Alexanderand  Lucy«(McCulloch)  Con- 
key,  who  were  also  natives  of  the  Bay  State.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  who  was  born  Nov.  1,  1789, 
came  to  Illinois  with  his  family  in  1830,  and  lo- 
cated first  in  Edgar  County.  Although  a  stone  cut- 
ter by  trade  he  engaged  in  farming  after  coming  to 
Illinois,  and  was  thus  occupied  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  Nov.  9,  1859.  He  was  a  man  of 
much  force  of  character,  decidedly  orthodox  in  his 
views  religiously,  and  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  which  he  held  the  office  of  Deacon  for 
many  years.  He  was  a  great  admirer  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  with  which  he 
united  when  a  young  man.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  was  born  March  11,  1789,  the  same  year  as 
her  husband,  and  passed  away  the  same  year  in 
which  he  died,  her  decease  occurring  in  July.  She 
was  a  most  worthy  Christian  lady,  who  sympathized 
with  her  husband  in  his  views  and  beliefs. 

Of  the  union  of  Alexander  and  Lucy  Conkey 
there  were  born  four  children,  of  whom  the  record 
is  as  follows:  The  eldest  son,  Otis'  M.,  was  first 
married  to  Miss  Naomi  Morton,  who 'died  three  or 
four  years  afterward ;  he  next  married  Miss  Sarah 
Taylor.  Hyslop  A.  was  married  thrice;  his  first 
wife,  Miss  Zilpha  Sweet,  lived  only  a  few  years,  and 
he  was  then  married  to  Miss  Jane  Keyes;  this  lady 
also  survived  but  a  short  time,  and  for  his  third 
wife  he  married  Miss  Esther  Bales.  Lusetta  S.  mar- 
ried Alanson  Baldwin,  and  is  now  deceased  ;  William 
A.  is  our  subject. 

William  A.  Conkey  was  a  lad  of  ten  years  when 
his  parents  made  the  long  journey  from  Massachu- 
setts to  Illinois,  but  he  still  remembers  many  of 
the  incidents  connected  therewith,  especially  the 
camping  at  night  and  cooking  by  the  wa3Tside,  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


913. 


making  their  beds  in  the  wagons.  He  remained  a 
member  of  the  parental  household  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age.  and  then  started  out  to  make  his 
own  way  in  life  with  a  small  capital  of  12.50,  with 
which  lie  purchased  .1  town  lot  in  what  is  now  the 
village  of  Homer.  His  boyhood  and  youth,  aside 
from  the  ordinary  farm  labors,  had  been  partially 
spent  in  attendance  at  the  school  carried  on  in  a  log 
cabin,  and  later,  having  a  taste  for  the  study  of 
medicine,  he  repaired  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  after 
taking  a  course  in  the  college  there,  was  pronounced 
fitted  for  the  duties  of  the  profession.  After  inak- 
ing  a  trial  of  this  for  a  period  of  nine  years,  during 
which  time  he  could  not  really  interest  himself  in 
the  profession,  he  abandoned  it  and  turned  his  at- 
tention to  farming.  In  this  latter  he  has  been 
greatly  prospered,  as  his  fine  farm  of  400  acres,  with 
its  well-kept  stock  and  ample  buildings,  gives  evi- 
dence. A  view  of  the  place  is  shown  in  this  work. 
He  has  among  his  herd  of  Short-horn  cattle  some 
of  the  finest  animals  in  Central  Illinois,  and  both  as 
a  farmer  and  stock-grower  has  attained  an  enviable 
reputation  in  this  section  of  the  State. 

Dr.  Conkey  has  also  been  prominent  in  the  affairs 
of  his  township,  representing  it  on  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  ten  3Tears  in  succession,  serving  as  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  and  Commissioner  of  Highways, 
and  being  called  upon  to  assist  in  many  of  its  im- 
portant measures  for  the  general  good.  Upon  first 
exercising  the  right  of  suffrage  he  cast  his  vote  with 
the  old-line  Whigs,  but  upon  the  abandonment  of 
the  old  party  cheerfully  endorsed  the  principles  of 
the  one  built  upon  its  ruins,  and  has  been  a  true- 
blue  Republican  since  the  organization  of  the  party. 
Socially  he  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  having  attained  to  the  3d  degree, 
and  has  also  occupied  various  important  offices 
among  the  brethren,  being  now  connected  with 
Homer  Lodge  No.  199. 

While  a  resident  of  Edgar  County,  111.,  Mr.  Con- 
key  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mi.<s  Elizabeth  Wil- 
son, who  became  his  wife  on  the  19th  of  November, 
1843.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  born  two  chil- 
dren, both  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  the  mother 
also  passing  to  the  other  life  soon  afterward.  Her 
death  occurred  Aug-.  15,  1847,  when  she  was  about' 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  her  birth  having  taken 


place  Jiil}-  21,  Ksi!>.  The  second  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject, to  whom  he  was  married  May  31,  1849,  was 
formerly  Miss  Sarah  V.  Saddler,  a  Virginia  lady, 
born  Nov.  20,  1827,  and  the  daughter  of  William 
and  Keziah  (Brooks)  Saddler,  also  natives  of  the 
Old  Dominion.  They  removed  from  there  to  Illi- 
nois in  1840,  locating  in  Vermilion  County,  where 
the  death  of  the  mother  occurred  some  years  later. 
Mr.  Saddler  afterward  removed  to  Champaign 
County,  where  he  died  in  about  1863.  The  chil- 
dren of  this  household  were  John  C.  H.,  William  I., 
Jane  E.,  Sarah  V.  and  Lucy. 

Dr.  Conkey  came  to  Homer  Township  from  Ed- 
gar County  in  1843.  The  family  of  nine  children 
born  to  himself  and  wife  is  recorded  as  follows: 
Aubert  J.,the  eldest,  married  Miss  Susan  E.  Butler; 
Byron  M.  died  when  four  years  of  age;  Francis, 
born  Dec.  3,  1854,  died  on  the  23d  of  February 
following;  Lucy  was  born  Dec.  1.  1856;  Bruce  T., 
April  27,  1859;  Carl,  July  10,  18G1 ;  Emma  S.,  born 
Nov.  3,  1863,  became  the  wife  of  E.  P.  Babb, 
on  the  9th  of  October,  1884;  Frank  M.  was  born 
May  3,  1868,  and  Fred  B.,  Oct.  24,  1870.  These 
children  constitute  a  fine  family,  having  inherited 
the  business  ability  of  their  father  and  the  virtues 
of  their  mother. 


i  NTHON Y  COYLE,  the  descendant  of  an  old 
family  dating  back  to  the  Revolutionary 
War,  is  one  ol  the  prominent-farmers  and 
stock:growers  of  Kerr  Township.  He  was 
born  April  5,  1840,  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  is  the 
son  ot  Martin  and  Mary  (Goian)  Coyle.  Martin 
Coyle  was  born  in  Maryland,  of  which  State  his 
father.  John  Coyle,  was  also  a  native.  His  mother, 
Catherine,  was  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mar- 
garet Goian,  of  North  Carolina. 

Both  of  Anthony  Coyle's  grandfathers  served 
"in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  likewise  in.  the  War 
of  1812.  Martin  Coyle,  his  father,  was  a  wholesale 
merchant  in  Baltimore,  and  died  when  Anthony 
was  but  eight  years  of  age.  Deprived  of  his  father's 
protection  and  care  he  left  home  at  the  age  of 
twelve  years  to  begin  the  battle  of  life  for  himself. 
He  first  visited  some  relatives  in  Wheeling,  W.  Va., 


t 


'   914 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


for  whom  he  worked  for  a  short  time.  Thence  he 
went  to  Warwick,  near  Xanesville,  Ohio,  and  there 
engaged  in  teaming.  In  the  spring  of  1854  he 
came  to  Chicago,  and  thence  two  months  later,  re- 
turned to  Ohio,  sojourning  for  a  brief  time  in 
Barnesville,  but  finding  no  favorable  opening  for 
business  there  he  returned  the  same  autumn  to 
Illinois,  and  located  in  Urbami,  this  county,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  for  Charles  McKinney.  He 
worked  in  this  manner  for  various  parties '  until 
1859,  when  he  was  engaged  for  two  years  as  assist- 
ant in  managing  the  farm  of  F.  B.  Battles,  in  Har- 
wood  Township.  In  the  fall  of  1860  he  went  to 
New  Orleans,  and  for  a  time  engaged  in  teaming. 

While  completing  arrangements  for  buying  horses 
in  Illinois  and  shipping  them  South,  Mr.  Coyle's 
negotiations  were  cut  short  by  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Civil  War.  He  then  returned  to  Illinois  and 
resumed  farming.  But  having  descended  from  a 
military  ancestry,  his  patriotism  prevailed  and  he 
entered  the  service  of  his  country,  enlisting  July 
10,  1801,  in  Co.  D,  2d  111.  Vol.  Cav.,  under  Capt. 
Charles  E.  Verrick.  He  served  until  June  14, 
1863,  when  he  was  discharged  on  account  of  disa- 
bility, having  received  a  gunshot  wound  Dec.  20, 
1862,  at  Holly  Springs,  Miss.  He  had  been  with 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  during  the  entire  time  of 
his  service,  and  was  with  Grant  at  Holly  Springs, 
when  his  supplies  were  all  destroyed  by  the  rebel 
General,  Van  Doru. 

Mr.  Coyle  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Georgiana  Kuder,  Nov.  1C,  1863.  Mrs.  C.  was  the 
youngest  child  of  Solomon  and  Frances  (Skinner) 
Kuder,  natives  of  Ohio.  For  three  years  Mr.  C. 
had  the  management  of  his  father-in-law's  .farm. 
On  the  29th  of  October,  1864,  his  beloved  wife  was 
removed  by  death,  leaving  one  child,  George  Solo- 
mon, who  is  now  deceased.  June  14,  1866,  Mr.  C. 
was  married  the  second  time,  to  Miss  Amanda  J. 
Kuder,  the  youngest  daughter  of  John  and  Cornelia 
(Edson)  Kuder,  natives  of  North  Carolina.  In 
1868  he  made  his  first  purchase  of  land,  which  con- 
sisted of  forty  acres  of  wild  prairie  iii  Kerr  Town- 
ship, located  on  section  32.  He  has  remained  here 
since  the  winter  of  1809,  cultivating  and  improving 
his  farm,  to  which  he  has  in  the  meantime  added 
forty  acres. 


To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coyle  there  were  born  four 
children,  only  two  of  whom  are  living,  namely. 
Clara  Permelia  and  John  Franklin.  The  deceased 
are  Mary  Frances  and  Joseph  Benjamin.  Mr.  Coyle 
is  actively  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising, 
giving  special  attention  to  breeding  Bertrand  and 
Messenger  horses,  and  Poland-China  hogs.  He  is 
also  interested  in  public  affairs,  having  served  four 
terms  as  Supervisor,  six  years  as  Road  Commis- 
sioner, seven  as  School  Trustee,  and  about  six  as 
Director.  He  belongs  to  the  Democratic  party  and 
takes  an  active  part  in  local  politics.  Himself  and 
wife  are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 


EORGE  H.  REED.  The  history  of  this 
gentleman,  who  is  well  known  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Rantoul,  as  a  skillful  breeder  of  Per- 
cheron  horses,  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light 
near  the  town  of  Marcellus  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  March  15,  1833.  He  is  of  English  ancestry, 
and  his  paternal  great-grandfather  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Massachusetts  during  the  early  settlement 
of  New  England.  He  married  and  reared  a  fam- 
ily. and  among  his  sons  was  Zebulon,  who  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Tracy.  They  reared  a  family  of 
two  sons  and  five  daughters,  among  them  being 
Jonathan,  the  father  of  our  subject.  The  latter 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Concord,  Mass.,  in  1804, 
and  became,  with  his  parents,  a  resident  of  Marcel- 
lus, N.  Y.,  four  years  later.  He  is  still  living,  an 
energetic  and  active  old  gentleman,  eighty-three 
years  of  age. 

Our  subject  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native 
county,  and  when  twenty-three  years  of  age  started 
out  for  himself,  drifting  westward,  and  finally  en- 
gaged as  traveling  salesman  for  a  commission  house 
in  Toledo,  Ohio.  In  1859  he  returned  to  his  na- 
tive town,  having  chosen  one  of  its  daughters  for 
his  future  wife.  This  lady  was  Miss  Martha, 
daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  Sarr.  They  were 
married  in  1859,  and  took  up  their  residence  in 
Cayuga  County,  where  Mr.  Reed  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  remained  there  until  1868,  when  he  came 
into  this  county  and  purchased  a  farm  on  section 
17,  in  Ludlow  Township,  lie  followed  agricult- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


915   t 


ural  pursuits  until  the  fall  of  1871,  and  then,  de- 
siring to  change  his  occupation,  left  the  farm  in 
charge  of  a  tenant,  and  going  into  Rantoul,  pur- 
chased vehicles  and  horses  and  engaged  in  the  liv- 
ery business.  lie  was  thus  occupied  for  perhaps  a 
vear,  and  then  became  interested  in  Percheron 
horses,  to  the  breeding  of  which  ho  turned  his  at- 
tention, and  to  which  he  seems  eminently  fitted, 
judging  from  the  success  with  which  he  has  oper- 
ated. Among  his  favorites  are  Comet,  a  jet  black; 
Charles,  dark  gray,  and  Oliver,  still  darker  and 
dappled.  These  creatures  are  of  magnificent  pro- 
portions, and  the  owner  may  readily  be  pardoned 
for  his  pride  in  them.  The  business  consumes  the 
larger  portion  of  his  time. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed,  four  in  num- 
ber —  Grace  A.,  George  II.,  Jr.,  Blanche  M.  and 
Kate  S.  —  are  all  living  at  home  with  their  parents. 
and  form  a  bright  and  interesting  family.  The 
parental  family  of  our  subject  included  six  sons 
and  five  daughters,  all  of  whom  lived  to  mature 
years  and  nine  still  survive.  They  are  located 
mostly  in  the  East,  and  all  have  comfortable  homes 
while  living  honest  and  worthy  lives,  in  accordance 
with  the  early  training  received  from  their  excel- 
lent parents. 


REDERICK  A.  BEISSER,  a  successful  and 
skillful  market  gardener  of  Champaign 
Township,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  section 
since  the  spring  of  1855,  and  a  year  later  located 
on  the  snug  homestead  which  he  now  owns  and  oc- 
cupies. Here  he  has  a  good  frame  house,  and  for 
the  prosecution  of  his  calling,  has  nine  greenhouses. 
He  raises  the  first  vegetables  of  each  season,  and 
finds  a  good  market  for  his  earliest  produce  at  the 
city  of  Chicago.  Later  in  the  season  he  sells  veg- 
etables at  Champaign  and  Urbana.  He  has  a  good 
understanding  of  his  business,  seems  naturally 
adapted  to  it.  and  takes  pride  iu  producing  the 
finest  specimens  of  the  garden  and  greenhouse. 

Mr.  Beisser  was  born  in  the  Province  of  Saxony, 
Prussia,  Aug.  12,  1825,  and  five  years  later  re- 
moved with  his  parents  to  Brandenburg,  where  he 
attended  school  until  fourteen  years  old.  The 
family  then  returned  to  Saxony,  locating  in  the 


city  of  Magdeburg,  where  he  lived  until  eighteen 
years  old.  His  parents  soon  afterward  began  to 
make  preparations  to  emigrate  to  the  United  States, 
and  on  the  10th  of  July  following,  set  sail  from 
Hamburg,  arriving  in  New  York  on  the  20th  of 
September,  after  a  very  stormy  passage.  They 
proceeded  to  Buffalo,  via  the  Hudson  River  and 
Erie  Canal,  and  remained  residents  of  that  city 
for  three  years.  From  there  they  removed  to  Ma- 
lioning  County,  Ohio,  whence,  after  four  years 
they  removed  to  Cleveland,  and  were  residents  of 
the  Forest  City  for  seven  years  following.  In  1855 
they  came  to  this  county.  The  mother  died  a 
short  time  afterward.  The  father  then  returned  to 
Cleveland,  where  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life. 

While  in  Mahoning  County,  Ohio,  Mr.  Beisser 
was  employed  in  a  coal  mine,  and  after  taking  up 
his  residence  in  Cleveland,  engaged  as  clerk  in  a 
drug-store,  remaining  six  years  under  one  employer. 
In  the  meantime  he  gained  a  good  understanding 
of  the  business,  and  then  set  up  a  store  for  himself. 
This  was  destroyed  by  fire  eighteen  months  later, 
and  having  lost  all  his  possessions,  he  concluded 
to  emigrate  to  the  farther  West.  Coming  into 
Champaign  County,  he  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  gen- 
eral store,  where  he  was  employed  for  six  months, 
and  then  became  connected  with  the  mechanical 
department  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  inost 
of  his  time  being  occupied  in  repairing.  After 
two  years  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  a  gang  of 
men  in  Ettingham  County.  After  a  year  thus  em- 
ployed, he  purchased  a  tract  of  unimproved  prairie 
land  on  section  24,  in  Champaign  Township,  which, 
after  another  3rear,  he  sold  out,  and  in  1858  took 
possession  of  his  present  place.  Upon  this  he  has 
effected  marked  improvements,  and  is  doing  a  prof- 
itable and  steadily  increasing  business,  enlarging 
each  year  his  facilities  for  the  raising  of  choice 
garden  products.  .He  is^  universally  respected  by 
his  fellow-townsmen,  and  in  politics  inclines  to 
Democratic  principles,  making  it  a  point,  however, 
to  cast  his  vote  for  the  men  whom  he  believes  to 
be  the  best  qualified  for  office.  He  commenced  in 
life  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  and  has  attained  to  a 
good  position  in  the  community,  with  an  assured 
competency  for  his  old  age. 

Mr.   Beisser   was  married    in   Buffalo, 


falo,  N.   V.,  in    •  I 

^IU 


I 


916 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


184(5,  to  Miss  Amelia  Mcissner.  Mrs.  Beisser  .was 
born  in  the  Province  of  Silesia,  Prussia.  They 
have  no  children  of  their  own,  but  are  supplying 
the  place  of  kind  parents  to  an  adopted  son,  Robert 
J.  Fieg. 


pILLIAM  J.  PETERS,  a  representative  of 
one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  Champaign 
County,  was  born  on  his  father's  home- 
stead in  St.  Joseph  Township,  Feb.  3,  1834.  Here 
William  Peters,  Sr.,  first  settled  in  1827,  making 
his  first  purchase  of  eighty  acres  with  five  yoke  of 
oxen.  He  afterward  added  to  his  real  estate,  and 
in  due  time  had  a  good  farm  of  120  acres,  which 
to-day  bears  fair  comparison  with  the  homesteads 
adjacent.  The  family  residence  is  a  substantial  and 
roomy  structure,  two  stories  in  height,  and  with  its 
adjoining  out-buildings  invaria'bly  attracts  the 
attention  of  the  passer-by.  The  stock  and  farm 
machinery  are  of  the  best  description,  and  the 
entire  premises  indicates  the  industry  and  taste  of 
the  proprietor. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  William  and  Sarah 
(McNutt)  Peters,  who  were  born  in  Kentucky, 
emigrated  from  the  Blue  Grass  regions  to  Indiana, 
whence  they  moved  to  Champaign  County,  in 
1827,  locating  three  miles  south  of  the  present 
town  site  of  St.  Joseph,  on  section  19.  Here  Mr. 
Peters  lived  and  toiled  industriously  until  1802, 
when  he  rested  from  his  earthly  labors.  The  wife 
and  mother  survived  several  years,  her  death  finally 
taking  place  on  the  old  homestead.  Their  thirteen 
children  all  lived  to  maturity  and  included  seven 
sons  and  six  daughters.  Of  these  one  died  when 
about  nineteen  years  old;  eleven  married,  and  have 
families  of  their  own. 

_  William  J.  Peters,  who  was  the  seventh  child  of 
his  parents,  was  reared  on  the  homestead,  educated 
in  the  district  school,  and  remained  with  his  par- 
rents  until  reaching  his  majority.  lie  then  located 
upon  the  eighty  acres  which  constitutes  a  part  of 
his  present  homestead,  where  he  commenced  tilling 
the  soil  on  his  own  account  and  was  prospered. 
After  he  had  laid  the  foundation  for  a  future  home, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jemima 
Penny,  in  the  spring  of  1858,  and  they  took  uj> 


their  residence  on  his  first  purchase.  The  wife  of 
our  subject  was  born  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  in 
1840,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rhoda  A. 
(Johnson)  Penny. 

The  household  of  Mr.  Peters  and  his  wife  was 
gradually  enlarged  until  eleven  little  ones  had  been 
added  to  the  family.  Of  these  but  eight  are  now 
living,  namely,  Henry  C.,  who  married  Miss  Susan 
M.  Foreman,  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Piatt  County  ; 
Joseph  R.,  who  married  Miss  Mary  Stanner;  Will- 
iam A.,  who  married  Mary  L.  Harvey;  Sarah  E., 
Eliza  J.,  wife  of  William  Ridinjer;  Cyrus  E., 
Elizabeth  A. ,  Arlis  O.  John  C.,  the  eldest  child, 
died  in  infancy ;  Amanda  C.,  when  three  years  old, 
and  Addie  F.,  in  infancy. 

Mr,  Peters  has  been  a  useful  member  of  his  com- 
munity, serving  as  Commissioner  of  Highways, 
Road  Overseer,  School  Director,  and  in  other  posi- 
tions where  his  clear  head  and  cool  judgment 
proved  of  great  benefit  to  his  fellow-citizens.  He 
was  reared  in  the  Democratic  faith,  to  which  he 
still  adheres,  although  meddling  little  with  politics, 
except  to  exercise  the  rights  and  duties  of  a  free- 
born  American  citizen  at  the  polls. 


K.  LARGENT  is  the  owner  of  a 
111  (=-,  fine  estate  containing  ICO  acres,  located  on 
^^j|)*  section  23,  Urbana  Township.  He  is  the 
descendant  of  an  old  Virginia  f ami  13-,  and  was  born 
Oct.  2,  1833,  in  Hampshire  County,  W.  Va.,  twen- 
ty-six miles  east  of  Romney.  His  parents  were 
natives  of  Virginia,  and  never  left  that  State.  His 
father,  Lewis  Largent,  was  twice  married.  His  sec- 
ond wife  was  the  daughter  of  Abner  Clark,  and 
the  mother  of  George  K.  The  families  of  each  mar- 
riage comprised  sixteen  children. 

George  Lnrgent  was  brought  up  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Hampshire  County,  and  remained  at  home 
until  his  twenty-second  year,  when  his  marriage 
with  Aliss  Naomi  Harmon  took  place.  Airs.  Lar- 
gent is  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Harmon,  a  resident 
of  Pcndleton  County',  W.  Va.  During  the  progress 
of  the  Civil  War.  Mr.  Largent  lost  all  of  his  proper- 
ty; his  horses  and  cattle  were  captured  and  his  place  i 


f. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


917 


;  laid  waste  by  the  confederate  troops.  His  business 
was  fit  broken  up  by  this  disaster  that  in  August, 
18(52,  he  left  the  South  and  removed  to  Peoria 
County.  111.  After  remaining  there  three  years  he 
changed  his  residence,  in  1868,  to  Philo  Township, 
Champaign  County,  where  for  six  years  lie  con- 
ducted a  rented  farm.  Having  recovered  from  his 
financial  etn harassment  he  then  purchased  his  present 
homestead.  His  land  is  in  a  fine. state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  well  improved,  and  he  is  chiefly  engaged 
in  general  farming. 

Our  subject  and  wife  have  had  a  family  of  seven 
children.  The  first  i»orn,  Jacob  W.,  died  in  his 
twenty-first  year;  Elizabeth  C.  is  the  wife  of  Mr. 
lihinehard,  a  resident  of  this  county;  Samuel  D.  is 
Principal  of  the  High  School  at  Tolono;  George  G. 
is  a  prosperous  farmer  residing  in  Philo  Township; 
John  A.  is  a  teacher  of  high  standing  in  his  profes- 
sion; Charles  A.  is  an  active,  enterprising  farmer, 
and  Rosa  M.  resides  at  home  with  her  parents.  Mrs. 
Largent  and  two  of  her  sons  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Almost  at  the  beginning  of  his  business  career 
Mr.  Largent  was  seriously  crippled  in  resources  by 
the  devastations  of  war,  which,  wherever  it  sweeps 
through  a  country  leaves  misery  and  desolation  in 
its  track;  anguish  and  sorrow  are  its  heritage,  and 
it  will  3'et  be  many  years  before  the  country  re- 
covers from  the  clash  of  arms  which  shook  the  Re- 
public from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Through 
trial  and  adversity,  Mr.  Largent  has  born  himself 
with  the  courage  of  a  brave  man.  and  by  energy 
and  industry  has  to  a  great  extent  retrieved  the 
losses  of  .the  past. 


ETER  MYERS,  deceased.  The  subject  of 
the  following  history  located  in  Rantoul 
Township  during  the  pioneer  days  and  be- 
came closely  identified  with  its  develop- 
He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  abil- 
ity, and  was  at  once  recognized  as  eminently  fitted 
to  be  a  leader  of  the  community.  After  occupying 
the  minor  ollices  of  the  towiiship  he  was.  in  l.su.s, 
elected  as  Sheriff  of  Champaign  County,  the  duties 
of  which  ofllcc  he  discharged  in  a  creditable  man- 


men. 


ner  for  a  period  of  two  years.  lie  was  reared  to 
farming  pursuits  which,  however,  he  only  followed 
about  five  years  after  his  marriage,  his  mind  in- 
clining more  to  trade  than  agriculture,  and  during 
the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  was  engaged  mostly  in 
the  lumber  business,  his  transactions  extending 
over  a  large  section  of  country. 

Mr.  Myers  was  a  native  of  Greenbush,  Rens- 
selaer  Co.,  N..  Y.,  born  Nov.  19,  1809.  His  father, 
Peter  Myers,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Dutchess  County,  N. 
Y.,  and  his  grandfather,  also  named  Peter,  was  of 
German  parentage,  the  exact  location  of  his  birth 
not  being  known.  He  carried  on  a  farm  in  Dutch- 
ess  County  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then  retired 
to  Greenbush,  where  he  spent  his  last  days.  His 
sons  followedjn  his  footsteps,  also  tilling  the  soil. 
The  father  of  our  subject  carried  on  farming  for  a 
number  of  years  in  Rensselaer  County,  and  then 
retiring  to  the  village  of  Greenbush,  spent  his  last 
years  in  peace  and  quiet.  His  children  were  eight 
in  number,  four  of  whom  survive. 

Peter  Myers,  of  this  sketch,  remained  under  the 
home  roof  until' reaching  manhood,  and  upon  start- 
ing out  in  life  for  himself  made  it  his  first  business 
to  secure  a  companion  and  helpmeet  to  share  his 
fortunes.  The  maiden  of  his  choice,  Miss  Theresa 
Gardner,  became  his  wife  Sept.  1,  1835,  and  the 
following  year,  with  a  team  of  horses  and  a  wagon, 
they  went  overland  into  Genesee  County,  and 
located  upon  a  farm  which  they  occupied  for  five 
years.  Mr:  Myers  then  began  dealing  in  lumber, 
his  operations  commencing  at  Portage,  N.  Y.  In 
1840  he  removed  to  Dansville,  Livingston  Co., 
N.  Y.,  where  he  resided  until  1850,  and  thence  re- 
moved to  Caniiiteo,  Steuben  County,  where  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  a  sawmill,  which  he  conducted 
until  1 855.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  he  migrated 
to  this  State  and  county,  purchasing  a  tract  of  wild 
land  in  Tolono  Township,  which  he  occupied  two 
and  one-half  years,  effecting  what  improvement  he 
could  in  that  short  time.  He  then  removed  to  the 
ci'.ty  of  Champaign,  where  his  family  resided  two 
and  one-half  years,  Mr.  Myers  in  the  meantime  es- 
tablishing a  lumber  trade  at  Rantoul.  In  1801  he 
took  up  his  residence  at  Rantoul,  where  his  death 
occured  Jan.  31,  1880. 

Mr.  Myers  was  a  man  of  decided  views  upon  all 


T 


918 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


matters  of  general  interest,  and  before  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Republicans  was  an  old-line  Whig. 
After  the  abandonment  of  that  party  he  cast  his 
lot  with  the  Republicans,  and  was  by  them  elected 
Sheriff  in  1868,  serving  his  full  term.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  were  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Congregational  Church  at  Rantoul.  Mrs.  Myers  is 
a  native  of  Stephentown,  RensselaerCo.,N.  Y.,  born 
July  22,  1815.  Her  father,  Lodowick  Gardner, 
was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  in  which  State  his 
father  located  soon  after  his  marriage.  A  few 
years  afterward  they  went  to  Rensselaer  County, 
and  took  up  a  tract  of  timber  land,  in  the  cultiva- 
tion and  improvement  of  which  Grandfather  Gard- 
ner was  engaged  the  remainder  of  his  life.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  M.  grew  to  manhood  in  Rensselaer 
County,  was  married  and  reared  his  family  in 
Stephentown,  where  he  died  in  about  1824.  Her 
mother,  who  was  formerly  Miss  Chloe  Bull,  was  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  and  the  daughter  of  Abner 
Bull,  who  removed  from  that  State  to  Rensselaer 
County,  N.  Y.,  during  its  early  .settlement,  and 
there  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  years. 

Two  children  were  born  to  our  subject  and  wife : 
Harriet  N.,  the  wife  of  H.  M.  Morris,  of  Rautoul, 
and  Helen  T.,  a  teacher  of  music,  who  resides  with 
her  mother.  They  occupy  a  pleasant  home  within 
the  village  limits,  and  enjoy  the  society  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends. 


5>ILLIAM  FLETCHER.  In  presenting  this 
biographical  notice  of  one  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  Champaign  County,  and  a  gen- 
tleman who  thoroughly  represents  its  progressive 
element,  it  is  well  to  advert  to  the  life  story  of 
those  from  whom  he  drew  his  origin.  Joseph 
Fletcher,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Kirby  Moorside,  Yorkshire,  England,  Sept.  27,  1 781. 
His  parents  were  William  and  Elizabeth  Fletcher, 
also  natives  of  Yorkshire,  where  they  spent  their 
entire  lives,  and  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  church- 
yard at  Kirby  Moorside.  They  left  as  a  legacy  to 
their  children  a  record  of  kindly  and  upright  lives, 


which  were  spent  in  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  agri- 
culture. 

Joseph  Fletcher,  after  liis  marriage,  located  in 
the  parish  of  Normanby,  where  he  engaged  in  fann- 
ing until  1855.  That  year,  on  the  1st  of  April, 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  seven  children,  he  set 
sail  for  the  United  States,  and  after  a  safe  voyage 
landed  in  New  York  City  on  the  1st  of  May.  He 
had  a  few  hundred  dollars  in  his  possession,  and 
coming  directly  to  Illinois  purchased  200  acres  of 
land  in  Mason  County,  and  entered  eighty  acres 
more  from  the  Government.  Of  this,  eighty  acres 
were  partially  improved.  The  balance  had  never 
been  turned  by  the  plowshare.  After  providing  a 
suitable  dwelling  for  his  family  he  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
land,  and  during  the  time  of  his  residence  there 
brought  240  acres  to  a  condition  where  it  yields  in 
abundance  the  choicest  products  of  the  Prairie  State. 
Having  now  accumulated  a  competency  for  his 
declining  years,  he  rented  his  farm  and  repaired  to 
the  home  of  his  son,  our  subject,  in  this  county, 
where  with  his  faithful  companion  and  the  mother 
of  his  children,  he  resided  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  22,  1882.  He  was  a  man  greatly 
esteemed  for  his  excellent  personal  traits  of  char- 
acter, his  correct  and  temperate  habits,  and  his  un- 
compromising honesty.  The  mother,  a  lady  of 
more  than  ordinary  intelligence',  is  still  living,  and 
is  now  eighty-four  years  of  age.  Her  faculties  are 
preserved  to  a  remarkable  degree  and  she  still  pos- 
sesses the  happy  and  active  disposition  of  her  youth. 
She  recalls  distinctly  many  incidents  of  the  early 
days  when  they  first  settled  in  Illinois  and  remem- 
bers dates  with  wonderful  correctness.  Mrs.  Fletcher 
was  born  in  Normanby,  Sept.  27,  1803.  Her  par- 
ents were  John  and  Ann  (Thompson)  Taylor,  both 
also  natives  of  Yorkshire,  England,  where  the3r  spent 
their  entire  lives  and  were  buried  in  the  old  church- 
yard at  Normanby. 

The  parental  fatuity  included  nine  children,  of 
whom  the  record  is  as  follows:  John  still  lives  in 
Mason  County,  this  State ;  William,  of  our  sketch, 
was  the  second  child ;  Joseph  W.  resides  in  the  city 
of  Champaign;  Jane,  when  a  child  of  four  years, 
died  in  England  on  the  23d  of  March,  18;5;5;  an 
infant  died  unnamed  in  18:58;  Thompson  was  born 


1 


LIBRARY 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

9-21    ,  , 


Feb.  22,  1837.  find  died  in  1870,  in  Mason  County; 
Miiry,  the  wife  of  Robert  Pierson,  lives  in  Harwood 
Township,  this  county;  Jane  is  the  wife  of  B.  F. 
Vatcs,  a  sketch  of  whom  will  be  found  elsewhere  in 
this  AUSIM;  Bessie  married  Isaac  Layman  (see 
sketch),  and  departed  this  life  at  the  home  of  her 
husband  in  1872;  John  T.  was  born  in  England  in 
1853,  and  reared  by  his  grandmother,  with  whom  he 
lived  until  grown. 

Our  subject  remained  with  his  parents  and  at- 
tended the  common  schools  briefly  during  his  boy- 
hood. He  was  not,  however,  fond  of  study  but 
preferred  to  work,  and  when  eleven  years  of  age 
engaged  as  a  groom.  Two  years  later  he  occupied 
himself  as  a  plowboy,  .being  employed  thus  four 
years,  then  engaging  as  a  teamster  followed  this  five 
years.  The  next  eighteen  months  he  held  the 
position  of  foreman  on  a  large  farm.  In  1855, 
accompanied  by  his  parents,  he  set  sail  for  Amer- 
ica, and  has  remained  a  resident  of  this  State 
since  his  arrival  here.  He  has  in  the  meantime 
visited  his  native  England  and  spent  nine  months 
among  the  friends  of  his  boyhood  and  youth. 

In  1869  Mr.  Fletcher  purchased  329  acres  of 
uncultivated  prairie  which  is  now  included  in  his 
present  farm  in  Rantoul  Township.  Four  years 
afterward  he  took  possession  of  this,  his  parents 
accompanying  him.  Since  that  time  he  has  indus- 
triously labored,  cultivating  and  improving  his 
property,  with  most  gratifying  results,  and  now 
has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  there  is  not 
an  acre  of  waste  land  on  the  farm.  That  which 
is  not  devoted  to  pasture  is  utilized  for  the  grow- 
ing of  corn,  oats,  rye  and  wheat,  and  the  vege- 
table products  required  by  the  household.  He 
has  a  substantial  dwelling,  flanked  by  a  good  barn 
and  out-buildings,  while  fruit  and  shade  trees  em- 
bellish the  grounds  about  the  residence.  The 
friends  who  have  known  him  best  have  the  highest 
appreciation  of  the  character  of  Mr.  Fletcher  both 
as  a  neighbor  and  friend.  He  has  taken  a  genuine 
interest  in  the  progress  and  prosperity  of  his 
adopted  county,  and  is  the  encourager  of  every 
enterprise  tending  to  its  moral  and  intellectual  ad- 
vancement. 

Politically  Mr.  F.  votes  the  Democratic  ticket,  and 
is  a  worthy  and  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 


Episcopal  Church.  His  extensive  farming  opera- 
tions have  been  uniformly  successful,  and  the  smil- 
ing fields  of  growing  grain,  the  wide  pastures  ten- 
anted by  well-cared-for  stock,  with  the  ample  farm 
buildings  and  pleasant  surroundings  form  one  of 
the  pleasantest  pictures  in  the  landscape  of  Cham- 
paign County.  A  view  of  the  place  is  presented 
on  another  page  of  this  work. 


,Zz$^  LEMENT  McMILLIAN.  Among  tlie  prairie 
(if  p  homes  of  Illinois  there  are  perhaps  none 
^^/  more  attractive  than  that  of  the  subject  of 
our  sketch,  which  is  finely  located  in  Hensley 
Township,  on  section  18.  Its  shapely  and  sub- 
stantial buildings,  choice  grades  of  stock,  and  excel- 
lent farm  machinery  all  indicate  the  industry  and 
intelligence  of  their  proprietor.  The  farm,  which 
consists  of  240  acres,  is  under  a  fine  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  yields  in  abundance  of  the  choice  prod- 
ucts of  the  Prairie  State.  Our  subject  as  a  man  is 
held  in  the  highest  respect  by  all  who  'know  him, 
and  none  have  assisted  toward  the  material  growth 
and  prosperity  of  his  township  and  county  more 
than  he. 

Mr.  McMillian  was  born  in  Greenbrier  County, 
now  West  Virginia;  Sept.  16,1829.  His  paternal 
grandfather  removed  from  Culpeper  to  Greenbrier 
County  during  the  early  settlement  of  that  section 
of  country.  He  purchased  a  tract  of  timber  land 
and  improved  a  farm,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  There  also  his  family  was  reared, 
among  whom  was  Daniel,  the  father  of  our  subject. 
He  was  born  in  Culpeper  County,  and  was  quite 
young  when  his  parents  became  residents  of  Green- 
brier  County.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm 
and  then  settled  upon  a  tract  of  la.id  given  him  by 
his  father,  which  he  occupied  until  1847.  lie  then 
removed  to  Cabell  County,  where  he  cultivated 
rented  land  a  few  years,  and  thence  removed  to 
Mason  County,  in  the  same  State,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  married  in  early 
manhood  to  Miss  Margaret  Carroll,  a  native  of 
Greenbrier  County,  Va.  After  the  death  of  her 
husbatfd  Mrs.  McM.  came  to  Illinois  and  spent  the 


•  >  922 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


last  years  of  her  life  with   her  son,  our  subject,  in 
1'iutt  County,  her  death  occurring-  in  18<>9. 

The  parental  family  of  our  subject  consisted  of 
six  children,  of  whom  Clement  was  the  third  in 
order  of  birth.  He  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits 
and  made  his  home  with  his  parents  until  his  mar- 
riage. Afterward  he  rented  land  in  his  native 
State,  then  removed  to  Ohio,  and  for  years  followed 
farming  on  rented  land  in  Fayette  and  Pickaway 
Counties.  Not  being  quite  satisfied  with  his  con- 
dition or  prospects  in  the  Buckeye  State,  he  con- 
cluded to  seek  the  farther  West.  In  October,  1855, 
he  started  for  Illinois  with  a  team  of  liorses  and 
wagon,  and  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  three 
children.  The  country  at  that  time  was  destitute  of 
hotels,  and  the  travelers  camped  in  the  open  air 
and  cooked  the  provisions  which  they  carried 
with  them.  After  eighteen  days'  travel  they  arrived 
in  Champaign  County,  this  State,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1868.  They  then  gathered  together 
their  household  goods  once  more  and  took  up  their 
line  of  march  for  Piatt  County,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1881,  then  returned  to  this  county. 
Upon  first  coming  to  this  county  they  located  near 
Mahomet,  whence  they  removed  the  following  year 
to  Condit  Township,  where  Mr.  McM.  operated  on 
rented  land  until  1868.  He  then  returned  to  Piatt 
County  and  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  where 
he  lived  with  his  family  until  1881,  as  above  men- 
tioned. He  then  sold  out  and  purchased  a  part  of 
the  old  Dickerson  homestead,  which  he  has  occu- 
pied since  fchat^  time. 

Mr.  McMillian  was  married  first  in  the  Old  Do- 
minion, in  January,  1851,  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Mathews, 
who  was  born  in  Augusta  County,  that  State,  and 
was  the  daughter  of  James  and  Martha  (Ham) 
Mathews.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  three 
children:  Martha  R.,  the  wife  of  J.  T.  Ruckman,  a 
resident  of  Piatt  County,  III. ;  Maggicj  E.,  Mrs.  M. 
Y.  Skeels,  of  Summer  County,  Kan.,  and  Frances 
>).,  the  wife  of  H.  P.  Bowman,  of  Piatt  County. 
Mrs.  Sarah  J.  McMillian  departed  this  life  at  her 
home  in  Piatt,  Sept.  19,  1878.  Our  subject  was 
married  again,  in  1879,  to  Miss  Catherine,  daughter 
of  Ilemy  and  Catherine  (Beck)  Dickerson.  The 
present  wife  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Washington 
County,  Pa.,  in  1841,  and  remained  with  her  par- 


ents  until  her  marriage.  Both  she  and  her  husband 
are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  latter  has  been  connected 
with  this  denomination  since  eighteen  years  of  airr. 
He  has  contributed  liberally  and  cheerfully  to  the 
support  of  the  Master's  cause  in  this  place.  As  one 
of  the  representative  homesteads  of  this  county,  we 
take  pleasure  in  presenting  a  view  of  Mr.  McMill- 
ian's  place  in  this  volume. 


eLAUS  J.  WITT,  of  Sidney  Township,  who 
for  several  years  successfully  conducted  the 
farm  belonging  to  -Mr.  Coffeen  on  section 
24,  has  recently  purchased  a  Jine  tract  of  seventy- 
nine  acres  on  section  23,  this  township,  in  which 
venture  all  his  neighbors  wish  him  the  success  to 
which  he  is  entitled  by  his  energy,  enterprise  and 
perseverance. 

Mr.  Witt,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  was 
bom  Jan.  13,  1832,  and  is  the  son  of  Dulf  and 
Magdalene  (Young)  Witt,  also  of  German  birth 
and  parentage,  and  who  emigrated  from  the  Father- 
land to  America  in  1864.  They  immediately  sought 
the  West,  and  locating  in  this  county,  here  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  days.  Their  family  consisted 
of  six  children — Dulf,  Anna,  Clans,  Lena,  William 
and  Peter. 

Our  subject  came  to  the  United  States  in  1854> 
ten  years  before  his  parents.  After  spending  one 
year  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago,  he  made  his  way  to 
this  county,  of  which  he  has  since  been  a  resident. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Kuder, 
in  1862.  Mrs.  Witt  is  the  daughter  of  George  and 
Sarah  (Morris)  Kuder,  -  who  were  'of  German  ex- 
traction, and  reared  a  family  of  eight  children — 
Isiga,  Elizabeth,  George,  Hannah,  Emeline,  Ben- 
jamin, Sarah  and  Catherine.  Mr.  Witt  and  his 
wife  are  the  parents  of  six  children — William,  Ed- 
ward, Emeline,  John,  Laura  and  George.  Both  our 
subject  and  wife  are  members  in  good  standing  of 
the  United  Brethren  Church.  The  family  ranks 
among  the  worthiest  class  of  citizens,  and  Mr.  Witt, 
as  a  thorough  aud  progressive  farmer,  deserves  the 
highest  praise. 

In  politics  Mr.  Witt  votes  the  Democratic  ticket 


i 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


923 


hut  aside  from  casting  his  ballot  at  important  elec- 
tions lie  is  content  to  allow  more  experienced  heads 
to  run  the  Government  while  he  exercises  the  in- 
dustrious talents  handed  down  to  him  from  his 
resolute  German  ancestry,  and  employs  himself  in 
the  no  mean  position  of  a  skillful  tiller  of  the  soil. 


\V.  PARKER.  The  great-grandfather  of 
our  subject,  Thomas  Parker  by  name,  was 
the  progenitor  of  the  Parker  family  in  this 
country  and  emigrated  from  England  when  a  young 
man,  locating  at  Lexington,  Mass.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  it  was  he  who  led  the  men  at  Lexing- 
ton during  the  Revolutionary  War.  After  the.  in- 
dependence of  the  Colonies  had  been  established  he 
located  on  a  tract  of  land  in  Middlesex  County, 
Mass.,  where  he  followed  agriculture  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  lie  married  in  that  county  and  reared 
a  family,  among  them  being  Ebenezer,  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject. 

The  latter  also  enlisted  as  a  soldier  before  he  had 
attained  his  majority,  and  assisted  the  Colonists  in 
their  struggle  for  freedom,  and  like  his  father  be-' 
fore  him,  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the 
Bay  State.  His  first  wife  was  the  grandmother  of 
our  subject,  and  among  their  children  was  Ebenezer, 
who  was  born  in  Worcester  County,  Mass.,  and 
when  of  suitable  years  engaged  as  a  clothier. 
Later  he  abandoned  this  calling, .and  locating  upon 
a  tract  of  land  in  Worcester  Comity,  followed 
farming  the  balance  of  his  days.  His  death 
occurred  after  lie  had  reached  the  age  of  fourscore 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  strictly  religious  princi- 
ples, living  and  dying  in  the  orthodox  faith. 
Politically  he  adhered  closely  to  the  old  Whig 
party.  He  married  Miss  Hannah  Men-Jam,  of  his 
own  county,  who  survived  him  several  years,  and 
lived  to  be  ninety  years  old.  AH  the  grandparents 
of  our  subject  were  strong,  both  mentally  and 
physically,  the  result  of  temperate  lives  and  high 
moral  principles. 

The  parental  household  of  our  subject  included 
twelve  children,  eight  sons  and  four  daughters: 
Ebene/.er  W.  was  born  Oct.  2S,  1S1:!.  ;ind  was  the 
fourth  child  of  the  family,  of  whom  one  daughter 


and  four  sons  are  yet  living.  Our  subject  is  the 
only  one  in  Illinois.  The  others  are  "residents  of 
Massachusetts.  The  childhood  and  youth  of  Mr. 
Parker  were  spent  under  the  home  roof,  assisting 
his  father  in  cloth  dressing  and  pursuing  his  studies 
at  the  public  schools.  After  reaching  manhood  he 
was  married,  May  26,  1840,  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents,  to  Miss  Chloe  A.  Parmenter,  a 
native  of  Worcester  County,  Mass.,  born  Sept.  17, 
1817.  'Mrs.  P.  is  the  daughter  of  Solomon  and 
Mary  T.  (Allen)  Parmenter,  also  natives  of  the 
Bay  State  and  of  New  England  parentage. 

The  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Parker  were  born  in 
Massachusetts,  where  they  spent  their  entire  lives. 
Solomon  Parmenter  fought  iu  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  was  own  cousin  to  the  Paulding  who 
captured  Maj.  Andre.  He  lived  to  be  seventy- 
live  years  old.  The  grandmother  was  formerly 
Miss  Lydia  Gleason,  who  was  first  married  to  a  Mr. 
Cheney.  She  was  a  lady  of  more  than  ordinary 
ability,  was  reared,  and  educated  at  her  home  in 
Worcester  County,  and  died  while  in  the  midst  of 
her  strength  and  usefulness.  The  Parmenters  were 
liberal  in  their  religious  belief,  and  Mr.  P.  politi- 
cally was  a  stanch  Whig.  He  was  a  man  of  influence 
in  his  community,  and  the  sons  and  daughters  in- 
herited in  a  large  .degree  the  excellent  traits  of 
.  their  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parker  became  the  parents  of  four 
children;  E.  C.,  the  third  child,  a  banker  and  dealer 
in  real  estate,  married  Miss  Mattie-  Baker,  and  is 
doing  business  in  Philo;  Louisa  is  at  home  with 
her  parents;  Mary  became  the  wife  of  Paschal 
Parkinan,  and  both  she  and  her  husband  are  de- . 
ceased;  they  left  two  sons  and  a  daughter — Charles 
C.,  William  and  Emma;  the  latter  married  Irvin 
Baker,  who  is  engaged  in  the  printing  business  iu 
Kansas;  Annie  E.  Parker  died  when  three  years 
of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parker  after  their  marriage  resided 

for  a  time  in   Massachusetts,  whence  they  removed 

to  the  Prairie  State  in  April,   1856.     Coining  into 

this  county,    Mr.   Parker   purchased    160   acres  on 

section  10,  in   Philo  Township.     During  the  years 

which  have  elapsed  since  that  time  he  has  brought 

1    the   original    wild    land    into  a    thorough  state   of 

i   cultivation,  well  drained  with  tile  and  stocked  with 


f 


924 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


a  choice  assortment  of  domestic  animals.  A  feature 
of  the  homestead  is  the  number  of  beautiful  trees 
which  grew  from  seed  which  he  planted  when  first 
taking  possession  of  his  land. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  were  for  many  years 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but  are  now 
Spiritualists  in  belief.  Mr.  Parker  is  Republican 
in  politics,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  advocate  the 
abolition  of  slavery,  being  one  of  the  two  men  who 
•  voted  the  Abolition  ticket  in  Massachusetts  for 
Birney  as  President.  He  was  most  strongly 
opposed  to  human  slavery,  and  did  everything  in 
his  power  in  making  it  unpopular.  A  view  of  Mr. 
Parker's  handsome  residence  is  shown  on  another 
page. 


jjfclLLIAM  MORTON,  who  is  pursuing  the 
even  tenor  of  his  way  on  a  fine  farm  in  St. 
Joseph  Township,  became  a  resident  of 
this  county  soon  after  the  war.  He  is  the  owner 
of  nearly  300  acres  of  good  land,  the  choicest  be- 
ing in  the  home  farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  lies 
on  section  25.  Here,  of  late  years,  in  addition  to 
general  farming  he  has  given  much  attention  to 
stock-raising,  having  a  fine  herd  comprising  seven- 
ty-five head  of  Short-horn  cattle,  a  number  of 
good  horses,  and  is  also  engaged  in  breeding  very 
fine  Poland-China  hogs. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  near  Blairs- 
ville,  Indiana  Co.,  Pa.,  March  23,  1832.  His  grand- 
father, John  Morton,  also  a  native  of  the  Keystone 
State,  was  born  near  Harrisburg  and  married  Miss 
Mary  Bell,  a  Pennsylvania  lady.  The  Morton 
family  is  of  Scotch  ancestry,  the  first  representa- 
tives coming  to  this  country  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, and  locating  it  is  believed  in  Pennsylvania 
during  its  earliest  settlement.  The  children  of. 
John  and  Mary  (Bell)  Morton  included  a  son, 
John,  who  afterward  became  the  father  of  our 
subject.  lie  was  born  and  reared  in  Indiana 
County,  Pa.,  and  married  Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Eliza  Young,  the  former  a  native 
of  Ireland  and  the  latter  of  American  birth.  The 
father  of  our  subject  learned  the  trade  of  wagon - 
making  early  in  life,  but  afterward  engaged  in 
farming  and  remained  a  resident  of  his  native 


county  his  entire  life.  He  was  born  in  Januaiy, 
l.SOO,  and  died  in  June,  1878.  His  wife,  Eliza- 
beth, was  born  in  ISMS.  ;uul  preceded  her  husband 
to  the  silent  land  March  4,  1844.  Their  ten  chil- 
dren included  three  sons  and  seven  daughters,  five 
of  whom  still  survive. 

William  Morton,  who  was  the  sixth  child  of  his 
parents'  family,  spent  his  boyhood  and  youth  upon 
the  old  homestead  in  Pennsylvania,  receiving  a 
common-school  education  and  being  trained  to 
habits  of  industry  and  those  principles  which  form 
the  basis  of  an  upright  and  honest  character.  In 
the  spring  of  1854,  after  becoming  of  age,  wishing 
to  see  something  of  the  world  outside  of  his  na- 
tive State,  he  proceeded  to  Indiana  and  engaged 
first  as  a  boatman  on  the  Wabash  Canal.  A  ve.-ir 
later  he  repaired  to  Perryville,  Ind.,  where  lie  re- 
mained two  years,  and  then  coming  to  Danville, 
this  State,  remained  there  also  two  years.  In  18.j6 
he  was  employed  on  a  cattle  ranch  where  he  con- 
tinued for  three  years  following,  and  until  the 
outbreak  of  the  late  Civil  Wai- 
Mr.  Morton  was  one  of  the  first  to  respond  to 
the  call  for  troops  to  aid  in  the  preservation  of  the 
Union,  and  enlisted  in  the  spring  of  1861,  in  Co. 
E,  51st  111.  Vol.  Inf.  His  army  life  comprised  a 
period  of  four  years  and  twelve  days,  during  a 
part  of  which  his  regiment  belonged  to  the  20th 
Army  Corps,  which  operated  mostly  in  Missouri, 
Tennessee  and  Georgia.  He  took  part  in  many  of 
the  important  battjes  of  the  war,  including  a  num- 
ber of  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  being  at  New 
Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  Farmington,  Stone  River, 
Chattanooga,  Chickamanga  and  Mission  Ridge.  In 
the  spring  of  1864,  his  regiment  was  in  the  3d  Brig- 
ade, 2d  Division,  4th  Army  Corps,  detailed  to 
go  to  the  Southeast,  where  they  participated  at 
Resaca  and  all  the  engagements  of  the  campaign. 
In  the  battle  of  Kennesaw  Mountain  our  subject 
lost  two  fingers  of  his  left  baud  by  a  gunshot  from 
the  enemy.  He  was  confined  in  the  kospital  for 
sixty  days,  and  in  the  meantime  his  bravery  was 
rewarded  by  being  commissioned  Second  Lieu- 
tenant. Afterward  he  was  present  at  the  battles  of 
Spring  Hill  and  Franklin,  in  the  latter  of  which 
the  commanding  officer  was  wounded,  and  Lieut. 
Morton  was  placed  in  command  of  the  company  at 


•4*- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


925 


the  battle  of  Nashville.  They  followed  Hood's 
army  across  the  Tennessee,  were  soon  afterward 
sent  to  Nashville,  and  went  into  winter  quarters  at 
Decatur,  Ala.  In  the  spring  of  1865  they  were 
ordered  to  Hull's  (Jap,  Tenn.,  where  they  were  en- 
camped at  the  time  of  Lee's  surrender.  The  reg- 
iment was  mustered  out  near  Camp  Irwin  in  Sep- 
tember, 1865. 

After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  Lieut. 
Morton  returned  to  Champaign  County  and  pur- 
chased his  present  farm,  He  has  been  uniformly 
prosperous  in  his  agricultural  operations  and  has 
contributed  his  full  quota  toward  the  building  up 
of  his  township  and  community. 


.OBERT  PETERS.  The  fine  farm  of  '240 
acres,  lying  on  section  14,  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  was  eliminated  from  the  raw 
prairie  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who 
came  to  this  county  during  the  pioneer  days  and  for 
a  period  of  over  fifty-seven  years  has  walked  in 
and  out  among  its  people,  enjoying  their  confidence 
and  esteem  and  interesting  himself  in  their  happi- 
ness and  prosperity.  He  began  with  modest  means, 
and  by  a  life  of  industry  and  economy  gradually 
accumulated  his  present  property,  which  consists  of 
one  of  the  finest  homesteads  in  the  township. 

Mr.  Peters  is  a  native  of  Rush  County,  Ind.,  and 
was  born  near  Rushville,  Jan.  8,  1827.  He  comes 
of  substantial  German  ancestry,  his  great-grand- 
father having  crossed  the  'ocean  from  the  Father- 
land in  about  1600.  The  son  of  the  latter,  David 
by  name,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  spent 
a  part  of  his  life  in  the  farming  districts,  then  re- 
moved to  Kansas  and  from  there  to  Rush  County, 
Ind.  He  lived  industriously  and  frugally  and 
rounded  up  the  ripe  old  age  of  ninety-six  years. 
He  and  his  wife,  Permelia,  became  the  parents  of 
the  following-named  children:  Aaron,  John,  Isaac, 
David,  Samuel,  William;  Mary,  who  became  the 
wife  of  J.  T.  Hayden;  Elizabeth,  who  married  B. 
Brown,  and  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Jesse  Eaton. 

William  Peters,  the  father  of  our  subject,  re- 
mained with  his  brothers  and  sisters  under  the 
parental  roof,  and  early  in  life  formed  domestic 
ties,  being  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Mc- 


Nutt,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  To  the  household 
thus  established  there  were  born  twelve  children, 
six  sons  and  six  daughters,  all  of  whom  lived  to 
maturity  and  formed  a  remarkably  fine  looking 
family  group.  With  the  exception  of  two,  David 
and  Joseph,  all  are  married  and  settled  in  comforta- 
ble homes.  Robert,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third  son  ; 
Malinda  is  deceased;  Isaac,  William  J. ;  Martha  A.; 
who  married  Ambrose  Strong;  Drusilla  and  Lu- 
cinda,  twins,  the  latter  deceased;  Elizabeth  J.,  who 
married  Saint  Rice ;  Jonathan  L.  and  John  N.,  com- 
prise the  remainder  of  the  family. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  third  son  and 
child  of  his  parents,  who  removed  from  Indiana  to 
this  county  when  he  was  little  more  than  an  infant. 
His  father  selected  a  tract  of  land  in  what  is  now 
St.  Joseph  Township,  two  and  one-half  miles  south 
of  the  present  site  of  the  town,  purchasing  forty  acres 
of  Silas  Yount,  upon  which  he  located  and  indus- 
triously began  its  improvement  and  cultivation. 
He  was  prospered  in  his  undertakings  and  invested 
his  surplus  capital  in  more  land  until  he  became  the 
owner  of  440  acres.  He  took  great  pride  in  his 
farming  operations,  in  the  excellence  of  his  crops, 
and  the  grade  of  his  live-stock,  and  the  farm  is  ac-. 
knovvledged  by  all  to  be  one  of  the  best  arranged 
in  that  part  of  the  county. 

William  Peters  lived  temperately,  enjoyed  excel- 
lent health,  arose  early  in  the  morning,  and  retired 
each  night  with  the  consciousness  that  there  had 
been,  "  something  attempted,  something  done."  He 
possessed  great  force  of  character,  more  than  or- 
dinary ability,  and  kept  himself  well  posted  upon 
matters  of  general  interest.  He  was  often  called 
upon  to  serve  as  administrator,  and  seemed  pecu- 
liarly adapted  to  the  adjustment  of  estates,  in 
which  he  gave  full  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 
After  taking  possession  of  his  first  purchase  he  put 
up  a  substantial  hewed-log  house  of  two  rooms,  and 
this  structure,  with  comfortable  additions  remained 
his  home  during  the  balance  of  his  natural  life.  His 
death  took  place  in  August,  1864,  and  besides  his 
estate  of  400  acres  he  left  his  family  $10,000  in 
money,  in  addition  to  a  large  amount  of  personal 
property.  This  handsome  little  fortune  he  had 
amassed  from  almost  nothing.  The  faithful  wife 
and  mother,  who  had  assisted  materially  in  the  build- 


i 

; 


926 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


ing  up  of  the  homestead,  survived  until  the  spring 
of  187;i.  The  remains  of  both  parents  wore  laid 
to  rest  in  the  burying-ground  on  the  homestead. 

Our.  subject  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
until  reaching  manhood,  during  which  time  lie  had 
obtained  his  education  mostly  at  a  private  school. 
Before  finally  departing  from  the  home  roof  he  was 
married,  Aug.  22,  1849,  to  Miss  Mary  E.,  eldest 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Dianna  (Robertson).  Swear- 
ingen,  the  wedding  taking  place  at  the  home  of  the 
bride's  parents  in  St.  Joseph  Township.  Mrs.  Pe- 
ters was  born  in  Adams  County.  Ohio,  March  31, 
1831.  Her  parents  were  natives  respectively  of 
Kentucky  and  Ohio,  being  married  in  the  latter 
State,  whence  they  emigrated  to  this  county  in 
1839.  They  were  among  the  most  highly  respected 
members  of  the  farming  community  of  St.  Joseph 
Township,  where  they  spent  the  last  years  of  their 
lives. 

Soon  after  his  marriage  Mr.  Peters  located  with 
his  bride  on  the  homestead  which  they  still  occupy 
and  where  occurred  the  birth  of  their  sons  and 
daughters,  eleven  in  number,  seven  of  whom  are 
still  living.  Sarah  C.  is  the  wife  of  Benjamin 
Stiner,  of  St.  Joseph;  John  II.  is  managing  the 
homestead ;  Isaac  S.  is  farming  in  St.  Joseph  Town- 
ship; Susan  J.,  the  wife  of  William  Parrett,  lives  in 
Homer  Township;  Eliza  A.  married  V.  K.  Shobe; 
William  A.  and  Mary  E.  are  at  home  with  their  par- 
ents. Franklin  died  in  August,  1882,  aged  twenty- 
three  years. 

Mr.  Peters  became  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  about  1864,  with  which  his  wife  has  been 
connected  since  seventeen  years  old.  They  have 
lived  blameless  and  upright  lives,  filling  worthily 
their  position  in  the  community,  training  their 
children  to  honorable  lives,  and,  keeping  in  view 
the  fact  that  the  acts  of  individuals  necessarily 
exert  a  great  influence  upon  those  around  them, 
have  shaped  their  lives  accordingly. 


ENRY  C.  WHITE,  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent and   prosperous  members  of  the  agri- 
cultural community  of  Homer  Township,  is 
\^Z))     a  fine  illustration  of  the  self-made  man,  who 
commenced  life  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  and  has 


dim  bed  steadily  upward  until  he  occupies  4>ne  of 
the  topmost  rounds.  He  holds  a  high  position,  so- 
cially and  financially,  and  is  possessed  of  all  the 
qualities  which  constitute  a  valuable  and  reliable 
citizen.  His  property,  which  is  finely  located  on 
section  20,  comprises  170  acres  of  fertile  prairie 
land,  upon  which  lie  has  erected  a  handsome  and 
substantial  set  of  buildings,  admirably  adapted  to 
all  the  purposes  of  country  life.  Aside  from  his 
farming  operations,  which  have  been  arduous  and 
constant,  he  has  generously  interested  himself  in 
the  welfare  of  the  people  about  him,  and  been,  as 
opportunity  presented,  a  promoter  of  those  meas- 
ures tending  to  the  moral  and  educational  welfare 
of  the  community.  He  has  held  the  various  offices 
within  the  gift  of  his  townsmen,  including  those  of 
Tax  Collector,  Commissioner  of  Highways  and 
School  Director.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  he  has 
contributed  all  that  could  be  reasonably  expected 
toward  building  up  the  interests  of  his  adopted 
county,  of  which  he  became  a  resident  in  the  fall 
of  1851. 

Mr.  White  is  a  native  of  Clarke  County,  Ohio, 
his  birth  taking  place  at  the  homestead  of  his  father 
in  Harmony  Township,  April  26,  1831.  He  is  the 
son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Foreman)  White,  na- 
tives respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and  Kentucky, 
the  former  born  Oct.  11,  1790,  and  the  latter  Aug. 
30,  1796.  Their  marriage  took  place  in  Cham- 
paign County,  Ohio,  Jan.  4,  1817,  and  they  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  days  in  Clarke  County. 
Benjamin  White  departed  from  the  scenes  of  his 
earthly  labors  March  1,  1846,  in  Harmony  Town- 
ship, Clarke  County,  and  the  mother  followed  her 
husband  to  the  silent  land  Aug.  23,  .1878,  dying  in 
Homer  Township,  this  county,  having  survived  him 
a  period  of  thirty-two  years.  The  parents  of  our 
subject  are  affectionately  remembered  by  him  as 
having  been  persons  of  more  than  ordinary  intelli- 
gence, and  possessing  those  Christian  virtues  which 
are  so  essential  to  the  proper  training  of  a  family 
for  a  worthy  position  in  the  community.  Benja- 
min White  was  a  leader  of  the.  Baptist  Church  in 
Clarke  County,  Ohio.  He  was  liberal-minded  and 
generous  with  his  friends,  and  this  latter  quality  of 
his  character  effected  his  ruin,  financial^-,  as  he 
stood  security  for  debts  which  lie  was  obliged  to 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


liquidate.  Politically,  he  was  an  old-line  Whig, 
and  clung  to  his  principles  with  that  open-hearted 
tenacitj'  which  proved  how  conscientious  he  was  in 
everything  which  he  believed  to  be  right. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  when  a  young  child, 
emigrated  with  her  parents  from  Kentucky  to  Ohio, 
where  she  was  reared  and  received  a  limited  edu- 
cation. .She  was  the  suitable  companion  of  her 
husband  in  every  respect,  like  him  being  high- 
minded  and  generous,  and  looked  well  to  the  ways 
of  her  household,  training  her  children  carefully  as 
to  morals  and  teaching  them  to  become  industri- 
ous and  frugal.  She  was  an  expert  at  the  spinning- 
wheel  and  loom,-  and  like  the  mothers  of  those 
days,  kept  her  family  comfortably  clothed  from  the 
proceeds  of  her  own  industry.  The  Foreman  fam- 
ily originally  came  from  Ireland,  and  Sarah  (Fore- 
man) White  was  one  of  its  most  worthy  represent- 
atives. By  her  union  with  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, she  became  the  mother  of  nine  children,  all  of 
whom  grew  to  become  men  and  women.  Joseph, 
now  sixty-nine  years  of  age,  is  a  resident  of  Da- 
kota; Isaac  is  sixty-five  years,  and  is  farming  in 
Coles  County,  111. ;  Mary,  the  widow  of  Joseph 
Say  ton,  is  fifty-eight  years  of  age;  Eleanor,  the 
widow  of  Alexander  Boarland,  is  sixty-three  years 
of  age,  and  a  resident  of  Homer  Township,  this 
county;  Amos  died  unmarried  when  twenty-four 
years  old ;  Henry  C.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  sixth 
in  order  of  birth;  Nanc}^  is  the  wife  of  James 
Poage,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Vermilion  County; 
Martha  J.  died  Aug.  9,  1859,  when  twenty-two 
years  of  age;  Perry  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Um- 
benhower,  and  lives  in  Homer,  111. 

Mr.  White  spent  his  boyhood  in  his  native  State, 
coming  to  Illinois  in  1851.  He  located  in  Homer 
Township,  where  he  was  first  employed  by  the 
month,  and  afterward  went  to  the  city  of  New 
York  with  a  four-year-old  steer,  which  he  led  all 
the  way  by  a  rope  from  this  township  to  the  great 
metropolis.  After  he  had  determined  to  make 
this  his  future  home  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mi>>  Emily  Laybourn,  the  wedding  taking  place  at 
the  home  of  the  bride  in  St.  Joseph  Township,  in 
September,  1859.  Mrs.  Emily  White  was  born 
near  LaFayette,  Ind.,  Sept.  2,  1839,  and  after  be- 
coming the  mother  of  four  children,  cjeparted  this 


life  at  her  home  in  Sidney  Township,  Jaji.  8,  1867. 
She  was  a  lady  highly  esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of 
friends,  and  n,  faithful  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  The  children  of  this  marriage  were  named 
respectively,  Abraham  L.,  Alice  J.  (deceased), 
Charles  F.  and  Emma  B.  The  latter  died  in  1865, 
when  twelve  days  old. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  Sept.  27,  1868,  was  formerly  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
(Staten)  Swearingen,  who  was 'born  in  St.  Joseph 
Township,  this  county.  Jan.  24,  1842,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Joseph  Staten,  of  the  latter-named 
township,  who  is  now  deceased.  Of  this  union 
were  born  the  following  children :  John  C.,  David 
B.,  Saddle  E.,  Francis  B.  and  Elizabeth  E. ;  the 
latter  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  White  meddles  little 
with  political  affairs,  but  uniformly  casts  his  vote 
with  the  Republican  party.  Socially,  he  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  with  which  he  became 
connected  in  1873.  He  is  at  present  a  member  of 
Homer  Lodge  No.  199,  together  with  his  two  sons, 
Lincoln,  and  Charles. 


AMUEL  J.  REAM  is  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Ream  &  Wood  in,  manufacturers  of 
drain  tile,  near  the  city  limits  of  St.  Joseph, 
where  they  have  a  valuable  plant,  embrac- 
ing all  the  requisite  machinery  for  carrying  on  this 
industry  in  a  proper  and  profitable  manner.  Our 
subject  is  well  fitted  by  natural  talent  and  early 
training  for  the  carrying  on  of  an  important  busi- 
ness, and  the  firm  has  become  one  of  the  indispen- 
sable features  of  the  manufacturing  element  of  this 
section. 

The  earliest  recollections  of  Mr.  Ream  are  of 
Central  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared;  in  Union  Coun- 
ty, and  where  his  parents  still  reside.  His  birth, 
however,  took  place  in  the  more  southerly  part  of 
the  State,  near  Greenfield,  in  Ross  County,  on  the 
10th  of  November,  1849.  That  same  year  his  par- 
ents removed  to  Union  County,  where  .their  son, 
Samuel  J.,  was  reared  and  educated,  with  his  six 
brothers  and  sisters,  on  the  farm  which  constituted 
the  parental  homestead. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  (Featherlin)  Ream,  natives  of  Peunsyl- 


f 


f. 


928 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1 


vania,  whence  they  both  removed  in  early  youth 
locating  with  their  parents  in  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
where  they  became  acquainted  and  were  afterward 
married.  Mr.  Ream  engaged  moderately  in  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising,  and  although  not  becoming 
wealthy,  provided  his  family  with  all  the  comforts 
of  life,  and  reared  his  children  to  habits  of  indus- 
try and  economy,  which  have  served  them  well  in 
their  battle  with  the  world.  The  seven  children  of 
the  parental  household  included  four  sons  and  three 
daughters,  six  still  living,  nnmety,  George  W., 
Matthias,  Elizabeth;  Samuel  J.,  of  our  sketch; 
Adelia  and  Frank. 

Our  subject,  in  endeavoring  to  secure  an  educa- 
tion, was  frequently  obliged  to  travel  four  miles  in 
order  to  reach  the  temple  of  learning,  which  was  a 
primitive  structure  of  modest  dimensions,  and  the 
system  of  learning  conducted  after  the  manner  of 
those  days,  was  widely  different  from  that  of  the 
present.  He  remained  a  member  of  the  parental 
household  until  reaching  his  majority,  and  after 
starting  out  for  himself  was  variously  engaged  un- 
til 1879,  when  he  came  to. this  county  still  a  single 
man,  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Ira  Cline- 
and  established  the  business  with  which  he  is  still 
connected.  This  was  the  first  establishment  of  the 
kind  in  this  county.  Mr.  Cline  only  remained  a 
member  of  the  firm  for  eight  months,  disposing  of 
his  interests  in  the  business  at  the  expiration  of 
this  time  to  Mr.  John  II.  Swearingen.  Mr.  S.  con- 
tinued twelve  months,  and  then  sold  out  to  Taylor 
Moss.  The  latter  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Messrs. 
Wood  in  <fe  Drullinger;  the  latter  withdrawing:,  left 
the  firm  as  it  now  stands. 

Mr.  Ream,  finding  that  his  time  was  not  wholly 
occupied,  purchased  a  pair  of  fine.  Norman  horses 
and  began  the  breeding  of  draft  animals,  which  he 
has  followed  since  1879  with  uniform  success.  In 
1880  he  added  to  his  stables  the  fine  imported 
Norman  horse,  Fairbanks,  and  now  has  three  of  the 
kind,  which  for  models  of  symmetry  and  strength 
can  scarcely  be  excelled.  In  order  to  carry  on  his 
breeding  operations  properly  Mr.  Ream  utilizes  a 
fine  little  farm  of  fifty-two  acres  near  the  town  of 
St.  Joseph,  every  acre  of  which  is  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  supplied  with  convenient 
and  substantial  buildings.  Mr.  Ream  has  in  the 


main  fulfilled  all  the  duties  of  a  good  citizen,  be- 
ing delinquent  in  one  respect  only,  that  he  is  still  a 
bachelor.  He  is  a  thorough  business  man,  invest- 
ing his  surplus  funds  in  a  wise  and  judicious  man- 
ner, meeting  his  obligations  promptly,  and  on  ac- 
count of  his  reliable  traits  of  character  has  fully  es- 
tablished himself  in  the  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
townsmen.  Me  meddles  little  with  politics,  but 
casts  his  vote  with  the  Democratic  party. 


yiLLIAM  M.  CASH  owns  and  occupies  a 
snug  farm  of  eighty  acres,  located  on  sec- 
tion 36,  in  Sidney  Township.  His  land, 
through  a  thorough  process  of  cultivation,  yields  in 
abundance  the  rich  products  of  the  Prairie  State, 
and  together  with  its  neat  buildings  forms  n  model 
country  homestead.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  was 
born  in  Boone  County,  Ind.,  Feb.  22,  1855,  and  is 
the  son  of  John  and  Celia  (Gibson)  Cash,  a  sketch 
of  whom  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

John  Cash,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  was  born  June 
2(i,  1828.  His  parents  were  Benjamin  and  Eliza- 
beth (Bennet)  Cash.  The  former,  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  afterward  became  a  resident  of  Tennes- 
see, whence  he  removed  in  1823  with  his  wife  and 
four  children  to  Missouri,  After  the  death  of  his 
wife,  which  occurred  in  1843,  Benjamin  Cash  re- 
turned to  Tennessee,  where  he  remained  one  year, 
and  thence  removed  to  Indiana,  in  which  State  his 
death  took  place  about  1850.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  was  the  daughter  of  Abel  and  Celia  (Heart) 
Gibson,  and  was  born  in  Ohio  in  December,  1824, 
Her  parents  subsequently  removed  to  Indiana, 
where  the  mother  died.  The  father  afterward 
came  to  Sidney  Township,  this  county,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Our  subject  after  reaching  years  of  manhood 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Anna  B.,  daugh- 
ter of  D.  R.  and  Mary  A.  (Keeble)  Wilson  (see 
sketch  of  David  Wilson).  Of  this  union  there  are 
two  children  —  Carl  V.,  born  Sept.  4,  1885,  and 
Ethel  C.,  Jan.  19,  1887.  Mr.  Cash  and  his  estimable 
lad}r  are  young  people  who  have  begun  life  to- 
gether under  favorable  auspices,  surrounded  by  all 
its  comforts,  and  enjoy  the  friendship  of  a  large 


L       "V 

OF  THE 

IT         ;-/ tr  VLIMOIS 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


931 


circle  of  refined  and  cultivated  people.  Mr.  Cash 
keeps  himself  well  posted  upon  matters  of  general 
interest,  and  is  accounted  a  wide-awake  and  enter- 
prising citizen,  of  whom  much  is  expected  in  the 
future. 

John  Cash,  the  father  of  our  subject,  during  the 
late  war  enlisted  in  the  1 00  days'  service,  being  a 
member  of  the  71st  Illinois  Regiment,  and  was  de- 
tailed with  his  comrades  for  service  at  Cairo  and 
Mound  City.  He  votes  as  he  was  ready  to  light 
during  the  war,  and  upon  all  proper  occasions  gives 
voice  to  his  stanch  Republican  principles. 


ENRY  BEECHER,  one  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  Champaign  Township,  and  whose  por- 
trait is  shown  in  this  connection,  after  a 
long  and  useful  business  career,  is  now  liv- 
ing in  retirement  in  the  village  of  Savoy  upon  a 
comfortable  income,  honorably  secured  by  the  in- 
dustry and  economy  of  earlier  years.  During  his 
long  residence  in  this  section  he  has  made  for  him- 
self a  record  as  an  honest  man  and  a  good  citizen, 
and  enjoys  in  a  marked  degree  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  hosts  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 

Mr.  Beecher  was  born  in  Watertown,  Litchfield 
Co.,  Conn.,  Dec.  27,  1820,  and  was  the  son  of 
Jared  Beecher,  a  native  of  the  same  county.  The 
grandfather,  Jared  Beecher,  Sr.,  who  was  born  in 
Bethany,  New  Haven  County,  was  of  Welsh  an- 
cestry, and  followed  farming  all  his  life,  spending 
his  last  years  in  Watertown.  There  his  son,  Jared, 
was  reared,  and  inherited  the  old  homestead,  where 
he  spent  his  entire  life,  dying  in  September,  1844. 
In  earlj'  manhood  he  mariied  Miss  Anna  Hickok, 
who  was  also  born  in  Watertown,  and  was  the 
daughter  of  Jonas  Hickok.  She  also  died  on  the 
old  homestead,  in  January,  1865.  The  seven  chil- 
dren of  the  parental  family  are  recorded  as  follows: 
Martha  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Blakesley, 
now  deceased,  and  lives  in  Northfield,  Conn.; 
Henry,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  second  child ;  Sarah 
married  Henry  Whitlock,  and  died  in  Virginia; 
Amelia,  Mrs.  Levi  Thrall,  died  in  Guilford,  Conn.; 
Isaac  went  to  California  in  1858,  and  when  last 
heard  from  was  in  Nevada;  John  is  a  resident  of 


St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  Anna  died  when  six  years  of  age* 
The  subject  of  this  history,  who  was  the  eldest 
son  of  his  parents,  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits 
and  educated  in  the  public  schools.  When  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  he  inherited  a  part  of  the  old 
farm,  upon  which  he  lived  for  five  years  afterward, 
then  sold,  and  purchased  another  in  the  same  town, 
which  he  occupied  until  1855.  In  that  year  he  dis- 
posed of  his  property,  and  coming  to  this  State, 
rented  a  farm  six  miles  from  Chicago,  which  is 
now  included  in  the  city  limits.  He  farmed  on 
rented  land  in  that  vicinity  for  two  years  follow- 
ing, but  in  the  meantime  had  visited  this  county, 
and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  wild  land  in  Cham- 
paign Township,  on  section  26.  Upon  this  he 
erected  a  frame  house,  and  in  the  fall  of  1857  took 
possession  of  it  with  his  family.  Thereafter,  for  a 
period  of  nearly  thirty  years,  he  was  employed  in 
the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  his  farm,  in 
the  meantime  doubling  its  original  acreage.  In 
1885  he  purchased  the  property  which  he  now  oc- 
cupies at  Savoy.  Two  years  previously,  however, 
he  had  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tile  and 
brick  at  this  place,  which  business  he  sold  out  in 
1886. 

The  marriage  of  Henry  Beecher  with  Miss  Julia 
Dayton,  took  place  in  Watertown,  Conn.,  his  wife's 
birthplace,  on  the  4th  of  October,  1843.  Mrs. 
Beecher  was  born  April  6,  1822.  Her  parents  were 
Truman  and  Harriet  (Tyler)  Dayton,  the  father  a 
native  of  Litchfield  County,  and  the  mother  of 
New  Haven  County.  Mr.  Dayton  followed  the 
vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  both  parents  late  in  life 
retired  from  active  labor  and  made  their  home  in 
Watertown,  Conn.,  where  their  decease  occurred. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beecher  have  become  the  parents  of 
two  children,  a  son  and  daughter.  The  former, 
Truman,  occupies  the  old  homestead  in  Champaign 
Township,  and  Martha,  the  wife  of  Merton  Dun- 
lap,  resides  with  her  husband  in  Paxton,  Ford  Co., 
111. 

During  the  progress  of  the  late  war,  Mr.  Beecher 
enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier  on  the  1st  of  January, 
1862,  in  Co.  I,  26th  111.  Vol.  Inf.  He  participated 
with  his  comrades  in  all  the  vicissitudes  of  war,  be- 
ing engaged  in  fifty-seven  different  battles,  of  which 
the  most  important  were,  New  Madrid,  Farming- 


I 


,  ,  93-2 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


t 


ton,  luka,  Corinth,  the  siege  and  capture  of  Yicks- 
buvg,  Jackson  and  Mission  Ridge.  He  joined  the 
command  of  Sherman  at  Chattanooga,  and  partici- 
pated in  many  engagements  and  skirmishes  on  the 
march  to  Atlanta,  being  at  the  siege  and  capture 
ol  that  city,  whence  he  afterward  marched  with  his 
regiment  to  the  sea.  Thence  they  went  up  through 
the  Carolines  and  from  Richmond  to  Washington, 
where  they  participated  in  the  grand  review,  the 
inarch  in  all  having  embraced  6,931  miles.  Mr. 
Beecher  was  mustered  out  of  service  in  Louisville. 
Ky.,  in  August,  1865.  He  had  suffered,  in  com- 
mon with  his  brother  soldiers,  the  fatigue  of  weari- 
some marches,  oftentimes  making  his  couch  upon 
the  bare  ground,  suffering  with  fasting  and  thirst, 
and  often  felt  that  his  constitution  was  giving  way 
under  the  trial,  but,  far  more  fortunate  than  many 
others,  he  escaped  wounds  and  serious  illness,  and 
lived  to  see  the  re-establishment  of  the  Union,  for 
whose  preservation  he  would  cheerfully  have  laid 
down  his  life.  At  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge, 
Nov.  19,  1863,  the  remnant  of  his  company,  con- 
sisting of  thirty-five  men,  came  out  with  fourteen 
missing,  who  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  Polit- 
ically, Mr.  Beecher  affiliates  with  the  Republican 
party. 

-irv^|§|         |§ 

?OHN  CASH  is  the  proprietor  of  a  good 
I  homestead,  including  120  acres  of  finely 
improved  land,  pleasantly  located  on  section 
35,  Sidney  Township.  He  is  the  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Rennet)  Cash,  and  was 
born  in  the  State  of  Tennessee.  His  father,  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  moved  first  to  Tennessee, 
where  he  for  some  time  resided,  and  about  the  year 
1823  emigrated  to  Missouri,  with  his  wife  and  four 
children.  Twenty  years  later,  after  the  death  of 
his  wife,  which  occurred  in  1843,  Benjamin  Cash 
returned  to  Tennessee,  and  remained  there  one 
year,  when  he  moved  to  Indiana,  in  which  State  he 
died  about  the  year  1850.  ' 

John  Cash,  after  reaching  manhood,  was  married 
in  1844,  to  Miss  Celia,  daughter  of  Abel  and  Celia 
(Heart)  Gibson.  Mrs.  Cash  was  born  in  Ohio  in 
December,  1824.  Her  parents  are  now  deceased; 
the  mother  died  in  Indiana,  and  the  death  of  the 


father  occurred  in  Sidney  Township,  this  county. 
Our  subject  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  namely,  Mary  K.  and  Sarah,  now 
deceased;  the  latter  and  Henrietta  were  twins; 
Thomas.  William  M.,  J.  W.,  Tabitha  J.  and  Joel 
M. ;  the  latter  is  deceased. 

During  the  Civil  War  Mr.  Cash  enlisted  in  the 
100-days'  service.  He  was  in  the  71st  Illinois,  and 
detailed  for  service  at  Cairo  and  Mound  City.  He 
keeps  himself  well  posted  upon  matters  of  general 
interest  in  the  community,  and  has  held  the  offices 
of  Road  Overseer  and  School  Director  in  his  town- 
ship. In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  in  all  re- 
spects a  trustworthy  and  honored  citizen. 


FRAMES  M.CRAIG.  Among  the  sturdy  and 
reliable  spirits  who  first  braved  the  dangers 
and  difficulties  of  settlement  in  a  new  coun- 
try is  the  subject  of  this  history,  who  is  now 
reaping  the  reward  of  his  early  struggles  and  toils 
in  the  possession  of  a  fine  homestead  located  on 
sections  23  and  27,  Champaign  Township.  His 
farm,  which  consists  of  252  acres,  is  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  and  admirably  adapted  to 
stock-raising,  in  which  he  has  of  late  years  been 
actively  engaged.  Here,  surrounded  by  the  friends 
whom  his  honesty  and  uprightness  of  character  se- 
cured for  him  long  years  ago,  and  a  family  of 
which  he  is  justly  proud,  he  is  spending  his  later 
days  in  the  consciousness  of  a  well-spent  life,  in 
which  he  has  sought  to  do  good  as  he  had  oppor- 
tunity, and  further  the  interests  of  his  adopted 
county. 

Mr.  Craig  is  a  native  of  Armstrong  County,  Pa., 
born  March  27,  1839.  His  father.  John  Craig,  was 
a  native  of  the  same  count}7,  while  his  grandfather, 
Samuel,  and  his  great-grandfather,  John,  Sr.,  were 
both  born  in  New  Jersey.  The  ancestors  of  the 
Craig  family  came  from  Scotland  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained  in  about 
1684.  They  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Armstrong  County,  Pa.,  and  became  widely  and 
favorably  known  for  their  enterprise,  industry  and 
honest  lives.  John  Craig,  Sr.,  assisted  in  the  sur- 
vey of  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  was  among  the 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


933 


first  to  take  up  a  tract  of  laud  in  Armstrong  Comi- 
ty. His  family  was  among  the  twelve  families  who 
first  settled  west  of  the  Alleghany  River  at  a  place 
now  known  as  Freeport.  They  located  there  when 
Indians  and  wild  game  were  plenty,  and  erected  a 
block-house,  which  was  named  Ft.  Craig,  and  with- 
in which  they  all  lived  for  mutual  protection  and 
security  from  the  Indians.  Outside  were  the  fields 
wherein  they  worked  together,  one  field  at  a  time, 
a  sutlicient  number  being  retained  as  sentinels  to 
give  the  alarm  when  the  enemy  should  appear. 
The  great-grandfather  of  our  subject  became  a  man 
of  note  in  that  locality,  and  attained  to  the  ripe  old 
age  of  ninety -seven  years,  dying  upon  the  home- 
stead which  he  had  established,  in  Armstrong 
County. 

His  son,  Samuel,  who  was  a  young  boy  when  the 
family  located  in  Pennsylvania,  after  reaching 
manhood  improved  a  farm  for  himself,  and  also 
spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  in  Armstrong  County. 
He  was  there  married  and  raised  a  family,  among 
whom  was  John,  the  father  of  our  subject.  The 
latter  was  reared  to  the  pursuits  of  his  forefathers, 
and  after  his  marriage  purchased  158  acres  of  land 
in  Armstrong  County,  only  twelve  of  which  were 
cleared  when  he  took  possession  of  it.  From  the 
balance  he  cut  down  a  large  part  of  the  timber  and 
increased  his  possessions  as  time  progressed  and  his 
means  accumulated.  In  188G  he  rented  his  farm 
and  removed  to  the  village  of  Worthington,  where 
he  purchased  a  lot  and  put  up  a  comfortable  dwell- 
ing, and  now  lives  retired  from  active  labor,  with 
his  aged  and  faithful  companion  of  more  than  fifty- 
four  years.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  who  was 
formerly  Miss  P^liza  Huston,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Huston,  a 
native  of  Ireland,  but  of  Scottish  ancestry.  The 
parental  household  included  nine  children,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth. 

James  M.  Craig  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  educated  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  county.  He  remained  under  the  home  roof 
until  sixteen  years  of  age,  then  went  to  live  with 
his  paternal  grandfather,  whose  farm  he  operated 
on  shares  for  ten  years  following.  In  December, 
18(54,  wishing  to  see  the  Western  country,  he  came 
to  this  county,  and  being  pleased  with  the  outlook 


rented  a  farm  for  one  year.  He  afterward  took 
charge  of  another  farm,  which  he  occupied  for  two 
years,  then  purchased  sixty  acres  in  Champaign 
Township.  The  following  year  he  rented  this  and 
returned  to  the  second  farm  he  had  operated.  After 
a  year  spent  there  he  became  a  resident  of  the  city  of 
Champaign,  where  he  was  variously  employed  for 
a  year.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  took 
charge  of  the  Arthur  farm,  upon  which  he  remained 
until  1879,  then  purchased  his  present  homestead, 
a  view  of  which  is  presented  on  another  page  of 
this  work.  His  land  is  thoroughly  drained  with 
tile,  and  everything  about  the  premises  is  kept  in 
first-class  order. 

Mr.  Craig  chose  as  his  bride  Miss  Margaret  A. 
Blaine,  to  whom  he  was  married  on  the  7th  of 
February,  1861.  Mrs.  C.  was 'born  in  the  same 
county  in  Pennsylvania  as  her  husband,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Wiggins) 
Blaine.  Of  this  union  there  are  six  children,  all 
living:  William  P.  is  a  student  at  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, Uloomington,  which  he  entered  after  grad- 
uating from  the  State  Industrial  University  at 
Urbana;  Hattie 'E.  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Harrison, 
and  lives  in  St.  Joseph,  this  county;  John  C.  is  a 
graduate  of  Champaign  Business  College;  Nellie 
B.,  Roy  V.  and  Jennie  A.  are  at  home.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Craig  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Congregational  Church,  and  our  subject  politically 
is  a  stanch  Republican. 


1 


SHOMAS  LAVERICK,  a  worthy  member  of 
the  farming  community  of  Ayers  Township, 
is  of  English  parentage,  and  was  himself 
born  in  Yorltshire,  England,  Dec.  6,  1844.  His 
parents  were  Edward  and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Lav- 
erick.  The  father  is  still  living  there.  The  four 
children  of  the  parental  family  were  Ann,  Thomas, 
Margaret  and  George. 

Mr.  Laverick  left  his  native  land  to  seek  a  new 
career  in  this  country  in  1871,  and  after  landing  at 
New  York  City,  first  came  to  Morgan  County, 
111.,  where  he  remained  ten  years.  In  1881,  having 
increased  his  capital,  by  the  exercise  of  industry 
and  economy,  he  came  to  this  county  and  purchased 
•» 


934 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


100  acres  of  improved  land  on  section  31,  in  Avers 
Township,  which  he  has  since  brought  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  and  improved  with  a  fine  resi- 
dence and  substantial  farm  buildings. 

Thomas  Laverick  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Milcali  Smith,  April  1,  1873.  Mrs.  L.  is  the 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  (King)  Smith,  and  is 
also  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  her  birth 
taking  place  Feb.  13,  1855.  Her  parents,  who  emi- 
grated to  this  country  about  1865,  a're  living  in 
Morgan  County,  III.  There  were  nine  children  in 
their  family — Milcali,  Ann,  Mary,  John  W.,  Eliza- 
beth E.,  Thomas  B.,  Amelia  F.,  Robert  and  Lena. 
To  our  subject  and  wife  there  were  born  five  chil- 
dren, of  whom  but  three  are  now  living,  namely, 
William  E.,  Ira  F.  and  Maryetta.  Those  deceased 
ate  Lillie  and  Annie  E. 

Mr.  Laverick  takes  a  genuine  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  county  and  community,  and  holds 
the  offices  of  Township  Collector  and  School  Di- 
rector. In  politics  he  is  Democratic.  His  estimable 
lady  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  at  Broadlands,  in  this  township. 
A  lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Laverick's  residence  is 
shown  on  another  page  of  this  work,  and  with  its 
surroundings,  is  sufficient  evidence  of  his  thrifty 
enterprise  and  the  success  he  has  met  with  in  the 
establishment  of  a  comfortable  home. 


5HOMAS  WILSON,  one  of  the  prosperous 
and  progressive  farmers  of  Sidney  Township, 
owns  and  occupies  a  good  homestead  on 
section  30.  He  is  a  native  of  County  Tyrone,  Ire- 
land, and  was  born  Dec.  13,  1854.  His  parents, 
Andrew  and  Jane  (Ray)  Wilson,  are  mentioned  in 
the  sketch  of  George  Wilson,  on  another  page  of 
this  work.  They  also  were  of  Irish  birth  and  par- 
entage, and  were  married  in  their  native  country, 
whence  they  emigrated  a  year  after  the  birth  of  our 
subject,  to  the  United  States.  They  came  directly 
to  the  West,  and  located  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Old  Homer.  Thomas  grew  to  manhood,  receiving 
good  home  training  and  a  fair  education,  and  when 
about  thirty  years  of  age  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Lida  Parsons.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Wil- 


son are  still  living  and  reside  in  Pliilo  Village. 
The  only  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  is  a 
daughter,  Ida,  who  was  born  April  12,  1886. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  comprises  120 
acres  of  fertile  land,  with  a  fine  residence,  a  good 
barn  and  other  out-buildings,  and  all  the  facilities 
for  the  storing  of  grain  and  the  shelter  of  stock. 
The  farm  machinery  is  valuable  and  the  live-stock 
comprises  good  grades  of  the  domestic  animals. 
Mr.  Wilson  possesses  the  shrewdness  and  hospitality 
characteristic  of  his  family  and  nationality.  Upon 
coming  to  this  country,  and  after  becoming  a  nat- 
uralized citizen,  he  identified  himself  witli  the 
Democratic  party,  the  principles  of  which  he  has 
uniformly  sustained  by  his  vote  and  influence. 

The  view  of  the  homestead,  which  will  be  found 
on  another  page,  sufficiently  indicates  the  character 
and  proclivities  of  Mr.  Wilson,  and  gives  ample 
evidence  of  the  manner  in  which  he  has  contributed 
to  the  progress  and  embellishment  of  his  adopted 
county.  ,- 


C.  STEWART,  who  in  former  years  was 
prominently  identified  with  the  agricultural 
interests  of  this  section,  now  occupies  a  beau- 
tiful residence  in  Champaign,  where,  retired 
from  active  labor  he  is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  earl}' 
industry  and  a  prosperous  business  career.  He  was 
born  in  Ohio,  Dec.  14,  1821,  and  is  the  son  of 
Robert  and  Esther  (Gillespie)  Stewart,  both  natives 
of  New  York;  the  former  when  young  went  to  Ha- 
gerstovvn,  Md.,  and  afterward  to  Ohio,  settling 
in  Ross  County,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until 
1.855.  That  year  he  came  to  Illinois  and  located 
on  a  tract  of  land  north  of  Champaign,  where  he 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  dying  June  17,  1860.  The 
mother  had  died  in  Ohio  in  1825. 

Robert  Stewart  was  a  man  of  great  force  of 
character,  and  took  an  active  interest  in  all  the 
moving  questions  of  the  day.  He  was  Chairman 
of  the  convention  which  met  at  Hamilton,  Ohio, 
and  carried  the  anti-slavery  question  into  politics. 
Upon  that  memorable  occasion  there  were  present 
Salmon  P.  Chase,  Thomas  Morris,  Samuel  Lewis  and 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


935 


other  men  of  note,  who  took  an  active  stand 
against  the  movement  for  the  extension  of  slavery. 
The  father  of  our  subject,  although  mainly  Demo- 
cratic in  principles,  had  become  strongly  impreg- 
nated with  the  just  theories  of  the  Abolition  party, 
and  was  knocked  down  by  one  of  his  Democratic 
friends  as  they  were  discussing  the  subject.  He 
swore  out  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  his  assailant, 
who  was  sentenced  to  a  fine.  The  prisoner  declared 
himself  unable  to  pay  but  expressed  his  regret  at 
what  had  happened,  Robert  Stewart  took  com- 
passion on  him  and  told  the  Justice  he  would 
himself  pay  the  costs.  After  that  they  became 
warm  friends,  and  there  was  no  further  occasion  for 
a  repetition  of  the  occurrence.  Robert  Stewart 
throughout  life  was  an  active  business  man  and 
watched  with  keen  interest  the  progress  of  the 
State  and  National  events.  His  family  included 
six  children,  but  only  four  are  living,  namely, 
Samuel  G. ;  MargaretCa,  Mrs.  Taylor;  Dr.  George  II., 
of  Cincinnati,  and  H.  C.  of  our  sketch. 

The  subject  of  this  history  was  reared^  on  his 
father's  farm  and  pursued  his  rudimentary  studies 
in  the  common  schools.  He  afterward  entered 
Athens  College  in  Ohio,  and  after  completing  his 
studies  returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  remained 
until  1855.  la  that  year  he  came  to  Illinois  and 
purchased  200  acres  of  land  north  of  Champaign, 
to  which  he  soon  afterward  added  120  acres.  He 
was  engaged  in  agriculture  and  real-entate  transac- 
tions until  1870,  when  he  removed  to  Champaign 
to  property  which  he  had  purchased  on  West  Clark 
street.  After  a  residence  of  ten  years  in  that  locality, 
he  sold  out  and  purchased  his  present  homestead  on 
Springfield  avenue,  amidst  the  comforts  of  which  he 
is  now  enjoying  the  society  of  hosts  of  friends  and 
the  confidence  of  all  who  know  him.  He  has 
contributed  his  full  share  toward  the  building  of 
the  city  and  has  been  warmly  interested  in  the 
establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools,  serving 
as  Chairman  of  the  Board.  He  was  elected  Justice 
of  the  Peace  in  1869,  which  he  held  in  the  township 
until  becoming  a  resident  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Stewart  was  married  on  the  24th  of'  Decem- 
ber 1846,  to  Miss  Lovina  N.  Smith,  a  native  of  High- 
land County,  Ohio,  and  the  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Sarah  (Galloway)  Smith,  both  natives  of 


Pennsylvania.  They  removed  to  Ohio  at  an  early 
day,  and  located  in  Greenfield,  Highland  County, 
where  Mr.  Smith  engaged  in  farming  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  then  removed  to  Springfield,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1872.  The  mother 
survived  him  three  years,  dying  in  1875.  Of 
their  twelve  children  only  three  are  now  living: 
William,  who  is  a  practicing  physician  of  Hillsboro, 
Ohio;  Mrs.  Stewart,  of  our  sketch,  and  James  H., 
of  Springfield,  Ohio. 

Our  subject  awl'  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
six  children,  three  now  living:  Margaret  E., 
Mrs.  Robbing,  is  a  resident  of  Lyons,  Iowa,  and 
has  one  child,  Alice  M.  ;  Charles  W.  is  engaged  as 
U.  8.  Engineer  on  the  Mississippi,  lie  being  a  naval 
graduate;  Samuel  S.,  a  telegraph  operator,  resides 
in  Champaign.  Mr.  Stewart  is  Republican  in  poli- 
itics,  and,  with  his  wife,  is  prominently  connected 
with  the  Congregational  Church. 


vfpsJDMUND    NAYLOR,  of   Brown    Township, 

tand  son  of  David  Naylor,  a  sketch  of  whom 
will  be  found  in  another  part  of  this  volume, 
was  born  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  March  10,  1847. 
He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  received  a  com- 
mon-school education,  and  removed  with  his  par- 
ents from  his  native  State  to  Illinois  in  1865.  He 
continued  under  the  parental  roof  ten  years  after- 
ward, and  under  the  instruction  within  the  house- 
hold and  on  the  farm,  became  admirably  fitted  for 
the  further  duties  of  life. 

Upon  his  marriage,  Mr.  N.,  finding  no  more  de- 
sirable spot,  settled  in  Brown  Township,  where  he 
has  since  resided,  and  is  accounted  among  its  most 
valued  citizens.  He  is  now  the  proprietor  of  200 
acres  of  good  land  on  sections  34  and  35,  where 
he  has  erected  a  fine  set  of  buildings,  and  is  carry- 
ing on  farming  and  stock-raising  after  the  most 
modern  and  improved  methods. 

Mr.  Naylor  was  married  in  Doniphan  County, 
Kan.,  June  14,  1875,  to  Miss  Fannie  M.  Mider, 
daughter  of  John  P.  and  Mary  C.  (Smith)  Mider. 
The  father  of  Mrs.  Naylor  was  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, and  the  mother  of  Madison,  Ind.,  although 


r 


936 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


reared  in  Maysville,  Ky.  After  marriage  tlie  par- 
ents first  settled  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  where 
they  lived  until  1874,  thence  removed  to  Doniphan 
County,  Kan.,  where  they  now  reside.  Their 
family  consisted  of  five  daughters  and  three  sons, 
of  whom  Mrs.  N.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the  third 
child.  She  was  born  in  Adams  County,  Ohio, 
June  16,  1854,  and  by  her  union  with  our  sub- 
ject has  become  the  mother  of  six  children — Mary 
M.,  Effle  E.,  Winnie  M.  C.,  Otterbein  L.,  Royal  C. 
and  David  W.  F. 

Our  subject,  politically,  affiliates  with  the  Repub- 
lican party.  Both  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  of  which 
Mr.  N.,  has  been  Class-Leader,  Trustee,  Circuit 
Steward,  Class  Steward  and  Superintendent  of  the 
Sabbath-school.  He  has  devoted  a  large  part  of 
his  time  to  the  prosperity  of  the  Church,  and  is 
rightfully  considered  one  of  the  pillars,  whose  place 
if  made  vacant,  it  would  be  difficult  to  fill.  Mr. 
Naylor  is  now  in  his  prime  arid  in  the  midst  of  a 
useful  career,  enjoying  abundantly  the  confidence 
of  his  friends  and  fellow-citizens. 

The  view  of  the  neat  residence  and  a  part  of  the 
farm  of  Mr.  Naylor  which  will  be  found  on  another 
page,  is,  in  its  appearance  of  neatness  and  thrift,  a 
fair  exponent  of  the  character  of  its  proprietor. 


ilLLIAM  H.  WILLIAMS,  of  Stanton  Town- 
ship, is  a  son  of  Robert  Williams,  of  North 
Carolina.  The  latter  was  born  in  1806, 
and  left  his  native  State  with  his  parents  when  a  boy 
nine  years  of  age.  They  started  on  the  trip  over- 
land by  teams,  and  after  arriving  in  Indiana  took 
up  their  abode  in  Orange  County,  at  a  time  when 
the  country  was  comparatively  unsettled,  and  they 
were  called  upon  to  endure  all  the  hardships  and 
difficulties  of  a  pioneer  life. 

Robert  Williams  remained  with  his  parents  until 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  besides  assisting 
to  carry  on  the  farm,  had  in  the  meantime  learned 
the  trade  of  a  silversmith  at  Paoli,  Orange  Co., 
Ind.  He  now  began  to  think  about  establishing  a 
home  of  his  own  and  supplied  himself  witli  one  of 
its  chief  requisites,  namely,  a  wife  and  helpmeet, 


Miss  Mary  Harned  becoming  his  wife  in  the 
spring  of  1829.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
the  daughter  of  William  and  Margaret  Harned, 
natives  of  the  Old  Dominion,  who  emigrated  to 
Indiana  and  located  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Orange  County.  With  them  they  cut  down  the 
forests,  drained  the  swamp  land,  cultivated  the 
prairie  and  built  up  a  homestead,  where  they  spent 
the  remaining  years  of  their  life.  Robert  Williams 
after  his  marriage,  purchased  160  acres  of  heavy 
timber  land  in  Indiana,  where  there  was  not  even 
space  enough  to  build  a  log  house  until  he  had  cut 
down  the  trees.  The  task  before  him  seemed  truly 
an  Herculean  one,  but  others  were  attempting  the 
same  and  he  did  not  intend  that  any  should  be 
before  him  in  courage  or  industry.  In  due  time  he 
had  succeeded  beyond  his  expectations  in  clearing 
the  land  and  opening  up  a  farm.  He  built  one  of 
the  finest  dwellings  in  that  section,  with  a  barn  and 
other  out-buildings  to  correspond,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  did  not  allow  his  skill  as  a  silversmith  to 
degenerate,  but  worked  at  this  as  opportunity  af- 
forded and  realized  from  his  labors  in  this  direction 
a  comfortable  income.  He  is  now  an  old  man,  hav- 
ing reached  over  fourscore  years,  and  can  relate 
many  interesting  tales  for  the  diversion  of  his 
great-grandchildren.  His  father  was  born  in  North 
Carolina  and  he  distinctly  remembers  the  time  when 
the  family  started  from  that  State  for  Indiana. 
This  vvas  in  1815,  and  after  reaching  Orange  County 
they  found  the  neighbors  few  and  far  between,  the 
nearest  one  being  nine  miles  distant  from  their 
chosen  location.  The  elder  Williams  purchased 
160  acres  of  timber  land  and  went  through  the 
same  process  as  did  his  son  in  later  years,  and  which 
we  have  already  described.  The  improvements 
which  he  made  were  perhaps  not  as  pretentious  as 
those  which  his  son  Robert  effected  in  later  years, 
but  he  built  up  a  comfortable  home  for  his  family 
and  spent  his  last  days  in  Orange  County,  passing 
away  in  1843. 

The  wife  of  Robert  Williams  shared  with  him 
the  vicissitudes  of  a  pioneer  life  in  a  new  country, 
and  passed  to  her  rest  in  1 855,  at  the  homestead 
which  she  had  assisted  in  building  up.  Their  nine 
children  were,  Margaret,  William,  Rachel,  John. 
Jane,  Josiah,  Dinah,  Thomas,  and  one  died  in  in- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

937  ,  , 


fancy  unnamed.    Rachel  and  John  died  when  seven- 
teen and  twenty-two  years  of  age  respectively. 

William  II.  Williams  obtained  his  early  education    ! 
in  the  subscription  schools  of  Orange  County,  Ind., 
mostly  during  the  winter  season,  and  assisted  his 
father  on  the  farm  the  balance  of  the  year.     When 
nineteen  years  old,  wishing  to  change  his  location 
and  occupation,  he  went    to  learn    the  trade  of  a   j 
miller,   which   he    followed    afterward    for   several    i 
years  during  the   winter  season,  and  continued  on 
the  farm  with  his  father  in  the  summer.    He  worked 
three  years  after  his  marriage  in  the  mill,  then  pur- 
chased the  old   farm    which    had    belonged    to  his 
grandfather.      He  took  possession  of  this  in   1851), 
and  remained  upon  it   five  years.     Afterward    he 
rented  the  farm  of  his  father-in-law,  operating  that 
three  years.     At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  not 
being  quite  satisfied  with  the  result  of  his  labors  in    : 
Indiana,  he    crossed    over    the    line    into    Illinois, 
which  involved  a  journey   of   seven  and   one-half 
days   by   team.     Coming  into  this  county  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  now   included   in  his  present 
farm.    It  was  then  mostly  wild  prairie,  with  three  or 
four  acres  broken  and  a  small  wooden  building  un-    i 
plastered.    He  occupied  it,  however,  with  his  young   i 
family  until  enabled  to  put  up  a  better  one.     The    i 
later    dwelling    was   erected  in   1871,  and  on    the 
premises    is  also  a  good    barn  and  sheds    for    the 
shelter  of  stock.     Mr.  Williams  has  added  to  his 
first  purchase,  so  that  he  now  owns  200  acres,  all  of 
which  is  in  a  tillable  condition,  and  will  bear  com- 
parison with  the  farms  around  it. 

The  marriage  of  William  H.  Williams  and  Miss 
Mary  Ann  Osborne  was  celebrated  on  the  25th  of 
January,  1850.  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents 
in  Orange  County,  Ind.  Mrs.  W.  is  a  native  of 
that  county,  born  Jan.  25,  1837,  and  is  the  daughter 
of  Jesse  and  Elizabeth  Osborne,  formerly  of  North 
Carolina.  Her  father  was  a  small  child  when  his 
parents  left,  that  State  and  journeyed  overland  to 
Orange  County,  Ind.  He  was  a  feeble  infant,  and 
his  mother  many  times  feared  that  he  would  die  on 
the  journey,  but  he  "  pulled  through"  and  lived  to  | 
be  of  assistance  to  his  parents  on  the  farm  which 
they  opened  up  in  the  wilderness.  After  his  mar- 
riage his  father,  Abram,  gave  him  1GO  acres  of  j 
heavy  timber  land,  and  he  proceeded,  as  others  had  i 


done  before  him,  to  cut  down  the  trees  and  to  make 
room  enough  for  the  building  of  a  log  house.  This 
completed  he  gradually  cleared  the  ground  around 
it,  and  after  the  lapse  of  years  beheld  around  him 
a  fine  farm  with  good  improvements,  and  the  soil 
prolific  of  the  richest  crops  of  that  region.  He 
sold  this  property  in  1864,  for  $11,000.  He  then 
removed  to  Parke  County,  Ind.,  in  the  spring  of 
1864,  and  purchased  an  improved  farm  of  300 
acres,  upon  which  he  lived  until  his  decease  in 
January,  1870.  His  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in 
the  family  burying-ground  on  the  farm.  His  wife, 
Elizabeth,  who  was  born  in  Orange  County,  Ind., 
in  1816,  is  still  living  on  the  homestead  in  Parke 
County.  The  children  of  Jesse  and  Elizabeth  Os- 
borne, eleven  in  number,  all  lived  to  mature  years 
and  located  in  Indiana  and  Illinois. 

A  record  of  the  nine  children  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Williams,  is  as  follows :  Thompson  E.,  born 
Jan.  6,  1857,  married  Miss  Martha  Osborne;  Zeno 
W.,  born  Jan.  24,  1860,  married  Miss  Phillis  Ha- 
worth;  John  N.,  born  Nov.  2,  1862,  married  Miss 
Ruth  Osborne;  William  Edward,  born  Nov.  20, 
1865;  Lillie  Bell,  Jan.  19,  1868;  Charles  J.,  March 
26,  1870;  Mary  E.,  Nov.  7,  1876;  Orchis  R.,  April 
30,  1877,  and  Walter  O.,  Sept.  3,  1881.  The 
younger  children  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

The  Williams  family  is  of  Welsh  ancestry.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the  Society 
of  Friends,  and  politically  Mr.  W.  is  an  ardent  ad- 
herent of  the  Republican  party. 


UGUST  S.  BUDDEMEIER  is  the  owner  of 
240  acres  of  valuable  land,  occupying  a 
portion  of  sections  34  and  35,  Sidney 
Township,  which  he  has  acquired  by  that 
native  shrewdness  and  business  capacity  for  which 
the  German  nationality  is  distinguished.  He  is  the 
son  of  Rudolph  and  Sophia  (Buddemeier)  Budde- 
meier,  and  was  born  in  Westphalia,  Prussia,  Feb. 
18,  1834.  His  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  Prussian 
army  and  came  to  America  in  1856,  bringing  with 
him  his  wife  and  four  children.  He  died  in  Cin- 
cinnati in  1866,  and  his  widow  in  1869,  in  Franklin 
County,  Ind.  Our  subject's  brother,  Frederick, 


4 


.  ,    938 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


served  as  a  Union  soldier  in  the  late  Civil  War,  en- 
listing at  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  the  13th  Missouri  Regi- 
ment. He  was  seized  with  a  fatal  illness  while  in  the 
service  and  died  at  Pittsburg  Landing. 

Mr.  Buddemeier  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Louisa  Hamsmeier,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  (liohlcutter)  Hamsmeier,  who  are  still 
living  in  their  native  Germany.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  became  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  who 
were  born  and  are  located  as  follows:  Sophia  W. 
C.,  born  Dec.  17,  1856,  is  the  wife  of  George  Un- 
nawahr,  who  lives  in  Kipley  County,  Ind.;  John 
F.,  born  Feb.  26,  1858,  married  Miss  Eliza  Block, 
and  lives  in  Buffalo  County,  Neb.;  Matilda,  born 
Nov.  10,  1859,  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Unnawahr, 
living  in  Decatur  County,  Ind.;  Christian  A.,  was 
born  in  December,  1861;  Mary,  Oct.  17,  1863; 
Elizabeth,  Aug.  29,  1865;  Margaretta,  born  June 
19,  1867,  is  the  wife  of  John  Thompson,  of  Sidney 
Township;  Martha  was  born  May  31,  1869;  Henry 
J.,  April  4,  1871;  Henry  W.,  Sept.  8,  1873,  and 
Samuel,  Dec.  21,  1875.  Mr.  B.  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, politically,  and  he  and  his  family  are  regular 
attendants  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 


eYRUS  ARNOLD,  a  practical  farmer  of  Philo 
Township,  has  been  a  resident  of  Cham- 
paign County  since  the  fall  of  1867.  He 
then  purchased  160  acres  of  land  on  section  35, 
which  constitutes  his  present  homestead,  and  which 
he  has  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation.  To 
this  he  subsequently  added  forty  acres,  and  has  the 
whole  well  drained  with  tile,  enclosed  with  neat 
fencing,  and  has  enlarged  and  improved  the  orig- 
inal buildings  so  that  they  are  now  models  of  con- 
venience and  comfort,  and  bear  comparison  with 
any  in  this  section.  In  addition  to  the  ordinary 
pursuits  of  agriculture  Mr.  Arnold  is  also  engaged 
in  raising  fine  stock,  horses,  cattle  and  swine. 

Our  subject  is  a  native  of  Clifton  Park,  Saratoga 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was  born  Sept.  8,  1830.  His  fa- 
ther, Peter  Arnold,  was  a  farmer  of  good  standing 
in  the  county  where  he  was  born,  married  and  died. 
Politically  he  was  a  Republican,  and  religiously  a 
Baptist,  like  his  father  before  him,  His  wife,  before 


her  marriage  was  Miss  Millie  Ostrom,  of  Holland  an- 
cestry. She  was  also  born  and  reared  in  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.  Both  parents  died  at  Clifton  Park, 
the  mother  in  1 843,  at  thirty-seven  years  of  age.  and 
the  father  in  1878,  aged  seventy-five.  Joseph  Ar- 
nold, the  grandfather,  was  reared  in  Providence,  R. 
I.,  whence  he  afterward  removed  to  Saratoga  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  and  there  married  Miss  Mary  Althouse. 
This  lady  was  the  daughter  of  Peter  Althouse,  a 
native  of  Holland,  who  emigrated  to  this  country 
in  an  early  day,  and  settling  in  New  York,  died  at 
Clifton  Park  after  arriving  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years  A  section  of  the  Arnold  family  also  lo- 
cated in  New  England  prior  to  the  Revolution. 
Joseph  Arnold  also  died  at  Clifton  Park  when  sev- 
enty-five years  old.  He  was  a  man  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability,  and  conducted  his  farming  and 
business  affairs  in  a  methodical  and  systematic 
manner. 

Cyrus  Arnold  was  the  eldest  son  and  second 
child  of  a  family  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  mature  years  and  married. 
The  eldest  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Van  Branken,  is 
deceased.  Those  living  are,  Cyrus,  of  our  sketch; 
Lucinda,  the  wife  of  Harvey  Taylor,  a  farmer  of 
Seward  County,  Neb.;  Catherine, Mrs.  Cyrus  Cole, 
is  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  her  hus- 
band is  a  piano  manufacturer.  George  married 
Miss  Caroline  Jones,  and  lives  in  Yorkville,  Ken- 
dall Co.,  111.;  Emmett  married  Miss  Martha  Jones, 
and  is  a  resident  of  Burnt  Hill,  Saratoga  Co.,  N.  Y. 

Our  subject  received  a  good  education  in  the 
public  _schools,  and  remained  a  member  of  the 
household  circle  until  he  reached  his  majority.  He 
then  went  to  Jackson  County,  Mich.,  where  after  a 
residence  of  two  years  he  was  married;  Feb.  -2, 
1853,  to  Miss  Caroline  Francisco;  who  was  born  in 
Washtenaw  County,  Mich..  Aug.  14,  1831.  Her 
parents,  Henry  A.  and  Catherine  (Overacker)  Fran- 
cisco, were  natives  of  Wells  Township,  Herkimer 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  the  father  born  May  20,  1794,  and  the 
mother,  Aug.  13,  1796.  They  were  married  Feb. 
29,  1816,  in  their  native  county.  The  grandfather 
of  Mrs.  Arnold,  Abraham  Francisco,  a  native  of 
New  York  State,  married  Miss  Hester  Yandercook. 
in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  City.  They  located 
in  Ontario  County,  and  both  died  in  Rusliville,  ^ 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


939 


that  county,    the    grandfather    when    about   sixty 
years  of  age,  and  the  grandmother  at  eighty. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Arnold,  in  1818,  removed 
from  New  York  State  to  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio, 
locating  on  a  farm  which  they  occupied  until  1829. 
In  that  year  they  removed  to  Washtenaw  County, 
Mich.,  and  in  1833  to  a  farm  in  Jackson  County, 
Mich.,  where  the  mother  died  June  5,  1851.  In 
1854  Mr.  Francisco  became  a  resident  of  the  Prai- 
rie State,  first  settling  in  Geneva,  Kane  County, 
and  thence  removing  to  Kendall  County.  After- 
ward he  came  to  this  county,  settling  on  a  farm 
near  Philo,  in  Champaign  Township,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  Sept.  2,  1875. 
Mr.  Francisco  was  Judge  of  Jackson  County  from 
is/is  to  1862.  He  was  of  Spanish  ancestry,  and 
his  wife  descended  from  the  German.  Both  were 
active  members  of  the  Methodist  Church  for  many 
years. 

The  children  of  Mr.  Francisco  and  wife  are  re- 
corded as  follows:  Henry  E.  died  at  Philo  Village 
Oct.  19,  1878,  having  been  engaged  in  the  grain 
business  there  for  several  years;  Nancy  became  the 
wife  of  Aaron  Blake,  and  died  in  Barry  Count}1; 
Horace  married  Miss  E.  Preston,  and  died  in  Texas; 
Hester  J.  lives  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Arnold,  of  our 
sketch;  Antoinette  C.  became  the  wife  of  H.  J. 
Nash,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
ALBUM;  Eleanor  married  J.  H.  Wheatou,  who  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Champion  Hills  during  the 
late  war;  he  was  first  commissioned  Captain  of  a 
company  and  afterward  promoted  Colonel  of  the 
regiment.  Mrs.  Wheaton  is  now  a  resident  of  De- ' 
catur,  Mich, 

After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arnold  lived 
for  one  year  in  Grass  Lake,  Mich.,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  McIIenry  County,  111.,  after svard  to  Ken- 
dall County,  and  from  there,  in  1867,  to  Philo 
Township,  this  county,  taking  possession  soon  af- 
terward of  their  present  farm.  Mr.  Arnold  was 
collector  of  taxes  in  Kendall  County ;  he;  with  his 
excellent  and  amiable  partner,  is  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  children  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  six  in 
number,  are  recorded  as  follows:  Mary  'is  the  wife 
of  John  Locke,  a  successful  farmer  of  Philo  Town- 
ship; Emmet  F.  married  Miss  Clara  M.  Payne,  and 


carries  on  a  stock  ranch  at  Hot  Springs,  Dak. ; 
Horace  and  Cora  E.  are  at  home ;  Clara  I1,  carne  to 
her  death  by  being  scalded;  Henry  E.  died  at  the 
age  of  nine  months.  Politically  Mr.  Arnold  is  a 
stanch  Republican,  and  casts  his  vote  with  that 
party. 

A  lithographic  view  of  Mr.  Arnold's  handsome 
residence  is  to  be  seen  on  another  page. 


*  W.  HILDERBRANT,of  Homer  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  among  the 
hills  of  Highland  County  in  the  spring  of 
1822.  Twelve  years  later  he  went  with 
his  parents,  David  and  Annie  (Grady)  Hilderbrant, 
to  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  of  which  he  remained 
a  resident  until  coming  to  this  State,  in  1 865.  His 
property  consists  of  eighty  acres  of  some  of  the 
choicest  land  in  Champaign  Count}',  which  has 
been  brought  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation  by  thor- 
ough drainage  and  by  being  managed  in  a  manner 
calculated  to  develop  its  best  resources.  Mr.  II. 
has  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  his  way,  extracting 
much  enjoyment  from  life,  having  been  blest  with 
good  health,  and  never  within  'his  remembrance  be- 
ing attended  by  a  physician. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  also  a  native  of 
Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  and  married.  He  died 
on  a  farm  in  Pcoria  County,  111.,  of  cancer,  and 
was  buried  in  Elmwood.  The  mother  died  some 
years  before  in  Tippecanoe  County,  Ind.,  and  her 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  Sugar  Grove,  Ind. 
The  ten  children  of  the  parental  family  were  Nancy 
J.,  Rachel,  Emeline,  Martha,  James  W.  (who  was 
killed  in  the  army),  Marion,  Pleasant,  Cyrus,  Stan- 
ton  and  John  W. 

Our  subject;  who  was  the  eldest  child,  remained 
under  the  parental  roof  until  his  marriage,  and  then 
united  his  fortunes  with  Miss  Emily  Fowler,  April 
9,  1862.  Mrs.  II.  was  born  in  Tippecanoe  County, 
April  12,  1831,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Joshua  D. 
and  Mary  (Hall)  Fowler,  natives  respectively  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Kentucky.  The  former,  who 
followed  farming  all  his  life,  died  in  Fountain 
County,  Ind.,  in  1871,  when  seventy-eight  years  of 


940 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


age.  The  mother,  who  was  lioru  in  1790,  passed 
her  last  years  on  the  old  homestead,  and  died  in 
18(52.  The  household  included  eleven  children,  as 
follows:  Nancy,  John  II.,  James  II.,  George  II.  C., 
Cyrus  M.,  Rachel,  Jessie  M.,  Emily,  Ruth,  Albina 
and  Ann. 

Mr.  Ilildcrln-ant  may  be  properly  classed  among 
the  honored  pioneers  of  this  county,  and  possesses 
in  a  marked  degree  their  perseverance  and  energy. 
Men  of  that  day  were  not  easily  discouraged,  and 
whenever  their  crops  failed  or  they  met  with  other 
misfortunes,  they  lost  no  time  in  grieving  over  their 
mishaps,  but  "got  up  and  went  at  it  again." 
Among  other  discouragements  Mr.  II.  at  one  time 
tended  sixty  acres  of  corn  three  times  over,  pre- 
paring the  ground  each  time  himself  and  alone.  In 
the  fall  he  sold  $1,300  worth  of  corn,  and  felt 
amply  repaid  for  his  perseverance.  Of  late  years 
he  has  devoted  his  attention  largely  to  the  raising 
of  hogs,  which  has  yielded  him  a  fine  income. 

The  two  promising  children  of  our  subject,  Mary 
and  Levi,  are  both  married  and  settled  in  comfort- 
able homes.  Mary  became  the  wife  of  Sylvester 
Newman,  and  Levi  married  Miss  Annie  Wilson. 
The  residence  of  Mr.  H.  is  a  comfortable  and  sub- 
stantial structure,  set  in  the  midst  of  shade  and 
fruit  trees,  and  the  barn  and  out-buildings  are 
amply  adapted  for  the  purposes  to  which  they  are 
devoted. 


tOHN  A.  PEERING  is  Assessor  of  the  town- 
ship of  Rantonl,  and  one  of  the  partners  in 
the  firm  of  Perring  &  LaFollett,  shippers  of 
live-stock.  He  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  ami 
was  born  July  8,  1850,  in  Washington  County, 
near  Salem.  The  names  of  his  parents  are  Isaac 
and  Anna  (Hoar)  Perring.  His  father  was  a  native 
of  England,  and  when  a  young  man  came  to  seek 
his  fortune  in  America.  Our  subject's  mother  was 
a  native  of  Kentucky,  but  her  parents  had  moved 
to  Indiana  during  her  childhood,  and  she  was  there 
married  to  Mr.  Perring.  After  their  marriage  they 
established  their  new  home  in  Washington  County, 
Ind.,  where  they  lived  for  several  years.  Mr.  Per- 
ring then  moved  with  his  family  to  Lawrence 
County,  where  his  death  soon  afterward  occurred. 


He  owned  400  acres  of  land  and  had  carried  on  an 
extensive  farming  business.  After  his  deatli  his 
widow,  with  her  family  of  seven  children,  returned 
to  Washington  County,  and  made  that  place  their 
home  for  many  years. 

John  A.  Perring  had  received  a  good  common- 
school  education,  and  upon  reaching  manhood  he 
resolved  to  go  further  West  in  search  of  a  good 
business  opening.  He  first  went  to  Marion  County, 
111.,  and  remained  there  over  two  years.  Not  feel- 
ing satisfied  with  his  prospects  there,  in  1871  he 
went  to  Champaign  County  and  rented  a  farm.  lie 
remained  there  several  years,  engaged  chiefly  in 
raising  grain.  In  1878  he  embarked  in  the  business 
of  shipping  live-stock,  which  he  has  since  exten- 
sively and  successfully  carried  on.  lie  deals  in  cat- 
tle, horses  and  hogs,  and  ships  great  numbers  to 
the  Chicago  market. 

In  1 87(i  Mr.  Perring  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  Jones,  of  Rantoul.  Her  family 
came  from  Kentucky,  where  her  father  died.  Her 
mother  is  living  in  Arkansas.  Mr.  Perring  has  ac- 
quired a  fine  property  through  his  own  energy  and 
application  to  business.  He  has  twice  been  elected 
Town  Trustee,  and  has  been  Assessor  of  the  town- 
ship since  1877.  He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
and  K.  of  P.,  and  belongs  to  the  Republican  party. 


OHN  H.  L.\FOLLETT.  No  section  of  this 
fertile  State  raises  a  better  grade  of  stock 
than  that  included  in  Champaign  County. 
This  fact  has  developed  an  enterprise  which 
has  called  in  play  the  genius  of  some  of  the  shrewd- 
est men  in  the  county.  Prominent  among  them  is 
John  II.  LaFollctt,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Per- 
ring &  LaFollett,  dealers  in  and  shippers  of  stock. 
Mr.  LaFollet  is  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Nancy  (Du- 
valt)  LaFollett,  and  was  born  Feb.  5,  1837,  in  Put- 
nam County,  Ind.  His  parents  were  both  natives 
of  Kentucky,  and  at  an  early  day  moved  to  Indiana, 
and  settled  in  Putnam  County  on  a  farm,  which 
they  improved  and  cultivated,  and  retained  as  their 
home  for  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  They  had  a 
family  of  seven  children,  only  three  of  whom  are 
now  living. 

John   II.  LaFollett,  who  was  the   eldest  son,  but 


T 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


941   (  , 


fourth  child,  remained  in  Putnam  County  until  ho 
reached  his  twenty-first  year.  Starting  out  an  in- 
experienced youth  to  make  a  successful  career  for 
himself  in  life,  he  first  went  to  Missouri,  and  thence 
to  Edgar  County,  111.  He  did  not  remain  there 
long,  but  came  to  Rantoul  in  the  autumn  of  1871, 
and  opened  a  meat-market.  He  continued  that 
business  for  two  years,  and  then  commenced  ship- 
ping horses  in  company  with  Mr.  Perring.  Find- 
ing that  promised  to  be  successful  they  soon  ex- 
tended the  business  and  included  cattle  and  hogs. 
Mr.  LaFollet  lias  been  signally  prospered,  and  has 
acquired  a  fine  property. 

Our  subject  has  been  married  four  times.  His 
second  wife,  Mrs.  Henrietta  LaFollett,  died  leaving 
two  children — -William  Grant  and  Mattie.  His 
third  wife,  Miss  Ellen  Steward,  died  leaving  him 
two  more  motherless  children — Nancy  and  Roscoe. 
His  present  wife,  Miss  Harriet  Weaver,  is  a  native 
of  Edgar  County,  111.  She  is  a  very  estimable 
lady,  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  Rantoul.  Her  husband  is  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  Church,  and  one  of  those  solid  and  sub- 
stantial men  who  not  only  gives  weight  and  stand- 
ing to  the  community  in  which  he  resides,  but 
prominence  and  stability  to  all  enterprises  with 
which  he  is  identified. 


^  QUIRE  LEE,  deceased.  The  finest  tribute 
perhaps,  that  could  be  given  to  this  gen- 
tleman, who  for  many  years  walked  in  and 
out  among  the  people  of  Pesotnm,  was  that 
of  one  who  knew  him  well  and  who  remarked  •'  he 
lived  an  earnest,  upright  life  and  died  a  confessed 
Christian."  This  practically  covers  the  ground- 
work of  the  life  and  character  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  He  first  opened  his  ej'es  to  the  light  in 
Pulaski  County,  Ky.,  in  the  year  1820,  and  was  the 
son  of  Charles  and  Nicie  Lee,  natives  of  Virginia, 
and  engaged  in  farming  pursuits.  He  remained  at 
home  with  his  parents  on  the  farm  until  1841,  and 
then,  having  reached  his  majority,  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Elizabeth  Ann  James,  a  native 
of  his  own  county,  whose  birth  took  place  Aug.  27, 


1821.  Mrs.  Lee  was  the  sixth  child  of  Joseph  M. 
and  Martha  (McCalister)  James,  who  were  Virgin- 
ians, in  which  State  they  spent  the  greater  part  of 
their  lives. 

Immediately  after  their  marriage.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lee  settled  on  a  farm  in  their  native  county,  whence 
they  removed  seven  or  eight  years  later  to  Lincoln, 
where  Mr.  Lee  purchased  a  farm.  Three  years  later 
he  sold  out  to  remove  into  Mercer  County.  After 
a  spring  and  summer  spent  there  he  came  North  to 
this  State,  and  located  in  what  was  then  Coles  but 
is  now  Douglas  County.  Soon  afterward  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land,  which,  however,  did 
not  remain  long  in  his  possession  and  which  he  sold 
preparatory  to  a  removal  across  the  Mississippi 
into  Missouri.  But  circumstances  induced  him  to 
abandon  this  plan,  and  he  began  to  pre-empt  and 
purchase  land  in  what  is  now  Champaign  County. 
He  proceeded  in  this  manner  until  he  had 'accumu- 
lated 520  acres. 

The  land  which  Squire  Lee  had  thus  acquired 
occupied  a  part  of  sections  15,  29,  30  and  31,  which 
he  lived  upon  and  improved  until  it  became  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the  whole  town- 
ship. His  death  occurred  on  the  21st  of  March, 
1885,  when  he  was  sixty-five  years  old.  The  friends 
who  at  that  time  gathered  around  to  do  reverence 
to  the  inanimate  clay  silently  recognized  the  fact 
that  there  had  been  one  cut  off  from  their  midst 
whose  place  it  would  be  most  difficult  to  fill. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lee,  all  living,  are 
Martha  Jane,  who  was  born  July  17,  1842;  Mary 
Ann,  Nov.  23,  1844;  George  W.,  Aug.  8,  1845; 
James  II.,  Feb.  3,  1847;  Henry,  Feb.  27,  1850; 
Noah;  May  29,  r853,  and  Sarah  E.,  May  10,  1857. 
Martha  became  the  wife  of  John  Rice,  who  died 
two  months  afterward,  and  the  bereaved  young 
wife  then  returned  to  her  parents;  of  this  union 
there  was  one  child,  Emma  A.,  born  in  1862,  and 
reared  by  her  grandparents.  Martha  afterward  be- 
came the  wife  of  Parker  Gregory,  a  farmer  of  Pe- 
sotum  Township;  of  this  marriage  there  were  born 
three  children.  Mary  Ann  became  the  wife  of 
Arthur  Rice,  of  whom  a  sketch  appears  elsewhere 
in  this  volume;  George  married  Miss  Ellen  Gold- 
man, and  follows  farming  in  Pesotum  Township, 
near  the  parental  homestead  of  his  father;  .1.  liar- 


f 


942 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


vey  married  .Miss  Mary  L.  Cook,  and  occupies  a  part 
of  the  home  farm  lying  on  section  15.  Henry  first 
married  Miss  Jennie  Adair,  who  became  the  mother 
of  two  children  and  passed  from  earth;  his  second 
wife  was  Miss  Marie  Richardson,  and  to  them  have 
been  born  two  children;  Noah  married  Miss  Mary 
Hart,  and  lives  within  a  few  rods  of  his  mother's 
house.  Gertrude  remains  at  home  with  her  mother. 
Sarah  married  Thomas  Adair,  and  lives  near  her 
mother. 

Much  of  the  land  belonging  to  the  Lee  estate 
was  devoted  by  its  proprietor  to  stock-raising,  and 
no  man  took  greater  pride  in  the  quality  of  the 
animals  which  he  purchased  and  sold.  The  farm 
was  provided  with  all  the  conveniences  necessary 
for  this  department  of  agriculture,  and  his  opera- 
tions in  this  line  yielded  him  a  fine  income.  Mr. 
Lee  interested  himself  in  the  welfare  of  his  town- 
ship and  community,  and  was  frequently  elected  to 
the  township  offices.  Politically  he  supported 
Democratic  principles,  but  never  sought  preferment, 
contented  if  he  could  be  of  service  to  those  imme- 
diately about  him  in  his  township  or  town.  Al- 
though never  connecting  himself  with  any  church 
organization,  he  recognized  the  importance  of  es- 
tablishing and  maintaining  religious  institutions, 
and  contributed  liberally  of  his  means  to  this  end. 
His  natural  impulses  were  on  the  side  of  right  and 
justice,  and  the  influence  which  he  shed  around  him 
will  serve  as  a  means  of  good  for  years  to  come. 


N.  GENUNG,  deceased.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Champaign  County,  who  made  for  him- 
self and  his  family  a  name  whom  all  delight  to 
honor.  Mr.  Genung  was  born  Sept.  20,  1816,  in  or 
near  Newark,  N.  J.  The  family  are  of  French  ex- 
traction. His  grandfather  was  a  native  of  France, 
but  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  in  America. 
His  father,  who  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  removed 
from  New  Jersey  to  Pennsylvania,  and  engaged  in 
business  in  the  town  of  Honesdale,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Klisha  Genung,  our  subject,  was  quite  young  when 


his  parents  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania,  and  lived  at 
home  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  his 
father,  who  was  a  very  practical  man.  apprenticed 
him  for  six  years  to  learn  the  carriage- builder's  trade 
in  Newark,  N.  J.  After  he  had  served  his  time,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-one  he  emigrated  West,  spending 
some  time  in  different  places.  He  was  in  Ohio  for 
a  short  time,  and  then  went  to  New  Orleans,  where 
he  worked  at  his  trade,  but  feeling  dissatisfied  he 
next  went  to  Terre  Haute,  lud.,  where  he  remained 
five  years,  engaged  in  the  trade  of  carriage-building. 
He  next  went  to  Teoumseh,  where  he  established  a 
cooper-shop,  in  which  business  he  continued  for 
five  years.  In  1855  he  came  to  Champaign  County, 
which  place  he  had  visited  two  years  previously, 
and  entered  half  of  section  35,  in  what  is  now 
Ludlow  Township,  after  which  he  returned  home 
and  resumed  his  business.  In  the  following  year 
he  came  again  and  built  a  house  on  his  land,  and  in 
1855  removed  there  with  his  family.  He  made  the 
journey  in  primitive  fashion,  conveying  his  family 
and  household  goods  by. means  of  two  wagons  and 
six  horses.  The  roads  were  almost  impassable  in 
some  places,  and  many  times  he  was  obliged  to 
attach  all  of  .the  horses  to  one  wagon  in  order  to 
pull  it  through  a  slough,  and  having  successfully 
accomplished  this,  to  return  for  the  other.  After 
his  arrival  he  immediately  commenced  improve- 
ments. The  site  of  -Rantoul  was  then  a  cornfield, 
and  during  his  lifetime  grew  into  quite  a  village. 
His  death  occurred  April  15,  1807. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  1852,  Mr.  Genung  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Julia  A.  Shank.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Shank,  and  was  born 
in  Rockingham  County,  Va.,  Nov.  13,  1830.  Her 
family  was  of  German  extraction,  though  for  several 
generations  its  members  have  been  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia. Her  grandfather  passed  his  entire  life  in 
Rockingham  Count}'.  In  1835  her  parents  removed 
to  Vigo  County,  Ind.,  where  they  purchased  tim- 
bered land,  which  they  cultivated  and  improved. 
Her  father  was  a  mason  by  trade,  and  was  engaged 
in  that  business  most  of  the  time.  He  died  on  the 
homestead  in  1843.  Her  mother,  Mary  (May) 
Shank,  was  also  of  German  descent  and  a  native  of 
Virginia. 

Three  of  the  children  of  our  subject  and  wife  :nv 


T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


043 


living:  Eliza  Helen,  the  wife  of  Reuben  Rougliton  ; 
Lou  Belle,  the  wife  of  Dr.  R.  Taylor,  who  lives  in 
Rossville,  Vermilion  Co.,  111.,  and  Zimri  U.,  the 
only  son,  who  lives  on  the  homestead  and  manages 
the  farm. 


P~REDETBICK  NICHOLS.  A  large  proper. 
)  tion  of  the  successful  agriculturists  and 
valued  residents  of  Central  Illinois  first 
drew  breath  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  in 
modest  homes  and  humble  stations,  where  they 
were  early  made  acquainted  with  life  and  its  re- 
sponsibilities and  admirably  fitted  to  cope  with  its 
duties  and  difficulties.  Among  these  the  subject 
of  our  sketch  is  a  bright  example,  essentially  a  self- 
made  man.  who  commenced  without  means  or  in- 
fluential friends,  but  who  steadily  worked  his  way 
upward  until  now  we  see  him  occupying  an  enviable 
position  in  his  community  and  holding  his  own 
among  the  able  financiers  of  a  great  common- 
wealth. 

The  early  home  of  Mr.  Nichols  was  near  the  city 
of  Oxford,  in  Oxfordshire,  England,  where  his 
birth  took  place  Nov.  13,  1833.  His  parents, 
Richard  and  Elizabeth  (Shorter)  Nichols,  were  also 
of  English  birth  and  parentage,  and  lived,  from  his 
best  recollections,  upon  a  small  farm,  where  by 
strict  industry  and  economy  they  secured  for  their 
family  all  of  the  necessaries  and  many  of  the 
pleasures  of  life.  The  father  did  not  live,  to  old 
age,  and  the  mother,  after  his  death,  emigrated  to 
the  United  States  with  her  children.  After  a  long 
voyage  on  a  sailing-vessel  they  first  landed  in  New 
York  City,  whence  they  proceeded  to  Montgomery 
County,  Ind.,  where  they  took  up  their  abode  on  a 
small  piece  of  ground.  After  a  brief  illness  the 
mother  passed  from  earth  in  the  summer  of  1870 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Mont- 
gomery. The  parental  household  included  six  sons 
and  two  daughters,  of  whom  only  three  survive, 
our  subject  and  two  brothers.  The  latter  are  both 
living,  one  in  England  and  the  other  in  Mont- 
gomery County,  Ind. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  Frederick  Nichols 
were  passed  in  his  native  shire,  where  he  received 
a  limited  education  and  remained  until  sixteen 


years  of  ftge.  Then,  in  company  with  his  brother, 
George  1).,  he  sailed  for  America,  landing  in  New 
York  City  in  June,  1849.  Thence  they  went 
direct  to  Poughkeepsie,  Dutchess  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and 
remained  three  years.  In  the  spring  of  1852,  our 
subject  went  into  Ohio,  locating  near  Lebanon  in 
Warren  County,  where  he  resumed  his  trade  for  a 
time  and  then  set  out  for  new  fields.  lie  was  a 
wide-awake  and  ambitious  young  man  and  desired 
to  see  something  of  the  world  before  settling  down. 
From  the  Buckeye  State  he  proceeded  southwest- 
ward  to  Mississippi,  where  he  spent  one  winter  and 
then  migrated  to  Springfield,  this  State.  Here  he 
worked  at  his  trade  two  years,  and  the  following 
year  took  up  his  abode  at  Bloomington.  Thence 
he  made  his  way  to  Alton,  and  from  there  four 
months  later  crossed  the  Father  of  Waters  into 
Montgomery  County,  Iowa,  engaging  on  a  farm 
near  Linden,  until  1870. 

The  State  of  Illinois,  however,  had  impressed 
Mr.  Nichols  more  favorably  than  any  other  locality, 
and  having  now  managed  to  save  a  sum  of  money 
he  came  to  this  county,  and  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  the  northwest  corner  of  St.  Joseph 
Township.  Here  he  began  fanning,  and  at  the 
same  time  engaged  in  bricklaying  as  he  had  oppor- 
tunity, remaining  until  the  fall  of  1875.  He  then 
sold  out  and  purchased  120  acres  on  section  21, 
and  began  the  first  improvements  in  that  portion  of 
the  township.  He  proceeded  successfully  with  his 
farm  operations  and  has  now  one  of  the  finest 
country  estates  in  this  section.  He  has  at  times 
been  largely  in  debt,  and  failure  seemed  inevitable, 
but  he  made  it  a  point  to  do  the  best  he  could  un- 
der all  circumstances  and  finally  emerged  from  his 
difficulties  with  flying  colors.  His  stock-raising 
operations  have  mostly  been  confined  to  hogs,  of 
which  he  lias  made  a  specialty,  and  in  which  he  has 
finely  succeeded,  reaping  a  rich  reward  for  his 
labors. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Nichols  was  celebrated 
in  Montgomery  County,  Ind.,  Nov.  13,  1862,  his 
chosen  bride  being  Miss  Susan  E.  Paddock,  who 
only  remained  the  companion  of  her  husband  two 
short  years,  dying  in  18G4.  and  leaving  one  son — 
Perry  Franklin,  now  a  resident  of  Kansas  and  en- 
gaged in  farming.  The  present  wife  of  our  subject, 


f 


944 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


to  whom  lu>  was  married  Feb.  l!j,  1 «(!(!,  was  formerly 
Miss  Lucinda  Irons,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  horn  in 
1840.  Of  this  union  there  are  two  sons  and  one 
daughter — Lancelot  T.,  Nathan  and  Cora  E. 

The  line  family  residence  was  erected  in  1884, 
and  is  one  of  the  handsomest  structures  in  the 
neighborhood.  It  is  situated  on  a  gentle  elevation 
commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, and  with  its  shade  trees  and  adjoining  build- 
ings, forms  an  attractive  feature  of  the  landscape. 
The  farm  is  stocked  with  good  grades  of  domestic 
animals,  and  eve'rythijig  about  the  premises  is  kept 
in  good  style,  reflecting  great  credit  upon  the  taste 
and  industry  of  its  proprietor. 

Mr.  Nichols  has  always  taken  an  intelligent  in- 
terest in  the  affairs  of  his  township  and  been  a  man 
generally  respected  for  his  clear  head  and  good 
judgment,  lie  has  served  as  Commissioner,  and 
with  his  excellent  wife  is  a  member  in  good  stand- 
ing of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  which 
he  has  officiated  as  Steward  and  Trustee  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  has  built  up  the  record  of  an 
honest  man  and  a  good  citizen,  and  enjoys  the 
friendship  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors  and  ac- 
quaintances. 


R.  SAMUEL  N.  SIMS,  physician  and  sur- 
geon, of  St.  Joseph,  occupies  a  worthy  po- 
sition in  his  chosen  profession,  and  enjoys 
the  confidence  of  the  people  of  his  com- 
munity. He  was  born  at  the  home  of  his  parents 
near  Terre  Haute,  Vigo  Co.,  Ind.,  Dec.  3u.  1 855, 
and  is  the  son  of  Dr.  William  B.  and  Sarah  J. 
(Medley)  Sims,  who  are  residents  of  Urbana,  111.- 
II is  father,  who  was  born  in  Tennessee,  Left  his  na- 
tive State  when  a  boy  of  four  years,  and  completed 
his  education  in  the  North.  Afterward  he  entered 
the  medical  department  of  Rush  College,  Chicago, 
after  which  he  availed  himself  of  a  higher  course 
of  instruction  at  Louisville,  Ky.  He  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  1869,  and  be- 
came eminently  successful  as  a  physician. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  William  (J.  Sims 
by  name,  was  reared  in  East  Tennessee,  where  he 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  married, 
rearing  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  among 


whom  the  father  of  our  subject  was  tenth  in  order 
of  birth.  The  latter  was  married  in  Indiana,  and 
remained  there  until  coming  to  this  State.  The 
parental  household  included  eight  children,  seven 
sons  and  one  daughter,  of  whom  Samuel  of  our 
sketch  was  the  eldest.  He  received  his  primary 
education  in  his  native  township,  and  completed 
his  studies  in  the  High  School  at  Le  Roy,  in.  Mc- 
Lean County.  He  commenced  reading  medicine 
under  the  instruction  of  his  father,  and  a  year  later 
entered  Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  where 
he  spent  six  months,  and  afterward  took  his  second 
course  in  the  Medical  College  at  Louisville,  being 
graduated  in  1877.  He  commenced  the  practice 
of  his  profession  at  St.  Joseph  in  company  with  his 
father,  who  had  successfully  followed  his  profession 
there  for  a  period  of  thirteen  years.  After  the  re- 
moval of  the  latter  to  Urbana  the  son  succeeded  to 
the  business,  and  bids  fair  to  become  as  skillful  and 
successful  as  his  father  before  him. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Sims  to  Miss  Rosa  Cusick, 
of  Edgar  County,  111.,  took  place  at  the  home  of 
the  bride's  parents,  in  the  spring  of  1880.  Mrs. 
Sims  was  born  in  Edgar  County  in  1860,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Abraham  B.  Cusick,  Esq.,  of  the  latter 
county.  Of  her  marriage  with  our  subject  there 
has  been  born  one  child,  a  son,  Flemmer  B. 

Of  the  Doctor's  .brothers  there  are  three  married, 
the  eldest  of  'whom,  Joseph  M.,  residing  at  Veed- 
ersburg,  Ind.,  is  joint  agent  for  the  I.,  B.  &  W.,  the 
C.  &  I.  C.,  and  the  T.,  C.  &  K.  C.  R.  R. ;  the  sec- 
ond, William  F.,  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  resides  in 
Mayview,  this  county,  and  the  third,  David  M.,  is 
engineer  on  the  C.  <fe  I.  C.  R.  R.,  making  his  home 
at  Brazil,  Ind. 


ISAIAH  HUMRICHOUSER,  a  resident  of  Ho- 
mer, 111.,  was  one  of  the  old  veterans   of   the 
Civil  War.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  C,  -2olh  111.  Vol. 
Inf.,  as  Third  Sergeant;  was  enrolled  June  1,  1861, 
sworn  in  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  served  three  years. 
For  some  time  he  was  in  the  Army  of  the  West,  but 
was  afterward  transferred  to  the  Army  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  thence  to  the  Arm}'  of  the  Cumberland. 
He  was  promoted,  Nov.    18,    1863,  to  the  rank  of 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


945 


First  Lieutenant  of  Co.  E,  14th  U.  S.  Colored 
Troops.  At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  September 
19  following,  our  subject  was  wounded  by  a  charge 
of  nine  musket  balls,  in  the  space  of  five  minutes, 
and  was  reported  among  the  killed.  He  lay  woundd 
on  the  battle-field  among  the  dead  and  dying  until 
nearly  midnight,  when  he  was  discovered  and  imme- 
diately .placed  in  the  ambulance  and  removed  .to 
Crawfish  Spring  Hospital,  where  he  remained,  part 
of  the  time  unconscious,  for  sixty-four  hours  be- 
fore his  wounds  were  dressed.  The  balls  had  pene- 
trated several  different  parts  of  his  body.  Two 
had  pierced  the  head,  one  the  right  shoulder,  one 
the  right  arm,  three  the  left  thigh  and  two  'the 
right.  His  face  is  now  somewhat  disfigured  from 
the  wounds  caused  by  the  two  balls,  which  passed 
entirely  through  the  head,  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  this  gallant  battle-scarred  hero  stood  with 
his  face  to  the  foe.  On  one  occasion  he  marched 
from  Jacinto,  Miss.,  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  a  distance 
of  970  miles,  under  a  scorching  sun. 

Lieut.  Humrichouser,  .two  weeks  after  assum- 
ing command  of  his  company,  and  sifter  being 
wounded,  was  captured  and  confined  in  a  rebel  hos- 
pital about  fourteen  days,  then  paroled.  After  a 
short  time,  spent  first  in  the  camp  at  Chattanooga 
and  subsequently  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  his  brother 
Henry,  of  Plymouth,  Ind.,  went  after  him  and  took 
him  to  his  home.  While  there  he  received  orders 
to  report  to  his  command,  when  he  received  his 
commission  of  Lieutenant,  but  on  account  of  being 
a  paroled  prisoner  of  war,  he  could  not  be  mustered 
in  or  do  further  military  service.  After  being  sent  to 
Camp  Chase  at  Columbus,  he  resigned,  and  return- 
ing to  this  State,  raised  Co.  K,  133d  111.  Vols.,  1 00- 
day  s'  men,  being  First  Lieutentant;  subsequently 
he  was  detailed  as  Provost  Marshal  at  Rock  Island, 
whereabout  11,000  rebels  were  imprisoned, 

Isaiah  Humrichouser  was  born  in  Ashland,  Ash- 
land Co.,  Ohio,  Feb.  25,  1842.  His  early  advan- 
tages were  somewhat  limited,  but  he  possessed 
good  natural  capacities  and  gained  a  good  acquaint- 
ance with  the  general  methods  of  conducting  busi- 
ness. He  became  a  resident  of  Illinois  in  1856, 
and  nine  years  later,  March  17,  1865,  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Dotrick,  daughter  of  John  and 
Sophia  Detrick.  Mrs.  H.  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 


Aug.  24,  1845,  and  by  her  marriage  with  our  sub- 
ject became  the  mother  of  one  child,  Charles  H., 
who  vvas  born  April  29,  1  807,  and  is  now  a  promis- 
ing young  man  nearly  twenty-one  years  old.  The 
property  of  our  subject  includes  three  farms,  two 
located  in  Seward  County,  and  one  in  Woodson 
County,  Kan.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the 
G.  A.  R.,  belonging  to  Homer  Post  No.  263.  He 
is  a  warm  adherent  of  the  Republican  party,  and 
on  account  of  his  wounds  receives  a  pension  from 
the  Government. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  bill  passed  for  the 
benefit  of  Mr.  Humrichouser:  "Forty-eighth  Con- 
gress, 1st  session.  House  Resolution  4,419.  In  the 
House  of  Representatives:  Be  it  enacted  by  the 
Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  Congress  assembled,  that  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  is  directed  to  pay  Isaiah 
Humrichouser,  late  a  Sergeant  of  Co.  C,  25th  111. 
Vol.  Inf.,  the  difference  between  the  pay  as  such 
Sergeant  and  that  of  First  Lieutenant  of  Infantry, 
from  the  18th  day  of  November,  1863,  until  the 
1st  of  March,  1864." 


JOSEPH  COBURN,  a  farmer  and  stock-grower 
residing  on  section  23,  Sidney  Township, 
was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y., 
March  12,  1829.  He  is  the  son  of  Joseph 
and  Ann  (Halladay)  Coburn,  and  is  the  seventh 
child  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  whose  names  are: 
Jarne^.  John,  Agnes,  Ann,  Maria,  Joseph,  Carrie, 
Robert  and  Mary  Harper.  Of  these,  James,  John, 
Ann,  and  Sarah  J.  are  deceased. 

Mr.  Coburn's  parents  died  in  New  York.  His 
father  was  a  stone  and  brick  mason  by  trade  and 
carried  on  that  business  with  energy  and  success 
until  the  last  few  years  of  his  life,  when,  on  account 
of  poor  health,  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  work, 
and  his  death  occurred  when  Joseph  was  but  thir- 
teen years  of  age. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  Mr.  Coburn  obtained  a 
position  on  board  a  steamer  which  was  plying 
between  the  cities  of  <Juebec  and  Hamilton.  He 
continued  to  follow  that  business  for  eleven  years, 
and  since  then  has  been  ens;ao-ed  in  farming.  In 


I 


,  ,    946 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


1856  he  removed  to  Ohio  ami  made  his  home  there 
until  1867,  in  which  year  he  removed  to  Cham- 
paign County.  He  was  married  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
Jan.  4,  1851,  to  Miss  Sarah  Blythe.  Mrs.  Coburn 
is  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Blythe.  She 
was  born  Aug.  27,  1829,  and  is  the  eldest  of  a 
family  of  seven  children.  The  names  of  her  brothers 
and  sisters  are  r  Ann,  John,  James,  William,  Samuel 
and  Mary  J.  Her  parents  have  latterly  resided  in 
Canada. 

Mr.  Coburn  now  has  the  management  of  a  farm 
belonging  to  F.  J.  Uusey,  and  carries  on  a  success- 
ful business  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  His 
family  consists  of  eight  children:  Mary  Ann,  the 
wife  of  Webster  Minor,  lives  in  the  city  of  Cham- 
paign; Joseph,  married  to  Miss  Alice  Kissinger, 
lives  in  Kingman  County,  Kan.;  Mahala,  the  wife 
of  David  Simms,  lives  in  Brazil,  Ind. ;  Mr.  Simms  is 
connected  with  the  railroad  business  in  that  place ; 
William  R.,  Melissa  B..  Lucy  S.,  and  Lydia  May 
are  single;  Clifford  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Coburn  is  industrious  and  active  in  business. 
In  politics  he  supports  the  Republican  party,  and 
with  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Universalist 
Church. 


THOMSON  RHODES  WEBBER,  deceased, 

came  to  this  county  in  the  early  days,  and 
was  one  of  the  prominent  and  efficient  men 
who  assisted  in  shaping  its  destiny,  and  bringing  it 
to  its  present  enviable  position.  He  was  a  native 
of  Shelby  County,  Ky.,  and  was  born  Oct.  C,  1807. 
On  his  father's  side  he  was  of  German  extraction, 
and  was  the"  eldest  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom 
but  four  are  now  living,  namely,  William  H., 
George  G.,  Mrs.  Nancy  Munhall,  of  Urbana,  and 
Mrs.  Sarah  Romine,  of  De  Witt  County,  111. 

Thomson  R.  Webber  was  twice  married.  Mis  first 
wife,  who  was  formerly  Miss  Martha  Thompson,  of 
Shelby  County,  Ky.,  died  in  1837.  Of  this  mar- 
riag  there  were  born  three  children — Joseph  T., 
William  B.,  and  Susan,  Mrs.  Blaydes.  In  1838  Mr. 
Webber  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  B"  Carson,  of 
this  county,  whose  deatli  preceded  his  several  years. 


Of  this  marriage  there  are  two  surviving  children — 
Robert  A.  and  James  H. 

Mr.  Webber  came  to  Urbana  in  1833,  and  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  cast 
his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Jackson,  and  heartily  sup- 
ported the  candidacy^  of  Horace  Greeley,  as  the 
Democratic  presidential  nominee.  He  was  a  man 
of. fine  abilities  and  enjoyed  for  many  3'ears  the 
confidence  and  friendship  of  many  eminent  men, 
among  them  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Senator  David 
Davis.  After  coming  to  this  locality  his  talents  re- 
ceived ready  recognition.  He  was  the  first  Post- 
master in  the  county,  and  upon  its  organization 
was  elected  Clerk  of  both  Courts,  serving  as  Coun- 
ty Clerk  twenty  years  and  Circuit  Clerk  twenty- 
seven  years.  For  forty  years  he  acted  as  Master 
in  Chancery,  and  upon  his  retirement  from  office 
carried  with  him  the  respect  and  good-will  of  all 
who  knew  him.  ' 

Thomson  R.  Webber,  in  1847,  was  elected  to  rep- 
resent Vermilion,  Champaign,  Piatt  and  Coles 
Counties  in  the  Constitutional  Convention,  and  in 
1863  represented  the  same  in  a  similar  convention, 
with  the  exception  of  Vermilion  County,  which  was 
substituted  by  Macon.  He  possessed  great  firmness 
of  character,  was  decided  in  his  opinions  and  fear- 
less in  the  expression  of  them.  His  death  occurred 
at  his  residence  south  of  the  city  of  Urbana,  Dec. 
14,  1881,  when  he  was  over  seventy-four  years  of 
age.  He  believed  in  and  practiced  the  principles 
of  Christianity,  although  not  a  member  of  any 
Church  organization.  He  possessed  a  quiet  dignity 
of  manner  and  kindness  of  heart  that  was  not  above 
speaking  kindly  to  the  humblest  individual  who 
came  within  his  notice. 


->O.    fl      -A— .j>3£».-Jl A— C^— 

TO     D         0 vOCv       O         U     OT 


flflOHN  TRICK,  a  native  of  Wurtemberg. 

many,  having  by  courage  and  perseverance 
overcome  the  difficulties  of  pioneer  life  in  a 
strange  land,  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine 
farm  on  section  36,  Sidney  Township,  of  which  he 
became  a  resident  in  1856.  The  parents  of  our 
subject  were  George  and  Anna  B.  (Iliioff)  Trick, 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


947- 


The  father  is  still  living  in  his  native  country,  where 
the  mother  died  in  1870. 

John  Trick,  who  was  born  Dee.  21,  1834,  when 
twenty  years  of  age,  in  1854,  started  out  alone  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  a  foreign  land,  and  embarked 
on  board  the  sailing-vessel  William  Tell,  plying  be- 
tween Havre  and  New  York.  After  a  stormy  pas- 
sage of  thirty-seven  days,  he  reached  his  destina- 
tion and  proceeded  to  Miamisburg,  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  employed  some  three  months,  and  thence 
migrated  to  Springboro,  Warren  County,  the  same 
State.  There  he  remained  two  years,  working  on  a 
farm,  and  at  the  expiration  of  this  time  resolved 
to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  farther  West.  After  com- 
ing to  this  county  he  spent  several  months  wood- 
chopping,  in  Sidney  Township,  but  not  being  satis- 
fied with  the  results  of  his  labor  there,  removed  to 
Urbana,  and  obtained  employment  in  a  sawmill, 
where  he  continued  ten  mouths.  He  then  returned 
to  Sidney  and  engaged  in  farming  for  Paul  Lny- 
botirn,  with  whom  he  remained  three  and  a  half 
years. 

In  August,  1861,  Mr.  Trick  enlisted  in  Co.  I,  2d 
111.  Vol.  Cav.,  and  served  in  the  Civil  War  for  four 
years  and  six  months.  At  the  end  of  his  third  year 
he  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  remaining  in  the  ranks 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  present  at  the 
battles  of  Champion  Hills  and  Pittsburg  Landing, 
and  in  all  the  campaigns  in  which  his  command 
took  part.  At  Liberty,  Miss.,  he  received  a  severe 
wound  in  the  right  thigh  from  a  musket  ball, 
which,  together  with  the  rheumatism  contracted 
while  in  the  army,  has  to  some  extent  made  him  a 
cripple.  He  was  mustered  out  in  Texas,  and  dis- 
charged at  Springfield,  111.,  in  January,  1866. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Trick  returned  to 
the  scenes  of  his  former  labors,  and  on  the  29th  of 
January,  1867,  was  married  to  Miss  Jeanette, 
daughter  of  Abel  and  Emeline  (Tanner)  Laybourn. 
The  parents  of  Mrs.  Trick  were  both  natives  of 
New  York  State,  but  their  decease  occurred  in  Sid- 
ney Township,  this  county.  The  father  rested  from 
his  labors  on  the  6th  of  January,  1874,  and  the 
mother  Jan.  11,  1886.  Our  subject  and  his  wife 
are  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely,  George, 
born  Dec.  27,  18G7;  John  and  Nettie,  twins,  were 
born  May  7,  1S74:  John  died  February  10,  and 


Nettie  February  19,  of  the  following  year;  Mary 
N.,  the  youngest  of  the  household,  was  born  Nov. 
28,1870. 

The  property  of  our  subject  comprises  120  acres 
of  finely  improved  land  on  the  home  farm,  besides 
about  eight  acres  of  timber.  He  takes  great  satis- 
faction in  noting  the  progress  of  the  township, 
which  he  has  assisted  in  building  up,  and  has 
served  in  his  school  district  as  Director.  He  is  a 
Republican  politically,  and  with  his  estimable  lady  is 
\  a  worthy  member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 


J"~  OSEPH  CODDINGTON,  a  successful  farmer, 
residing  on  section  12,  Sidney  Township,  is 
the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Delilah  (Thomas) 
Coddington,  natives  of  Ohio.  His  father, 
who  was  also  a  farmer,  was  born  in  1823,  and  died 
April  13,  1865,  in  Sidney  Township.  His  mother 
was  born  in  1824,  and  is  still  living  on  the  home 
farm.  Joseph  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  nine 
children,  comprising  three  boys  and  six  girls.  He 
was  born  in  Sidney  Township  in  1843,  and  on  the 
23d  of  November,  1871,  was  married  to  Miss 
Clara  McElroy.  Mrs.  C.  is  the  eldest  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  A.  (Franklin)  McElroy,  natives 
of  Ohio,  but  living  in  Sidney  Township,  this 
county.  Their  family  consisted  of  six  children, 
three  boys  and  three  girls,  and  their  daughter 
Clara  was  born  in  or  near  Marietta,  Ohio,  July 

13,  1853.     To   Mr.   and    Mrs.    Coddiugton    three 
children  were  born — Grant,  Essie  May  and    Mary 
Delilah.     The  two  elder  are  now  deceased. 

Our  subject,  during  the   late   war,  enlisted  May 

14,  1864,  for  100  days,  and  was  detailed    to  guard 
duty  for  the  Government   at  Rock  Island.     After 
having   served    more   than  his   full    time,   he  was 
mustered  out  at  Camp  Butler,  about  Sept.  16,  1864, 
and  returning  to  Sidney  Township,  remained  there 
some  ten  years.     In  1874  he    removed  his  family 
to  Mitchell  County.  Kan.,  intending  to  permanently 
locate  there,  but  a  few  of    the  cyclones  incident  to 
that  region  induced  him  within  a  few  days  to  re- 
turn to  Illinois,  where  he  has  since  remained. 

Mr.  Coddington,  socially,  is  an   honored    mem- 
ber of  the  G.   A.  R.,   and    as  a   citizen,  interested 


t. 


k    948 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


in  the  public  welfare,  he  has  successfully  filled  the 
offices,  of  Road  Commissioner  and  School  Director. 
lie.  owns  a  finely  cultivated  farm  of  eighty  acres, 
with  five  acres  of  timber  land,  and  in  addition  to 
general  farming,  gives  special  attention  to  the  rais- 
ing of  Poland-China  hogs.  The  management  of  hi.s 
farm  is  carried  on  systematically,  and  aided  by  the 
most  approved  machinery. 

Our  subject  and  his  estimable  wife  are  members 
in  high  standing  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
in  which  Mr.  C.  is  Class-Leader  and  also  Assistant 
Superintendent  of  the  Union  Sunday-school.  He 
is  a  man  of  integrity  and  enjoys  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  his  community,  to  whose  moral  and 
educational  welfare  he  has  always  contributed  by 
all  the  means  in  his  power. 


A.  PORTERFIELD,  a  gentleman  in  the 
prime  of  life,  and  a  prosperous  farmer 
and  stock-grower  of  Sidney  Township, 
owns  a  quarter  of  section  9,  which  he  has 
embellished  with  a  home-like  country  residence, 
and  good  out-buildings.  He  occupies  himself  prof- 
itably in  general  farming  and  stock-raising,  and  is 
a  fair  example  of  the  prosperous  agriculturist  of 
Central  Illinois.  Mr.  Porterfield  was  born  in  Arm- 
strong County,  Pa.,  Nov.  7,  1843,  and  is  the  son 
of  R.  G.  and  Hannah  (Campbell)  Porterfield  (see 
sketch  of  L.  C.  Porterfield). 

Our  subject  was  a  youth  of  nineteen  years  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  and  in  1864  enlisted 
in  the  78th  Pennsylvania  Infantry.  He  gave  one 
year  to  the  service  of  his  country,  and  then  at  the 
close  of  the  war  was  mustered  out  at  Harrisbur"-, 

o  1 

Pa.,  and  returning  home,  again  took  -up  the  imple- 
ments of  husbandry,  which  he  has  since  followed. 
He  remained  in  his  native  State  two  years  after- 
ward,  and  in  1867  migrated  to  the  West,  settling 
in  this  county,  with  whose  interests  he  has  since 
been  identified. 

In  1871,  when  [twenty-nine  years  of  age,  Mr. 
Porterfield  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Williams.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Ohio, 
and  came  to  Illinois  about  1865.  Their  family 
included  six  children  —  Cyrus,  Elizabeth,  Clara,  J. 


age. 


T.,  Mamie,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  To  .Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Porterfield  were  born  four  children — Ed- 
ward, now  deceased;  Robert  Z.,  Nellie  B.,  and  one 
who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Porterfield  departed 
this  life  in  1880.  Our  subject  has  held  the  office 
of  School  Director,  and  is  a  citizen  generally  inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  his  adopted 
count}'  and  township.  At  home  he  is  kind  and 
hospitable,  and  in  every  relation  in  life  performs 
his  part  in  a  praiseworthy  manner.  Religiously 
he  is  a  member  and  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  in  politics  is  a  straight  Re- 
publican. 

AVID  S.  MOORE,  who  occupies  the  old 
homestead  of  his  father,  on  section  36, 
Hensley  Township,  has  been  a  resident  of 
this  county  since  a  boy  fifteen  years  of 
He  was  born  in  Goshen,  Hampshire  Co., 
Mass.,  Aug.  5,  1845.  His  father,  Abner  C.  Moore, 
was  born  in  the  same  town,  Sept.  21,  1807.  His 
grandfather.  Shepard  Moore,  was  a  native  of 
Brookfield,  Worcester  Co..  Mass.,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Hampshire  County  during  its  first  settle- 
ment. He  purchased  logs  and  put  up  a  house, 
commenced  to  clear  away  the  timber,  and  in  due 
time  built  up  a  comfortable  home.  The  locality 
where  he  settled  is  now  known  as  Moore's  Hill. 
There  he  and  his  excellent  wife  spent  the  remainder 
of  their  lives. 

Of  the  five  children  in  the  parental  family,  Ab- 
ner C.  was  the  youngest.  He  was  reared  on  the 
farirf,  remaining  with  his  parents  until  after  his 
marriage.  The  young  town  covered  quite  an  area 
of  ground,  and  Abner  Moore  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  within  its  limits.  Upon  what  was  once  his 
property  is  now  situated  the  reservoir  fed  from 
Mill  River,  which  supplies  water  for  the  mills 
which  manufacture  various  cotton  and  woolen 
goods.  Here  also  stood,  originally,  a  small  saw- 
mill, which  Mr.  Moore  put  in  good  repair,  and  sub- 
sequently converted  the  structure  into  a  broom- 
handle  and  button  factory.  The  buttons  were 
made  of  wood,  and  designed  to  be  covered  with 
cloth.  Mr.  Moore  was  a  natural  mechanic,  and  in- 
vented two  valuable  machines  for  the  cutting  of 
buttons.  In  1851  he  sold  out  his  interest  in  that 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


949 


vicinity,  anil  decided  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the 
West.  Getting  together  his  household  goods,  with 
his  wife  and  seven  children,  he  started  for  the 
Prairie  State,  and  after  arriving  within  its  limits, 
purchased  a  farm  in  Benton  Township,  Lake  Coun- 
ty. He  lived  there  until  1857,  when  he  sold  out, 
and  removing  to  Racine  County,  Wis.,  was  a  resi- 
dent of  the  Badger  State  three  years.  In  1860 
he  sold  his  property  there,  and  coming  to  this 
county,  located  first  on  a  farm  near  Linn  Grove, 
which  he  rented  .one  year.  The  year  following  he 
removed  to  Rantoul,  living  there  on  a  rented  farm 
for  one  year,  and  then  purchased  the  farm  in  Hens- 
ley  Township  upon  which  our  subject  now  resides. 
The  land  at  the  time  of  its  purchase  by  Mr.  Moore 
was  entirely  uncultivated.  The  father,  however, 
was  cut  down  in  his  prime,  dying  on  the  28th  of 
-March,  1863. 

The  mother  of  our  subject,  who  before  her  mar- 
riage was  Miss  Luena  P.  Slack,  was  born  in  North- 
ampton, Mass.,  Jan.  18.  1803,  and  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Abner  Moore  in  1829.  Her  father, 
David  Slack,  was  born  in  Killingly,  Conn.,  Dec.  11, 
1771,  and  was  the  son  of  Christopher  Slack,  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  State  and  one  of.  the  first  settlers 
of  Northampton.  He  located  in  what  is  now  the 
north  part  of  the  city,  and  died  there  at  a  ripe  old 
age.  David  Slack  removed  to  Southampton  in 
1807,  and  after  a  residence  there  of  thirty  years, 
sold  out  and  returned  to  Northampton.  He  after- 
ward came  West  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Moore, 
and  died  at  her  home  in  Racine  County,  Wis., 
April  28,  1859.  His  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married 
Jan.  11,  1799,  was  Anna  Pomeroy.  She  was  born 
May  17,  1774,  and  died  in  Northampton,  Aug.  16, 
1845.  They  had  three  children;  the  eldest  died 
in  infancy.  Her  father  was  Caleb  Pomeroy.  His  fa- 
ther's family  contained  five  sons  and  three  daughters, 
all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  one  son,  grew  to 
maturity,  married,  and  had  large  families  of  their 
own.  The  son  mentioned.  Caleb  by  name,  was 
drowned  when  a  young  man.  The  surviving  chil- 
dren settled  around  their  father  in  South  or  East- 
hampton,  and  all  engaged  in  farming  pursuits. 

The  Pomeroy s,  like  their  ancestors,  were  very 
strict  in  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  and  other 
religious  matters.  Sabbath  commenced  at  sunset 


on  Saturday,  at  which  time  all  work  was  laid  aside 
until  sunset  on  Sunday,  when  work  for  the  follow- 
ing week  commenced.  The  people  went  a  great 
many  miles  to  "meeting"  on  horseback,  the  men 
riding  on  the  saddle  and  the  women  on  a  pillion  be- 
hind, in  the  days  when  Jonathan  Edwards,  who 
lived  at  Northampton,  was  the  popular  preacher  of 
New  England.  Their  text-books  were  the  Bible, 
the  Psalter,  Watts'  psalms  and  hymns,  and  the 
Catechism; 

Caleb  Pomeroy,  the  great-grandfather  of  our 
subject,  settled  with  his  brother,  Elijah,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Northampton,  Mass.,  in  1760,  and  there 
built  up  a  home  from  the  primitive  soil,  cultivat- 
ing the  land  and  setting  out  fruit  trees.  Elijah  be- 
came the  father  of  a  son,  Samuel,  the  father  of  ex- 
Senator  Pomeroy,  of  Kansas.  The  latter  was  a 
second  cousin  of  Mr.  Moore  of  our  sketch.  Sena- 
tor Pomeroy  was  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  seven 
children,  all  living  but  one ;  he  is  seventy-one  years 
of  age  and  a  resident  of  Washington  City.  This 
distinguished  gentleman  learned  his  letters  and 
"  spoke  his  first  piece  "  at  the  school  with 'Abner 
Moore,  when  both  were  boys  together.  The  first 
representatives  of  the  Pomeroy  family  in  this 
country,  settled  first  at  Roxbury,  Mass.,  whence, 
after  a  few  years,  they  removed  to  Windsor, 
Conn. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Southampton,  and  commenced 
teaching  when  nineteen  years  old.  She  first  re- 
ceived seventy-five  cents  per  week  and  "boarded 
around."  While  teaching  at  Goshen,  this  lady  met 
her  future  husband,  Abner  C.  Moore.  She  is  still 
living  and  in  full  possession  of  her  mental  faculties. 
Both  she  and  her  husband  were  members  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  They  became  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  of  whom  the  record  is  as  follows: 
Fannie  C.  became  the  wife  of  E.  O.  Stephens,  and 
lives  in  Champaign;  Ann,  Mrs.  Jewett,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Coffey  County,  Kan. ;  Julia  P.,  Mrs.  Mow- 
rey,  lives  at  Philo,  111. ;  Chancey  is  deceased  ;  Edna 
E.,  Mrs.  DeLong,  and  Sarah  U.,  Mrs.  Hazen,  are 
residents  of  Sidney  Township;  David  S.,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  youngest  of  the  family.  The  son, 
Chancey,  was  born  July  1,  1837.  During  the  prog- 
ress of  the  late  war  he  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier 


950 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


i 


in  1863,  becoming  a  member  of  Co.  D.,  1-2(1  III. 
Vol.  Inf.  He  was  fatally  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Lookout  Mountain,  and  died  soon  afterward,  be- 
ing buried  in  the  National  Cemetery  at  Chatta- 
nooga. 

Although  our  subject  was  but  six  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  removed  from  his  native  State,  he 
distinctly  remembers  his  old  home  in  the  East  and 
many  incidents  connected  with  the  removal  hither. 
He  was  never  separated  from  his  parents  until  the 
affliction  .which  deprived  him  of  the  society  of  his 
father,  and  has  lived  with  his  mother  since  that 
time.  He  assisted  in  the  improvement  of  the 
homestead  in  Hensley  Township,  which  they  set- 
tled upon  in  1861,  and  where  he  has  continuously 
lived  since  that  time.  After  reaching  his  twenty- 
first  year  he  was  united  in  marriage,  Sept.  6,  1866, 
to  Miss  Nancy  Alice  Dunham,  who  was  born  in 
Cass  County,  Ind.,  Sept.  6,  1845,  and  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Matilda  (Griffin)  Dunham.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  Moore  were  natives  of  Ohio, 
whence  they  removed  and  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Cass  County,  lud.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Moore  there  have  been  born  two  children  —  Grace 
I.  and  Grant  E.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Politically  Mr.  Moore  affiliates  with  the  Republican 
party. 


ORT1MKR  SMITH,  farmer  and  tile  manu- 
facturer at  Homer,  came  to  Danville,  this 
State,  in  1855,  where  he  remained  two 
years,  then  took  up  his  abode  in  the  com- 
munity which  now  claims  him  as  one  of  its  most 
valued  factors.  He  is  largely  identified  with  its 
industrial  interests,  and  is  also  of  no  small  impor- 
tance as  a  farmer,  being  the  possessor  of  700  acres 
of  land,  with  good  buildings  and  farm  implements. 
Upon  corning  here  his  first  purchase  consisted  of 
400  acres  of  land,  upon  which  little  improvement 
had  been  made.  At  that  time  the  city  of  Joliet 
was  the  only  point  of  competition  in  connection 
with  the  manufacture  of  tile.  He  established  his 
factory  in  1867,  and  has  turned  out  from  twenty 
to  sixty  miles  of  tiling  each  year,  looking  first  to 


the  improvement  of  his  own  property,  which  has 
been  thoroughly  drained,  tile  being  laid  four  rods 
apart  all  over  the  farm.  In  this  institution  he 
placed  the  latest  and  most  improved  machinery, 
and  having  his  work  done  thoroughly  and  well, 
stands  second  to  none  in  this  industry  as  carried  on 
in  the  Prairie  State.  His  farming  operations  also 
have  been  conducted  upon  an  extensive  scale,  much 
of  his  attention  being  given  to  the  breeding  of 
fine  cattle,  mostly  Jerseys.  Of  these  he  has  fifty 
head,  together  with  the  same  number  of  Poland- 
China  hogs,  besides  a  number  of  fine  horses. 

The  history  of  Mr.  Smith  furnishes  an  excellent 
example  for  young  men  just  embarking  in  the  field 
of  active  life,  of  what  may  be  accomplished  by  a 
man  beginning  poor,  but  honest,  prudent  and  in- 
dustrious. Mr.  Smith  came  to  Illinois  with  about 
$150  in  cash,  and  the  present  value  of  his  property 
is  estimated  at  $50,000.  He  has  made  profitable  in- 
vestments, become  interested  in  remunerative  enter- 
prises, and  combines  strictness  of  moral  principle 
with  energy  and  decision  of  character.  He  is  fa- 
vored with  a  good  physical  constitution,  mostly- 
due  to  his  temperate  habits  of  life  and  the  con- 
sciousness of  having  gained  what  he  possesses  by 
fair  means  and  in  the  ordinary  course  of  a  success- 
ful business  life.  In  viewing  the  career  of  such  a 
man  we  naturally  look  to  the  source  from  whence 
he  drew  his  origin. 

The  parents  of  our  subject.  William  and  Julia 
(Ransom)  Smith,  were  both  descendants  of  excel- 
lent families,  the  former  a  native  of  Lancashire, 
England,  and  the  latter  born  in  the  Empire  State. 
The  birth  of  William  Smith  occurred  in  the  early 
part  of  1801,  and  that  of  the  mother  of  our  subject 
in  1806.  The  former  spent  the  early  part  of  his 
life  in  his  native  country,  where  he  learned  the 
trade  of  a  machinist,  afterward  engaging  in  the 
manufacture  of  cotton,  woolen  and  silk,  and  npon 
coming  to  this  country  established  a  silk  factory  at 
Salem,  Ind.  He  died,  however,  before  scarcely 
reaching  his  prime,  on  the  31st  of  July,  1849,  while 
a  resident  of  Hanover,  Ind.  The  mother  is  still 
living,  having  arrived  at  the  advanced  age  of  nearly 
eighty-two  years,  and  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  good 
health.  For  many  years  she  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  as  a  wife,  mother  and 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


951    ,  . 


friend  has  fulfilled  creditably  the  various  duties  of 
life. 

The  children  forming  the  parental  household 
were  named,  Oliver,  George  W.,  Milton,  Mary  E., 
William  II.  11.,  Francis  and  Louis.  They,  together 
with  our  subject,  were  provided  with  as  good  an  ed- 
ucation as  the  schools  of  those  days  afforded,  which 
was  necessarily  somewhat  limited.  Mr.  Smith  was 
united  in  m-irriage  with  Miss  Jennie  Trisler.  Mrs. 
Smith  was  born  in  Danville,  this  State,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  Trisler,  who  was  formerly  a 
resident  of  Kentucky,  but  is  now  deceased.  This 
union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  eight  children,  who 
were  named  respectively,  Julia,  William,  Mary, 
Charlie,  Jennie,  Nellie,  Roy  and  Clara.  The  latter 
died  in  infancy. 

Notwithstanding  his  usually  successful  career, 
Mr.  Smith,  in  1879,  met  with  a  severe  loss  by  fire, 
involving  the  destruction  of  a  steam  flouring-mill. 
which  was  valued  at  §6,000,  with  no  insurance. 
With  the  persistency,  however,  which  is  one  of 
the  essential  points  in  his  character  and  has  been 
the  secret  of  his  success,  he  lost  no  time  bemoaning 
his  misfortune,  but  proceeded  with  his  other  busi- 
ness, to  which  he  gave  his  undivided  attention, 
with  the  result  already  stated.  Politically.  Mr. 
Smith  gives  his  support  to  the  Republican  party. 
He  presents  in  all  respects  the  character  of  a  well- 
bred  gentleman,  enjoying  the  confidence  of  his 
friends  and  the  esteem  of  his  neighbors.  He  has 
performed  the  duty  of  a  wise  father  to  his  chil- 
dren, providing  them  with  all  the  advantages  of 
education. 


\EV.  F.  A.  LUEDECKER,  pastor  of  the  Ger- 
man  Evangelical  Church,  the  building  of 
which  is  located  on  section  28,  in  Sidney 
)Townsliip,  occupies  a  comfortable  country 
home  not  far  away,  on  section  33.  He  is  of  Ger- 
man birth  and  parentage,  having  been  born  in  the^ 
city  of  Berlin,  Feb.  7,  1850.  His  parents  were 
Martin  and  Caroline  (Wellgast)  Lnedecker,  the 
former  of  whom  died  in  his  native  land  in  1854, 
when  our  subject  was  a  child  four  years  of  age. 
Fifteen  years  later  the  mother  emigrated  to  the 


United  States,  and  is  still  living  in  Kane  County, 
111.  Martin  Luedecker  was  a  cooper  by  trade. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education  in  the 
common  schools,  and  later  attended  Mapleville  and 
the  Northwestern  Colleges,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  and  admirably  fitted  for  the  duties  be- 
fore him.  He  married  Miss  Amelie  Madenwold, 
who  was  born  in  this  county  Jan.  24,  1862,  and  is 
the  daughter  of  Charles  and  Minnie  (Lange) 
Madenwold,  who  were  of  German  birth  and  parent- 
age and  are  still  living,  making  their  home  with 
our  subject.  Of  this  marriage  there  were  born 
four  children — Anna,  Fedie,  Herbert  and  Carl. 

The  church  over  which  our  subject  presides  in- 
cludes thirty-eight  families,  making  a  congregation 
of  about  200.  They  have  a  catechism  class,, with  a 
good  attendance,  and  the  day  school  three  months 
in  each  year.  This  forms  an  excellent  community 
of  praiseworthy  citizens,  and  the  presiding  minister 
is  eminently  fitted  for  his  responsible  position. 


HARLES  W.  GIBSON,  a  valued  member  of 
the  farming  community  of  Ogden  Town- 
ship,  is  comfortably  located  on  section  30, 
where  he  owns  120  acres  of  land  and  is  largely  en- 
gaged in  the  breeding  of  Poland-China  hogs.  He 
came  to  this  State  in  1863,  and  commenced  life  in 
a  modest  manner,  and  by  the  exercise  of  diligence 
and  industry  is  now  in  possession  of  a  good  home- 
stead and  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  of  life. 

Mr.  Gibson,  a  native  of  Bates  County,  Mo.,  was 
bom  Nov.  10,  1854.  His  parents,  John  W.  and 
Nancy  J.  (Hartman)  Gibson,  were  natives  respect- 
ively of  Ohio  and  Illinois.  John  W.  Gibson  was 
born  in  1829,  and  departed  this  life  at  his  home  in 
Champaign,  in  September,  1 875.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation  and  served  as  a  Union  soldier  daring 
the  late  war,  being  a  member  of  the  25th  Ohio  In- 
fantry, and  giving  three  years  and  seven  months  to 
his  country.  He  was  mostly  in  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland,  and  suffered  in  common  with  his 
brother  soldiers  the  privations  of  army  life,  by 
which  he  contracted  a  serious  illness  and  was  for 
three  years  an  inmate  of  the  Soldiers'  Home  at 
Dayton,  Ohio.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born 


L  t  952 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


in  1836,  married  in  1855,  and  is  still  living.  She 
has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  many  years.  The  parental 
household  included  four  children — John  A.,  Ellen, 
Emily,  and  Charles  W.,  of  our  sketch. 

Our  subject,  after  arriving  at  years  of  manhood 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Cannon, 
Feb.  20,  1876.  Mrs.  G.  is  a  native  of  this  State 
and  was  born  Dec.  12.  1856.  Her  parents  were 
John  and  Keziah  (Booue)  Gannon,  the  former  a 
native  of  Delaware  and  the  latter  of  Illinois.  Her 
father  was  born  in  1831,  has  followed  farming  all 
his  life,  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Kansas.  He  is 
esteemed  a  worthy  citi/.en,  and  is  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  Church.  The  mother,  who 
was  born  in  1839,  passed  away  hi  1879.  The  three 
children  of  the  parental  household  were  named 
respectively,  Mary,  Jennie  and  Sarah  L.,  and  all  are 
married. 

Mr.  a'nd  Mrs.  Gibson  have  three  children,  namely, 
Minnie  E.  F.,  born  in  1876;  Frederick,  in  1880, 
and  Grace  J.,  Jan.  17.  1883.  The  homestead  of 
our  subject  includes  a  handsome  dwelling,  and  good 
barn,  and  one  of  the  attractive  features  of  the 
place  is  a  spring  of  living  water  with  which  the 
proprietor  would  not  part  for  hundreds  of  dollars. 
His  early  advantages  were  extremely  limited  but 
he  was  possessed  of  much  natural  ability  and  has 
kept  his  eyes  open  to  what  is  going  on  around  him. 
He  has  now  accumulated  a  good  property  and  can 
afford  to  live  in  comparative  ease.  He  is  a  stanch 
Republican  in  politics,  and  socially  a  member  of 
Homer  Lodge  No.  252,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


^EBASTIAN  DILL.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  near  Nurembnrg,  Ger- 
many, of  which,  from  the  many  interesting 
historical  events  connected  with  it.  a  brief 
reference  may  not  be  uninteresting.  It  was  found- 
ed in  the  year  905,  and  thirty-two  years  later  was 
the  seat  of  the  first  German  Diet,  familiarly  asso- 
ciated with  the  movements  of  the  reformer  Mar- 
tin Luther,  whose  doctrines  its  inhabitants  em- 
braced at  an  early  day.  In  1805,  during  the  wars 
of  the  great  Napoleon,  it  became  a  Province  ot 


Middle  Franconia,  an  old  Grand  Duchy  of  Ba- 
varia. It  was  once  the  greatest  and  most  wealthy 
of  all  the  free  imperial  cities  of  Germany,  standing 
on  a  well-cultivated  plain  and  presenting  a  very 
striking  appearance,  its  characteristic  feature  being 
the  venerable  air  of  antiquity  which  invests  it.  It 
is  surrounded  by  walls  and  battlements,  the  chief 
edifices  being  the  Reichsveste,  an  old  imperial  cas- 
tle often  occupied  by  the  German  Emperors  of  the 
middle  ages;  the  Church  of  St.  Sebald,  with  fine 
paintings  and,  sculpture,  and  the  churches  of  St. 
Laurent  and  St.  Giles.  There  is  also  the  German 
National  Museum,  including  a  vast  number  of  vol- 
umes, with  the  original  manuscript  of  famous  au- 
thors, together  with  ancient  coins  and  other  antique 
objects  of  interest.  The  first  gun  carriages  of  Ger- 
many were  constructed  in  Nuremburg,  and  the 
-first  railway  of  the  Empire  was  opened  from  there 
to  Furth,  in  1836.  It  is  now  the  great  center,  of 
the  manufacture  of  wooden  clocks  and  toys,  which 
are  exported  to  all  parts  of  the  globe.  It  was  also 
honored  in  being  the  birthplace  of  the  celebrated 
painter,  Albert  Durer,  whose  personal  character  was 
as  admirable  as  his  genius. 

Our  subject  was  born  March  4,  1835,  and  lived 
amid  the  surroundings  and  scenes  of  this  ancient 
city  until  a  youth  of  nineteen  years.  He  was  the 
oldest  son  of  Andrew  and  Mary  (Durr)  Dill,  who 
lived  in  Nederrimbach,  Wurtemberg,  at  the  time 
of  Sebastian's  birth.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Eckqarhofen,  Bavaria,  and  became  a  soldier  and  a 
land  policeman.  The  family  consisted  of  five  chil- 
dren. Sebastian  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
variously  employed  until  the  age  we  have  men- 
tioned, and  then  upon  starting  out  to  earn  his  own 
living,  decided  to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  New 
World.  He  embarked  from  Havre,  Easter  Monday, 
in  March,  1854,  on  a  sailing-vessel,  and  landed  in 
New  York  City  five  weeks  later.  Soon  afterward 
he  engaged  as  a  farm  laborer  in  the  suburbs,  but 
after  eighteen  months  proceeded  to  the  Province 
of  Ontario,  Canada,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm 
near  St.  Catherine's  for  over  four  years.  There 
also  his  marriage  took  place  Feb.  28,  1860.  His 
wife  was  formerly  Miss  Rosa  A.  Strieker,  a  native 
of  Grinschwinden,  Germany,  born  Oct.  12,  1841. 
She  emigrated  to  America  with  her  parents  when 


I 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


953 


thirteen  years  of  ago.  She  is  the  (laughter  of 
John  and  Kosina  (Kohler)  Strieker,  natives  of  Ger- 
many, who,  after  crossing  the  ocean,  located  in 
Ontario,  and  are  now  living  in  Duart,  Upper  Can- 
ada. Their  sons  and  daughters  were  named  respect- 
ively, Rosina,  Mary,  Margaret,  Frederick,  Freder- 
ica,  Catherine,  John  (first  and  second)  both  de- 
ceased, George,  Anna  and  Ragina. 

After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dill  settled  on 
a  farm  in  Ontario,  where  they  remained  five  years, 
and  then  decided  upon  a  removal  to  the  States. 
They  crossed  the  Canadian  line  on  the  night  of 
April  15,  1865,  and  the  first  news  that  greeted 
them  the  following  morning  was  the  assassination  of 
President  Lincoln.  Mr.  Dill  proceeded  westward 
into  this  county,  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  wild 
land  on  the  Illinols'Central  Railroad,  on  section  4, 
in  Compromise  Township,  where  he  first  put  up  a 
small  house,  and  as  soon  as  possible  began  the  im- 
provement and  cultivation  of  his  land.  Not  long 
afterward  he  increased  the  amount  of  his  real  es- 
tate by  eighty  acres,  and  occupied  this  farm  five 
years.  Thenoe  he  moved  into  Harwood  Township, 
where  he  continued  farming,  and  in  about  1876, 
began  to  deal  in  grain  and  coal  in  the  village.  This 
was  one  of  the  stations  on  the  Havana,  Rantonl  & 
Eastern  Railroad,  now  a  branch  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral, and  Mr.  Dill,  with  commendable  forethought, 
purchased  quite  a  tract  of  land  around,  and  erected 
first  a  store  building,  and  soon  afterward  an  eleva- 
tor. His  merchandising  and  grain  business  opened 
up  prosperously,  and  he  soon  secured  a  post-office, 
which  at  first  was  known  as  Harwood,  but  in  Au- 
gust, 1881,  was  changed  to  Dillsburg  in  honor  of 
our  subject.  Of  this  he  was  the  first  Postmaster, 
which  office  he  has  held  since  that  time,  and  is  also 
Station  Agent,  besides  doing  the  business  of  the 
American  Express  Company. 

Mr.  Dill  added  to  his  estate  by  subsequent  pur- 
chase, forty  acres  adjoining  the  village,  and  on  a 
part  of  which  it  stands,  and  has  been  busily  en- 
gaged in  building  up  the  town  and  encouraging 
settlement  since  that  time.  It  will  thus  be  seen 
that  he  has  been  no  unimportant  factor  among  the 
business  interests  of  Harwood  Township,  whose 
citizens  hold  him  in  the  highest  esteem.  His  polit- 
ical inclinations  are  with  the  Republican  party,  al- 


though  in  township  and  local  affairs  he  supports  the 
man  whom  he  esteems  the  best  qualified  for  office. 
His  elections  to  the  offices  which  he  has  held  have 
been  on  the  People's  ticket.  He  and  his  family 
are  regular  attendants  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  of 
which  he  has  been  a  member  since  1849,  and  there 
are  few  religious,  educational  or  business  enter- 
prises in  which  he  has  not  taken  a  prominent  part 
and  been  the  leading  spirit  in  their  establishment 
and  success. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dill,  eleven  in 
number,  were  born  as  follows:  Lillie  A.,  Jan.  15, 
1861;  John  was  born  June  24,  1862,  and  died 
September  16  following;  Lucy  C.  was  born  Aug. 

16,  1863;    Clara    M.,   Dec.    19,    1864;     Andrew, 
March  10,  1867;  Nellie  M.  was  born  Jan.  12,  1869, 
and  died  Sept.  3,  1879;  William  H.  was  born  April 
28,    1870;    Ralph  A.,   Jan.  5,  1882;    Rosa  B.  and 
Gracte  B.    (twins),  Oct.  9, -1884;    G.  Clyde,  Aug. 

17,  1886.     The  eldest  daughter,  Lillie,  became  the 
wife  of  John  Taulman,  w\}O  is  now  deceased ;  she 
now  makes  her  home  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  her  one 
child,  William  II.,  lives  with  his  grandparents,  Mr. 
and    Mrs.    Dill.     Two  of  the  daughters,  Lucy  and 
Clara,    attended    the    Academy    of   the  Sisters  of 
Providence   near  Terre  Haute,  lud.,  and  afterward 
entered  St.  Mary's  Institute  there,  where  the}'  took 
a  full  course  of  music,  drawing,   painting  and  em- 
broidery, acquitting  themselves  with  great  credit. 
Many  specimens  of  their  work  now  adorn  the  home 
of  their  parents  and  are  the  admiration  of  all  their 
friends.     The    sons,    Andrew    and    William,   after 
their  primary  studies  were  over,  entered  the  Busi- 
ness College  at  La  Fayette,   Ind.,  where  they  com- 
pleted the   full  commercial  course,  and  have  since 
learned  telegraphy  with  the  intention  of  following 
this  as  a  business. 

The  grandfather  of  Sebastian  Dill  was  a  mason 
by  trade,  and  lived  in  Eckqarhofen,  where  his  son, 
Andrew,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  Oct. 
21,  1799.  The  latter  was  a  weaver -by  trade,  and 
was  drafted  into  the  Bavarian  army  Feb.  7,  1821. 
He  served  six  years  to  a  day,  and  on  the  1st  of 
April.  1827,  enlisted  in  what  is  known  as  the  Land- 
wher,  and  continued  as  a  soldier  until  April  1, 
1833,  another  period  of  six  years,  when  he  received 
his  honorable  discharge.  The  following  year, 


f 


•4*- 
954 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


March  6,  1834,  he  was  married,  and  in  due  time 
became  the  father  of  five  children:  Sebastian,  of 
our  sketch,  was  the  first  born ;  Margaret  died  when 
about  five  or  six  weeks  old;  Michael,  who  was 
born  June  20,  1840,  lives  on  the  old  homestead; 
John  was  born  Aug.  6,  1843;  Leonard  was  born 
Feb.  1 '2, 1849,  and  emigrated  to  America,  reaching 
this  country  July  24,  1869.  He  made  his  home 
with  his  brother.  Sebastian,  until  October,  1874; 
then  went  to  California,  and  after  traveling  around 
considerably  in  different  parts  of  the  West,  finally 
settled  at  Spokan  Falls,  Wash.  Ty.,  where  he  owns 
a  half  section  of  land. 


ENRY  P.  CORNELIUS.  During  the  early 
settlement  of  Central  Illinois  there  came 
from  Kentucky  a  hardy  band  of  pioneers. 
That  State  not  only  took  the  lead  as  to  the 
time  of  sending  its  sturdy  sons  and  devoted  daugh- 
ters to  settle  in  the  beautiful  woodlands  which 
skirted  the  broad  prairies  of  this  section,  but  in  the 
number  of  its  pioneers  it  excels  all  other  States.  It 
was  the  characteristic  Kentucky  hospitality  that 
won  for  the  pioneers  such  an  enduring  reputation 
in  this  respect,  and  made  life  on  the  frontier 
happy.  We  have  as  our  subject  one  of  these  vet- 
eran Kentucky  pioneers,  who,  although  not  an  early 
settler  of  Champaign  County,  is  a  pioneer  of  this 
part  of  the  State.  He  now  lives  in  Brown  Town- 
ship, where  he  is  the  proprietor  of  a  good  homestead 
on  section  16,  and  employs  the  greater  part  of  his 
time  superintending  the  cultivation  of  160  acres  of 
improved  land.  He  took  up  his  abode  here  -in 
1882,  and  although  not  classed  among  the  pioneers 
of  this  township,  has  by  his  age,  experience  and 
most  excellent  personal  qualities,  secured  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him.  His  head 
has  been  whitened  by  the  frosts  of  eighty-one  win- 
ters, yet  he  possesses  in  a  marked  degree  the  eii- 
ergy  of  character  which  distinguished  him  in  his 
youth. 

Mr.  Cornelius  was  born  within  seven  miles  of 
Ilopkinsville,  Christian  Co.,  Ky.,  March  16,1806, 
and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Martha  (Profitt) 


Cornelius,  the  former  a  native  of  North  Carolina, 
and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  After  marriage  they 
commenced  life  together  in  Christian  County,  Ky., 
where  they  reared  a  family  and  spent  the  remain- 
der of  their  days.  The  children  of  the  parental 
family  who  grew  up  on  the  farm  in  the  abwve 
county  were  eight,  four  of  whom  are  now  living. 
The  subject  of  our  sketch  removed  to  Tazewell 
County,  111.,  in  1836,  and  lived  there  over  forty- 
five  years.  He  first  located  in  [little's  Grove 
Township,  where  he  lived  until  the  spring  of  1877 
and  from  there  removed  to  Minier,  where  he  lived 
five  years,  and  thence  removed  to  Brown  Town- 
ship, this  county,  locating  upon  his  present  farm. 

Mr.  Cornelius  was  first  married,  in  his  native 
county  in  Kentucky,  July  17,  1828,  to  Miss  Mary 
Quissenberry.  who  was  of  Southern  birth  and  par- 
entage, her  father  and  mother  being  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, of  which  she  was  also  a  native.  Of  this 
marriage  there  were  born  nine  children,  whom  they 
named  as  follows:  John  H. ;  Edward,  deceased; 
•Nancy  A. ;  Gustavus,  deceased  ;  Agnes,  deceased ; 
Lin;  Jesse,  deceased,  Mary  and  Levi.  The  wife 
and  mother,  while  the  family  were  living  in  Hittle's 
Grove  Township,  folded  her  hands  for  her  final 
rest  in  1845.  The  second  wife  of  our  subject,  to 
whom  he  was  married  in  McLean  County,  111.,  in 
July,  1847,  was  Miss  Catherine  Quissenberry,  also 
a  native  of  Christian  County,  Ky.,  born  July  20, 
1826.  Mrs.  Catherine  Cornelius  became  the  mother 
of  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are  living,  namely, 
Ann,  James,  Charles,  Millard,  Laura,  George  M., 
Ida  and  Julia.  Mr.  Cornelius  is  greatly  opposed 
to  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  spirituous  liquors, 
and  in  voting  upholds  the  principles  of  the  Repub- 
lican party. 


E  FREY,  favorably  known  in  Somer 
Township  as  a  praiseworthy  and  law-abid- 
ing  citizen,  is  a  native  of  the  Grand  Duchy 
of  Baden,  and  was  born  six  miles  south  of  Stras- 
burg,  Aug.  16,  1846.  His  father,  John  Frey,  a  na- 
tive of  the  same  locality,  emigrated  to  America 
when  our  subject  was  a  lad,  and  located  in  I'rbana, 
this  county,  in  September,  1857.  He  took  up  a 


mm 


•f 

•~T 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


955 


small  tract  of  timber  hind,  and  experienced  the 
usual  hardships  of  the  pioneer  settler.  His  indus- 
try and  perseverance,  however,  were  in  due  time 
rewarded,  and  he  invested  his  surplus  capital  in 
additional  land  until  he  became  the  owner  of  150 
acres,  from  the  greater  part  of  which  he  was  obliged 
to  clear  the  timber,  and  brought  the  whole  to  an 
excellent  state  of  cultivation. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  in  her  girlhood 
Miss  Ursula  Frank.  The  parental  household  con- 
sisted of  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  John,  Jr., 
during  the  late  Rebellion  enlisted  in  Co.  B,  76th 
111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  participated  in  many  of  the  im- 
portant battles  of  the  war.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  and  died  on  the  boat  which 
conveyed  the  disabled  from  the  battle-field  to  the 
hospital  at  Memphis,  Tenn.  Sarah  Frey  became 
the  wife  of  Fred  Stotli,  and  they  reside  near  the 
old  homestead ;  George,  of  our  sketch,  was  the 
youngest  of  the  family. 

Mr.  Frey  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Au- 
gusta Schaplin,  and  of  this  union  there  have  been 
born  four  children,  three  daughters  and  one  son, 
all  living  and  at  home  with  their  parents.  They 
are  named  respectively,  Etta  Augusta,  Harmon  Al- 
bert, Elizabeth  and  Antonia.  Mr.  Frey  keeps  him- 
self well  posted  upon  local  affairs,  and  uniformly 
votes  the  Republican  ticket.  He  has  served  as 
School  Director  two  terms,  and  adheres  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Lutheran  Church,  in  which  he  wa.s 
reared  from  childhood.  He  received  a  good  edu- 
cation in  his  native  tongue,  but  only  attended  an 
English  school  two  weeks.  He,  however,  kept  his 
eyes  open  to  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and 
ranks  among  the  intelligent  and  progressive  citizens 
of  the  county. 


OHN  ROUGHTON,  a  pioneer  settler  of  Lud- 
low  Township,  has  built  up  one  of  the  finest 
homesteads  within  the  borders  of  the  coun- 
ty, to  which  he  came  in  1854,  settling  first 
in  Urbana.  He  is  a  native  of  Derbyshire,  England, 
where  his  birth  took  place  April  5.  1819.  His  par- 
ents, Gervase  and  Ann  (Pimm)  Roughton,  were 
natives  of  the  same  shire  as  their  son,  and  the 
father  followed  the  trade  of  a  millwright  the 


greater  part  of  his  life.  lie  became  an  expert  in 
this  business,  building  mills  and  putting  up  ma- 
chinery in  the  best  districts  of  Derbyshire  and 
Cheshire.  He  met  his  death  by  accident,  falling 
against  the  fly-wheel  of  an  engine,  in  1851,  and  his 
remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  his  native  shire,  of 
which  he  had  been  a  resident  the  greater  part  of 
his  life.  The  wife  and  mother,  shortly  after  the 
death  of  her  husband,  emigrated  to  the  Tinted 
States,  accompanied  by  six  of  her  eight  children. 
After  arriving  here  she  made  her  home  with  her 
son,  our  subject,  for  a  number  of.  years,  but  died 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Lydia  Gascoyne, 
in  Ohio. 

The  brothers  and  sisters  of  our  subject  are  lo- 
cated as  follows,  himself  being  the  eldest:  Harriett 
Milner  still  resides  in  England ;  Thomas,  during  the 
late  Civil  War  enlisted  in  Co.  G,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf., 
and-  died  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  while  in  the  service; 
Lydia  married  Abraham  Gascoyne,  and  lives  near 
Jackson,  Ohio;  Mary  died  in  England,  and  Henry 
in  Streator,  111.;  William  Served  as  a  Union  soldier 
in  the  25th  Illinois  Infantry,  and  was  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Chickamauga;  he  recovered  from  this, 
and  lived  to  be  mustered  out  of  the  army,  but  after 
returing  home,  was  killed  by  a  kick  from  one  of  his 
own  horsos;  Charles  is  a  resident  of  Camden  Coun- 
ty, N.  J. ;  Samuel  lives  in  Urbana,  this  State. 

John  Roughton,  when  thirteen  years  of  age,  was 
apprenticed  to  a  blacksmith,  whom  he  served  until 
reaching  his  majority.  He  was  kept  steadily  at 
work  from  five  or  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  till 
late  in  the  evening,  receiving  but  his  board  and 
lodging,  while  his  father  furnished  his  clothing,  and 
his  mother  kept  this  clean  and  in  repair.  When 
twenty-one  years  old  he  commenced  life  for  him- 
self, without  a  cent  in  his  pocket.  He  secured  em- 

* 

ployment  at  his  trade,  receiving  at  first  but  eight 
English  shillings  per  week,  and  the  highest  wages 
he  ever  received  in  England  was  but  one  guinea, 
or  about  $5  per  week,  out  of  which  he  boarded 
himself.  Not  being  satisfied  with  his  condition  or 
prospects,  he  determined  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the 
New  World.  Accordingly,  in  the  month  of  April. 
1  ,S;"iO,  he  set  sail  from  Liverpool,  and  lauded  in  New 
York  City  after  a  voyage  of  thirty  days.  He  pro- 
ceeded directly  to  Ohio,  locating  at  Cuyahoga  Falls. 


t. 


956 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


Summit  County,  his  entire  wealth  consisting  of 
three  sovereigns,  and  he  was  comparatively  alone 
and  aiiioi]i>- strangers.  His  first  business,  of  course. 

o  o 

was  to  seek  employment,  which  he  obtained  at  $1 
per  day. 

Our  subject's  early  experiences,  although  seeming 
hard  to  the  people  of  this  day  and  age,  were  a  good 
school  and  established  an  independence  of  charac- 
ter and  self-reliance  which  served  him  well  in  all 
his  after  life.  His  master  had  compelled  him  to  do 
his  work  well,  and  he  had  learned  the  whole  busi- 
ness thoroughly,  being  an  expert  horseshoer  as  well 
as  a  skilled  machinist.  He  worked  as  journeyman 
one  year  in  his  new  location,  then  purchased  an  in- 
terest in  the  shop  of  his  employer  and  continued  in 
business  at  "the  Falls"  until  1853.  He  then  sold 
out,  and  engaged  with  a  contractor  at  Piketon, 
Ohio,  where  he  removed  and  remained  some  time, 
and  then  coming  to  Urbana,  in  this  county,  worked 
as  a  -'jour"  seven  weeks  and  repeated  his  experi- 
ment in  Ohio  by  purchasing  an  interest  in  the  shop 
of  his  employer.  A  year  later  he  abandoned  black- 
smithing  to  engage  in  the  grocery  trade,  which  he 
followed  until  1855. 

During  the  year  last  mentioned,  the  land  reserved 
by  the  Goverment  for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
to  select  their  grant  from,  was  thrown  upon  the 
market,  and  it  was  found  that  a  great  many  claims 
had  been  made  by  men  who  purchased  in  order  to 
become  actual  settlers.  Speculative  "land  sharks," 
as  they  were  usually  called,  were  hired  to  enter 
these  lands  and  dispossess  the  settlers.  In  this  strait 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois  was  appealed  to, 
which  decided  in  favor  of  the  speculators.  The 
pixs-emptors  then  met  in  Champaign  County  and 
organized  a  protective  association.  Mr.  Rough- 
ton  was  one  of  thg  three  appointed  to  select  a  case 
to  carry  up  to  the  United  States  Supreme  Court, 
and  a  tax  of  twenty  cents  an  acre  was  levied  on  the 
land  of  all  the  pre-emptors  in  order  to  raise  a  fund 
to  meet  the  expense  of  the  suit.  Mr.  Roughton  was 
appointed  to  visit  these  parties  and  take  their  notes. 
The  case  was  carried  up  and  decided  in  favor  of 
the  pre-emptors. 

In  the  fall  of  1855  Mr.  Roughton  pre-empted  the 
l.'ind  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  It  was  then  in- 
cluded in  Pera  Township.  He  took  possession  of 


this  the  following  year,  and  about  the  same  time 
the  little  settlement  which  had  been  named  Ran- 
toul  was  incorporated  a  village.  Mr.  R.  put  up  a 
small  house  on  his  land,  but  soon  afterward  was  per- 
suaded to  move  to  Rantoul  and  establish  the  pio- 
neer blacksmith -shop  of  that  section,  which  he 
carried  on  until  1  800,  when  he  sold  out.  After  this 
he  repaired  to  Big  Grove  and  established  a  shop 
which  he  operated  until  1802.  After  vainly  wait- 
ing in  hopes  that  the  attack  upon  Ft.  'Sumter 
would  soon  be  followed  by  the  dawn  of  peace,  he 
enlisted  in  Co.  G,  76th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  gave  his 
services  to  assist  in  the  preservation  of  the  Union. 
Much  of  the  time  he  was  on  detached  duty  in  the 
ordnance  department,  and  to  whatever  post  he  was 
assigned  acquitted  himself  in  a  faithful  and  credit- 
able manner.  He  participated  in  the  siege  and 
capture  of  Ft.  Blakesley  and  was  in  many  other  im- 
portant battles  and  minor  engagements.  His  serv- 
ices as  a  soldier  terminated  in  August,  1865,  when 
he  was  mustered  out  at  Galveston,  Tex.  Immedi- 
ately .afterward  he  set  out  on  his  return  to  his  old 
home  in  Champaign  County,  and  locating  at  Big 
Grove  as  before,  carried  on  blacksmithing  there  un- 
til removing  to  Urbana  the  following  year,  where, 
in  company  with  his  brother  Henry,  he  purchased  a 
machine-shop  and  foundry,  selling  out  his  interest 
two  years  later  and  removing  to  the  farm,  where  he 
has  since  been  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
Through  his  excellent  judgment  and  wise  superin- 
tendence, this  has  become  a  model  country  estate, 
improved  with  fine  buildings,  and  on  all  sides  giv- 
ing evidence  of  the  good  taste  and  prosperity  of  its 
proprietor.  • 

Mr.  Roughton  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Eliza  Gilbert  at  Thuiiaston,  Leicestershire,  En- 
gland, in  August,  1842.  Mrs.  R.  is  a  native  of  the 
same  shire  as  her  husband,  and  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Ann  Gilbert,  who  were  born,  married  and 
died  in  England.  Of  the  nine  children  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Roughton  only  one  survives,  a  son,  Reu- 
ben, who  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  and  \v:is 
but  two  years  of  age  when  his  parents  emigrated 
to  the  United  States.  He  was  reared  in  Ohio  and 
this  county,  and  married  Miss  Ella,  the  eldest 
daughter  of  Elisha  and  Julia  A.  Geiiung.  They  have 
three  children — Ada  M.,  Roy  John  and  Hazel  M. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4- 

957    . 


John  Roughton  and  his  excellent  and  worthy 
wife  became  members  of  the  Universalist  Church  at 
Urbana,  and  while  living  there  Mr.  R.  was  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school.  He  has  been  a  Re- 
publican since  becoming  a  voter,  casting  his  first 
presidential  ballot  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  ten  years,  and  been 
Commissioner  of  Highways  six  years.  In  1880  he 
served  as  Census  Enumerator  for  Ludlow  Town- 
ship, and  the  Board  of  School  Directors  would 
scarcely  know  how  to  get  on  without  him,  as  he  has 
met  with  them  in  rain  and  shine  for  a  number  of 
years.  Besides  being  Overseer  of  Highways  for 
many  terms  he  has  supported  and  encouraged  every 
enterprise  calculated  for  the  public  good.  During 
the  Grange  movement  he  was  identified  with  it,  and 
is  now  President  of  the  Farmers'  Alliance  of  Rau- 
toul,  and  also  President  of  the  Rantoul  Permanent 
Road  Improvement  Society,  besides  acting  as  Su- 
perintendent and  Secretary  of  the  Rantoul  Maple- 
wood  Cemetery  Association.  Socially,  he  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  as  a  member  of  Rantoul 
Lodge. 

In  1886  Mr.  Roughton  took  a  trip  across  the 
water  to  the  home  of  his  childhood,  and  spent 
several  months  visiting  among  old  friends  and  rela- 
tives. This  episode  in  his  life  he  reverts  to  with 
pleasure,  but  claims  that  there  is  no  country  equal 
to  the  United  States  for  the  freedom  of  its  people 
•  and  the  excellence  of  its  institutions. 


<&  jjfelLLIAM  CALDWELL,  one  of  the  most 
\f\lll  thrifty  farmers  °f  Philo  Township,  occu- 
^7N^  pies  a  pleasant  homestead  on  section  2 1 . 
His  property  includes  120  acres  of  land,  thoroughly 
drained  with  tile  and  supplied  with  all  needful  and 
convenient  farm  buildings.  He  became  a  resident 
of  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1881,  although  he 
has  lived  in  the  Prairie  State  for  nearly  thirl}' 
years.  He  first  located  in  Kendall  County,  to 
which  he  had  removed  in  1858,  from  Wheeling, 
W.  Va.,  where  he  was  born  April  24,  1831. 

The  father  of  oursubject,  Alexander  Cald well  by 
name,  is  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion  and  of 
substantial  Scotch  ancestry.  He  married  Miss 


Amy  Whetsell,  of  Frajiklin  County.  John  Cald- 
well,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  oursubject,  during 
the  early  settlement  of  Virginia  owned  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  land  upon  which  the  city  of  Wheeling 
now  stands,  and  upon  which  the  old  block-house 
was  built.  He  lived  to  see  the  development  of  the 
country  around  him,  followed  farming  successfully, 
and  died  at  a  ripe  old  age.  He  had  married  a 
West  Virginia  lady,  who  also  died  at  the  old  home- 
stead, a  part  of  which  remains  in  possession  of 
Ezekiel  Caldwell,  an  uncle  of  our  subject. 

Alexander  Caldwell  inherited  the  substantial 
trails  of  his  father,  and  became  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Wheeling,  near  which  city  he  is  still  living,  and 
is  now  eighty-one  years  of  age.  The  mother  died 
Ihere  in  December,  1869.  She  was  an  own  cousin 
of  Ihe  famous  hunter,  Lewis  Whetsell,  who  revenged 
his  father's  death  by  hunting  down  the  redskins  at 
every  opportunity  and  slaying  them.  His  father 
had  been  shot  while  peacefully  fishing  on  the  river 
bank,  and  before  he  expired  had  asked  his  son 
to  thus  avenge  his  death.  The  consequence  was 
that  Lewis  Whetsell  became  one  of  the  mosl  crafty 
and  successful  foes  of  the  Indians, 

William  Caldwell  was  the  fifth  of  the  children 
born  to  his  parents,  whose  family  included  six  sons 
and  six  daughters,  who  are  all  living  and  married. 
The  early  life  of  our  subject  was  spent  under  the 
parental  roof  and  in  attendance  at  the  public 
schools.  After  reaching  manhood  he  was  married, 
Oct.  14,  1857,  in  his  native  county,  to  Miss  Mary 
Shepherd.  This  lady  became  the  molher.  of  seven 
children,  and  died  al  her  home  in  Lisbon  Town- 
ship, Kendall  County,  in  1870.  Their  two  eldest 
sons,  John  and  William,  still  continue  in  Kendall 
County,  and  are  engaged  in  farming.  Amanda 
is  the  wife  of  James  Cunningham,  who  is  employed 
in  the  War  Department  at  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Ad- 
die  married  Wilbur  Lovingfoss,  and  is  residing  in 
Philo  Village;  Minnie,  Josie  and  Bertie  are  at  home. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject  was  formerly 
Mrs.  Katie  (VauBuskirk)  Scofield,  who  was  born 
in  New  York  State  and  removed  with  her  parents 
to  Kendall  County,  111.,  when  a  child  ten  years  of 
age.  She  was  married  there  to  Charles  Scofield, 
who  died  and  left  her  with  one  child,  a  son,  Charles, 
Jr.  Of  her  union  with  our  subject  there  has  also 


f 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


lice.'!!  horn  one  child,  a  daughter,  Maude.  Mr. 
Caldwell  is  an  uncompromising  Republican,  politi- 
cally,  and  his  estimable  lady  is  a  member  in  good 
standing  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


land, 


W.  LENEY,  a  fine  representative  of  his 
substantial  Scotch  ancestry,  is  one  of  the 
most  prominent  residents  of  Ogden  Town- 
ship, and  owns  249  acres  of  finely  cultivated 
with  a  handsome  farm  residence  and  all  the 
out-buildings  required  for  the  prosecution  of  his 
chosen' calling.  He,  however,  only  superintends  the 
operation  of  his  farm,  as  he  some  time  ago  retired 
from  active  labor  and  invested  a  portion  of  his 
spare  capital  in  a  stock  of  agricultural  implements 
and  road  vehicles.  His  career  has  been  distin- 
guished as  that  of  a  wide-awake  and  thorough  busi- 
ness man,  and  he  has  been  no  unimportant  factor 
in  developing  the  resources  of  this  section. 

Mr.  Leney  was  born  on  the  other  side  of  the  At- 
lantic, on  the  Carlisle  Road  near  the  city  of  Glas- 
gow. Scotland,  March  28,  1824.  His  parents,  John 
and  Mary  (Wallace)  Leney,  were  natives  of  Scot- 
land and  born  near  Edinburgh.  Our  subject  left 
home  when  a  lad  twelve  years  of  age,  and  set  out 
alone  on  the  long  voyage  across  the  Atlantic.  He 
landed  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  whence  after  a 
residence  of  three  months  he  proceeded  to-the  banks 
of  the  Brandy  wine,  and  for  a  time  was  employed 
in  a  cotton-mill,  and  afterward,  during  the  con- 
struction of  a  railroad  from  Wilmington  to  Dover, 
drove  a  team  and  made  himself  otherwise  useful. 
From  there  he  migrated  to  Pottsville,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  position  as  foreman  over  a  gang  of  hands 
in  the  construction  of  the  Bear  Gap  Railroad,  and 
in  that  region  spent  six  years.  Then,  going  to  Wil- 
mington, he  was  variously  employed  until  he  started 
on  his  journey  to  Ohio.  Wherever  he  went  he 
found  but  little  difficulty  in  securing  employment, 
and  in  the  Buckeye  State  was  occupied  in  a  similar 
manner  as  before,  around  freight-houses  and  loco- 
motives. He  finally  left  the  town  and  repaired  to 
the  country,  where  he  was  employed  on  a  farm,  and 
in  September,  1853,  started  for  the  farther  West. 
The  day  after  reaching  Urbana  he  was  engaged  by 


a  farmer,  with  whom  he  remained  about  six  months, 
and  was  then  employed  by  M.  D.  Coffeen  at  Homer 
to  feed  cattle  during  the  winter. 

Afterward  Mr.  Leney  resumed  farming,  and  find- 
ing that  he  could  without  trouble  make  a  comforta- 
ble living,  decided  to  take  unto  himself  a  wife  and 
helpmeet.  The  lady  of  his  choice  was  Miss  Mary 
M.,  daughter  of  Allen  Poagne,  who  became  his  wife 
on  the  3d  of  June,  1 859.  Mrs.  Leney  was  born  in 
1844,  and  was  but  little  over  fourteen  years  of  age 
at  the  time  of  her  marriage.  The  young  people 
began  life  together  on  a  rented  farm,  and  two  years 
later  our  subject  purchased  a  quarter  section  of 
land  upon  which  the  village  of  Ogdcn  is  now  stand- 
ing. With  an  early  eye  to  business  he  laid  out  a 
portion  of  his  purchase  in  town  lots  from  which  he 
afterward  realized  a  handsome  profits. 

In  August,  1862,  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Re- 
bellion, Mr.  Leney  enlisted  in  the  51st  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  gave  to  Ids  adopted  country  his  best 
service  until  the  close  of  the  struggle.  He  was 
promoted  Sergeant,  and  in  the  second  day's  fight  at 
Murfreesboro  was  captured  by  the  rebels  and  held 
from  the  1st  of  January  until  May.  After  being  ex- 
changed he,  with  his  comrades,  was  sent  to  Annapo- 
lis, Md.,  and  from  there  to  Beaton  Barracks,  Mo. 
He  was  now  detailed  to  the  invalid  corps,  which 
was  subsequently  ordered  to  Indianapolis  and  as- 
signed to  the  duty  of  guarding  the  rebel  prisoners 
at  Camp  Morton,  where  he  remained  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  and  much  of  the  time  acted  as  Quarter- 
master and  had  charge  of  the  entire  camp.  Upon 
returning  from  the  army  Mr.  Leney  embarked  in 
the  grain  business  at  Ogden  and  erected  an  elevator 
and  flouring-mill  at  great  expense.  He  finally  sold 
the  elevator,  and  the  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
He  then  abandoned  the  grain  trade  and  established 
himself  in  the  business  in  which  he  is  now  interested, 
in  Ogden. 

Of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leney, 
Mary  E.  died  in  infancy;  George  T.  is  married; 
Dora  A.  was  married,  and  is  now  deceased;  Millie 
A.,  Olive  M.,  Frank  J.  and  Flora  S.  are  at  home 
witli  their  parents.  There  were  also  born  twins 
who  died  unnamed.  The  parents  and  two  daugh- 
ters are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  of  Ogden,  in  which  Mr. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


050 


Leney  holds  the  ollices  of  Steward.  Class-Leader 
and  Trustee.  He  has  also  officiated  as  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school  many  years.  Politi- 
cally he  votes  the  straight  Democratic  ticket.  So- 
cially he  belongs  to  Lodge  No.  754,  A.  F.  <fe  A.  M., 
in  which  he  has  held  some  of  the  most  important 
offices  for  several  years. 


11  I  RAM  LENOX,  Harwood  Township.  This 
gentleman  chiefly  employs  his  time  in  rais- 
ing the  finest  crops  on  one  of  the  best 
farms  in  Champaign  County.  The  main 
points  in  his  career,  which  embraces  a  period  of 
about  forty-six  years,  are  substantially  as  follows: 
He  was  born  in  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  July  24, 
1839,  and  was  seventh  in  a  family  of  ten  children, 
the  offspring  of  James  and  Sallie  (Wilson)  Lenox. 
James  Lenox,  who  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  na- 
tive of  Virginia,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
the  Buckeye  State,  where,  in  near  proximity  to  his 
wife's  father,  he  cleared  a  farm  of  his  own  and  pur- 
chased the  farm  of  the  latter,  both  of  which  he  cul- 
tivated afterward  until  his  death.  The  town  of 
Sidney,  which  gradually  grew  up,  was  finely  loca- 
ted about  five  miles  away,  and  became  the  seat  of 
Shelby  County. 

The  elder  Lenox  was  one  of  the  leading  farmers 
of  that  time  and  locality,  and  was  noted  for  his 
thorough  knowledge  of  public  affairs  and  his  earn- 
est support  of  the  Union  at  the  time  of  the  Rebel- 
lion. He  was  an  extensive  reader  and  possessed  a 
remarkable  memory,  which  served  him  well  during 
a  time  when  the  various  political  and  social  ques- 
tions of  the  day  greatly  agitated  the  minds  of  men. 
His  ready  intelligence  and  large  fund  of  informa- 
tion caused  him  to  be  singled  out  as  a  counselor 
and  advisor  in  both  private  and  public  matters. 
His  family  and  the  Wilson  family;  into  which  he 
married,  were  regarded  as  the  most  substantial 
people  of  Shelby  County.  During  the  war  he  gave 
three  of  his  sons  to  his  country's  cause,  and  die 
Lenox  family  was  represented  by  seventeen  sol- 
diers, who  were  noted  for  their  bravery  and  fidelity. 
The  father  of  our  subject  rested  from  his  earthly 
labors  at  the  age  of  seventy  -one  years,  and  left  to 


his  descendants  a  record  which  they  may  justty 
look  upon  with  pride  and  satisfaction. 

Hiram  Lenox  left  the  parental  roof  when  twenty- 
two  years  .of  age,  and  first  spent  a  short  time  on 
the  farm  of  his  brother  not  far  away.  A  year  later 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Hattic  M. 
Davenport,  the  wedding  occurring  Oct.  31,  1N62. 
Mrs.  Lenox  was  the  daughter  of  Anthony  S. 
Davenport,  and  she  and  her  husband  played  to- 
gether when  they  were  children.  They  settled  not 
far  from  the  old  home  of  each,  and  our  subject  cul- 
tivated a  tract  of  land  belonging  to  his  uncle  for 
about  six  years.  They  then  migrated  farther 
westward  to  this  county,  and  Mr.  Lenox  purchased 
eighty  acres  one  mile  south  of  Gifford,  in  Compro- 
mise Township.  He  there  established  a  comfort- 
able home,  and  there  the  wife  and  mother  died  on 
the  7th  of  June,  18C9,  leaving  two  children,  name- 
ly, Dora  Bell  and  Lulu  May.  The  latter  died  on 
the  23d  of  June,  1882.  Dora  became  the  wife  of 
James  Barnes,  who  is  carrying  on  a  farm  about 
three  miles  from  the  Lenox  homestead.  The  wife 
of  our  subject  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  from  childhood,  and 
one  of  the  most  earnest  Christian  workers  in  the 
community,  which,  by  her  death,  lost  one  of  its 
brightest  lights. 

Mr.  Lenox  contracted  a  second  marriage,  April 
18,  1872,  with  Miss  Mary  Barnes,  daughter  of 
Philip  and  Nancy  (Seifers)  Barnes,  natives  of  New 
Jersey,  ftnd  of  German  descent.  Her  grandfather 
Campbell,  was  a  staff  officer  of  Gen.  Washington 
during  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  as  his  name 
implies,  was  of  Scotch  descent.  Mrs.  Mary  Lenox 
was  born  in  Iberia,  Ohio,  April  11,  1851,  and  when 
a  child  two  years  of  age  came  with  her  parents  to 
Warren  County,  111.  In  1865  they  removed  to 
this  county.  Three  of  her  brothers  were  in  the 
Union  army,  and  subsequently  located  upon  a  farm 
near  Gifford,  where  the}"  remained  until  1881,  but 
are  now  residents  of  Harwood  Township.  The 
seven  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lenox  were  named 
respectively,  Herbert  Claude,  Elbert  Ellsworth,- 
Edna  Olive,  Alice  Mabel,  Ollie  May,  Minnie  My'r- 
tle  and  Mary  Elizabeth.  Two  are  deceased,  and 
those  surviving  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 
Elbert  died  when  a  lad  nine  years  of  age.  He  was  ' 


f 


9CO 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


1 


an  exceptionally  bright  boy,  fond  of  his  books,  and 
a  child  of  whom  his  parents  had  great  hopes  for  the 
future.  Their  little  daughter  Edna,  died  when  two 
years  of  age. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr.  L.,  politically, 
votes  the  straight  Republican  ticket.  He  cares  lit- 
tle for  politics,'  but  at  the  solicitation  of  his  towns- 
men has  served  as  Road  Commissioner  and  School 
Trustee. 


J~7OHN  I.  CLARK,  of  Harwood  Township,  is  a 
I  native  of  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  where  his  birth 
[  took  place  Nov.  28,  1851.  He  was  the  fifth 
child  in  a  family  of  seven  born  to  William 
and  Dorotha  (Metcalf)  Clark,  who  were  born  in 
England  near  Newcastle-on-Tyne.  William  Clark 
entered  the  mines  at  an  earl}'  age,  where  he  was  oc- 
cupied until  1854,  when  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  and  coming  to  Marshall  County.  111.,  con- 
tinued the  same  business  until  1869,  in  the  mean- 
time being  prosperous  and  accumulating  a  good 
property.  He  then  sold  out  and  purchased  120 
acres  of  unimproved  land  three  miles  southeast  of 
Rantoul,  where  he  occupied  himself  in  farming  until 
his  death,  which  took  place  June  24,  1877.  The 
mother  is  still  living,  and  a  resident  of  Urbana. 
She  is  now  seventy-four  years  of  age,  active  in 
mind  and  body,  and  takes  pride  in  the  fact  that  she 
can  still  perform  her  household  duties  as  <5f  old. 

William  Clark  'was  a  peaceable,  law-abiding  citizen 
and  a  consistent  Christian  gentleman.  He  joined  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  England  and  con- 
tinued his  membership  with  that  church  until  his 
removal  to  Marshall  County,  where  there  was  no 
society  of  this  denomination.  He  then  united  with 
the  Congregationalists.  During  the  war  he  was  a 
stanch  supporter  of  the  Union,  and  his  influence  was 
always  exerted  in  behalf  of  truth  and  justice. 

John  I.  Clark,  our  subject,  left  home  in  the  spring 
of  1877,  after  having  been  married  January  22,  to 
Miss  Virginia  Nixon.  This  lady  is  the  daughter  of 
John  B.  and  Ann  (Henwood)  Nixon,  of  Virginia, 
and  was  born  Aug.  24,  1853.  She  came  West  with 
her  parents  two  years  later,  and  they  first  settled 
near  AVoodhull,  in  Henry  County.  Her  father 


served  as  a  Captain  in  the  regular  army,  and  is  now 
living  in  retirement.  Mr.  Clark  and  his  bride  lo- 
cated first  on  rented  land  in  Rantoul  Township, 
then  removed  to  Texas  with  the  intention  of  fol- 
lowing farming  there.  After  one  year's  residence 
in  the  Lone  Star  State  they  returned  to  Illinois  and . 
located  on  section  24,  in  Harwood  Township,  where 
they  now  reside.  The  household  circle  was  com- 
pleted by  the  birth  of  four  children,  namely,  Will- 
iam Leslie,  Bessie  Arkle,  Henry  Earl  and  John  I., 
Jr.  They  are  all  living  and  at  home. 

Mr.  Clark  has  been  quite  prominent  in  local  af- 
fairs; was  School  Trustee  in  Compromise  Town- 
ship, Road  Commissioner  in  Rantoul  Township, 
and  has  served  as  Supervisor  of  Harwood  Town- 
ship for  two  terms,  being  elected  on  the  People's 
ticket.  He  is  independent  in  politics,  aiming  to 
support  the  men  whom  he  esteems  best  qualified 
for  office.  Religiously  he  is  connected  with  the 
Christian  Church,  near  Rantoul,  in  which  he  has 
officiated  as  Assistant  Superintendent  of  the  Sab- 
bath-school. 

The  farm  stock  of  Mr.  Clark  is  of  excellent 
description,  including  Norman  horses,  Durham 
cattle,  Poland-China  hogs,  and  a  fine  flock  of 
sheep,  embracing  240  head.  He  recently  sold 
150  of  the  latter.  He  is  particularly  fond  of  horses, 
"and  has  two  valuable  thoroughbreds,  both  imported 
animals  and  registered  under  the  names  of 
"  Jacques  "  and  "  Captain  Jeuks." 


ROF.  JAMES  H.  BROWNLEE,  M.  A.,  oc- 
cupies the  Chair  of  Rhetoric  and  Oratory 
in  the  Illinois  University,  to  which  he  was 
called  by  reason  of  his  eminent  fitness,  and 
the  duties  of  which  he  has  fulfilled  with  the  dignity 
becoming  his  high  position.  Prof.  Brownlee  is  a 
native  of  New  Albany,  Floyd  Co.,  Ind.,  was  born 
Dec.  29,  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  Rev.  James  and 
Lovina  (McClurg)  Brownlee,  natives  respectively 
of  Ireland  and  Kentucky,  and  of  Scotch  ancestry. 
The  father  was  finely  educated  and  a  graduate  of 
the  Theological  College  at  Hanover.  After  com- 
pleting his  studies  he  at  once  entered  upon  his 
duties  as  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  in  1857  he 


t 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


961 


removed  to  Kansas,  and  was  occupied  in  ministerial 
duties  there  until  186;?,  during  which  year  he  took 
up  his  residence  at  Carbondale,  111.,  where  he  spent 
his  declining  years,  his  death  taking  place  in  1887, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five.  The  mother  had  died 
in  1864,  aged  forty-seven  years.  Of  five  children 
of  the  parental  household,  four  are  now  living,  viz., 
Mary  J.,  Mrs.  Marcum,  of  Oregon;  Ann  M.,  Mrs. 
Denning,  of  Michigan ;  Addison  M.  and  James  H., 
of  this  State. 

Our  subject  first  attended  school  in  his  native 
town,  and  after  the.  removal  of  his  parents  West, 
entered  first  an  academy  in  Kansas,  and  subsequently 
took  a  course  in  McKendree  College,  St.  Clair 
County,  111.,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1870. 
He  then  commenced  teaching  and  was  thus  employed 
in  the  Normal  School  twelve  years  before  connect- 
ing himself  with  the  State  University.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Carey,  of  Gray- 
ville,  White  County,  on  the  25th  of  December,  1874. 
Mrs.  Brownlee  is  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Abner  Carey, 
and  by  her  union  with  onr  subject  has  become  the 
mothei  of  two  daughters — Bessie  E.  and  Mary  L. 

Prof.  Brownlee  during  the  late  war  enlisted  in  a 
Kansas  regiment  and  was  promoted  Sergeant.  He 
is  a  straight  Republican,  politically,  and  socially 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  G.  A.  R. 
He  is  President  of  the  Teachers'  Association  of  the 
State  of  Illinois,  and  an  attendant  at  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 


ffiOIIN  C.  GRABBY,  a  retired  German  farmer, 
I  and  at  present  a  resident  of  Philo  Village, 
came  to  this  county  many  years  ago,  and  by 
his  industry  and  thrift  assisted  materially  in 
the  development  of  its  resources.  He  is  a  native 
of  Sleswick-Holstein,  and  first  opened  his  eyes  to 
the  light  soine  sixteen  years  before  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war  between  his  native  country  and  Den- 
mark. He  became  thoroughly  trained  for  active 
service,  and  was  destined  to  piny  an  important  part 
in  the  impending  struggle.  Upon  entering  the 
ranks  he  was  first  assigned  as  private  in  a  band  of 
sharpshooters,  but  on  account  of  his  bravery  and 
fidelity  was  soon  promoted,  and  eventually  reached 


the  rank  of  First  Lieutenant  and  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  a  squadron.  He  took  part  in  some  of  the 
hardest  fought  battles  of  that  struggle,  and  at  one 
point  was  under  fire  fora  period  of  eighteen  weeks; 
finally,  much  to  the  regret  of  himself  and  comrades, 
they  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  siege  and  leave 
the  city  in  possession  of  the  Danes.  During  this 
period  Lieut.  Grab  by  received  an  honorable  wound 
which,  however,  was  of  slight  moment. 

After  the  struggle  was  ended  Mr.  Grabby  set 
out  for  the  United  States  and  landed  first  in  the 
city  of  Chicago.  Shortly  afterward  he  repaired  to 
Edgar  County,  111.,  where  he  was  employed  in  farm- 
ing, but  upon  the  call  for  troops  to  put  down  the 
Rebellion  he  again  entered  the  ranks,  identify  ing 
himself  with  tlie  54th  Illinois  Infantry.  Their  regi- 
ment was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Southwest, 
and  operated  first  around  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  meet- 
ing the  enemy  subsequently  in  the  battle  at  Hum- 
bold  t,  Tenn.,  where  our  subject  was  captured  and 
carried  to  St.  Louis  by  the  rebels.  In  a  few  weeks, 
however,  he  was  exchanged  and  joined  his  regi- 
ment at  Little  Rock,  whence  they  repaired  for  their 
final'  discharge  to  Ft.  Worth,  in  the  winter  of  1 865. 
He  participated  in  the  fight  at  Brownsville,  Tenn., 
and  met  the  enemy  in  various  other  minor  engage- 
ments and  skirmishes. 

After  retiring  from  the  army  Mr.  Grabby  re- 
turned to  Edgar  County,  and  a  year  later  was  uni- 
ted in  marriage  with  Miss  Harriet  Johnson,  who 
was  born  near  Cleveland,  Ohio,  May  24,  1844. 
Her  early  childhood  was  passed  in  her  native  State, 
and  her  education  completed  in  Edgar  County,  111. 
She  was  a  lady  possessing  all  womanly  virtues, 
proving  herself  the  affectionate  and  faithful  help- 
meet of  her  husband  during  the  many  years  which 
they  spent  harmoniously  together.  Her  kindness 
of  heart  was  proverbial,  and  she  was  highly  es- 
teemed by  a  large  circle  of  warm  friends.  She  de- 
parted this  life  in  1885.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grabby  had 
no  children  of  their  own,  but  performed  the  part  of 
parents  to  a  foster  child,  whom  they  christened 
Frank,  and  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Urbana.  Mr. 
Grabby  after  becoming  a  naturalized  citizen  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  Republican  party,  and  has 
since  been  one  of  its  warmest  supporters. 

The  parents  of   Mr.   Grabby  spent  their  entire    ' 


T 


7 


,  .     962 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


lives  in  the  land  of  their  birth.  Frantz  Grabby,  the 
father,  also  a  native  of  Ilolstein,  was  a  weaver  by 
trade,  in  which  he  attained  great  skill.  He  was  of 
commanding  presence,  and  married  a  very  intelli- 
gent lady  of  his  native  Province,  Miss  Catherine 
Boalfoot,  who  was  the  descendant  of  a  prominent 
and  influential  family  of  that  section.  Her  father, 
Herning  Bealfoot,  was  prominent  in  local  politics 
and  connected  with  most  of  the  offices  of  the' Prov- 
ince. 


ICHAEL  D.  COFFEEN^proprietor  of  the 
elevator  and  flouring-mill  at  Homer,  came 
to  Champaign  County  in  1853.  In  1870 
he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  Sidney 
Township,  which  he  occupied  until  1874.  He  was 
afterward  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Decatur 
and  Danville  about  three  years,  and  farming  the 
balance  of  the  time  until  1878,  during  which  year 
he  went  to  Vernou  County,  Mo.,  making  the  trip 
of  about  500  miles  in  the  dead  of  winter  with  his 
wife  and  two  little  children  in  a  two-horse  wagon, 
camping  out  during  the  whole  trip.  During  their 
short  stay  there  they  lived  in  a  one-room  log  cabin, 
raised  a  crop  which  was  burned  up  by  drouth, 
and  which  he  sold  for  $25,  and.  returned  in  the  fall 
by  the  same  conveyance  to  Homer.  He  there  estab- 
lished himself  as  a  grain-dealer,  with  a  borrowed 
capital  of  $9.200,  and  three  years  later  erected  the 
large  flouring-mill  which  he  has  since  operated. 
This  is  fitted  with  ten  pairs  of  rollers  and  has  a 
capacity  of  125  barrels  per  day.  The  investment 
has  proved  a  very  successful  one,  which  is  doubt- 
less altogether  due  to  the  intelligence  and  good 
business  management  of  the  proprietor. 

In  1885  Mr.  Coffeen  incorporated  his  business 
under  the  name  and  style  of  the  Coffeen  Mill  and 
Elevator  Company,  of  which  he  is  President  and 
principal  stockholder.  He  makes  a  specialty  of 
high-grade  flour,  which  has  won  universal  favor  in 
the  culinary  departments  of  the  homes  throughout 
Eastern  Illinois.  This  is  the  only  mill  in  this  sec- 
tion having  the  centrifugal  system  of  dressing  the 
flour.  In  connection  with  this  mill  Mr.  Coffeen 
handles. probably  1,000  carloads  of  flour  and  grain 
annually.  Besides  his  mill  and  elevator  property 


he  is  the  owner  of  sixty-five  acres  of  good  land  in 
the  town  limits,  and  is  in  all  respects  one  of  the 
well-to-do  citizens  of  a  community  uniformly  pros- 
perous and  composed  of  the  best  class  of  people  in 
the  commonwealth  of  Illinois.  In  1885  Mr.  Coffeen 
organized  the  Texas  Mill  and  Elevator  Company, 
of  Corsicana,  Tex.,  it  being  one  of  the  largest  es- 
tablishments of  the  kind  in  the  State.  He  built 
and  operated  this  successfully  for  over  a  year,  and 
in  which  he  still  retains  his  interest,  it  being  under 
the  management  of  his  brother-in-law,  John  H. 
Knox. 

Mr.  Coffeen  was  born  in  Warren  County,  Ind., 
Aug.  28,  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  Alvah  P.  and 
Olive  E.  (Martin)  Coffeen,  the  former  a  native  of 
the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and  the  latter  of  New 
York  State.  Alvah  P.  Coffeen  was  born  July  17, 
1811,  and  traced  his  ancestry  back  to  the  Isle  of 
Man  in  the  Irish  Sea.  He  learned  the  cabinet- 
maker's trade  early  in  life,  and  when  a  young  man 
came  to  the  West,  locating  in  this  county  in  1853, 
and  engaged  in  farming.  He  was  for  the  last  forty 
years  of  his  life  a  zealous  member  and  Elder  in 
the  Christian  Church,  and  politically,  a  Free-soil 
Democrat.  Afterward  he  was  a  stanch  Abolition- 
ist in  the  days  of  Birney  and  Fremont,  and  Re- 
publican during  the  war.  He  then  drifted  into  the 
ranks  of  the  Greenbackers,  and  took  an  active  part 
in  the  Grange  movement  during  the  early  part  of 
the  '70's.  The  great  characteristic  feature  of  his 
life  was  his  earnest  advocacy  of  reformed  move- 
ments in  society.  His  last  years  were  spent  in 
Homer,  his  death  occurring  May  16,  1880,  when  he 
was  sixty-eight  years  of  age. 

The  mother  was  born  Aug.  1,  1813,  and  was 
married  to  Alvah  P.  Coffeen  on  the  25th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1832,  in  Warren  County,  Ind.;  she  is  still  liv- 
ing in  Homer.  Both  parents  were  orphaned  at  an 
early  age;  and  received  but  a  limited  education. 
Realizing  its  advantages,  they  have  exerted  them- 
selves greatly  to  provide  their  children  with  better 
school  facilities  than  they  themselves  enjoyed. 
Of  their  sons  and  daughters  the  record  is  as  follows: 
Alvah  M.  married  Miss  Mira  Games,  and  resides 
in  Champaign,  111;  Henry  A.  married  Miss  Ilattie 
M.  King,  and  lives  in  Wyoming  Territory;  Damie 
C.  married  Richard  S.  Hopkins,  and  they  also  are 


f 


963 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


' 


living  in  Wyoming  Territory;  Michael  D.,  of  our 
sketch,  was  the  fourth  child;  Sarah  E.,  Mrs.  John 
Knox,  is  now  a  resident  of  Texas.  Three  children 
died  in  infancy.  The  children  and  grandchildren 
of  Alvah  P.  Coffeen  are  distinguished  for  temper- 
mice  in  all  respects,  never  using  spirits  or  tobacco 
in  any  form. 

The  earliest  years  of  Michael  D.  Coffeen  were 
spent  with  his  parents  in  farming.  Afterward,  he 
and  his  brothers  and  sisters  received  a  collegiate 
education,  completing  their  studies  in  different 
colleges.  Our  subject  graduated  from  Ann  Arbor 
University,  Mich.,  in  the  law  department,  which 
profession  he  was  engaged  in  about  five  years. 
After  having  matured  his  plans  for  the  future,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mellie  Burton,  on 
the  4th  of  April,  1871.  Mrs.  C.,  a  native  of  Indi- 
ana, was  born  Jan.  12,  1850,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Mary  (Shirk)  Burton,  of  Woodford 
County,  111.  Her  father  followed  farming  pur- 
suits during  his  life,  most  of  the  time  in  the  latter 
county,  and  rested  from  his  labors  May  2,  1865. 
The  mother  is  still  living,  making  her  home  with 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  Dr.  Lakin,  of  Eureka,  111. 
The  household  circle  included  eight  children.  Of 
these,  Louisa  died  when  twenty-one  years  of  age; 
Sarah  married  Rev.  B.  B.  Tyler,  a  minister  of  the 
Christian  Church  in  New  York  City;  Tighlman, 
deceased;  Mellie,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  was  the 
fourth  child ;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  S.  A.  Marney,  is  a 
resident  of  Miles  City,  M.  T. ;  Mr.  Mi  is  editor  and 
proprietor  of  the  "  Stock-growers'  Journal."  Jo- 
seph H.  is  in  Texas;  Olive,  Mrs.  S.  W.  Lakin,  re- 
sides at  Eureka,  111.,  and  James  F.  at  Miles  City. 
M.  T. 

Mr.  Coffeen  has  been  connected  with  the  Chris- 
tian Church  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  in 
which  he  was  Elder  for  some  time.  Politically,  he 
is  independent,  aiming  to  cast  his  vote  for  the  men 
whom  he  considers  best  qualified  to  hold  office. 
He  connected  himself  with  the  Masonic  fraternity 
in  1886,  and  has  taken  the  Chapter  degrees. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1872,  there  was  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coffeen  a  son,  whom  they  named 
Charles  B.,  and  on  the  21st  of  January,  1875,  a 
daughter,  afterward  christened  Olive  B.  One 
daughter  died  in  infancy.  The  home  of  Mr.  Cof- 


feen  and  his  family  is  frequented  by  the  best  peo- 
ple of  the  community.  Our  subject,  as  a  citizen 
and  business  man,  occupies  an  enviable  position, 
and  is  esteemed  no  less  for  his  personal  qualities 
than  for  his  straightforward  business  transactions 
and  his  worth  as  an  important  factor  of  the  indus- 
trial element  of  this  section.  A  lithographic  view 
of  his  mill  and  elevator  is  shown  on  another  page 
of  this  work. 


ON.  ABEL  HARWOOD,  after  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  a  long  and  busy  life,  in  which  he 
was  more  than  ordinarily  successful  in  accu- 
mulating a  share  of  this  world's  goods,  is 
now  living  in  retirement  at  Champaign.  He  has 
been  a  prominent  figure  in  the  affairs  of  this  county 
for  the  last  thirty  years,  being  a  man  of  great  force 
of  character,  whose  footprints  upon  the  sands  of 
time  will  be  noted  long  after  he  has  been  gathered 
to  his  fathers. 

Mr.  Harwood  was  born  in  North  Brookfield, 
Mass.,  Nov.  23,  1814,  and  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  until  a  youth  seventeen  years  old.  He  received 
a  good  education,  graduating:  from  Amherst  Col- 
lege in  1841,  and  intended  to  follow  the  profession 
of  a  teacher.  Soon  after  graduating  he  married 
Miss  Mary  D.,  daughter  of  Deacon  Tyler  Batcheller, 
also  of  North  Brookfield,  and  expected  to  move  at 
once  to  Edwardsville,  111.,  to  take  charge  of  the 
academy  there.  He  started  for  the  West  with  his 
bride,  but  changed  his  mind,  and  went  into  Shelby 
County,  Ky.,  and  with  his  wife  engaged  in  teaching 
and  was  thus  occupied  until  failing  health  compelled 
him  to  seek  other  employment.  He  afterward  en- 
gaged in  the  shoe  business  successfully,  and  at  about 
the  time  of  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  caught  the  land  fever  and  purchased 
nearly  3,000  acres  in  McLean.  Champaign  and  Piatt 
Counties,  which  he  secured  at  about  $1  per  acre. 
He  subsequently  added  to  his  landed  interests  by 
purchases  of  2,000  acres  from  private  parties. 

Mr.  Harwood,  iii  February,  1853,  established 
himself  in  Bloomington  and  resumed  his  occupation 
as  a  shoe  merchant.  In  1856  his  wife  died,  leaving 
him  with  six  young  children,  and  two  years  later  be 


964 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


married  Miss  Isabella  U.  Boyd.  Mr.  H.  has  been 
very  happy  in  his  domestic  relations  and  claims 
that  his  success  in  life  has  been  due  in  a  large  i 
measure  to  the  counsel  of  the  two  excellent  women 
who  shared  his  fortunes  and  rejoiced  in  his  successes. 
Of  his  later  marriage  there  were  born  five  children. 
Mr.  Harwood  was  a  member  of  the  Convention 
which  framed  the  present  constitution  of  this  State 
and  in  which  body  he  was  one  of  the  ablest  and 
most  influential  men. 


RS.  MARY  H.  SMITH,  widow  of  William 
H.  Smith,  late  of  the  city  of  Urbana,  is  the 
daughter  of  Augustus  and  Eliza  Herndon, 
natives  of  Virginia.  Her  father  upon  en- 
gaging in  business  for  himself  located  at  Lexing- 
ton, Ky..  and  carried  on  the  manufacture  of  rope 
and  bagging,  by  which  he  accumulated  a  good 
property.  The  latter  part  of  his  life  was  spent  in 
retirement,  and  his  death  took  place  in  October, 
186X.  The  mother  had  preceded  her  husband  to 
the  silent  land  more  than  twenty  years,  passing 
away  in  1X44,  at  their  home  at  Lexington.  Mary 
was  their  only  child,  and  remained  with  them  until 
her  marriage. 

William  H.  Smith  was  born  March  15,  1819,  and 
was  the  son  of  John  J.  and  Esther  Smith,  of  North- 
castle,  WestchesterCo.,N.  Y.  He  received  a  good 
education  and  in  early  life  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, and  as  a  railroad  conductor.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Hannah  Herndon,  of  Lexington,  Jan. 
22,  18.55,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  four 
children,  namely,  William  H.,  Jr.,  Edward  H., 
Mary  Esther  and  Jay  H.  The  place  made  vacant 
in  the  family  by  the  decease  of  their  infant  daugh- 
ter was  eventually  occupied  by  their  adopted 
daughter,  Miss  Kate  Weaver.  The  eldest  son  is 
now  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  at 
Hazleton,  Pa.  Edward  H.  married  the  daughter 
of  Prof.  Moore,  Principal  of  the  West  Side  High 
School,  of  Champaign.  These  two  sons  are  gradu- 
ates of  Yale  College. 

William  H.  Smith  for  twenty-five  years  was 
prominently  identified  with  the  great  railroad  in- 
terests of  the  United  States,  and  attained  a  national 


reputation.  He  was  the  first  conductor  on  the 
New  York  &  New  Haven  Railroad,  both  of  which 
he  had  assisted  in  building,  and  was  also  chiefly  in- 
strumental in  the  construction  of  the  R.  R.  I.  &  St. 
L.,  the  Texas  &  Pacific  and  the  Buffalo  &  Wash- 
ington roads.  He  came  to  Urbana  in  1868,  and 
afterward  built  the  I.  B.  &  W.  R.  R.  from  Danville 
to  Pekin.  Subsequently  he  was  appointed  re- 
ceiver of  the  I.  B.  &  W.  extension,  now  the 
Havana  branch  of  the  great  Wabash  system,  and  in 
May,  1880,  became  President  of  the  Western  Car 
Company,  with  which  he  was  connected  from  the 
time  of  its  organization.  He  was  emphatically  a 
public-spirited  man,  and  his  charity  and  generosity 
became  proverbial.  He  ministered  to  the  poor  and 
needy  in  their  distress,  was  ardently  devoted  to  his 
family,  and  was  in  all  respects  the  model  man  and 
esteemed  citizen.  He  rested  from  his  earthly 
labors  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years,  on  the  5th  of 
April,  1883,  dying  of  Bright's  Disease,  at  his  home, 
Herndon  Place,  in  Urbana. 

Mrs.  Smith,  a  lady  held  in  high  regard  by  a  large 
circle  of  friends,  possesses  more  than  ordinary  in- 
telligence and  has  been  finely  educated.  She  be- 
longs to  the  Art  Club  and  Shakespeare  Class,  and 
is  prominently  connected  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 


AVID  MOSER,  a  prominent  and  success- 
ful farmer  of  Philo  Township,  is  pleasant- 
ly located  on  section  8,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  careful  cultivation  of  eighty 
acres  of  valuable  and  fertile  land.  Of  this  he  took 
possession  in  March,  1869,  and  has  since  effected 
great  improvements,  having  now  a  fine  set  of  farm 
buildings  and  a  goodly  assortment  of  live-stock. 
To  the  latter  he  has  given  especial  attention,  and 
exhibits  some  of  the  best  animals  in  this  part  of  the 
county.  His  land  has  been  thoroughly  drained 
with  tile,  and  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  various 
products  of  the  Prairie  State. 

Mr.  Moser  was  born  in  Muskingum  County, 
Ohio,  March  21,  1827.  His  father,  a  mechanic, 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  of  German  de- 
scent. He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Shick,  of  simi- 
lar ancestry,  and  they  began  life  together  in  Mus- 
_^- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


965 


kinguni  County,  Ohio,  to  which  l>oth  had  removed 
in  their  youth.  Here  the  elder  Moser  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  his  death  taking  place  in 
1861,  when  sixty-six  years  of  age.  He  was  a  good 
man  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  term,  upright  and 
honorable  in  all  his  dealings,  kind  and  indulgent 
in  his  family,  and  a  member  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  he  identified  himself  with  it,  and  ever 
afterward  gave  to  it  his  warmest  support.  The 
mother,  after  becoming  a  widow,  went  to  live  with 
her  children  in  Monroe  County.  Iowa,  and  there 
died  about  1875,  after  reaching  the  advanced  age 
of  seventy-one  years. 

Our  subject  was  the  fifth  child  of  his  parents, 
whose  household  included  seven  sons  and  two 
daughters.  He  was  reared  principally  in  Pike 
County,  Ohio,  and  received  a  fair  education  in  the 
common  schools.  He  remained  under  the  home 
roof  until  reaching  his  majority,  then  learned  the 
trade  of  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  after  serving 
his  apprenticeship  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Rachel  A.  Brill,  in  April,  1857.  Mrs.  Moser 
was  born  in  Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  in  1828,  but 
like  her  husband,  was  reared  principally  in  Pike 
County,  where  her  parents,  Henry  and  Catherine 
Brill,  lived  upon  a  farm. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moser  became  the  parents  of  two 
children — Lettie,  who  remains  at  home,  and  Jere- 
miah G.,  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Champaign 
County,  and  who,  in  this  calling,  has  been  more 
than  ordinarily  successful.  Our  subject,  politically, 
votes  the  straight  Republican  ticket,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  Church.  Mrs.  Moser  be- 
longs to  the  United  Presbyterian  Church. 


PATTON,  although  of  Southern 
Jj  parentage,  is  a  native  of  Vermilion  Count}', 
this  State,  where  his  birth  took  place  in 
Georgetown,  Jan.  9,  1830.  His  parents,  Israel  and 
Hannah  (Mills)  Patton,  were  natives  of  Tennessee, 
where  his  grandfather,  Israel  Patton,  'first  opened 
his  eyes  to  the  light,  his  birth  taking  place  in  1800, 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  His  family  were 
mainly  engaged  in  farming  pursuits,  and  Israel 

<• 


Patton  after  his  marriage  spent  a  short  time  in 
his  native  State,  where  his  two  eldest  children  were 
born,  then,  in  1825,  emigrated  to  Vermilion  County, 
111.,  of  which  he  was  among  the  earliest  pioneers. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  however,  had  learned 
the  hatter's  trade  in  his  native  State,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  a  time  in  Vermilion  County,  but  later 
abandoned  it  and  took  up  the  pursuit  of  agriculture. 
He  built  up  a  good  home  in  Elwood  Township, 
carefully  trained  his  children  and  gave  them  the 
best  advantages  for  education  which  the  period 
and  the  place  afforded,  and  closed  his  eyes  upon 
the  scenes  of  earth  in  the  month  of  March,  1864. 
The  mother  only  survived  until  December,  1865. 
Their  ten  children  all  lived  to  mature  years  and 
six  still  survive. 

Nathan  Patton  was  the  fourth  child  of  the  pa- 
rental family,  his  birth  taking  place  five  years  after 
the  removal  of  his  father  from  East  Tennessee. 
He  remained  under  the  home  roof  until  reaching 
his  majority  and  subsequently  served  an  apprentice- 
ship at  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  followed  in 
his  native  county  for  a  number  of  years.  His 
childhood  and  youth  were  comparatively  unevent- 
ful, and  the  most  important  step  which  he  took 
after  becoming  of  age  was  his  marriage,  when 
twenty-four  years  old,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Beverlin, 
which  took  place  in  his  native  county,  Sept.  25, 
1854.  His  bride,  the  daughter  of  William  and 
Rebecca  ( Commons  )  Beverlin,  was  a  native  of 
Wayne  County,  Ind.,  born  June  21,  1837. 

The  young  people  after  their  marriage  crossed 
the  Mississippi  into  Iowa,  locating  in  Hardin 
County.  While  in  that  State  Mr.  Patton  enjoyed 
an  elk  hunt.  There  came  about  100  elk  from 
Minnesota  into  Iowa,  and  the  few  people  living 
there  joined  the  sport  and  followed  the  herd  until 
all  were  captured,  our  subject  carrying  off  five  elk 
as  trophies  of  the  chase.  Returning  to  Illinois, 
our  subject  engaged  in  farming  in  Vermilion 
County  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war. 
In  the  spring  of  1862,  feeling  that  he  had  a  duty 
to  perform  in  assisting  to  preserve  the  Union  he 
enlisted  in  Co.  A.  79th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  for  three 
years  afterward  followed  the  fortunes  of  a  soldier. 
He  met  the  enemy  in  many  of  the  important  bat- 
tles of  the  war,  including,  the  engagements  at  Per- 


t. 


Ji. 


966 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


ryville,  Stone  River,  Spring  Hill,  Franklin  and 
Nashville,  and  in  June,  18Gf>,  after  the  surrender 
of  Lee's  army,  received  his  honorable  discharge 
and  returned  to  his  home  and  family.  He  had 
been  remarkably  fortunate  in  his  army  experience, 
receiving  no  serious  wound  and  never  being  cap- 
tured by  the  rebels. 

Mr.  Patton  continued  in  Vermilion  County  un- 
til 1870,  and  then  removed  to  Stanton  Township 
in  this  county,  where  he  located  on  a  tract  of  land 
and  commenced  building  up  from  the  uncultivated 
prairie  the  homestead  which  he  now  owns.  He 
labored  incessantly  for  five  years  thereafter, 
breaking  the  sod,  putting  up  fences  and  build- 
ings, and  in  due  time  had  provided  comfor- 
tably for  himself  and  family.  After  twelve 
years,  thinking  that  a  change  of  scene  would  be 
beneficial  both  physically  and  mentally,  he  sold  off 
his  stock,  rented  his  farm,  and  took  a  trip  to  Cali- 
fornia. He  remained  on  the  Pacific  Slope  eight 
months,  and  returned  greatty  improved  in  health 
and  spirits.  He  decided  then  to  retire  from  active 
labor,  and  selecting  a  snug  little  home  in  St.  Joseph, 
took  up  his  abode  there,  where  he  has  since  lived, 
surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  of  life.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Patton  have  no  family,  but  have  cared  for 
and  supplied  the  place  of  parents  to  seven  orphan 
children. 

Our  subject  since  coming  to  this  vicinity  has 
closely  identified  himself  with  its  local  interests, 
being  first  chosen  one  of  the  Drainage  Commission- 
ers for  Union  District,  which  comprises  an  area,  of 
about  six  miles  square.  He  has  served  as  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways,  School  Trustee,  and  in  vari- 
ous other  offices  where  his  cool  head  and  ripe 
judgment  were  of  excellent  service  ir>  adjusting 
township  affairs  and  shaping  them  for  the  best 
good  of  the  people.  He  is  an  active  member  of 
the  G.  A.  R.,  belonging  to  St  Joseph  Post  No. 
220,  and  with  his  estimable  wife  has  been  in  com- 
munion with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for 
many  years.  They,  in  187G,  visited  the  Centen- 
nial Exposition  at  Philadelphia  and  later  took 
another  trip  to  California,  riding  over  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  State  by  private  conveyance,  which  en- 
abled them  to  visit  and  view  many  interesting 
places  not  easily  accessible  to  travelers  depending 


upon  a  railroad  train.  In  this  respect  Mr.  Patton 
has  wisely  disbursed  several  hundred  dollars,  af- 
foijding  himself  and  wife  a  pleasurable  and  profit- 
able experience. 


AVID  T.  NICHOLS  is  familiarly  known 
throughout  Newcomb  Township  as  one  of 
its  most  thriving  farmers,  and  has  oper- 
ated in  that  section  since  the  fall  of  1875. 
His  property  includes  200  acres  of  highly  cul- 
tivated land,  with  good  buildings  and  all  the 
appliances  required  by  the  modern  agriculturist. 
,0ur  subject  is  the  son  of  Obadiah  and  Lovica 
(Thomas)  Nichols,  natives  respectively  of  New 
Jersey  and  Ohio. 

The  parental  household  included  three  sons  and 
four  daughters,  and  David  T.  was  the  second  in 
order  of  birth.  He  was  born  in  Licking  County, 
Ohio,  March  24,  1836,  and  remained  under  the 
home  roof  during  his  boyhood  and  youth,  receiv- 
ing a  fair  education  in  the  common  schools.  He 
began  teaching  when  nineteen  years  old,  and  two 
years  later  left  his  native  State  to  investigate  a 
portion  of  the  farther  West.  The  spring  of  1857 
found  him  across  the  Mississippi,  and  he  afterward 
spent  six  months  engaged  in  brick-making  in  Iowa. 
He  went  to  Kansas  in  the  spring  of  1866,  and  pre- 
pared to  permanently  settle  in  Greenwood  County, 
but  about  this  time  came  on  the  troubles  which  made 
a  residence  in  that  State  at  least  very  unpleasant  to 
those  who  were  friendly  to  the  Union,  and  our  sub- 
ject, with  others,  after  experiencing  much  annoyance 
and  considerable  danger  from  the  hostile  element, 
returned  to  the  more  peaceable  boundaries  of  his 
native  State.  He  purchased  a  farm  in  Licking 
County,  where  he  remained  two  years,  then  sold 
out  and  migrated  to  Coles  County,  111.,  where  he 
engaged  in  merchandising  two  years,  then  disposed 
of  his  stock  of  goods,  and  finally  invested  his  cap- 
ital in  land  in  Newcomb  Township,  this  county, 
where  he  has  since  remained. 

Mr.  Nichols  while  a  resident  of  Greenwood  Coun- 
ty, Kan.,  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Hannah 
Smythe,  on  the  8th  of  January,  1862.  Mrs.  N.  was 
born  in  Missouri,  and  by  her  marriage  with  our 


i 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


967 


subject  became  the  mother  of  one  child,  a  daughter, 
who  died  when  four  months  old.  The  mother  died 
the  following  year,  in  March,  1863.  After  rcturiir 
ing  to  Ohio  Mr.  Nichols  was  again  married,  in 
Licking  County,  April  24,  1867,  to  Miss  Hattie  W. 
Eager,  a  native  of  that  State.  Of  this  union  there 
were  born  four  children,  namely,  Maude,  Frank, 
Anna  and  'Bertha.  Mrs.  Hattie  W.  Nichols  de- 
parted this  life  in  Newcomb  Township,  this  county, 
July  25,  188-2. 

The  present  wife  of  our  subject,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  Condit  Township,  July  -2,  1885,  was 
formerly  Miss  Martha  J.  Lennington,  a  native  of 
Ohio.  Both  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
M.  E.  Church,  and  our  subject,  politically,  is  a 
Prohibitionist  of  the  first  water.  He  has  been  quite 
prominent  in  local  affairs,  and  represented  New- 
comb  Township  on  the  Board  of  Supervisors  during 
the  year  1886.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  While  a  resident 
of  Kansas  Mr.  Nichols  joined  the  State  Militia, 
and  was  commissioned  First  Lieutenant  by  (Jen. 
Lane.  The  unsettled  state  of  the  country,  however, 
caused  the  regiment  to  be  dis.banded,  but  he  after- 
ward served  as  scout,  and  was  subsequently  ap- 
pointed Sheriff  of  Greenwood  County,  being  the  first 
official  to  serve  there  in  that  capacity.  He  was 
afterward  re-elected  twice  and  also  served  as  Coun- 
ty Clerk,  which  office  he  abandoned  to  return  to 
the  Buckeye  State. 


I»;ILLIAM  C.  CUSTER,  proprietor  of  a  good 


IJI  livery  stable  in  the  town  of  Homer,  is  car- 
rying on  business  successfully,  keeping 
about  twelve  head  of  good  roadsters,  with  a  choice 
assortment  of  buggies  and  carriages.  He  is  a  native 
of  the  Buckeye  State,  and  was  born  in  Fayette  Coun- 
ty, Jan.  8,  1841.  His  parents,  Jacob  M.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Ocheltrce)  Custer,  were  natives  of  Virginia, 
whence  they  removed  to  Ohio  early  in  life  and 
thence,  in  the  fall  of  1848,  to  Vermilion  County, 
this  State.  They  lived  there  until  the  spring  of 
1856,  then  came  to  Homer,  this  county,  and  the 
father  erected  the  first  hotel  building  in  the  town, 
which  was  known  as  the  "Homer  House."  He 


officiated  as  "mine  host"  three  years,  and  in  1851J 
purchased  a  farm  near  the  town  limits,  to  which  he 
retired  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Our  subject  was  the  fourth  child  of  his  parents, 
whose  family  circle  included  six  sons  and  three 
daughters,  named  respectively,  Margaret  J.,  Martha 
E.,  Mary  E.,  William  C.,  John  M.,  James  F., 
George  O.,  Jacob  A.  and  Benjamin  M.  One  daugh- 
ter and  two  sous  are  now  deceased.  Young  Custer 
remained  under  the  parental  roof  during  his  boy- 
hood and  youth,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebel- 
lion had  not  quite  reached  his  majority.  On  the 
10th  of  August.  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  F,  26th 
111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  as  a  private  and  non- 
commissioned officer  until  April,  1865,  when  he 
was  made  Second  Lieutenant.  At  the  expiration 
of  his  first  term  of  enlistment  he  re-entered  the 
ranks  as  a  veteran  and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  His  first  introduction  to  the  rebels  was  at 
the  battle  of  New  Madrid',  Mo.,  and  he  next  en- 
gaged with  them  at  Point  Pleasant.  From  there 
the  regiment  proceeded  by  steamer  to  Pittsburg 
Landing,  and  Mr.  Custer  was  afterward  present  at 
the  siege  of  Corinth. 

The  wife  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss  Maria 
L.  Noble.  They  occupy  a  snug  dwelling,  and  en- 
jo}'  the  respect  and  confidence  of  many  friends. 


d  IjfclLLIAM  McCLELLAND,  who  is  a  resi- 
\r\J//  dent  of  Hensley  Township,  is  pleasantly  lo- 
VJy^B  cated  on  section  11,  where  he  has  a  good 
farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  he  purchased  in  1876. 
Upon  this  he  has  made  great  improvements  since 
lie  took  possession  of  it.  having  enlarged  the  dwell- 
ing and  brought  the  land  to  a  line  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, so  that  it  now  yields  in  abundance  the  products 
for  which  the  Prairie  State  is  universally  known. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Pa.,  Dec. 
10,  1852,  of  which  county  his  grandfather,  Robert 
McClelland,  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers.  The 
latter  was  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Pa..  May 
17.  1774,  and  when  a  young  man  went  into  Erie 
County  and  pre-empted  a  tract  of  Government 
land  in  the  wilderness,  from  which  he  cleared  a 
good  farm,  established  a  comfortable  home,  and 


,  ,  968 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


there  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life.  He  died 
June  9,  1838.  He  had  married  and  reared  a  family, 
among  whom  was  Thomas,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
who  was  born  three  miles  from  the  city  of  Erie,  in 
1 802.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  inherited 
150  acres  of  land  from  his  father's  estate.  He  pos- 
sessed in  a  large  degree  the  energy  and  enterprise 
for  which  Robert  McClelland  was  noted,  and  carried 
on  fanning  operations  successfully  until  about 
eighteen  years  ago,  when  he  removed  to  the  city  of 
Erie,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  passing  the  declin- 
ing years  of  their  lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  com- 
petency. The  mother  of  our  subject  before  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Mary  Fisk,  a  native  of  Oneida 
County,  N.  Y.  She  is  a  lady  of  great  personal  worth 
and  well  fitted  to  be  the  companion  of  such  a  man 
as  her  husband. 

William  McClelland  spent  his  childhood  and 
youth  after  the  manner  of  most  farmers'  boys,  at- 
tending the  district  schools  in  winter  and  assisting 
his  father  on  the  farm  in  the  summer.  He  re- 
mained under  the  home  roof  until  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  then  entered  the  employ,  first  of  the 
Philadelphia  &  Erie  Railroad  Company,  and  later 
the  Lake  Shore.  After  three  and  one-half  years 
occupied  in  railroading  he  came  west  to  Illinois, 
and  purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides. 

Mr.  McClelland  was  married  first  in  1873,  to 
Miss  Mary  Brailey,  who  was  born  in  Erie  Comity 
Pa.,  and  was  the  daughter  of  William  and  Louisa 
(Cogle)  Brailey.  This  lady  became  the  mother  of 
three  children — Bert,  Louisa  and  Gardie — and  de- 
parted this  life  Oct.  9,  1880.  Our  subject  was 
the  second  time  married,  Feb.  22,  1882,  to  Miss 
Nettie,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  (Barney) 
Hensley.  Mr.  McC.  is  Republican  in  politics. 

TEr^""^ ^    ~» 

R.  JOHN  D.  MANDEVILLE  was  the  fourth 
and  youngest  son  of  Elijah  and  Huldah 
(Denton)  Mandeville,  there  being  ten  chil- 
dren in  the  family,  six  girls  and  four  boys. 
Seven  are  now  living,  one  son  having  died  in  in- 
fancy, one,  Clinton  J.,  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
and  one  daughter,  Sarah,  in  middle  life. 

Elijah  Mandeville,  tlie  father  of  John  D.,  was  of 


German  descent,  and  was  born  in  Seneca  County, 
Is'.  Y.,  Dec.  9,  1802.  In  1825  he  was  married  to 
Huldah  Den  ton,  of  the  same  county,  and  they  re- 
sided there  until  1858,  when  they  removed  to 
Champaign  County,  111.,  where  they  lived  the  rest 
of  their  days.  She  died  Oct.  15,  I860,  aged  about 
sixty,  and  he  died  Oct.  10,  1885,  having  nearly 
completed  his  eighty-third  year.  Religiously,  they 
were  Congregationalists,  and  were  active,  consistent 
members  of  that  church  for  nearly  sixty  years, 
being  close  Bible  students  and  firm  believers  in  all 
the  promises  contained  therein. 

Politically  he -was  a  Whig  and  later  a  Republican; 
He  was  know  far  and  near  for  his  strong  anti- 
slavery  views,  and  he  lived  to  see  the  shackels  torn 
from  4,000,000  bondsmen,  and  his  views  endorsed 
by  a  large  majority  of  the  American  people.  He 
gave  two  of  his  sons,  Clinton  J.  and  John  D.,  to 
the  service  of  their  country  in  the  late  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  the  former  dying  at  Carrolton,  La. 

His  son,  John  D.  Mandeville,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  Dec.  18,  1844,  in  the  town  of 
Romulus,  near  Ovid  Village,  Seneca  Co.,  N.  Y.  He 
resided  there  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Champaign 
County,  111.,  where  he  has  since  resided,  attending 
and  teaching  school,  and  pursuing  the  study  of 
medicine  under  Dr.  W.  H.  Hess,  of  Homer.  He 
entered  Rush  Medical  College  at  Chicago,  in  the 
fall  of  1867.  air!  graduated  from  there  in  the  spring 
of  1875.  In  the  spring  of  1882  he  returned  to  the 
same  college,  and  took  a  post-graduate  degree.  In 
the  spring  of  1887  he  took  a  post-graduate  course 
in  New  York  City.  He  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  the  village  -of  Philo.  111.,  in  March, 
1868,  and  lias  continued  it  till  the  present  time. 

Dr.  Mandeville  enlisted  twice  as  a  soldier  in  the 
service  of  his  country  during  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion, and  offered  his  services  the  third  time  but 
was  rejected.  He  first  served  in  the  67th  Illinois 
Infantry,  and  afterward  in  the  133d  Illinois  Infantry. 

Dr.  Mandeville  was  married  to  Elizabeth  W., 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Lydia  Michener,  of  Homer, 
111.,  May  7,  1868.  She  was  an  excellent  and  amia- 
ble woman,  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  Two 
daughters,  Myrtle  O.  and  Libbie  E.,  were  born  to 
them,  the  mother  departing  this  life  Dec.  31,  1870. 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


969 


Oh  June  12,  1878,  he  was  again  married,  this  time 
to  Martha  A..  daughtc>r  of  Ames  and  Relief  Burr, 
of  Worthington,  Mass.  Two  daughters,  Helen 
Ruth  and  Hazel  Dentun,  were  born  to  them,  and 
they  continue  to  reside  in  their  pleasant  home  in 
the  village  of  Philo. 

Our  subject's  religious  views  are  of  the  Presbyter- 
ian faith  and  order,  and  since  his  residence  in  Philo 
he  has  been  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  Church 
there. 


Vw/OHN  PENFIELD,  of  Rantoul,  is  held  in  the 
highest  respect  by  his  entire  community  as 
one  of  its  most  reliable  citizens.  His  life 
allfl  character  have  been  such  as  to  command 
the  friendship  and  admiration  of  all  who  know  him, 
being  a  kindly,  genial  gentleman,  faithful  to  his 
friends,  of  strict  integrity  as  a  business  man,  and  of 
the  highest  value  as  a  citizen. 

O 

The  earliest  years  of  our  subject  were  spent  in 
Rutland  County,  Vt.,  where  he  was  born,  Sept.  23, 
1824.  His  father,  Horace  Penfield,  was  a  saddler 
by  trade,  and  married  Miss  Caroline  Chandler,  a 
native  of  his  own  State.  Some  years  later  they  re- 
moved to  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  established  a  perma- 
nent home,  and  there  his  death  occurred  in  1864- 
The  mother  of  our  subject  is  still  living,  being  an 
intelligent  old  lady  of  eighty-three  years.  Of  the 
'ten  children  of  the  family,  only  four  are  now  living. 

Our  subject  completed  his  education  at  St.  Al- 
ban's  Academy,  and  at  an  early  age  engaged  in 
teaching.  He  afterward  took  up  the  trade  of  his 
father  and  worked  as  a  harness-maker  for  about  ten 
•years,  mostly  in  Kalamazoo,  Mich.  He  became  a 
resident  of  this  county  in  1856,  locating  first  upon 
land  which  was  subsequently  platted  and  became  a 
part  of  the  town  of  Rantoul.  Upon  coming  here 
he  purchased  a  considerable  extent  of  land  and 
carried  on  farming  and  stock-raising  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  afterward  became  largely  interested 
in  the  Narrow-Gauge  Railroad,  which  has  proved 
a  valuable  investment.  He  was  the  first  permanent 
settler  of  Rantoul.  and  seinns  to  be  indispensable  to 
its  happiness  and  best  interests. 

Mr.  Peufield   was    married   first   at    Kalamazoo, 


Mich.,  to  Miss  Lydia  Hays,  who  was  a  native  of 
that  city,  and  who  became  the  mother  of  one  child, 
a  daughter,  Annie  C.,  now  the  wife  of  Charles 
Kstep,  of  Rosedale,  Kan.  Mrs.  Penfield  departed 
this  life  in  March,  1857,  and  our  subject,  in  the  fall 
of  1859,  was  married  to  Miss  Lucy  K.  Wigh.  of 
Whitehall,  N.  Y.  The  four  children  born  of  this 
marriage  were  Eugene  W.,  John  H.,  Lucy  B.  and 
Fred  W. 

The  home  of  our  subject  in  Ran  ton  1  is  the  resort 
of  the  cultivated  people  of  the  city,  and  its  hos- 
pitable doors  open  to  a  wide  circle  of  friends-  and 
acquaintances.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  are  members  in 
good  standing  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  in  which 
the  former  has  held  the  office  of  Senior  Warden  for 
many  years. 


ffi  UDGE  J.  W.  SIM,  of  Urbana,  was  born  in 
Knox  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  1,  1831,  and  is 
the  sou  of  Joseph  W.  and  Catura  (Mercer) 
Sim,  natives  of  Maryland.  The  father  was 

^-^-^-- 

a  harness- maker  by  trade,  and  in  May,  1831,  re- 
moved from  his  native  State  to  Ohio.  Finding 
but  little  call  there  for  the  products  of  his  trade, 
he  engaged  in  farming,  and  remained  for  over 
twenty  years.  In  the  spring  of  1854  he  sold  out, 
and  coming  to  this  State  purchased  a  farm  near  Ur- 
bana, which  he  occupied  until  1863,  then  moving 
into  the  city  remained  there  until  his  death,  in  1864. 
The  mother  survived  her  husband  ft ve  years,  dying 
in  1869. 

Joseph  W.  Sim  was  originally  a  Henry  Clay 
Whig,  but  later  a  Republican.  The  parental  fam- 
ily included  eleven  children,  of  whom  only  five 
are  now  living,  namely,  Mrs.  Cassandra  Marriott, 
of  Somer  Township;  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Reed,  of  Cham- 
paign Township;  William  S.,  a  druggist  at  Urbana. 
Judge  J  W.  of  our  sketch,  and  Mrs.  Catura  Heis- 
ler,  of  Blunt,  Dak. 

Our  subject  remained  on  the  farm  with  his  par- 
ents until  twenty-two  years  old,  and  supplemented 
his  common-school  studies  by  attendance  at  a  sem- 
inary. When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  commenced 
teaching,  and  was  thus  employed  two  winters  in 
Ohio.  After  coming  to  this  State  he  hail  charge  ' 


I 


*-«-J 


1 

* 


970 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  the  public  schools  in  Urbana  for  six  months,  and 
the  following  spring  commenced  reading  law  with 
Col.  W.  N.  Coler.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  in 
the  spring  of  1  856.  and  formed  a  partnership  -with 
his  preceptor,  which  continued  two  years.  He  re- 
mained alone  for  two  years  following,  until  1800, 
and  then  associated  himself  with  Judge  Cunning- 
ham for  a  year,  when  he  abandoned  law  and  en- 
gaged in  farming  adjacent  to  the  town  limits  until 
the  fall  of  1867.  He  was  then  elected  Judge  of 
the  County  Court  for  a  term  of  four  years,  after 
which  he  resumed  his  law  practice,  in  which  he  has 
continued  since  that  time.  He  was  elected  Mayor 
of  Urbana  in  1864,  which  office  tie  held  two  terms, 
has  been  Alderman  three  terms,  and  is  at  present 
a  member  of  the  County  Board  of  Supervisors.  He 
has  been  prospered  in  his  various  undertakings,  has 
a  good  farm  in  Urbana  Township  and  property  in 
the  city.  He  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  socially  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 
the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

Judge  Sim  was  married,  June  25,  1857,  to  Miss 
Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  Col.  W.  M.  and  Elizabeth 
(Bush)  Busey,  who  were  natives  of  Kentucky.  Of 
this  union  there  have  been  born  four  children,  all 
living,  namely,  Cora  A.,  Mrs.  McClurg,  of  Urbana, 
Catura  K.,  Mary  ft.  and  Annie  M.  The  family 
residence  is  on  Green  street,  where  its  hospitable 
doors  are  open  to  the  best  residents  of  the  city. 


ENRY  D.  CORLIES,  late  an  extensive  far- 
mer of  Ran  ton  1,  is  now  retired  from  active 
labor,  and  occupies  a  comfortable  residence 
in  the  town,  where  he  is  enjoying  the  fruits 
of  his  early  labors  and  the  society  of  many  friends. 
His  earliest  recollections  are  of  a  modest  home 
in  Shrewsbury,  Monmouth  Co.,  N.  J.,  where  he 
began  life  on  the  15th  of  June,  1841.  His  father, 
Henry  D.,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of  New  York  City,  and 
his  grandfather,  Benjamin  F.  Corlies,  was  born  in 
New  York  State  and  was  of  English  ancestry.  lie 
carried  on  the  business  of  a  merchant  many  years 
in  his  native  county,  and  finally  removed  to  Shrews- 
bury, N.  J.,  where  he  spent  his  last  years  in  retire- 
ment. His  death  took  place  at  the  .home  of  his  son 


in  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  He  was  distinguished  by 
his  kindly  Christian  character  and  his  benevolence, 
which  was  illustrated  in  his  assistance  given  to  the 
poor  and  needy.  He  belonged  to  the  Society  of 
Friends,  and  possessed  in  a  marked  degree  the 
peculiar  characteristics  of  that  sect.  He  was  greatly 
prospered  in  his  business  affairs  and  retired  upon  a 
competency.  Before  his  death  he  had  distributed 
a  large  portion  of  his  property  among  the  poor. 

Henry  1).  Corlies,  Sr.,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  city,  and  early  in 
life  evinced  a  love  for  the  sea,  which  he  followed  in 
his  earlier  years  as  commander  of  a  vessel.  He 
died  on  shipboard  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  in  1841. 
He  had  married,  in  early  manhood,  Miss  Abigail 
Hall,  who  was  born  in  New  York  State,  and  now 
resides  in  _the  city  of  Auburn.  The  four  children 
of  the  parental  family  were  :  Benjamin  F.,  now  a 
resident  of  New  York  City;  George,  who  lives  in 
Ohio;  Charles,  a  resident  of  Thackery,!!!.,  and  our 
subject.  The  latter  was  but  an  infant  when  his 
father  died,  and  was  nine  years  of  age  when  his 
mother  removed  from  his  native  city  to  Cuyuga 
County,  N.  Y.  He  there  grew  to  manhood,  in  the 
meantime  attending  the  district  school  and  also  the 
Friends'  Academy  at  Long  Island. 

Our  subject  remained  a  member  of  his  mother's 
household  until  twenty  years  of  age,  then  repaired 
to  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  three  years.  He  then  decided  to  seek 
his  fortune  in  the  farther  West,  and  in  1865  came 
to  this  county  and  secured  possession  of  1,136 
acres  of  land,  located  partly  in  Harwood  Town- 
ship. It  was  wild,  uncultivated  prairie,  but  he 
immediately  commenced  its  improvement  and 
erected  a  good  set  of  buildings  on  section  36.  In 
time  he  had  brought  the  entire  tract  to  a  good 
state  of  cultivation  and  planted  eight  miles  of 
hedge.  In  addition  to  general  farming  he  also  en- 
gaged quite  extensively  in  stock-raising.  He  lived 
upon  this  place,  however,  but  eighteen  months, 
then  took  up  his  residence  in  Rantoul,  where  he 
has  since  resided  and  has  turned  over  the  cultiva- 
tion of  his  land  to  other  parties. 

Mr.  Corlies  was  married,  Oct.  8,  1862,  to  Miss 
Salina  Smith,  who  is  a  native  of  Middlefield,  Wor- 
cester Co.,  Mass.,  and  was  born  May  9,  1841.  Her 


t. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


971 


father,  Sylvester  Smith,  was  ;i  native  of  the  same 
State  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  removed 
from  Massachusetts  to  Pennsylvania  in  1842  and 
located  on  a  farm  in  Crawford  County,  where  he 
still  resides  and  which  he  has  now  occupied  for 
forty-live  years.  His  wife  in  her  girlhood  was  Miss 
Julia  Stevens,  also  a  native  of  the  Bay  State.  Their 
six  children  were  named  respectively,  Edson,  Fi- 
delia, Julia,  Amanda,  Sylvester  and  George.  Five 
of  these  died  in  infancy,  Mrs.  Corlies  being  the 
only  one  living.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are 
members  in  good  standing  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
and  Mr.  Corlies,  politically,  is  a  stanch  adherent  of 
the  Republican  party. 


E.  LITTLER,  one  of  the  rising  young 
men  of  Urbana,  was  born  Nov.  22,  1863,  in 
the  county  where  he  now  resides.  Horace 
(Ireeley  once  said,  that  to  be  born  in  New 
York  State  and  afterward  become  a  pioneer  of  Illi- 
nois made  a  man  great.  Had  he  lived  to  the  pres- 
ent time  he  might  have  realized  that  to  be  born  in 
Illinois  conferred  an  equal  honor. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  eldest  son  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  M.  Littler.  His  father  was  born 
Nov.  8,  1811,  near  Circleville,  Highland  Co.,  Ohio. 
In  1852  he  removed  to  Sacramento,  Cal.,  but  on 
his  return  eastward,  in  1855,  located  in  Urbana  and 
engaged  in  the  cabinet  and  furniture  business.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  M.  Busey, 
Dec.  2,  1858.  Of  this  union  there  were  born  six 
children,  namely,  Florence  G.,  Laura  M.,  John  E., 
Frank  II.,  Charles  R.  and  Willis  B.  Of  these,  two 
are  deceased:  Florence  G.,  who  died  of  typhoid 
fever,  Sept.  1,  1867,  at  the  age  of  eight  years;  and 
Charles  R.,  who  was  drowned  while  bathing  in  a 
creek  near  home,  July  12,  1885,  aged  fifteen  years 
and  ten  months.  He  had  been  accustomed  to  the 
water,  but  the  current  at  this  time  proved  too 
strong  and  he  was  swept  down  the  stream  beyond 
the  reach  of  help.  Charlie  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Sunday-school,  and  a  bright  and  promising 
boy  who  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  both  old  and 
young. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  in  1868,  removed  his 
family  from  Urbana  to  the  farm  situated  one  mile 


east  of  town,  where  he  engaged  in  general  agricult- 
ure and  stock-raising  until  resting  from  the  labors 
of  life.  His  death  occurred  Dec.  23,  1880,  from 
diphtheria.  Mr.  Littler  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Urbana  Township,  and  a  man  whose  straightfor- 
ward and  upright  life  won  for  him  the  regard  of  the 
entire  community.  He  was  a  devoted  husband,  a 
kind  father,  and  a  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church. 

Mrs.  Sarah  M.  Littler,  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  born  June  10,  1834,  and  was  the  daughter  of 
Mathew  Busey,  who  came  to  Illinois  in  1830,  from 
Shelbyville,  Ky.  He  located  two  miles  east  of  the 
present  site  of  Urbaua,  then  known  as  the  '•  Big 
Grove,"  securing  twenty-two  eighty-acre  lots. 
Mathew  Busey  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  but 
in  early  life  removed  to  Kentucky,  where  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  Fible,  in  1814.  Mrs.  B.  was 
born  in  Germany,  April  28,  1791;  her  parents 
moved  to  Kentucky  when  she  was  two  years  of  age. 
She  died  at  the  old  home  two  miles  east  of  Urbana, 
May  13,  1887,  aged  ninety -six  years.  She  was  the 
mother  of  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  were  pres- 
ent at  the  funeral,  the  youngest  child  fifty-one  years 
old.  Her  descendants  now  include  137  grand  and 
great-grandchildren. 

In  contemplation  of  the  mournful  fact  that  the 
old  pioneers  are  fast  passing  away,  those  who  re- 
main to  recall  their  lives  and  labors  reap  comfort 
in  the  belief  that — 

There  is  no  death;  what  seems  so  is  transition; 

This  life  of  mortal  breath 
-Is  but  a  suburb  of  the  life  elysian, 

Whose  portal  we  call  death. 

After  the  death  of  Samuel  Littler,  his  sons, 
John  E.  of  our  sketch,  and  Frank  H.,  assumed  the 
management  of  the  farm,  and  although!  but  mere 
boys,  kept  up  the  homestead  in  an  admirable  man- 
ner and  evinced  rare  judgment  in  their  operations. 


8IIOMAS  J.  DAVIS.  The  progenitors  of  a 
large  portion  of  the  residents  of  Champaign 
County  originated  in  the  Keystone  State. 
Among  these  was  Morris  Davis,  father  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  biography,  who  was  born  near  Harris- 
burg,  Dauphin  Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  7th  of  September, 


r 


972 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4\ 


1811.  His  parents  died  while  he  was  a  small  child, 
and  thus  left  an  orphan,  he  was  reared  by  Mr.  Mor- 
ris Howe  of  that  same  county,  and  passed  his  time 
until  eighteen  after  the  manner  of  most  fanners' 

o 

boys,  attending  school  in  the  winter,  and  assisting 
in  sowing  and  reaping  the  balance  of  the  year.  At 
the  age  mentioned  he  concluded  to  change  his  oc- 
cupation and  went  to  Harrisburg  to  learn  the  trade 
of  a  hatter. 

From  the  latter  place  Mr.  Davis  was  gone  about 
a  year  through  New  Jersey  and  New  York  City, 
working  journey  work,  and  in  the  summer  of  1830, 
left  his  native  State  and  "footed"  it  to  West  Lib- 
erty, Ohio.  He  followed  his  trade  there  a  few  years 
with  Mr.  Andrew  Wood,  who  afterward  became  his 
brother-in-law,  as  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rachel 
Wood  a  few  years  later.  After  this  event  he  went 
into  partnership  with  Mr.  Wood,  and  they  operated 
a  hat  manufactory  under  the  firm  name  of  Davis  <fe 
Wood,  several  years,  when  our  subject  purchased 
the  interest  of  his  partner  and  operated  alone. 

After  accumulating  a  little  capital  Mr.  Davis  en- 
tered 160  acres  of  timber  land  in  Stokes  Township, 
Logan  Co.,  Ohio.  In  1850  he  embarked  in  the 
grocery  business  at  Huntsville,  Ohio,  and  had  011)3' 
been  established  a  short  time  when  his  dwelling  and 
contents  and  hatter's  stock  were  destroyed  by  fire. 
He  had  no  insurance.  Afterward  he  joined  his 
brother-in-law  in  Miami  County.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  deeded  eighty  acres  of  his  land  to  John  M. 
Johnson,  upon  the  condition  that  the  latter  should 
clear  three  fields  ol  ten  acres  each.  Upon  this  he  built 
a  log  cabin  16x22  feet,  which  lie  occupied  and  en- 
gaged in  fanning  for  a  few  years.  After  his  death, 
the  cabin  was  replaced  by  a  handsome  country  resi- 
dence. His  death  occurred  Oct.  25,  1853,  and  his 
remains  were  buried  in  the  Seceder's  Cemetery,  near 
Huntsville. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  in  her  girlhood  was 
Miss  Rachel  Wood,  who  was  born  Nov.  19,  1815. 
She  became  the  mother  of  six  children,  and  sur- 
vived her  husband  about  twelve  years,  remaining 
on  the  old  homestead  until  her  death,  which  oc- 
curred April  2,  1865.  Her  remains  were  laid  by 
the  side  of  her  husband.  The  children  of  the  par- 
ental family  are  recorded  as  follows:  John,  the 
eldest,  «:is  killed  at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga, 


Sept.  20,  1864;  M.  J.,  who  also  served  three  years 
in  the  arm}',  has  a  family  and  is  living  in  Harper 
County,  Kan. ;  Thomas  J.,  of  our  sketch,  was  the 
third  child;  Minerva  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  M. 
L.  Comer,  of  Bureau  County,  III.,  and  Florence 
L.,  who  married  David  Besore.  in  April,  1873, 
and  departed  this  life  on  the  10th  of  July,  1884; 
Robert  died  when  four  years  of  age. 

The  Davis  family  is  of  Welsh  ancestiy.  The 
paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject,  William  and 
Margaret  (Wood),  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  former  removed  to  Ohio,  and  died  there  in 
February,  1840,  when  sixty-eight  years  of  age. 
His  wife  died  in  October,  1846,  when  seventy-one 
years  old. 

Thomas  J.  Davis  was  born  July  7,  1841,  at  West 
Liberty,  Logan  Co.,  Ohio.  He  was  twelve  years 
of  age  when  his  father  died,  and  remained  with  his 
mother  until  her  death,  in  1865.  He  had  become 
accustomed  to  farm  labor  and  received  a  common- 
school  education.  From  the  time  he.  was  eighteen 
years  old  until  twenty-four  he  had  suffered  greatly 
from  ill-health,  and  having  nothing  to  keep  him  in 
Ohio,  determined  upon  a  change  of  climate.  He 
accordingly  set  out  on  horseback  to  Illinois,  but 
after  riding  a  few  days  found  himself  unequal  to 
the  undertaking  and  abandoned  his  horse  for  the 
railroad.  After  reaching  Ford  County,  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother,  M.  J.,  he  rented  a  tract  of 
land  near  Paxton,  which  they  operated  for  two 
years.  In  the  fall  of  1867,  our  subject  came  to 
Urbana,  and  after  working  on  the  L,  B.  <fe  W.  R.  R- 
a  few  months,  purchased  eighty  acres  of  railroad 
land  on  section  8,  in  Stanton  Township,  for  which 
he  paid  $9  per  acre.  The  following  spring  he 
began  improving  it.  lie  now  has  a  quarter  section 
and  this  well  tiled  and  under  a  good  state  of  culti- 
vation. He  has  arrived  at  the  point  where  he 
is  living  comfortabl}'  and  with  something  laid  up 
for  a  rainy  day.  He  has  enjoyed  in  a  large  measure 
i  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-townsmen, 
having  served  as  School  Director  for  twelve  years; 
Tax  Collector  three  years,  besides  being  Road  Com- 
missioner and  Supervisor  the  same  length  of  time. 
Politically  he  is  a  full-Hedged  Greenlmcker. 

Our  subject  married  Miss  Susan  J.  Harper,  Nov. 
.  y,  1868.  She  has  become  the  mother  of  live 


f 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


973    ,  , 


children,  born  as  follows:  Frances  S.,  Sept.  5, 
1869;  Charlie  M.,  Nov.  9,  1871  ;  Nancy  J.,  May  14, 
1875;  Thomas  H.,  Jan.  3,  1878,  and  one  infant  died 
unnamed.  The  remaining  four  are  at  home  with 
their  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  are  members  of 
the  United  Brethren  Church. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Davis,  Francis  and  Jane 
(Reed)  Harper,  were  natives  of  Ohio,  the  former 
born  in  Pickaway  County,  May  -26,  1800.  He  was 
twenty-eight  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage and  became  an  active  and  prosperous  farmer 
in  Fayette  County.  In  1864  he  came  to  the 
Prairie  State.  In  1853  his  wife  died,  and  he  was 
accompanied  by  his  five  motherless  children.  He 
purchased  1GO  acres  of  improved  laud  in  Vermilion 
County,  which  he  occupied  until  18H8,  when  he  re- 
tired from  active  labor,  spending  the  last 
years  of  his  life  among  his  children.  Ilis  de- 
cease occurred  Oct.  4, 1875,  and  his  remains  were 
laid  to  rest  in  the  Blue  Grass  Chapel  burying- 
ground  in  Vermilion  County.  The  death  of  the 
mother  took  place  in  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  and 
she  was  buried  in  the  old  Presbyterian  church- 
yard. Their  ten  children  included  four  sons  and 
six  daughters,  of  whom  four  died  in  infancy.  Those 
surviving  are:  Nancy,  the  wife  of  W.  F.  Hop- 
kins; William,  Mary  Ann  and  Susan  J.  Alexander 
was  married  and  died  in  Cissna  Park,  Iroquois  Co., 
111.,  June  16,  1885.  The  paternal  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Davis,  Alexander  Harper,  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  who  removed  first  to  Kentucky  and 
thence  to  Ohio,  becoming  a  resident  of  the  latter 
State  in  1800.  He  married  Miss  Nancy  Tate,  of 
Kentucky.  The  following  brief  sketch  was  written 
by  one  who  knew  him  well : 

"Alexander  Harper  departed  this  life  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  Feb.  18,  1843,  aged 
seventy-five  years.  He  was  born  in  Path  Valle}7, 
Pa.,  in  1767.  When  twelve  years  old  he  removed 
with  his  widowed  mother  and  family  to  Kentucky 
at  a  time  when  danger  from  the  Indians  was  great. 
The  family  landed  at  Spring  Garrison,  near  the 
Falls  of  the  Ohio;  after  various  moves  through  im- 
minent danger  they  reached  McConnella  Station, 
where  they  remained  five  years  before  they  were 
safe  in  venturing  to  settle  themselves. 

"The  subject  of  this  narrative,  though  young,  was 


frequently  with  scouting  parties  in  defending  the 
settlement,  and  passed  through  many  conflicts  with 
the  Indians,  a  thought  of  which  is  enough  to  make 
one  shudder.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  vol- 
unteered in  the  militia  of  Kentucky,  and  was  also 
with  (Ten.  Harner  in  his  campaign  against  the 
Indians  at  what  is  now  culled  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  and 
fought  hard  during  the  dreadful  massacre  that 
took  place  there  and  called  Harner's  defeat.  His 
brother,  Francis  Harper,  was  killed  by  the  Indians 
in  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks.  Alexander  re- 
moved to  Ohio  in  1800,  settled  near  Pickaway 
Plains,  remained  there  two  years,  and  from  thence 
removed  to  Ross  County,  Buckskin  Township, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death.  In  1812,  during 
the  war  with  the  British  and  Indians,  he  volun- 
teered and  went  against  the  Indians  on  the  Wa- 
bash.  under  Maj.  W.  M.  Trimble.  In  April,  1813, 
he  went  in  the  company  commanded  by  Capt.  Rob- 
ert Harper,  his  brother,  and  since  Maj.  Robert 
Harper,  to  the  defense  of  Ft.  Stephenson.  A  part 
of  this  tour  of  duty  was  performed  after  he  had  ar- 
rived at  the  age  of  forty-five.  He  could  have  se- 
cured his  discharge,  but  so  great  a  hero  was  he  that 
he  would  not  leave  the  field  until  his  company  was 
regularly  discharged.  In  battle  he  was  never  known 
to  flinch  from  his  post. 

"He  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  for  thirty-two  years.  He  was  looked  upon 
as  one  of  the  patriarchs  of  his  day,  and  was 
a  devoted,  praying  Christian.  The  writer  of 
this  narative  knew  him  well,  being  a  member  of  the 
same  church,  Pisgah,  and  can  say  he  never  heard 
Alexander  Harper  speak  ill  of  anyone,  nor  anyone 
speak  ill  of  him.  He  was  ever  willing  to  engage  in 
every  good  work  and  always  willing  to  relieve  the 
distressed  when  in  his  power.  His  seat  in  his 
church  was  never  vacant  when  his  health  and  the 
weather  would  suit  for  his  venturing  out.  His  rela- 
tions and  neighbors  can  truly  say  that,  though  dead 
he  yet  speakcth  to  us.  The  great  esteem  in  which 
he  was  held  by  his  neighbors  was  manifested  in 
their  kindness  during  his  late  illness.  All  seemed 
to  anticipate  and  feel  the  loss  the  church  and  so- 
ciety would  sustain  iu  his  death.  The  writer  asked 
him,  the  day  before  he  died,  respecting  his  hopes 
hereafter;  his  answer  was  'All  is  well.  Christ,  my 


I 

t 


t. 


,  >    974 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


4 


Savior,  did  not  endure  all  the  agonies  of  the  cross 
for  nothing;  no.  He  died  for  poor,  lost  sinners  such 
as  I,  and  I  know  He  will  keep  securely  for  me  that 
which  I  have  committed  to  His  care.' 

"Mr.  Harper  married  when  young,  in  Kentucky; 
he  had  eleven  children  born  to  him,  nine  of  whom 
are  now  living,  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  He 
lived  to  see  them  all  become  respected  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  His  own  brothers 
and  sisters,  though  several  in  number,  are  all  gone 
to  rest  excepting  two  brothers  and  one  sister:  Maj. 
Robert  Harper,  of  Ross  City,  Ohio;  James  Harper, 
near  Logansport,  Ind.,  and  Mrs.  Clark,  of  Ross  Coun- 
ty, Ohio.  As  a  husband  and  father  he  was  kind  and 
affectionate.  It  is  the  lot  of  few  fathers  to  have  and 
to  enjoy  the  affection  of  their  children  to  the  same 
extent  that  he  did.  As  a  neighbor  he  was  kind 
and  obliging,  ever  ready  to  assist  in  time  of  need. 
He  commanded  their  esteem  to  such  an  extent, 
that  although  the  day  of  his  burial  was  very  in- 
clement, yet  the  concourse  that  followed  him  to 
his  grave  was  very  great." 


ASMl'S  PETERSON,  pleasantly  located  on 
section  30,  in  Rantoul  Township,  is  a 
native  of  Norway,  and  was  born  April  (J, 
*  1843.  His  childhood  and  youth  were  spent 
in  Scandinavia,  where  he  attended  school  and 
assisted  in  farm  labor.  When  a  youth  of  eighteen 
he  set  sail,  in  May,  1801,  for  America,  landing  first 
at  Quebec,  whence  he  came  directly  to  this  State, 
stopping  first  in  Grundy  County.  At  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  he  enlisted  in  Co.  C,  53d  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and 
afterward  participated  in  many  important  battles, 
meeting  the  rebels  at  Pittsburg  Landing  and  Cor- 
inth, where  was  some  of  the  hardest  lighting  of 
that  campaign.  He  only  served,  however,  until 
18(i3,  and  was  discharged  on  account  of  disability. 
Mr.  Peterson,  after  retiring  from  the  army, 
resumed  farming  in  Grundy  County  for  a  time, 
and  came  to  Rantoul  Township  in  1870.  He  had 
in  the  meantime,  by  the  exercise  of  industry  and 
economy,  saved  a  snug  little  sum  of  money,  which 
he  invested  in  a  part  of  the  land  he  now  ouu>. 
lie  lias  a  good  set  of  farm  buildings  which  are  sur- 


rounded  with  choice  fruit  and  shade  trees  and  ;i 
quarter  section  of  land  under  a  good  state  of  cul- 
tivation. 

Mr.  Peterson  was  married  in  1K6G,  to  Miss  lihoda 
Johnson,  a  native  of  Grundy  County  and  of  Nor- 
wegian parentage.  Of  this  union  there  were  born 
seven  children,  namely,  Peter,  Delia,  Lena,  Ras- 
mus Rosa,  Gilbert  and  Bertha.  Our  subject  and 
his  estimable  lady  arc  members  in  good  standing 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  Mr.  P.,  since  becom- 
ing a  naturalized  citizen,  has  uniformly  voted  with 
the  Republican  party.  He  is  held  in  high  respect 
by  his  neighbors,  and  is  one  of  the  self-made  men 
of  this  county  who  have  built  up  for  themselves  a 
most  creditable  record. 


I  "iSAAC  LAYMAN,  of  Condit  Township,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Union  County,  Ohio,  and  was  born  Aug. 
\  31.1840.  He  is  the  son  of  Henry  and  Eliza- 
beth (Kretsinger)  Layman,  who  are  mentioned  in 
the  sketch  of  Lewis  Layman,  elsewhere  in  this  vol- 
ume, and  was  but  an  infant  when  his  parents  re- 
moved from  his  native  State  to  Indiana.  A  few 
years  later  they  came  overland  to  Illinois,  in  which 
manner  they  had  also  traveled  from  Ohio  to  In- 
diana, and  the  father  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
in  Logan  County,  in  which  he  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers.  Our  subject  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  186'2,  then  enlisted  as  a  Union  soldier 
in  Co.  D,  85th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  and  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  participating  in  many  of  its  impor- 
portant  battles,  and  receiving  a  wound  in  the  left 
arm  and  shoulder.  He  remained  with  his  com- 
rades, however,  and  with  them  was  mustered  out  at 
the  close  of  the  struggle,  and  returning  to  Illinois 
resumed  farming  in  Logan  County. 

Mr.  Layman  came  to  this  county  in  18U9,  and 
purchased  a  quarter  section  of  wild  land,  which  is 
included  in  his  present  farm.  It  is  now  all  enclosed 
with  fences  and  other  improvements,  including  a 
convenient  and  substantial  dwelling,  ample  sheds 
for  the  shelter  of  stock  and  all  other  necessarv 
buildings.  The  soil,  under  his  wise  manipulation, 
has  become  exceedingly  fertile,  and  yields  in 
abundance  the  line  crops  of  the  Prairie  State. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


-4 

975    ,  > 


Our  subject,  in  1867,  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Bessie  Fletcher,  a  native  of  England,  and  the 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Naomi  Fletcher.  Of  this 
union  there  were  born  three  children,  namely, 
Joseph,  Charles  and  William.  Mrs.  Layman  de- 
parted this  life  in  1873.  Our  subject- was  married 
the  second  time,  March  27,  1878,  to  Miss  Martha 
J.  Penney,  a  native  of  Sangamon  County,  and  the 
daughter  of  William  G.  Penney,  who  was  born  in 
Virginia,  and  came  to  this  State  in  the  pioneer  days. 
During  the  late  war  lie  enlisted  in  the  100th  Regi- 
ment, and  died  in  the  service  at  Little  Rock.  Ark., 
in  May,  1864.  Ilis  wife,  in  her  girlhood,  was  Miss 
Eleanor  R.  Duff,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  the 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  (McClure)  Duff, 
natives  respectively  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky. 
Mrs.  Duff  died  in  Logan  Comity,  this  State,  in 
1868.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Layman  have  five  children, 
namely,  Bruce,  Pearl,  Chester,  Carrie  and  a  babe 
unnamed.  They  are  members  in  good  standing  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr.  Layman, 
politically,  is  a  decided  Republican. 


AMES  S.  SHAFFER  is  the  owner  of  160 
acres  of  excellent,  highly  improved  land* 
located  on  section  25,  Sidney  Township, 
where  he  carries  on  an  extensive  farming 
and  stock-growing  business.  He  was  born  in 
Frankfort,  Ky.,  Sept.  15,  1840,  and  is  the  son  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Roche)  Shaffer.  His  parents 
were  both  born  in  France.  At  an  early  day,  the  date 
of  'vhich  is  unknown,  they  removed  from  France 
seeking  a  new  home  in  America.  They  first 
settled  in  Pennsylvania  where  his  father  was  a 
teacher  in  the  public  schools.  From  there  they  re- 
moved to  LaFayette,  Ind.,  where  his  father  died 
in  1856. 

His  mother  having  previously  married  the  second 
time,  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Alfonso  Berlin- 
court,  came  to  Illinois  with  her  only  child,  James 
S.  Shaffer.  Her  death  occurred  in  1882,  at  Burling- 
ton, Kan.  James  was  left  at  an  early  age  to  make 
his  own  way  in  the  world.  The  truism  "some 
are  born  to  greatness,  some  achieve  greatness,  and 
some  have  greatness  thrust  upon  them,"  may  also 


apply  to  prosperity.  It  was  his  destiny  to  achieve 
by  his  own  intelligence,  foresight  and  courage,  and 
he  has  successfully  contended  against  many  diffi- 
culties and  obstacles. 

In  1871,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth 
Jones,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  J. 
(Brown)  Jones.  Her  parents,  who  were  natives  of 
Kentucky,  now  reside  in  Danville,  111.  Mr.  James  S. 
Shaffer  and  his  wife  have  reared  a  family  of  eleven 
children;  their  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as  fol- 
lows: Ida  B.,  March  6,  1872;  Louis,  Sept.  11. 
1873;  Ira,  Sept.  13,  1874;  William,  Dec.  19,  1875; 
Mary,  May  11,  1877;  John,  April  19,  1878;  Joseph, 
Nov.  15,  1880;  James.  May  9,  1882;  Oscar,  Jan. 
28, 1884,  Alice,  June  31,  1885;  Charles,  March  17, 
1887.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  His  wife  is  a  Methodist.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican. 


ON.  WILLIAM  B.  WEBBER  is  well  known 
throughout  this  county  as  an  attorney  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  prominent 
in  the  political  affairs  of  the  county  and 
State.  His  acquaintance  with  legal  matters  began 
early  in  life,  he  having  when  a  youth  of  seventeen, 
been  appointed  as  Deputy  Circuit  Clerk  of  Cham- 
paign County  under  his  father,  who  was  the  Clerk- 
in-Chief.  Six  years  later  he  began  the  study  of 
law  under  the  instruction  of  Judge  Somers  and 
Capt.  John  C.  Moses,  and  was  admitted  to  practice 
in  1 863.  For  six  years  afterward  he  was  a  partner 
of  Judge  Somers,  practiced  two  years  alone,  and 
then  became  associated  with  Judge  Cunningham, 
they  continuing  together  five  years.  In  1877  lie 
was  a  candidate  for  Count}'  Judge,  and  ran  300 
ahead  of  his  ticket,  being  defeated  only  because 
the  county  was  strongly  Republican.  His  duties  as 
a  Legislator  commenced  in  1884,  when  he  repre- 
sented the  counties  of  Champaign,  Piatt  and  De 
Witt  in  the  State  Legislature.  During  the  term, 
which  he  served  with  acceptance  to  his  constituents, 
he  was  at  the  head  of  various  important  committees 
and  in  all  respects  distinguished  himself  as  a  man 
of  more  than  ordinary  ability. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  in    the  city 


f 


-k 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


of  Urbana,  Oct.  31,  1837,  and  is  the  son  of  Thom- 
son R.  and  Martha  (Thompson)  Webber,  a  sketch 
of  whom  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
His  parents  came  to  Illinois  in  the  pioneer  days, 
and  Thomas  Webber,  identifying  himself  with  the 
Democratic  party,  became  prominent  in  the  politi- 
cal affairs  of  the  State.  He  served  as  Clerk  of 
Champaign  County  twenty  years,  and  was  Circuit 
Clerk  twenty-seven  years,  and  Master  in  Chancery 
forty  years.  In  the  meantime  he  was  also  conserva- 
tor of  other  important  interests.  He  was  widely 
known  as  a  kindly  Christian  gentleman,  illustrating 
in  both  his  public  and  private  life  the  highest  type 
of  manhood.  The  son,  William,  has  inherited  in  a 
marked  degree  the  characteristics  and  talents  of  his 
honored  father.  He  is  recognized  as  an  able  attor- 
ney and  safe  counselor,  and  stands  high  among  his 
professional  brethren  in  this  locality.  He  is  Demo- 
cratic in  politics,  and  socially  belongs  to  the  A.  F.  & 
A.  M. 

The  marriage  of  William  13.  Webber  and  Miss 
Sarah  Barnett,  of  Shelby  County,  Ky.,  took  place 
Sept.  1,  1864.  Mrs.  W.  is  the  daughter  of  Allen 
and  Drusiila  (Newton)  Barnett,  also  natives  of 
Kentucky.  Our  subject  and  his  highly  esteemed 
wife  occupy  an  attractive  home  within  the  city 
limits  and  enjoy  the  friendship  and  association  of 
the  cultured  people  of  Urbana. 


VJOHN  GERE,  JR.,  is  believed  to  be  the  oldest 
'  merchant  doing  business  in  Champaign 
County,  and  one  of  the  old  landmarks  of 
Urbana.  In  personal  appearance  he  is  of 
large  stature  and  sinewy  frame,  and  tradition  says 
that  in  his  younger  days  he  was  an  athlete  with 
whom  no  ordinary  man  would  venture  to  compete. 
He  possessed,  both  mentally  and  physically,  the 
elements  necessary  to  the  settling  of  a  new  country. 
and  he  has  grown  with  its  growth,  taking  a  per- 
sonal interest  and  pride  in  its  development  and 
progress. 

Mr.  Gere  was  born  in  Seneca  County,  N.  Y., 
Feb.  11.  1811,  ami  is  the  son  of  John  and  Polly 
(Clark)  Gere,  natives  of  Vermont.  His  grand- 
father, Asa  Gere,  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War 


and  yielded  up  his  life  while  a  prisoner  on  the  old 
ship  "Jersey,"  the  name  of  which  is  never  recalled 
without  a  shudder,  in  view  of  the  atrocities  prac- 
ticed upon  it.  The  family  was  of  English  ancestry, 
and  some  of  its  members  fled  from  their  native 
country  in  1735,  on  account  of  religious  persecu- 
tion. The  father  of  our  subject  moved  with  his 
family,  in  1836,  from  the  Empire  State  to  Indiana, 
and  a  year  later  to  Vermilion  County,  this  State, 
later  removing  to  Clark  County,  where  he  died  in 
1844.  The  mother  afterward  came  with  her  son, 
our  subject,  to  Urbana,  where  her  death  took  place 
in  1860. 

Our  subject  received  a  limited  education  and  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  until  twenty-two 
years  old.  Upon  starting  out  for  himself  he  en- 
gaged in  the  brick  business  at  Alexandria,  N.  Y., 
which  pursuit  he  followed  until  the  fall  of  1836, 
when  the  family  came  West.  Here  he  first  en- 
gaged in  farming  near  Darwin,  but  some  years 
later  came  to  Urbana  and  commenced  dealing  in 
horses,  purchasing  in  this  county  and  shipping  to 
points  East  and  North.  Afterward  he  and  his 
brother,  James  S.,  established  a  dry-goods  store,  in 
which  they  continued  together  for  several  years.  In 
the  meantime  they  varied  their  occupation  by  con- 
tracting to  furnish  15,000  cords  of  wood,  and  a  large 
quantity  of  ties  for  the  Central  Illinois  Railroad. 
The  brothers  finally  dissolved  partnership,  and  John 
pin-chased  an  interest  in  the  Urbana  Woolen  Mills, 
with  which  he  was  connected  three  years.  The 
brick  store  which  the  Gere  brothers  built  was 
destroyed  by  fire  Oct.  9,  1871,  involving  a  loss  of 
from  $25,000  to  130,000.  Mr.  Gere  rebuilt  that 
same  year,  and  has  continued  business  uninter- 
ruptedly since  that  time.  He  gives  employment 
to  three  clerks  and  has  a  generous  patronage  among 
his  old  friends,  while  new  customers  are  never 
backward  in  making  their  purchases  at  the  old 
stand. 

Mr.  Gere  has  invested  his  surplus  funds  in  real 
estate  in  the  country.  His  present  wife.  Miss 
Harriett  A.  Cressey,  is  a  native  of  his  own  State, 
and  their  only  child  is  a  son,  George  W.,  an  at- 
torne}'  at  Champaign.  The  two  sons  of  his  second 
wife  are  Warren  M.,  who  is  with  his  father  in  the 
|  store,  and  Frank  M.,  in  the  post-office  at  Urbana. 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


977 


ENRY  TREVETT,  of  the  firm  of  Trevett  & 
Green,  Champaign,  is,  with  his  partner,  car- 
rying on  a  lucrative  trade  in  hardware,  agri- 
cultural implements  and  coal,  and  is  located 
at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Walnut  streets.  He  is 
numbered  among  the  wide-awake  and  "enterprising 
men  of  the  county,  and  has  aided  materially  in 
building  up  the  business  interests  of  the  city. 

Our  subject  was  born  in  Cook  County,  this  State, 
Feb.  3,  1844.  and  is  the  son  of  Oliver  and  Sarah 
(Hayvvard)  Trevett,  natives  respectively  of  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  and  Clare  County,  England.  The  maternal 
grandparents  of  our  subject  were  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth  (Rider)  Hayward,  who  came  to  Cook 
County  in  1837,  and  farmed  there  until  1860.  They 
then  retired  to  Chicago,  where  the  death  of  the 
father  occurred  in  1874.  The  paternal  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  Dr.  Oliver  Trevett,  was  a  native 
of  Maine  and  a  practicing  physician  of  note  who 
spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native  State.  His  son, 
Oliver,  Sr.,  learned  the  trade  of  a  baker  at  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  and  subsequently  engaged  in  farming  near 
Leydeu,  Cook  County.  He  entered  a  tract  of  land 
from  the  Government  in  about  1837,  and  remained 
in  that  section  until  1 850.  He  then  went  into  the  city 
and  set  up  in  the  bakery  business,  which  he  continued 
there  until  1856.  The  following  year  he  came  to 
this  county,  of  which  he  was  a  resident  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  in  1864.  The  mother  had  died  twenty 
years  before,  in  Cook  County.  There  were  but 
two  children — Harriet  E.,  and  Henry,  our  subject. 
Young  Trevett  attended  schodl  until  fourteen 
years  old,  then  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  hardware  store 
ten  years,  after  which  he  took  up  book-keeping  and 
had  charge  of  his  employer's  business.  In  18C8, 
in  company  with  Mr.  Rupert,  he  set  up  in  business 
for  himself  at  the  corner  of  Market  and  Walnut 
streets,  where  they  were  burned  out  sixty  days  later, 
and  Mr.  Trevett  lost  the  savings  of  ten  years.  He 
went  into  business  again  and  was  again  burnt  out 
in  [1871.  The  structure  was  re-built  and  the  firm 
of  Trevett  &  Green  occupied  it  until  1877,  then 
purchased  the'briek  building  where  they  are  now 
doing  business,  and  have  become  the  largest  mer- 
chants in^he  hardware~trade  in  the  county. 

Mr.  Trevett  was  married  in  1869   to  Miss   Mary 
C.,  daughter  of  John  Marcy.  Circuit  Judge,  and  a 
-*• • 


resident  of  Royalton,  Yt.  The  five  children  born 
of  this  union  are  Katie,  Harry  M.,  Mar}'  S.,  Edith 
and  Sarah.  Mr.  Trevett  is  Democratic  in  politics 
and  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. He  is  President  of  the  Kaskaskia  Club, 
and  holds  the  same  position  in  the  water-works  and 
the  manufacturing  companies  of  Champaign.  He 
was  elected  Mayor  of  the  city  in  1875,  serving  a 
term  of  four  years  and  has  also  served  as  Alder- 
man. The  family  residence  is  pleasantly  located 
at  the  corner  of  New  and  West  Park  streets,  and  its 
inmates  are  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  of  life. 


D.  SOMERS,  a  retired  attorney,  and  one  of 
the  pioneers  of  the  county,  was  born  in 
North  Carolina,  Jan.  21,1812.  His  par- 
ents were  Waterman  and  Winifred  (Durham)  Som- 
ers,  who  were  residents  of  Rockford,  Surry  Co.,  N. 
C.  In  1850  they  came  to  Illinois  and  settled  near 
Urbana,  in  Somer  Township,  which  afterward  re- 
ceived its  name  in  his  honor.  His  father  died  in 
1855,  and  his  mother  in  North  Carolina  in  1832. 

W.  D.  Somers  was  brought  up  on  a  farm,  work- 
ing during  the  summer  and  attending  school  in  the 
winter  until  he  was  fourteen.  He  was  then  em- 
ployed for  four  years  as  clerk  in  the  County  and 
Circuit  Courts,  after  which  he  became  Master  in 
Chancery  for  one  year.  After  this  he  began  the 
study  of  medicine  and  commenced  practice  in 
1836.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1840  and  settled  in 
Urbana,  where  he  opened  an  office  and  continued 
practice  three  years.  While  practicing  as  a  physi- 
cian he  made  the  acquaintance  of  several  distin- 
guished lawyers  of  the  State,  among  whom  were 
Judge  David  Davis,  Abraham  Lincoln,  John  H. 
Brow  and  Ashael  Gridley.  Owing  to  ill-health  his 
friend,  Judge  Davis,  advised  him  to  change  his 
profession  and  read  law,  which  he  did,  and  in  1846 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  was  often  afterward 
engaged  with  Lincoln  in  toying  cases,  sometimes  as 
assistant  counsel,  and  at  others  on  the  opposite 
side.  He  was  local  attorney  for  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  for  several  years,  and  it  was  due  to  his 
influence  that  the  Industrial  University  was  located 
at  Urbana.  He  was  Supervisor  of  the  township  for 


i 


^      978 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


a  number  of  years,  nnd  most  of  the  time  Chairman 
of  the  County  Board.  On  .the  occasion  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln's  first  political  address  in  Champaign 
County  Mr.  Seiners  introduced  him  to  the  audi- 
ence. He  was  then  a  Whig,  but  at  present  is  a 
member  of  the  Democratic  party. 

In  1842  Mr.  Smners  was  married  to  Miss  Cather- 
ine P.  Carson,  a  native  of  Philadelphia.  They 
had  a  family  of  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  now 
living. 

During  his  more  active  life  Mr.  Somers  was  the 
owner  of  1,000  acres  of  land.  He  began  his  busi- 
ness career  when  a  mere  boy,  and  after  a  long  and 
useful  life  is  now  spending  its  evening  in  compara- 
tive retirement  at  Urbana. 


^JOSEPH  C.  PICKARD,  M.  A., 
I    as  a  prominent  educator,  is  Prol 


well  known 

prominent  educator,  is  Professor  of  En- 
glish Literature  in  the  University  of  Illinois. 
Prof.  Pickard  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Sa- 
rah (Coffin)  Pickard,  and  was  born  in  1826  in 
Rowley,  Mass.,  of  which  place  his  father  was  a  na- 
tive. His  mother  was  a  native  of  Newburyport, 
of  the  same  State.  His  father  spent  the  early  part 
of  his  life  in  mercantile  pursuits,  but  later  engaged 
in  manufacturing. 

Prof.  Pickard  received  a  careful  education  at 
home  while  a  boy.  and  afterward  attended  Bow- 
doiu  College  in  Maine,  where  lie  graduated  in 
1841.  After  his  graduation  he  taught  two  3-ears 
at  the  academy  of  Fryeburg,  Me.  From  there 
he  went  to  a  theological  seminary  in  Bangor,  where 
he  was  most  of  the  time  engaged  in  teaching.  He 
remained  there  four  years  and  then,  in  1852,  en- 
tered the  Illinois  College  at  Jacksonville  as  tutor, 
which  position  he  also  occupied  four  years.  He 
was  then  offered  a  professorship  in  the  university 
at  Madison,  which  position  he  retained  four  years, 
and  afterward  was  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  cities 
of  Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  lu  1873  lie  accepted 
the  professorship  in  the  University  of  Illinois, 
which  lie  has  since  continued  to  hold. 

In  1853  Prof.  Pickard  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Mary  A.  Storer,  a  native  of  London, 
England.  They  have  a  family  of  five  children — 


Charles  Iv,  William  S.,  Annie  A.,  Edward  W.  and 
Ethel  M.  Prof.  Pickard  has  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  the  county  and  State,  both  as  an  edu- 
cator of  unquestioned  talent  and  ability,  and  as  a 
man  of  broad  culture  and  high  moral  worth.  Al- 
though not  actively  interested  in  politics  he  always 
votes  with  the  Republican  party. 


EORGE  W.  IIARTSOCK.  The  following 
but  a  brief  history  of  one  of  the  most 
onored  pioneers  of  Harwood  Township, 
who  was  born  in  Greene  County,  Ohio,  Nov.  (5, 
1 839.  He  was  the  son  of  David  and  Sarah  Jane 
(Cornell)  Hartsock.  His  parent!!  removed  from 
New  Jersey  to  Ohio  during  the  early  settlement 
of  the  State,  and  remained  there  until  their  death. 
His  father  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812; 
was  an  active,  energetic  man,  and  keenly  alive  to 
what  was  going  on  around  him. 

Our  subject  came  West  in  August,  1869,  and 
coming  into  this  county  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land  on  section  26,  Harwood  Township.  Becom- 
ing tired  of  keeping  "  bachelor's  hall,"  and  having 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Imogene  .1. 
Soper,  he,  in  the  early  part  of  1871,  celebrated  his 
marriage  with  her. 

Mr.  Hartsock  and  his  wife,  soon  after  this  event, 
took  up  their  abode  on  their  own  farm,  which  the}' 
have  occupied  since  that  time.  Here,  where  their 
united  labors  commenced,  they  have  become  al- 
most an  indispensable  portion  of  the  community, 
and  here  the  six  children  who  came  into  the  house- 
hold were  all  born.  Of  these  five  are  still  living, 
and  the  record  is  as  follows:  Sylvanus  L.  was  born 
Dec.  25,  1871;  Olive  May,  April  30,  1873;  Asa 
Newell,  born  Dec.  6, 1 874,  died  Aug.  8, 1876;  David 
Orange,  born  Jan.  1,  1880;  Sarah  Ann,  April  12, 
1882;  Caroline  E.,  July  25,  1884. 

The  homestead  of  our  subject  embraces  160  acres 
of  highly  cultivated  land,  neatly  fenced  and  pro- 
vided with  a  handsome  se.t  of  frame  buildings. 
The  farm  has  been  principally  devoted  to  the  rais- 
ing of  grain  and  stock,  the  favorite  cattle  of  Mr. 
Hartsock  being  the  Galloways,  and  the  horses,  Nor- 
man. He  raises  Poland-China  hogs  in  large  num- 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


970 


hers,  and  his  animals  include  some  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  Central  Illinois.  Among  his  thor- 
oughbred swine  are  Lady  Nash  and  Bravo,  who 
have  quite  a  reputation  in  this  vicinity,  and  the 
head  of  his  cattle  herd  is  a  magnificent  thorough- 
bred named  Rattler.  As  a  farmer  and  member  of 
the  community,  no  man  is  held  in  greater  esteem 
than  Mr.  Hartsock. 


M.  PHENICIE,  the  descendant 
of  an  excellent  Pennsylvania  family,  and 
born  in  the  Keystone  State..  Feb.  26,  1836f 
took  up  his  residence  in  Stanton  Township  in  1865. 
He  purchased  1 20  acres  of  wild  land  with  the  deter- 
mination of  making  for  himself  a  permanent  home- 
stead, and  he  has  not  been  disappointed.  The 
ground  is  now  enclosed  with  neat  fences  and  graced 
with  a  fine  residence,  and  the  proprietor  will  be 
pardoned  if  he  views  the  result  of  his  labors  with 
a  feeling  of  pride  and  satisfaction.  Of  late  years 
he  has  given  much  attention  to  stock  raising  and 
feeding,  making  a  specialty  of  Norman  horses  and 
Short-horn  cattle.  His  stables  and  yards  contain 
some  of  the  finest  animals  to  be  found  in  Central 
Illinois. 

The  parents  of  our  subject,  Joseph  and  Susan 
(Conner)  Phenicie,  were  natives  of  Franklin  County, 
Pa.,  and  are  now  deceased;  the  mother  died  in  July, 
1880,  and  her  companion  in  1886.  They  were  held 
in  universal  respect  and  for  many  years  connected 
with  the  Lutheran  Church.  They  were  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  named  respectively,  Stephen  L., 
Elizabeth,  Henry  C.,  William  M.,  Mary  E.,  Susan, 
and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  P.  spent  his  earlier  years  on  the  farm  in 
Franklin  County,  Pa.,  and  upon  reaching  manhood 
he  was  there  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Besore,  the 
wedding  taking  place  in  December',  1861.  Mrs.  P. 
is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Mown)  Besore, 
who  were  also  natives  of  Franklin  County,  where 
her  birth  took  place.  Of  this  marriage  there  have 
been  born  six  children,  viz.,  Stephen  H.,  S.  Delia, 
George  B.,  Emma,  Evra  and  William  O. 

The    grandparents  of  our  subject    had    thirteen 


children,  seven  -sons  and  six  daughters.  The  father 
of  these,  John  Phenicie,  was  a  native  of  England, 
and  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  locating  in 
Franklin  County,  Pa.,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  days. 


THOMAS  STEPHENS,  deceased,  entered  upon 
the  stage  of  life  in  Greene  County,  Pa.,  June 
11,  1807,  and  after  having  lived  worthily 
and  as  became  a  man  invested  with  grave  responsi- 
bilities, passed  from  the  scenes  of  earth  at  the  age 
of  nearly  eighty  years,  March  6,  1887.  He  was  the 
son  of  Edward  and  Hannah  Stephens,  natives  of 
New  Jersey,  and  spent  his  early  years  on  his 
father's  farm.  His  early  education  was  quite  lim- 
ited, but  being  a  close  observer  became  admirably 
fitted  for  the  struggle  of  life  in  its  various  phases. 
He  remained  a  member  of  the  parental  household 
until  1832,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Elizabeth  Cotton.  After  some  years  his  wife 
died,  leaving  two  children. 

Mr.  Stephens  for  years  was  actively  and  exten- 
sively engaged  in  the  stock  business-.  The  lady  who 
became  his  second  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Cather- 
ine Parcels,  to  whom  he  was  married  Aug.  11, 
1841.  She  was  the  third  child  of  Peter  and  Han- 
nah (Kerns)  Parcels,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  but 
the  mother  descended  from  Irish  ancestors,  who  left 
an  estate  of  many  millions  in  their  native  country, 
which  now  lies  to  their  credit,  and  forms  an  estate 
upon  which  settlement  has  never  been  made.  Peter 
Parcels  was  the  first  publisher  and  editor  of  a  paper 
in  Chillieothe,  Ohio. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Stephens  located  on  a 
farm  in  Fairfield  County,  near  Lancaster,  and 
which  comprised  nearly  a  half  section  of  land.  Here 
he  followed  farming  and  stock-raising  extensively, 
and  one  season  contracted  to  furnish  a  Baltimore 
firm  with  5,000  head  of  hogs,  which,  through  the 
negligence  of  the  railroad  company,  caused  him  a 
loss  of  $18,000.  After  this  calamity  Mr.  Stephens 
scarcely  knew  which  way  to  turn.  He  carefully 
canvassed  the  situation,  when  he  received  unex- 
pected relief  in  the  form  of  a  proffered  loan  of 
$5,000  from  a  banker  at  Lancaster.  He  could  not 
give  security,  and  declined  the  generous  proposi- 


980 


CHAMPAIGN  COUNTY. 


tion.  but  twelve  or  fifteen  of  the  most  responsible 
men  of  the  county  came  to  his  aid  and  became  his 
security  for  the  money.  Then,  taking  with  him  his 
new  capital,  and  in  company  with  two  nephews, 
Lindsey  and  Krlward  Corbly,  he  set  out  for  Mis- 
souri. 

In  the  latter  State  Mr.  Stephens  purchased  400 
head  of  cattle,  and  leaving  the  young  men  in 
charge  of  them,  returned  to  Ohio  on  horseback  to 
settle  up  some  business  matters.  Thence  he  came 
to  Illinois,  and  it  being  in  the  fall  of  the  year  he 
purchased  a  large  quantity  of  corn  near  Sadorus 
Grove,  where  he  made  ready  to  winter  his  stock. 
Writing  to  the  young  men  to  start  the  drove  he 
pushed  forward  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and  found 
his  deputies  swimming  the  animals  across.  The 
passage  was  made  in  safety  and  all  returned  to  Sa- 
dorus Grove,  where  they  remained  with  the  stock 
until  early  in  the  winter,  and  then  drove  them 
through  to  Philadelphia,  where  they  were  sold. 
Our  subject  then  began  to  buy  land  warrants,  and 
eventually  secured  1.500  acres  in  Saline  County, 
Mo.,  and  5,000  in  Illinois,  at  the  head  of  the  Sanga- 
mon  River  in  Champaign  and  Ford  Counties.  His 
intention  at  first  was  to  settle  in  Missouri,  purchase 
slaves  and  go  into  hemp-raising.  This  State,  how- 
ever, presented  greater  attractions,  and  he  aban- 
doned his  original  plan  to  settle  here.  The  out- 
break of  the  war  proved  the  wisdom  of  his  choice 
in  abandoning  the  idea  of  slave  labor. 

During  this  time  the  family  of  Mr.  Stephens  had 
been  living  in  Ohio.  After  determining  upon  a 
settlement  in  this  State  he  put  up  a  hewed-log  house 
and  sent  for  his  family,  establishing  them  in  their 
new  home  as  comfortably  as  possible.  Some  years 
later,  he  having  accumulated  sufficient  means, 
erected  a  splendid  residence  at  a  cost  of  $11,000, 
which  was  the  admiration  of  all  the  country  around. 

In  the  spring  of   1867  Mr.  Stephens  had  on  hand 


800  head  of  cattle,  but  being  engrossed  in  home 
affairs,  left  the  management  of  his  stock  principally 
to  his  son,  who  had  been  his  partner.  The  latter 
entered  into  a  contract  with  a  commission  merchant 
of  Chicago  for  1,000  head  of  Southern  cattle,  which 
proved  to  be  an  unsuccessful  venture,  owing  to 
their  falling  below  the  stipulated  average.  Another 
speculation  proved  a  failure  on  account  of  Texas 
fever  breaking  out  in  his  herd ;  however,  he  was 
not  the  man  to  be  discouraged  under  difficulties, 
and  consequently  soon  rallied  and  all  went  on  well 
as  before. 

The  children  of  Mr.  Stephens  were  at  this  time 
still  at  home,  but  soon  afterward  married  and  set- 
tled down  in  life.  He  then  divided  his  property 
among  them,  stipulating  that  his  son  Thomas  ,1. 
should  take  care  of  his  parents  during  the  remain- 
der of  their  lives.  The  children  afterward,  how- 
ever, purchased  a  snug  piece  of  property  in  Gibson 
City,  where  they  fitted  up  a  neat  and  comfortable 
dwelling  in  which  they  placed  their  parents  and 
looked  after  their  welfare  from  that  time  on.  Here 
occurred  the  death  of  our  subject.  His  widow 
still  resides  there  with  her  daughter  Julia,  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Ross,  a  grain  dealer  of  Gibson.  The 
five  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stephens,  all  living, 
are  Benjamin  F.,  Peter,  Thomas  J.,  Hannah  C., 
and  Julia  A.  The  family  has  always  been  remark- 
able for  its  mental  vigor  and  physical  strength,  and 
until  the  decease  of  the  father,  no  death  had  oc- 
curred among  them  for  a  period  of  forty-five 
years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stephens  became  connected  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  early  in  life,  and 
ever  afterward  continued  worthy  and  consistent 
members.  After  the  organization  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  Mr.  S.  became  one  of  its  warmest  sup- 
porters, but  later  identified  himself  with  the  Green- 
backers. 


*f 


t 


1 


Abbott,  Stephen   C 362 

Abrams,  Isaac   H 547 

Adams,  John 23 

Adams,  John  Q 39 

Ainsworth,J.  'I' 775 

Alexander,  W.   J.  &  J 500 

Allen,  Joseph 323 

Allison,  E.  M    ,.460 

Allison,  W.  H    439 

Anderson,  C.  N..    613 

Anderson,  John 383 

Arnold,  Cyruc 938 

Arthur,  Chester  A 99 

Axtell,  J.  N 400 


B 


Babb,  Charles 621 

Babb,  Thomas 372 

Bailey,  A.  H 789 

Baldwin,  A.  H 334 

Bard  well,  J.  K 230 

Barnes,  T.  P 688 

Barrett,  Eli 587 

Bartholow,  E.  C 434 

Bartholow,  Dr.  J.  M 321 

Bartley,  James 683 

Battles,  F.  B 778 

Beach,  B.  C 665 

Bear,  H.  C 694 

Beardsley,  George  K 820 

Beatty,  Calvin 489 

Beecher,  Henry 931 

Beier,  J.  T 423 

Heisser,  F.  A 915 

Bell,  T.  H 79° 

Bellinger,  J.   A 831 

Bengtson,  Charles  A 741 

Benjamin,  C.  C 641 

ISesore,  Joseph  M 619 

Bever,  James 431 


Beveridge,  JohnJL 171 

Beverlin,  T.    I 620 

Birdzell,  D.   E 714 

Birdzell,  E.  A 724 

Bissell,  Wm.  H 151 

Bois,  J.  J 693 

Bond,  Shadrach m 

Bongard,   J 326 

Bourne,  Amos 350 

Bowers,  A.  J 697 

Braden,\Vm.    1 604 

Brciner,  Wm 796 

Brodrick.Wm.  B 592 

Brown,  A.  C 371 

Brown,  Courtland 847 

Brown,  D.   F 254 

Brown,  Uaac 212 

Brown,  W.  T 832 

B  row  n ,  Wm 628 

Brownfield,  Martin 691 

Brownlee,  Prof.  James  H 960 

Buchanan,  James 75 

Buddemeier,  August  S 937 

Burlingame,  Christopher 410 

Burnett,  Christopher 664 

Burns,  Byron 603 

Burr,  L.  C   633 

Burrill,  Prof.  T.  J 651 

Busey,  J.  S 3H 

Busey,  Hon.  S.  H 813 

Busey,  Col.  S.T 826 

Bush,  J.  D 446 


Caldwell,  Wm 957 

Campbell,  James  M 392 

Campbell,  J.  G 284 

Carley,  Mark 189 

Carlin,  Thomas 135 

Carper,  Philip 546 

Carson,  W.  G ;;go 

Cash ,  John 932 

Cash,  W.  M 928 

Chamberlin,  T.W 196 


Chambers,  Jacob  S 445 

Champ,  J.  W 58? 

Chapin,  P..   B 599 

Cherry,  William 762 

Clark,  John   736 

Clark,  John  G 

Clark,  J.  H •>;: 

Clark,  John  1    960 

Clark,  W.  D 505 

Clark,  Wm.  G 667 

Clark,  Wm.   R 352 

rionnon,  W.  F 408 

Cleveland,  S.   Grover I03 

Clevenger,   H.  I 596 

Coburn,  Joseph 945 

Cockayne,  N.  W 488 

Coddington,   Benjamin 774 

Coddington,  Joseph 806 

;     Coffeen,   B.  E 855 

^/Coffecn,  M.  D 962 

Coggshall,   A.  B 661 

Cole,  L.  B 815 

Coler,  P.  S 451 

Coles,  F.dward 115 

Colley,  W 627 

Collins,  G.  L 809 

Collison,  J.  M 749 

Colwell,  J.  H 

Comer,  John 614 

Conant.S.  W.  M 641 

Concannon,  D 303 

Condit,  George 743 

Condon,  T  .  E .' 389 

Congleton,  C.   W 403 

Conkey,  W.  A         912 

Conkling,  E.  G 567 

Connor,  Charles  H 701 

Connor,  John 682 

Cook,  Ezekiel 504 

Cook,  John 644 

Coons,  J.  S 75' 

Cooler,  David 531 

Core,  Dr   James 709 

Corlies,  H.  D 970 

Corlis,  W.  S    872 

Cornelius,   H.  P 954 

Corray,  E    584 

Cosbey,  Thomas  K 787 

Cotton,  A.   W 645 

Covert,  Truman 558 

Covington,  Joseph 433 


Couden,  George  W 730 

Coyle,  Anthony    913 

Coyner,N.  M          365 

Craig,  C.  M 474 

Craig,  J.  M 932 

Crane,  Theodore  K 751 

Cranston,  J . 300 

Craw,C.  W 2,6 

Craw,  Samuel 310 

Crawford,  Rev.    David 253 

Crawford,  John 802 

Crawford,  John 398 

Crawford,  Lemuel 233 

Cresap,  Capt.  B.  F 710 

Crist,  Abram    234 

Cross,  A.   D 752 

Crouch,  John,Jr 400 

Culbertson,  Otho   K 695 

Cullom,  Shelby  M 175 

Cunningham,  A.  F 666 

Cunningham,  J.  O 7^1 

Cushman,  Daniel ....   $27 

Custer,  W.  C 967 


D 


Dailey,  Wm 621 

Oarmer,  John  0 428 

Darrah,  T.  O    219 

Davidson,  Capt.  Joseph 225 

Davis,  Edward 391 

Davis, James 894 

Davis,  J.  K 303 

Davis,  Jehu 260 

Davis,   Robert 817 

Davis,  T.   J 971 

Davis,  W 435 

Davis,  Wm 799 

Dawley,  Wm 226 

Dawley,  Wm.  K 650 

Day,  John   W.'. 273 

Deck,  Oliver 399 

Decker,  Joseph s'9 

Uernlo,  Frederick 715 

Devore,  A    J 305 


INDEX. 


Dick,  Jesse  N 235 

Dickerson,  E 838 

Dill,  Sebastian 952 

Dodge,    J.  VV   819 

Doty,  Stephen 432 

Dresbach,  Ephraim 767 

Duncan,  Joseph 13' 

Dunlap,  Albert 757 

Dunlap,   E.  1 236 

Dunlap,  H.    J 777 

Dunlap,  Henry  M 222 

Dunlap,  James  H 739 

Dunlap,  M 437 

Dunn,  Z.    M 731 

Durfey,  H.  1 378 

Dyer,  C 4»' 


E 


Karl,  Win.  D    705 

Edwards,  George 544 

Edwards,  Ninian 119 

ElUrs,  M 355 

Ellars.  Wm 286 

Elliott,  Wm         .    ...      . 5>3 


Freeman,  J.S 711 

Freeman,  J.  T 852 

Freeman ,  Thomas 702 

French,  Augustus  C 143 

Frey,  George 954 

Fry,  David 366 

Fry,   Edward 554 

Fry,   Theodore 295 

Fugate,   Dr.   J.  'I' 787 

Full.  N 742 

Ftinkhouser,  Samuel 496 

Funkhouser,  Wm 800 

Funston,  J  .  H 440 

Furnish,  Samuel 429 

Furst,  Levi 424 


(iabriel,  Elizabeth 812 

Gallion,  V.  J , Soo 

(iarfield,    James   A     95 

Gates.  V.  J 


Ellr 


,  ft.  1,. 


•7°4 


.4 


Ells,  Charles 4°4 

English,  Stephen 402 

K nn is,  Thomas 24° 

Estep,  Isaiati 680 

Evans,  E.  W 381 

Ewing,  Wm.    L.  D 127 

E  xto  n ,  J  a  mes    509 


F 


Fancher,  W.   H 706 

Faulkner,   John 617 

Feeman,   H.    B 346 

Ferris.  Mrs.    A.  L 412 

Fielding,  Isaac 600 

Fillmore,MiUard 67 

Fisher,  Daniel  A ....245 

Fisher,  David  G    . .  .-. 407 

Fisher,  E.  I 526 

Fisher,  Edward  S 733 

Fisher,  George  A --342 

Fisher,    Henry 272 

Fisher,   W.   C 221 

Flatt,  James  H 205 

Fleming,  Jesse 545 

Fletcher,  Wm 918 

Flynn,  Patrick   341 

Fo  bes,  S.  A   623 

Ford,  Capt-  D.  J 515 

Ford.  Thomas 139 

Foulke,   Everard 703 

Fowler,  J 684 

Fox,  S   682 

Frame,  M.    J 383 

Francis,  Isanc 811 

Frazier,  A 438 

Fryman,  F.dmund 587 

Freeman,    Eleazer 530 

Freeman,  J     I 508 


397 

^.C.-'\e,   F.  Charles 537 

Gennnt:,  K  .  N 943 

George,   D  .    R 307 

Gere,  John    .. 976 

Gibson,  Charles  W t^^- 

Giddings,  J  .  W 477 

<  Hddings,  T  .  W    769 

Gil  more,  George  W 614 

Glascock,   Mahlon '.692 

Glover,  C 853 

Goings,  A.   A    798 

Gordon,  Bernard 506 

Gordon,  Joseph 864 

Gordy,  Thomas 467 

Gorham,  Henry 489 

Gorman,  J 476 

Gorman,  Joseph   I , 493 

Goudte,  James 299 

Grabby,   John    C 961 

Grant,  Ulysses  S 77 

G  ray.  Nelson    A 726 

Green,  Patrick 681 

Grimes,  J.   T     293 


Grift  wold,  George  W..    .    814 

Grove,  Samuel 377 

G  roves,  C-  M 


Gulick,  J.   R..    279 

Gunder,  J.  N 532 


H 


Madden,  J.  M 792 

Halberstadt,  Eli 499 

Halberstadt,  John 264 

Haley,   H     A 606 

Hamilton,  C.    F. 866 

Hamilton,  J ^87 

Hamilton,    John   M 179 

Handy,  W.    E   5go 

Hannah,   J.    S    319 


Harless,   F.  1 457 

Harmeson,  Thomas 548 

Hnrmison,    James 669 

Harnit,  J  .   M 292 

Harrison,    W.   H 239 

Harrison,  Win.  Henry 5: 

Hartsock,G.   W 978 

Harvey,  William   713 

Harwood,   Hon.  Abel 963 

Harwood.  George  W 686 

Havard,  W.  R 568 

Haw  baker,    Henry 647 

Hawker,  Wm 573 

Haworth,  W 203 

Hays,  John  C 479 

Hayes,  Rutherford   B 91 

Hazen,   F, .    K 302 

Hazcn,    Horace 283 

Headrick,  J.   H 217 

Henderson,  J.    W 596 

Henderson,  Wm 204 

Hen  ness,  Z  . .  t 556 

Hensley,  Salem 418 

H  erriott ,  J  ames  W 330 

Hewerdine,   Robert 867 

Hewerdine,  Wm 864 

Hicks,   L.  1 674 

Hilderbrant,  John   W 939 

Hill,   E.   J 697 

Hinton,  D.    F.  D 54i 

H  ixenbaugh,    1 740 

Hndam,  J.    H 869 

Holaday,   Mrs.  N.... 591 

Hos>,    Francis  M 859 

Hossack,  J  a. TICS  A : 353 

Howard,  H.   C 639 

Howard,  James 423 


Howard,  W,    F 7S3 

Howser,  C.    L .785 

Howser,  J.  N 85^ 

Howser,  Leonidas   H 214 

Hubbard,   L.  G 664 

Hudson,  J.    H 785 

Hudson,  Joseph   R 782 

Huffman,  J.   F 242 

Hummel,    Philip 289 

Humrichouser,  Isaiah 944 

Humrichhouse,  J.  W 858 

Hunsley,  H.  W   610 

Hunt,  Charles   S 704 

Hunt,   J  •    H 574 

Hyde,  A.   W <55 

Hyde,S.  A 22o 


Ice,  James  K 817 


Jackson,  Andrew 43 

James,    Enos   608 

J aq ues,  John  H 483 

Jaques,  W.    H 648 

Jeakins,   Mark 634 

Jefferson,  H 714 

Jefterson,    Thomas 27 


Jefferson,  Thomas  E 401 

Jervis,  Joseph 332 

Jessee,   J.    T  . .  .*. 311 

Johnson,  Andrew 83 

Johnson,   W.  H 231 

John sto n ,  G eorge  W 300 

Johnston,  Robert 572 

Jones,   M  orris 607 

Jones,  Samuel   U 716 

Jones,  W.    M 810 

Jordan,  T  .  F 430 

Judy,  Jacob  H 343 


K 


Kamp, Joseph 375 

K  archer,  George 375 

Karr,  James,  Jr 553 

Keller,  John  I 562 

KeHey,  Joseph   T 844 

Ketch  urn,  Sidney 418 

Kilbury,  J.  S 657 

Kilbury,   Mortimer 673 

King,  D.    A 791 

Kirkpatrick,  Dr.   C 764 

Kirkpatrick,  J.  C 647 

Kirkparrick,  S.   A 782 

Koch,  M 557 

Koogler,  Samuel 667 

Kratz,  Or.  Edwin  A 816 

Kuder,A.  L   473 

Kuder,  C.  L 571 

Kuder,  Lewis 208 

Kurtz,    H 594 


LaKolfett,  J  .    H 940 

Lamb,  L     K , 867 

Lange,  F.   H 335 

Largent,  G .    K qi6 

Lateer,  W.    J 525 

Lav  crick,  Thomas 933 

Lawrence,  J    W .562 

Layman,   Isaac --974 

Layman,  Lewis 363 

Leas,  A.  F 854 

Leas,  Isaac  'J' 197 

Ledderboge,    F.   G 487 

Lee,    Squire 941 

Lehman,  Wm 742 

Leidendeker,  H  .    J 676 

Leigh,  F.  M .884 

Leneve,    Wm 879 

Leney,  John  W 958 

Lenox,   Hiram 959 

Leonard,   John 605 

-eslie,   Robert 632 

.ester,  Capi.  J.    H 79S 

.ester,  J  oh  n  L 808 

^etterman,   Joseph 477 

•ewis,   I  .  M    483 

•illy,*'.  H 405 

.illy,  Mrs.    V 663 


INDEX. 


Lincoln,  Abraham 79 

Lindsey,  Thomas  v 265 

Linebarger,  J  .  H 466 

Littler,  John  E 971 

Lloyde,  D.    H 675 

Locke,  John 387 

Loeb,  A 527 

Logan, J.  H 877 

Lorenz,   Ernst 468 

Lorenz,  L.  H 447 

Lott,   J.    H 346 

Loveless,  A .  N      260 

Lovingfoss,  JohnH 725 

Lowman,  Allison 190 

Luedecker.  Rev.    F.  A 951 

Lumley,  James   354 

Lyons,  S.    H 336 

Lyons,  Thomas 420 


M 


Madison,  James 31 

Mallory,  John  T 658 

Mandeville,   John  D 968 

Mandeville,  Samuel    D 810 

Manley,  Ira  A 195 

Mapes,  D 215 

Marriott,  Casandra 574 

Marshall,  Edward 262 

Matheny,  T.  J 447 

Mathews,M.W 57, 

Matteson,  Joel  A 147 

Matthews,  John  M 411 

Mathewson,  Brown 788 

Maxwell,  David 377 

Maxwell,  Joseph 334 

McBride,  Henry 629 

McCabe,  John 8f6 

McClelland,   J.    R 600 

McClelland,  Wm 967 

McClintock,  Thomas 270, 

McCloskey,  Jacob 611 

McCracken,  Thomas  F 392 

McCullough,  A.   W 679 

McF.lwee,  J.  S 847 

McElwee,  L  198 

Mclntosh,  D..   ..» 196 

McKee,  E.  M 581 

McKee.  Samuel 526 

McKee,  Samuel 469 

McKinney,   D.    R 860 

McLean,  Lewis  A  264 

McLennan,  Phillip 276 

McMillen,  Wm   285 

McMillian,  C 921 

McMullen,  John 631 

Mead,  D 576 

Meharry,   A.  P 274 

Meharry,  Jesse. . . ., 359 

Meharry,  Wm 201 

Meikle,  John  W 513 

Merry,  Benjamin  F 320 

Michener,  L) 585 

Miller,  Dr.  J.  T 662 

Miller,  J.   G 646 

Miller,  J.  T 590 


Miller,  W.  T    

Miner,  Mrs.   Eunice.... 

Minturn,  John   M 

Mitchell,  J.  P 

Monroe,  James 

Moore,  D.  S 

Moore,    James   M 

Moore,  J.  R.... 

Moore,   John    T    

Moore,  M 

Moore,  S.  W 

More,  J.   R 

Morgan,  W.    H... 

Morris,  H.    M 

Morris,    J.    H 

Morris,  R.  B 

Morrow,  G.   E 

Morse,  Rollin  H 

Morton,  Wm 

Moser,    David 

Mosier,  Dr.  P.  C 

Mumm,  John   J 

Myers,    Daniel 

Myers,  Mrs.  E.  O 

Myers,  J.  W 

Myers,  Peter 


.679 
.250 
.791 
.280 

••35 
.948 

.t02 


•37° 
.823 
.369 
.806 
•525 
.908 
•  484 
.705 
.891 
906 
.924 
.964 
•533 
.890 
.828 
•595 
•5<>3 
.917 


N 


Nash,  H.   J 

Naylor,  David 

Naylor,  Edmund 

Neal,  John  B 

Nelson,  Lucy   M 

Nelson,  Henry  — ,.. 

Neu,  Wm 

Nichols,  David  T.... 
Nichols,  Frederick... 
Nicewander,  Mary  J. 

Nisewander,  D    

Nofftz,  Albert 

Norton,  J  .   N 

Norton,  Stephen  .... 
Nox,  Solomon 


•244 
.462 

•935 
•387 

•  275 
.408 

•556 
.966 
•943 
..659 
.589 

•  441 
•373 

..263 
.  .201 


O 


Oakes,  George 

Obenchain,  E.  S 

O'Brien,  James 

Obryant,  Johnson 

Obryant,  Wm.   W 

Ocheltree,  J.  M 

Ocheltrec,    J.    R 

O'Connor,  Thomas    M. 

Offenstein,    Frank 

Oglesby,  Richard  J.... 

Oldham,  James  G 

Ordel,    A 

Osborne,  J.    A 

Owens,  W.    H 


.892 
821 
•44" 
•593 
.837 
.848 
.216 
•474 
•349 
.163 
78, 
..302 
•745 
•583 


Palmer,  Aquilla 900 

Palmer,    John   M 167 

Park,   John    W 211 

Park,  Wm 862 

Parker,  Charles 419 

Parker,   Dr.   C.  K 438 

Parker,  E.   W 923 

Parker,  Prof.   Geo.  W.  M...   601 

Parr,  W.    G I94 

Parrett,  J.    W.  &  R.   A 582 

Parry,  J.   C 243 

Parsley,  James     631 

Patterson,  Catherine 899 

Patton,    Nathan    965 

Payton,   Rev.  J.    H 471 

Peabody,  David 911 

Peabody,  S.  H 7,5 

Pearman,    Dr.    J.   T 773 

Peck,  Charles  W 577 

Pell,  Frederick 449 

Penfield,  John 969 

Penman,    Robert 339 

Percival,  C.    F. 316 

Percival,  S.    P 413 

Perring,  J  .    A 940 

Peters,   1.   S 650 

Peters,  R ...925 

Peters,  W.   J 916 

Peterson,   John    L 510 

Peterson,    Rasmus 974 

Pettit,    Silas 561 

Phenicie,   Wm.    M 979 

Phillippe,    John   K 249 

Phillippe,    M.   A 312 

Pickard,  J.   C 978 

Pierce,  Franklin 71 

Pierce,    Joseph 722 

Pinkerton,    F.    E 834 

Piper,  Henry 670 

Place,  J..  R 866 

Plaut,  S 520 

Polk,  James  K 59 

Pollock,  J.   H 312 

Porter,  L.    H    547 

Porterfield,  A.  G    844 

Porterfield,  L.   C   480 

Porterfield,   R.    M 202 

Porterfield,  S.  A 948 

Powers,    E.    F 478 

Pratt,  Albert  R 555 

Price,  Arthur 536 

Pricket,  A.    J 833 

Putnam,  Edgar    W 843 

Putnam,  George  W     786 

Putnam,   Henry   322 

Putnam,  Wm.   P 851 


Q 


(juinlan,  Wm 


R 

Radebaugh,    E 458 

Radebaugh,  S-    B    696 


Rassler,   Michael    656 

Rawlinson,  W.  M-    893 

Rayburn,   R.   G 330 

Raymond,  Isaac  S 306 

Read,  Marvin 270 

Reagan,  C .529 

Ream ,  S .    J .....  927 

Reed,  A.    J 427 

Reed,  George   H    914 

Reed,  J..  C 388 

Reese,   Henry 846 

Reese,  Walter 343 

Reid,    Nancy 882 

Reinhart,    Anthony 336 

Reinhart,  Louis 309 

Reinhart,  Wendel 634 

Renner,    H.    \V 564 

Reynolds,  Hanford 856 

Reynolds,  Jeremiah   N 824 

Reynolds,  John 123 

Rice,  Arthur 3^9 

Rice,  David 360 

Richmond,  H 382 

Richmond,  J.   W 744 

Ricker,   N.  C 652 

Ricketts,   A.  D    269 

Roach,  John 374 

Roberts,  Wm.    H 384 

Robinson,  H  -   J 364 

Robinson,  P 475 

Rock,  A.    J    538 

Rock,    Wm 759 

Roe,  Matthew 35i 

Roos,  Prof.   Peter 772 

Rough  ton,   John    955 

Ruckman,  Thomas 261 

Ruhl.  A.   G..   655 

Rusk,  P.   A 677 

Russell,  K 842 


Sadorus,  Allen   M 857 

Sadorus,  Henry 226 

Sadorus,  H.  T 3^0 

Sadorus,    Wm 291 

Sale,  E.  C..   563 

Samson,  W.  L   ....    505 

Saxon,  Mrs.   Anna 470 

Schoenberger,   F 871 

Scott,  Abel  S   582 

Scott,  Hon.   K.    L 290 

Scott,  T.   J 436 

Seltzer,  J .    D 459 

SewelUJ.  T 304 

Seymour,   A.    R 835 

Seymour,   F.   G    834 

Shaffer,  James  S 975 

Shaffer,  Phillip 282 

Sharpe,    E.   H 304 

Shattuck,  Prof.  S.  W 734 

Shaver,   E.    A 873 

Sha-whan,  G.    R ..191 

Shreve,  O 192 

Shuck,J.    W 895 

Silver,  David 618 

Silver,   Wallace 313 

Simpson,  John   A 356 


•** 


t 


••fr 


INDEX. 


} 


Sim,  J.   W 969 

Sims,  Dr.  S.  N   944 

Sims, Dr.  W.   B 823 

Skinner,  George  &  Henry   -.537 

Skinner,  Wm 584 

Smith,    A.    B 546 

Smith,    George  A 730 

Smith,  George  W 478 

Smith,  J.   B   841 

Smith,   Jonathan 843 

Smith,  J.    N 678 

Smith ,  M 95° 

Smith,  Mrs.    M.    H 964 

Smith,    Thomas  W 494 

Smith,    W.    L   ..   6.0 

Smithson ,  J  .  M 461 

Snider,  John 685 

Snyder,  Prof,  Edward 215 

Somers,  John  W     833 

Somers.W.  D 977 

Soper,  M.   H 878 

Spencer,  John  M 397 

Sperling,  A 4S2 

Sperling.  Frederick 47' 

Stafford,  S.  Y 768 

Stamey,  J.  W 629 

Stamey.  M.     E 551 

Stayton,  D.    B,,  Sr 763 

Stayton,  D.  B.,  Jr 193 

Stayton,  Joseph   H £32 

Stein,  Frank 33* 

Stephens,  Thomas 979 

Stephenson,  H.  W 282 

Stephenson,  L 448 

Steven,    James 379 

Stevenson,  Lew  E 770 

Stewart,  G.  C 331 

Stewart,    H.   C 934 

Stockard,  Wm.  C 484 

Stone,  T.  M 326 

Stone,    Willis 567 

Stonestreet,  J  .   W 218 

Strong,  A .   W 894 

Stuart,  George 281 

Stumpf,  G 723 

Styan,  Edward 310 

Summit,  C.    F 219 

Sunderland,  Miles 553 

Swaim,  G.  H 825 


Swayze,  W.    H 294 

Swearingen,  J.    A 486 

Swearingen,  Mrs.  Elizabeth   .861 
Swisher,  G.    M 515 


T 


Tabler,  B.   1 275 

Taulman,   H 883 

Taylor,  Capt.  Caleb 333 

Taylor,  Gilbert  L 566 

Taylor,  John     528 

Taylor,  Zachary 63 

Telling,  Edward  T 902 

Tennant,  J      H 756 

Terry,  G.  W 780 

Thayer,  Edward    F 896 

Thayer,    Milo 630 

Thomas,   B.    F 364 

Thomas,  M.   C 503 

Thompson,  Abraham 901 

Thompson,  Jesse   K 761 

Thompson,  J.   C 513 

Thompson,  J  .    K 746 

Thompson,    Peter 4^5 

Thrash,  John 432 

Tindall,    Jacob 213 

Titus,  A.  B 518 

Todd,  S.   A  442 

Tompkins,  S .  L 868 

Towner,  Richard 7^0 

Townsend,  W.   H      ... 660 

Trees,  G.  W 776 

Trick,  John 946 

Trevett,  Henry 977 

Trisler,  Dr.   J.   W 775 

Trotter,   Hiram 259 

Trotter,   Jefferson 256 

1  ylcr,   H.    M 608 

Tyler,  John    5^ 


U 


Umbcnhower,  James 545 


Vaden ,  Win  .  A 712 

Vail,   R.    B 315 

Vallandingham,  A.  H 772 

Vanaslen,  W.    II 758 

V;in  Brunt.  Samuel 637 

Van   Buren,   Martin 47 

Vance,  Wm.    S 586 

Van   Fleet,  Charlotte ...802 

Vanschoyck,  J  .   W 732 

Van  Vleck.C.  H 224 

Van   VTeck,  F.  1 339 

Van  Wegen,  Lee 414 

Varney,  -Mrs.    Lucy  J 767 

Vautrin,   Louis 699 

Vennum,   F.    B 381 

Voss,  John  A   394 

W 


Wagner,  A.   J 801 

Walker,  George  A 622 

Walker,  J.    R 524 

Wallace,  Isaac  M 710 

Warters,  Wm 542 

Washington,    George 19 

Waters,  Wm.  S 874 

Watson,  James  655 

Watts,  F.   M 345 

Waugh,  Richard 432 

Way,  W.  M 552 

Webber,  G.  G 003 

Webber,  Hon.    Wm  .  B 975 

Webber,  T.   R 946 

Webster,  George 779 

Weeks,  J.  B 706 

Welles,  J.  H 4,7 

West,   H.   C 251 

West,  W.  M    755 

Whallon^J     C 490 

White,  H.   C 926 

White,  John  T 498 

White,  Wro 193 

Whitmore,  A.    P 230 


Wiggins,  H.  J 

Wilcox,  Frank  

Williams,  S.   G 

Williams,  Wm.  H 

Williams,  Z.   B 

Wills,    Samuel 

Wilson.  D.    R 

Wilson,  George  W 

Wilson,  George  W 

Wilson,   H.    F 

Wilson,   Henry 

Wilson,  James 

Wilson,  James  A 

Wilson,    Thomas...   -   .... 
Wilson,  Thomas  W.  A.... 

Wilson, Wm 

Witt,   C.  J 

Wolf,  David 

Wolfe,  J.  S     

Wood,  John 

Wood,  Wm 

Wood,  W.  W 

Woodard,  H 

Woodin,  Thomas  J 

Wright,  C      F, 

Wright,  Francis  M 

Wright,  Hon.    J.  S   

Wright,  R.C   

Wright,    Thomas 

Wymann,  C.    R   

Wyninger,  George   N 

Wyne,    J.  H 


•534 

•75-t 
.640 
.936 
•535 
.272 
.905 
•476 
.643 

77' 

475 
.712 
•757 

934 
.700 

462 

.082 
.719 
•75° 
•'55 
578 

•325 
•543 
.872 
-745 
.609 
.880 
.612 
•643 
•3=4 
.725 
.687 


Yancey,  D.   L 460 

Yates,  B.    F 516 

Yates,  Richard 159 

Yeazel,  Ann    Margaret 455 

Yeazel,  James 889 

Yexley,  A 229 

Young,  Caleb    B 507 

Young,    F.    M 573 

Young,  Thomas 485 

Young,  Wm 760 

Youngman,   B 634 


Zerbe,   John   .1 


' 


INDEX. 


Adams,    John 

Adams,  John  Q 

Arthur,  Chester  A 

Babb,    M  

Beecher,  Henry 

Bellinger,  J.  A 

Beveridge,  John  L   ... 

Bissell,  Wm-    H    

Bond,  Shadrach 

Buchanan,  James 

Carley,   Mark 

Carlin,    Thomas 

Cleveland,  &".   Grover. 

Coles,    Edward 

Colley,  Wm...., 

Culloni,  Shelby  M 

Duncan,  Joseph 

Dunlap,J.    H 

Rd wards,  Ninian 


•  38 
.  98 
.886 
•930 

-830 
.170 
.150 


•'34 

.102 

.II4 
.626 
-174 
.130 
738 


Ewing,  Wm     L.    1) 126 

FiMmore,   Millard 66 

Ford,    Thomas 138 

French,  Augustus   C 142 

Garfield,  James  A 94 

Gates,  Perry  J    396 

Gorman,  Joseph   L 492 

Goudie,  James 298 

Grant,  U.  S     86 

Gulick,  J-  R 278 

Hamilton,  John   M 170 

Hannah, J.   S   318 

Harrison,  Elizabeth. 238 

Harrison,  W.  H 238 

Harrison,  \Vm.   H 50 

Hayes,  R.    B 90 

Jackson,    Andrew 42 

Jefferson,    Thomas j*6 

Johnson,  Andrew 82 


Lester,  J.  B 794 

Lincoln,  Abraham 78 

Madison,  James 30 

Mathews,  M.    W 570 

Matteson,  Joel  A 146 

Meharry,  Jesse 358 

Meharry,  Wm 200 

Meikle,  J.  W 512 

Monroe,  James 34 

Oglesby,  Richard  J 162 

Palmer,  John  M 166 

Patterson,  J-  K 898 

Peabody,  D 910 

Penman,    Robert     338 

Penman,  Mrs.  Robert         ....338 

Pierce,  Kranklin 70 

Polk,  James  K 58 

Putnam,  Wm. 850 

Re  in  hart,  Wendel 626 


Barrett. 
Battles,   F.   B 
Bongard,  Jose 
Bourne,  Amos 
Brown,   Isaac. . 
Champ,  J.  W. 
Clark,  John. 
Clevenger,   H. 
Coffeen,M.  D. 
Comer,   John 
Conkey,    W.   A. 
Cooler,  David. 
Corlis,  W.   S. 
Covert,    Tr 
Craig,  J .    i\ 
Craw,  Samuel. 
Davis, 

Dawley,  Wm 
Decker,  Joseph  . 
'jickerson,    Ezr 
Doty,    Stephen  . 
Dunn,  Z. 
Edwards, 
Fisher,  E.   S. 


rus  
B 

681 
747 
287 

Fletcher,  Wm.    
George,    D.  B  

....919 
-    --443 

.  .  .  .615 

1OS  

c  
W  

3<8 
481 

Gray,  N.   A  
Griswold,  G.  W  

—  727 
..  ..227 
367 

Gulick,  J     R  

765 

H.    1  
D  

5*7 
481 
.      6ic 

Hawbaker,  Henry  
Hcadrick,  J.   H  
Henderson,  J  .    W  

....689 
....70? 

.   A  

..    ^8«; 

...  765 

id 

Hinton    D     F     D 

S 

.    .     287 

.  803 

Howard,  Wm.    F 

•  --783 

lei 

707 
aafi 

Howser,  L.   H  

....227 

783 

765' 

16? 

Lateer,  W     J  

A  

torge  

803 
747 

Laverick,    Thomas  
Leonard,   John  
Locke.  Tohn  .  .  . 

....8o3 

....68g 

Logan,  J.    H 875 

Lyons,    Thomas 367 

McClelland,  J.  R 689 

McCIoskey,  J  acob 247 

McKee,  E.  M 579 

McKee,  Samuel 663 

McMillian,  Clement 919 

Moore,  James    M 663 

Moore,    S .    W 425 

Morris,    R.    H ...783 

Mumm,  J.    J 553 

Naylor,  David 463 

Naylor,    Fdmund 463 

Neal,  John   B 405 

Nise wander,  Daniel 721 

Norton,    J.   N 405 

Oflfenstein,  Frank 348 

Osborne,  John  A 267 

Palmer,   Aquilla 571 

Parker,  E.   W 425 

Pell,  Fred 501 

Petti t,    Silas 559 

Pierce,  Joseph 385 

Porterfield,  A.  G 571 

Pratt,  Albert    R 663 


Reynolds,  John 
Smith,  T.   W 
Spencer,  J  .  M 
Stamey,  M.  E 
Taylor,    Zachary 
Thayer,  Edward  F 
Thompson,  J.  C 
Towner,  Richard 
Trotter,  Hiram 
Tyler,  John 
Van    Buren,  Martin 
Washington,    George 
Way,  W.    M 
Welles,  Joseph   H 
Wolf,  David 
Wood,  John 
Yates,   Richard 
Yeazel,   Abraham  .... 

Yeazel,  Ann  M  ....... 

Yeazel,  Elizabeth 
Yeazel,  James 


122 

492 
396 
550 
62 
898 
.519 
718 
258 
45 
46 
18 
550 
416 
718 
154 
158 
454 
454 
887 
830 


Putnam,   Minerva 
Reed,  A.  J 
R«d,  J.  C 
Reinhart,  Louis 
Rock,  A.   J  ....... 

Seltzer,  John  D 
Smith,  George  A 
Stone,   T  .   M 
Strong,  A  .    W 
Stumpf,    Gustave 
Swayze,   Wm 
Telling,  E  .   T 
Thompson,  J  .    K 
VanBrunt,   Samuel 
Vance,  Wm.   S 


Vanschoyck,  James  W 
Waters,  Wm.   S 
White,  Wm 
Williams,  Wra.  H 
Wilson,   D.    R 
Wilson,  Thomas 
Wood,  Wm 
Wright,  C.    E 
Youngman,    Bernard 


287 
681 
443 
308 
539 
443 
727 
327 
.  553 
227 
707 
904 
.  385 
635 
681 
267 
875 
57i 
521 
904 
481 
579 
267 
635 


*=* 


• 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBAN* 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  ALBUM  OF  CHAMP 


